Does anyone know this IM?

I have not see it before. Drums in the rear, top looks a tad weird when folded back, but ... interior is nice and even considering it has that auto transmission - it still appears to be a good deal for the right guy ( ie with spare time). From personal experience - be 'oh so careful' when buying a car from south Florida. The rust just floats in the air 24/7.

Hurricane Irma touched down in that area recently --- on up thru Tampa.

WOLFGANG posted:

Hurricane Irma touched down in that area recently --- on up thru Tampa.

Oh yes - I don't imagine the bathtub Porsche floats, does it? Haha.

I was just thinking about it, and already I'm out: (1) would need to respray with a color I like (just can't resist midnight blue, or meteor silver, (2) would be tempted to put in a more powerful engine and gearbox, and alllllllready we're getting the total cost up there.

One BIG plus though is this is a convertible D. I'd pay some extra dollars for that.

I remember that car. It was on this site a few years ago.

EDIT: Wrong, The one I'm thinking of was a Beck Speedster, not an IM Roadster.

This car has a square tube frame so you should be fine I would think as far as rust, but that does not mean that the heat has not burnt a lot of the innerds and many or most gaskets would be toast ... So all mirror rubbers, outside brightwork rubbers are toast etc. Even the leather if it is leather can be really brittle including the door panels and dash. 

You really have to go over it as you will spend many thousands either now in a few years to get it back to reasonable shape.  As to tranny it can be changed but it also will need the mounts etc to be welded and maybe moved.  Anthony on the list I think did a Subie swap in for a VW engine but not sure if the tranny was changed.  Anything can be done especially if your good at wrenching  Count the cost to where you want or needed to go.

Speaking of -

What should a Subie swap cost on a car that's a VW 1600 currently? I imagine there are lots of ancillary components that get into the mix when you're talking a move from an aircooled system to water, etc.

Looking at the picts you can see that the engine lid needs adjusting.  The bumperettes need attention, rear lights need changing and probably other bright stuff like the rear grill rubber is toast.  It does have roll up windows  

Buy it for 18K, throw in 12K day one and you will have a NICE car....I would check it out for sure as it could be in decent shape and to have a decent IM ROADIE @ 30K aint all bad. Worst scenario is you blow $$ on a PPI?

IM bodies last forever and this does not look shabby...PPI will tell the story

Not sure what your budget is but BECK has used inventory right now.  You might call them you never know. 

dkennemo posted:

Speaking of -

What should a Subie swap cost on a car that's a VW 1600 currently? I imagine there are lots of ancillary components that get into the mix when you're talking a move from an aircooled system to water, etc.

Personally I would swap it for a subie while I was doing the tranny swap but then you are going to pretty much rebuild the car so you have to get it with a low enough price to be able to do that, as you will be stripping everything in the car and then adding the clutch pedal, rad(s) piping etc and while your at it... famous phrase that digs a bigger hole  

Too bad one of the nicest more reasonable cars sold was Phil's IM it was a gem and it went for $40K and nothing to do on it... really.  Keep Swimming

So that appears to be an auto trans out of a VW T3.  So if you want to go with a Subaru engine then ideal solution would include a Subaru transmission (with reversed R&P gears) too. A 1600 cc engine matted to a AT doesn't inspire performance so no loss there. It might even have a resale value to a Speedster or trike builder.

I think IM now uses bus auto trans but that does look like a fastback tranny.. I drove one of those when I was young. 

IaM-Ray posted:

Not sure what your budget is but BECK has used inventory right now.  You might call them you never know. 

I'm headed over there the weekend after next - they're pretty close to where I live. I've been speaking with Carey a bit - what a nice guy!

dkennemo posted:

IaM-Ray posted:

Not sure what your budget is but BECK has used inventory right now.  You might call them you never know. 

I'm headed over there the weekend after next - they're pretty close to where I live. I've been speaking with Carey a bit - what a nice guy!

Told ya :-)

You live near Carey... it is a no brainer... get there quick while he has used product.  

IaM-Ray posted:

This car has a square tube frame so you should be fine I would think as far as rust, but that does not mean that the heat has not burnt a lot of the innerds and many or most gaskets would be toast ... So all mirror rubbers, outside brightwork rubbers are toast etc. Even the leather if it is leather can be really brittle including the door panels and dash. 

You really have to go over it as you will spend many thousands either now in a few years to get it back to reasonable shape.  As to tranny it can be changed but it also will need the mounts etc to be welded and maybe moved.  Anthony on the list I think did a Subie swap in for a VW engine but not sure if the tranny was changed.  Anything can be done especially if your good at wrenching  Count the cost to where you want or needed to go.

I'm thinking if someone got that for $20 K and the leather and rust concerns etc. proved ok, someone could drop a Soob engine in it themselves and have a damn nice runner. If that happened, what would it be worth then ? 

Ray..you might know this. Would the auto tranny bolt into the frame like a standard tranny or are the mounting points a whole other ball of wax ?

I'd sure like to have a Roadster with a Soob in the back.  Let's see now....I've got about a total of 5 grand net in my car right now....sell it and get a Roadster like this...quite doable. Hmmm.

dkennemo posted:

Speaking of -

What should a Subie swap cost on a car that's a VW 1600 currently? I imagine there are lots of ancillary components that get into the mix when you're talking a move from an aircooled system to water, etc.

Four thousand and up depending on the installer ( a pro install might have some type of mileage warranty too ) and level of parts quality / and appearance that would suit you and those that comment on it when you have the hood up. 

There aren't a lot of ancillary parts needed. Ed did straight forward "full electronic" Soob install on his MG replica and it works just fine. I took the old school approach and built a Soob Frankenmotor but the only electronic thing is the crank fired Ford Escort ignition system via a Megajolt controller.  I ripped out the fuel injection and installed a very basic Weber 5200 center mount carb,  put a Saab 9000 rad up front and finally put in a beefed up VW tranny with a 3.44:1 r & p. It runs quite well for not much $$$ invested. 

Essentially, if I remember right Henry usually makes a cradle type of hanger to hold the motor mounts and hangs the engine on this which is bolted to the frame.  Then between the suspension torsion points the tranny is held in a front mount setup. 

Danny or Anthony who did the Subie transplant on the west cost on a tube frame IM could inform you of what he did but it is doable and for a guy like you a piece of cake   I've seen your skills  

Buying the car at a right price is the start but doing it yourself would make the price and project more tolerable.   

“I'd sure like to have a Roadster with a Soob in the back. ”

You would probably have to change the side window rubbers but that is not a big deal while your at it you can insulate the doors  You will then have roll up windows and with that you won't miss the hardtop at all IMHO.   The leather door panels can be refreshed by using Leatherique and new dye if you want to update it. 

You could swap your engine & tranny set up and simply add a used manual to the VW and sell yours with VW   

Did I get you sold yet  

That's an excellent price. It's a good looking car. Even if you put $10k into it you'd still have a great deal. You could buy this and drive it for a couple years, as is, and decide if a replica is right for you. If not you could sell it for a profit.

IaM-Ray posted:

Essentially, if I remember right Henry usually makes a cradle type of hanger to hold the motor mounts and hangs the engine on this which is bolted to the frame.  Then between the suspension torsion points the tranny is held in a front mount setup. 

Danny or Anthony who did the Subie transplant on the west cost on a tube frame IM could inform you of what he did but it is doable and for a guy like you a piece of cake   I've seen your skills  

Buying the car at a right price is the start but doing it yourself would make the price and project more tolerable.   

Thanks for that. So Ray.....one could remove the engine, tranny, axles as one then remove the mounts and pretty much start from a clean slate ( the frame ) ?  No crazy mods needed to the rear frame ? Then mount a HD rebuilt VW tranny / axle combo and bolt the Soob to the back of that like I did ? 

Terry Nuckels posted:

That's an excellent price. It's a good looking car. Even if you put $10k into it you'd still have a great deal. You could buy this and drive it for a couple years, as is, and decide if a replica is right for you. If not you could sell it for a profit.

agreed, excellent deal if it's in half the shape the photos reveal, jump on it!

Correct !  you can look at where they mounted it then remove the whole thing then you can look at the way  you need to attach to the frame to hold the engine.  Check PM

Ok It's there now.  

IaM-Ray posted:

dkennemo posted:

Speaking of -

What should a Subie swap cost on a car that's a VW 1600 currently? I imagine there are lots of ancillary components that get into the mix when you're talking a move from an aircooled system to water, etc.

Personally I would swap it for a subie while I was doing the tranny swap but then you are going to pretty much rebuild the car so you have to get it with a low enough price to be able to do that, as you will be stripping everything in the car and then adding the clutch pedal, rad(s) piping etc and while your at it... famous phrase that digs a bigger hole  

Too bad one of the nicest more reasonable cars sold was Phil's IM it was a gem and it went for $40K and nothing to do on it... really.  Keep Swimming

David Stroud posted:

IaM-Ray posted:digs a bigger hole  

Too bad one of the nicest more reasonable cars sold was Phil's IM it was a gem and it went for $40K and nothing to do on it... really.  Keep Swimming

 

Exactly, Ray. Buy this for $20K + maybe 13K ? for a pro Soob install and you're at $33 while noting Phil's sale. Not sure of his year of mfg either which could play into things. At 33 and bit of refurb you might drive it , sell it and get your money out of it. 

But...this car qualifies for import to Canada with it's age. So, and still talking US dinero, get it up to Canada, do a "very nice" Soob conversion and I'd bet you'd never lose money after driving it as long as you want either, considering the lack of availability of a car like that here at that price level. 

FYI, I missed one in Canada for $29K just a month ago... but your right if you see it and it checks out better than we predict it would work out for you only because you do the work, and if you kept it for more than 5 years I am sure you cannot be a loser in the long run as your not counting your time. 

If you want to look over my roadster to see the frame PM me. 

Didn't you buy a plane recently  

Ray..you might know this. Would the auto tranny bolt into the frame like a standard tranny or are the mounting points a whole other ball of wax ?

The T3 didn't used the T1 frame horns to mount the engine (and support the rear of the transmission).   The Type 3 engine and transmission unit were mounted into a sub-frame (which contained the complete rear suspension) that was one reason I recommended just going with a Subaru 5 Speed and avoiding a VW T1 transaxle altogether.  So there will need to be mounting points welded to the IMs tube chassis. 

I did not know the details of the T3 but yes the welding needs to br done for sure

Wolfgang the IM frame can accomodate the swap but it is some work to do it as you mentioned the choices could be full subie or subie plus Type I or like Marty Subie plus 915 

IaM-Ray posted:

 

Didn't you buy a plane recently  

Yes...for restoration ongoing now with a radial engine coming from the Czech Republic. Yer only young once, eh ?   

Looks like a smoking deal to me even at full price!

I put in an inquiry.  I noticed it has independent front and rear suspension - I was hoping to find one like that ... and a Convertible D too. Hmm, this could get interesting.

DONT WAIT...you snooze you lose!

Banzai Pipeline posted:

DONT WAIT...you snooze you lose!

I'm a patient buyer. I often miss cars I should have bought, like a 1960 Jaguar Mark II I missed recently (dammit... still kicking myself), but so much worse is to buy one and then realize you shouldn't have. But, yes, I'm chasing this down.

I noticed it has independent front and rear suspension

I recall "Fear the Yorkie" (Phil) IM with VW/Audi watercooled had a T1 IRS rear with T1 transaxle and a 914 4 bolt wheel front suspension.  The 914 suspension is "same" as a 911 of same year with exception that 911 had 5 bolt larger brake rotors.  The 4 bolt can be swapped out for the 911 rotors and calipers.

The only thing is that IM at that time was most likely a beam front end at least my 2004 air cooled was. IM at the time was not offering the 914/911 front end to the best of my knowledge.   The 914 front end I believe started mostly with the advent of the watercooled cars.  I could be wrong...

Mine is a 2003 with a Jetta front end. Go figure?

Really, you might have a jetta rack and pinion ... power brake booster

but suspension ???

please send picts 

True dat. Jetta rack.