Tom, No problem I /we all just feel bad for your loss.....

Wolfgang,

thank you for concern and reference to Rusty Tubs.  Let's see what happens with insurance.

Frazerk1,

I just spoke to insurance adjuster this afternoon and not sure yet.  I think the engine is toast from all the extreme heat.  Fire fighters experienced the mag. in metal "popping" when they were applying the water.

After they started doing their thing with hose and foam, the starter must have shorted out because the starter started rotating the flywheel and you can hear the engine trying to start.  By the way key in my pocket and car long before had been turned off.  With mechanical fuel pump I can only guess that this pulled even more fuel from tank to engine bay area?

Thank you ALL for your support on this one.  Hope to still meet many of you at Carlisle this year.  Craw Dad Dennis and I are still planning the trip, just on diff. toy.

Tom,

 

Wow. I'm so sorry. I'm just glad you're OK.

Stan,

thank you for your support.

This is a sad situation and I applaud your plan to join us at Carlisle in May.  Hopefully by then you will have the insurance taken care of to your satisfaction and you will be planning your next Speedster.  Who knows, you might even find it there.

So sorry to hear this. As Stan (and others) said, glad you're alright.

Sorry to hear about your fire.  Burned fiberglass is a smell you'll never forget....been there.

Well, how about this:  Alan starts another thread on Build #36 - Vol II, say.  And all the folks who want to commiserate w/ Pepe and get down and dirty about fire suppressors and how to install, where to buy etc. (e.g., like me) can get a separate new and appropriately named thread up.  Just sayin' . . .

Thank you all for the support, again.

I will be have another Replicar; only a matter of timing.

Here you go then, Drewek's car is still for sale:

 

http://www.thelastdetail.com/1...speedster--c-762.htm

I dunno about your finances, etc., but Dreweck's ride is about as sweet as they come.

Amen, Kelly. ---very special indeed.   Someone is gonna have a wonderful Speedster replica at a fair price too. I wish I'd had a chance to drive this car---maybe some day.

You could raise the insurance coverage on your car just a little more, set it on fire, and buy Drewek's car. HHMMMM

I am working with a previously installed street rod harness that was altered at one time ( to save time, I should have replaced it from day one with a new VS harness) I installed new headlight assemblies and floor mounted high beam switch...now the high and low beams are on at the same time ( my wiring is correct and  switches are checked and good) only thing it can be is a ground back feed ....somewhere in the old harness . Going to remove all related headlight wiring this AM and rewire it , that will resolve that issue on way or another.   ~A

I am slightly shade color blind i.e. a wiring harness, some greens and browns, gray and light blue can be difficult to sort out....unless I back up that particular colored wire with a white index card . (Kinda like picking out black and dark brown socks and laying them out on a bed sheet)

My pita electrical problem was none other than me, the pink wire and the gray do wire look similar,  I had it screwed up..that only took and hour to find All electrical is OP! Onward to zip tying the wiring up under the dash and make a couple of kick panels.

Alan,

sorry to hear it consumed an hour of your time on this project, but great to hear it was a simple wire lead switch to resolve.

Any new pictures you can share with the "fans".  Thanks.

Tom L.

Tnx Tom,  I did get done what I wanted to and cleaned the shop tonight as too many things had gone missing so to speak...I may get the carpet in tomorrow if so I'll post a few pics.

Keeping the speedster project near budget, I bought a roll of higher end black automotive carpet off eBeg,  I used the old pieces as templates and used a few dozen straight edge blades to get clean cuts....did the install myself, I'm pleased with the look and saved $275. Had to deal with a frozen E' brake cable that would not come out of the tube no matter what until....I took a large slide hammer to it, the Brown Truck brought a new cable yesterday and did the seat assembly too.

Got the Riddler polished aluminum wheels and tires mounted fronts fill out the wheel wells nicely. The rears had 3/4" VW to Chevy adapters, tires are not going to clear using those cheapo things so they need to go... Just ordered two custom drilled drums in route from CIP1....cheap ay $153.00 with free shipping. Street rod themed speedster project is coming together better than I had visualized.

Off tomorrow so I'll continue wrenching....Pics to follow on the weekend.

All that snow in your neck of the woods has to not only affect your day job, but also time available to complete this project after long days.

Please don't forget your health as you are still recovering.  No CNC machine tool is going to get your body back within "tolerance".  Take care. 

Hungry for pics.  More snow due in later this week (oh joy!!) so lots of time to work on #36, and TAKE SOME PICS.

x2 on the PICS!

Progress report???

x3!

Damn Alan---I'd pay good money to just watch you work for a day or two.  What is a three day project for me is an hour or two walk in the park for you.  I'm definitely not worthy!

 

Amazing skillz.   Keep the updates coming---very interesting!

Either install eats or maybe I'll do the top today and....pics~

"Install Eats"???

 

This gonna be a Taco Wagon??

Build #36 has a kitchen? Awesome!

I installed some eats in me before I went to work today.

I did that too.....One stop shopping :~)

Secret Picture of Merklin #36!!

 

Can't wait to road-test this baby!

 

Tacos, anyone??

 

Project #36 updated photos..... Still need the seats and tracks installed, motor is ready to go in, new clutch, cooler lines rear drum wheel studs etc.

Got a black magic woman

Got a black magic woman.

I got a black magic woman
Got me so blind I can't see
That she's a black magic woman
She's tryin' to make a devil out of me.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij4gc8iBDaI

Carlos Santana... one of many fine musicians to come out of the San Francisco Bay Area!

Carlos Santana came out in San Francisco!  The things I learn on this site :-).

Alan,

looking good.  Hope your progress continues as planned.

NICE!! 

First test drive by April 11th that gives me a month to get it dialed in.

Alan, Txs so much for the pics.  The vision (and it is stunning) is coming into focus for me.  And that picture of the wiring is priceless.  I've never seen a vent-less engine lid.  anybody else? or is this another Merklin the Magician first??

 

TFA!!! is what I say.

"Honey, I smell something burning".... Or how to get your wife to help you clean the Shop!

 

Working on the speedster today, quite early to watch NASCAR...went back into the shop and smelled something burning but no smoke or "cloud" . Connie and I looked high and low, thought it might be the electric heat a light ballast etc,  it still persisted.  Shut down the main breaker but was still there....somewhere.  My thoughts go to possibly it's in a wall or ceiling?  Well crap, good time to straighten up while searching it out..... Ran the large shop fan to clear out the shop air...with clean air in the shop the smell was concentrated by the speedster, pulled the battery cable and it still was present, having electric door solenoids I pushed the opening button and nothing Ahh Ha!.. Solenoid fuse blown,  replaced it and it popped off again. Solenoid circuit wire were cool to the touch, I pulled the drivers door panel and found a hot to the touch solenoid that had gone bad ..I assume it cooking for some time before getting hot enough to pop the first fuse. The good news is the shop and Speedy didn't "go post toasties" and I am about 2 weekends from being done .

Lucked out on that one, didn'ya?