Tom, Bill, Cory:
Here is a bit that belongs in the Technical thread, I guess, but really is about these two cars, so here goes. All were concerned about some sort of high freq noise from my engine. Fan rubbing? JPS informs that some of these (2332s) have interference between the lower pulley and the tin. I was instructed to look for aluminum dust in the bottom of the pulley well, and see if that might be it. Result: positive for Al. Also some scrape marks on the fwd face of the pulley. No biggie, in the final analysis, as the wear is minimal, and will "adjust" to the clearance needed. Meanwhile, oil changed and valves checked, and should be good to go to the 1K milestone. Tom, you might check for this interference (Al residue below the pulley) on your car too. Also, I will advise close inspection of valve covers, as both of mine were leaking/seeping. In one case due to a not-snug hold down bolt, and in the other case -?- probably due to use of cork vs. neoprene gasket. I will be looking for the rubber ones straight away. Wonder where to buy those?
Jim: San Diego looks like maybe last week of August, evening of 28th, possibly all day 29th open. Mid week vs. weekend, however.
Kelly -
If the 29th works out for you that would be great. I could drive down to San Diego so we could hook up and talk Cars & Cruises over lunch!
P.S. - If you'll be needing a ride to the airport I can save you the shuttle or taxi expense!
Peace - Out!
If the 29th works out for you that would be great. I could drive down to San Diego so we could hook up and talk Cars & Cruises over lunch!
P.S. - If you'll be needing a ride to the airport I can save you the shuttle or taxi expense!
Peace - Out!
Hmmm, MUSBJIMSLIMO Service. Interesting. Will be traveling in the company of a coworker, and so far not sure if we will be on same plane or not. As plans develop, will let you know.
Kelly, get new cork gaskets! Rubber gaskets...baaaaddd!
~WB
~WB
Okay. It's 3:20 a.m. -- do you know where your Speedsters (or Spyders) are?
Had a damned fine time of it this week. The ride up to Easton seemed to take about a half-hour for me; got some business accomplished on the passenger's side of a Mazda and then got to be there on Christmas morning as the kids opened their toys.
Initial impressions were that they looked marvelous, and they are. Before I get all critical, let me say that for what they are and for the money spent, these two guys got the belles of the ball here on the East Coast -- exception of Pearl, maybe.
That said, I have to say that on a 1-10 scale, I'd put the coupe at about a seven or so, on account of the way it was final-assembled, the alignment/spacer/pulley problem, the door window frames and the overall fitment of the 'glass' being so rough -- and the decklid latch being poorly aligned and off-center.
The green paint is magnificent, the trim pieces look like they're right, and the go-bits look like they're all more or less put together well. Tom, Bro, your wiring looks like it could use some help -- and I'm happy to volunteer. Your horn should work and your steering wheel should have been tight. You shouldn't have had to put a new oil line in and they shouldn't have cut the old one by putting it up with a hose clamp.
All in all, had the car been delivered on time and with the understanding that quality control was going to get a break so you could have it on the same trailer as Kelly ... but that wasn't the case. You certainly got your money's worth, but it really ought to have been looked over one time before it went on the trailer. Caveat emptor, prospective coupe buyers -- talk to Tom before you leap (IMHO).
Kelly's car looks and drives splendidly. It not only looks as well as any Speedster (real or otherwise) I've seen, but that sumbitch GOES. If the coupe runs as well as Kelly's car does, is as stable and corners like that, then I think I could probably overlook the obvious stuff we found on Tom's initial spate of fixits.
Holy hairpin turns, Batman. Tonight, on some rural Maryland roads, Kelly and his JPS took me to school.
(more)
Had a damned fine time of it this week. The ride up to Easton seemed to take about a half-hour for me; got some business accomplished on the passenger's side of a Mazda and then got to be there on Christmas morning as the kids opened their toys.
Initial impressions were that they looked marvelous, and they are. Before I get all critical, let me say that for what they are and for the money spent, these two guys got the belles of the ball here on the East Coast -- exception of Pearl, maybe.
That said, I have to say that on a 1-10 scale, I'd put the coupe at about a seven or so, on account of the way it was final-assembled, the alignment/spacer/pulley problem, the door window frames and the overall fitment of the 'glass' being so rough -- and the decklid latch being poorly aligned and off-center.
The green paint is magnificent, the trim pieces look like they're right, and the go-bits look like they're all more or less put together well. Tom, Bro, your wiring looks like it could use some help -- and I'm happy to volunteer. Your horn should work and your steering wheel should have been tight. You shouldn't have had to put a new oil line in and they shouldn't have cut the old one by putting it up with a hose clamp.
All in all, had the car been delivered on time and with the understanding that quality control was going to get a break so you could have it on the same trailer as Kelly ... but that wasn't the case. You certainly got your money's worth, but it really ought to have been looked over one time before it went on the trailer. Caveat emptor, prospective coupe buyers -- talk to Tom before you leap (IMHO).
Kelly's car looks and drives splendidly. It not only looks as well as any Speedster (real or otherwise) I've seen, but that sumbitch GOES. If the coupe runs as well as Kelly's car does, is as stable and corners like that, then I think I could probably overlook the obvious stuff we found on Tom's initial spate of fixits.
Holy hairpin turns, Batman. Tonight, on some rural Maryland roads, Kelly and his JPS took me to school.
(more)
I have to give Kelly some credit here; that guy's obviously been driving for a couple weeks. And he knew the lay of the land; we cruised 10 square miles or so near where he lives, and it resembles the roads we drove at Carlisle, the ones Mickey loves so much west of Wilmington or maybe was a little bit similar to the PCH at the Oregon/California line. SoCal folks, think Jamul, or maybe what you'd drive north of the Hollywood hills.
Anyway, it was driving in all three dimensions, and Kelly didn't have any problem taking curves and narrow roads with the 195s on his car not even breaking traction once. GPS said the average speed through all of that was 52 mph -- and I think the posteds were about half that for much of the drive. It was pitch-frigging-black.
We must have been driving for more than an hour, but it flew by.
So did a good third of a tank of fuel (which I could see, on my newly-renovated fuel gauge). That was the most fun I've had behind the Hoopty's wheel in a long while.
And I have to admit, his car is beautiful inside and out. A perfect 10. I think I was looking for things wrong with it at first, mostly because of Tom's difficulties, but the realization I've come to is that that JPS Speedster is absolutely stunning.
Henry is probably looking over his shoulder as we speak.
Tom, Kelly, thanks for letting me be a part of this last weeks' events. What a spectacular thing to have been a witness to. Kelly's gem, Tom getting a gorgeous representation of exactly my dream car -- wow. If I wanted a great time with infectuously happy people and a fantastic setting to boot, dang.
Both cars both positively art; Tom, I apologize for being so hyper-critical of the coupe -- I'm probably being so blunt because it's high on the list of prospective new cars for me. I was a bit disappointed with the finish work, that's all. I'd have built it a bit more ... well, outlaw, I guess.
It sure is gorgeous, and I'm sure you'll have it dialed in within hours. I hope you'll consider cruising down this way with it when the opportunity presents itself, so Mickey, Kelly, Bruce (and the rest of us Marylanders) can do a little cruising in the late summer evenings.
Perhaps a fall foliage tour before the Tail of the Dragon? Some Maryland crabs and delicious scallops on the grill? I can't think of a better photo-op or a better Sunday afternoon than that!
Woo-Hoo!
(And Mickey, your car makes me feel inferior about mine, so how about we don't mention our respective complexes again, huh?)
Anyway, it was driving in all three dimensions, and Kelly didn't have any problem taking curves and narrow roads with the 195s on his car not even breaking traction once. GPS said the average speed through all of that was 52 mph -- and I think the posteds were about half that for much of the drive. It was pitch-frigging-black.
We must have been driving for more than an hour, but it flew by.
So did a good third of a tank of fuel (which I could see, on my newly-renovated fuel gauge). That was the most fun I've had behind the Hoopty's wheel in a long while.
And I have to admit, his car is beautiful inside and out. A perfect 10. I think I was looking for things wrong with it at first, mostly because of Tom's difficulties, but the realization I've come to is that that JPS Speedster is absolutely stunning.
Henry is probably looking over his shoulder as we speak.
Tom, Kelly, thanks for letting me be a part of this last weeks' events. What a spectacular thing to have been a witness to. Kelly's gem, Tom getting a gorgeous representation of exactly my dream car -- wow. If I wanted a great time with infectuously happy people and a fantastic setting to boot, dang.
Both cars both positively art; Tom, I apologize for being so hyper-critical of the coupe -- I'm probably being so blunt because it's high on the list of prospective new cars for me. I was a bit disappointed with the finish work, that's all. I'd have built it a bit more ... well, outlaw, I guess.
It sure is gorgeous, and I'm sure you'll have it dialed in within hours. I hope you'll consider cruising down this way with it when the opportunity presents itself, so Mickey, Kelly, Bruce (and the rest of us Marylanders) can do a little cruising in the late summer evenings.
Perhaps a fall foliage tour before the Tail of the Dragon? Some Maryland crabs and delicious scallops on the grill? I can't think of a better photo-op or a better Sunday afternoon than that!
Woo-Hoo!
(And Mickey, your car makes me feel inferior about mine, so how about we don't mention our respective complexes again, huh?)
I also need to throw some props to Wild Bill. THAT guy is AWESOME. He brought Blackie out while playing hookey from work (he SAID it was a slow day, but I think he hog-tied the boss and just left) and drove the crap out of her all day Tuesday. I think he did that just so I could feel even a quarter as good as the guy in the Speedster and the even happier-looking guy in the coupe; he did a fantastic job of winding that little flared CMC out and keeping pace with the new cars.
Bill, you ever get tired of her, you just send'er to me. I'll give her a good home. And thanks also for helping those guys work out the kinks in those first critical hours.
You are a Dude among mere mortals.
Bill, you ever get tired of her, you just send'er to me. I'll give her a good home. And thanks also for helping those guys work out the kinks in those first critical hours.
You are a Dude among mere mortals.
BIll,
Have used rubber (neoprene) ones before, never a lick of trouble. They have much longer life times than cork, IMHO, and should be OK. The cork ones get all hard after a while, and become hard to seal. From whence do you speak, oh wise Speedster Dude? PS: I have only bought them, laying in for when I have go in there next time. Also note: I do not have the spring/bail VC retainer, but rather cast Al covers w/ two bolts each to hold them down. The bolts bottom out at a fixed distance so as to not allow bending the Al covers too much. Covers look pretty nice, and are pretty simple -- made in Taiwan, says right on 'em.
Have used rubber (neoprene) ones before, never a lick of trouble. They have much longer life times than cork, IMHO, and should be OK. The cork ones get all hard after a while, and become hard to seal. From whence do you speak, oh wise Speedster Dude? PS: I have only bought them, laying in for when I have go in there next time. Also note: I do not have the spring/bail VC retainer, but rather cast Al covers w/ two bolts each to hold them down. The bolts bottom out at a fixed distance so as to not allow bending the Al covers too much. Covers look pretty nice, and are pretty simple -- made in Taiwan, says right on 'em.
Cory: You so crazy! You're pretty awesome yourself in all your splendid verbage! Awesome hooking up wit youse guys too.
We gotta do that more often. I wanna get down to Mickey's for a drive and some eats.
Just remember, townhouse there equals 3BR w/ big garage here. Carlisle Barracks, huh? Hmmmm.
Kelly: An old Speedster guy passed along to silicone a cork gasket to the V/Cover only and you'll get three valve settings at least outta them. Been doing it ever since and no leaks here in a long time. I have the spring bail type covers. The rubbers ones once they get oily tend to move and squirm around and don't seal as well.
We gotta do that more often. I wanna get down to Mickey's for a drive and some eats.
Just remember, townhouse there equals 3BR w/ big garage here. Carlisle Barracks, huh? Hmmmm.
Kelly: An old Speedster guy passed along to silicone a cork gasket to the V/Cover only and you'll get three valve settings at least outta them. Been doing it ever since and no leaks here in a long time. I have the spring bail type covers. The rubbers ones once they get oily tend to move and squirm around and don't seal as well.
The trick, if you can call it that, is to seat them in Form-a-Gasket, aka red silicone RTV. Keeps 'em in the right place so they don't wiggle/droop during install, and will clean right up, not to much trouble, when ready to replace. Just a thin layer smushed around w/ your finger on the VC side. Same deal can be used w/ cork too, if want.
As far as the coupe goes, there is a lot of chatter and anticipation about it and for seemingly good reason. The coupe is a long awaited, and much desired addition to the replica world, but like any "newbie" the kinks will need to be worked out. And, over time, we will see how it holds up. I commend Tom Dewalt and whoever it was that got the first one (I was pretty bummed I couldn't get up close to the one at Carlisle, John said only with the owners permission, which I completely understand and respect.) as they are the test pilots and will be the ones that will hopefully say