Here we go

Got the car back from North Carolina, and got an adequate space cleared in the garage. Now the real fun begins. I found out today that the body is mounted slightly crooked, so that's the first project. I also pulled the busted valve spring out of the 912 engine, and the new one is on the way. If you look at the pics, you can see the super-custom interior...

Is that true about the wheel clearance? Can I get a 2nd opinion??? I have some VDO guages, but I think I'd like an updated look on the dash. I haven't really seen any cars with "new" guages in them, but I think it would look great.

Yeah a difference of about 1/2 inch. One one wheel I can put my finger between the tire and wheel well on the other I can squeeze my finger in there. I have abroken leg so I can't go down to the garage. But if memory serves correct the right rear is closer. Doesn't hit the wheel well at all though.

Someone posted on this forum that they had a set of the Mangels made with an offset for the side that is differently spaced.

Jim

All CMC cars have the wheel clearance on one side of the rear less than the other (don't recall which is closer) - its not due to crooked mounting really. Must be from the car from which they took the mould off of. Here's link from Alan Merklin on difference: www.speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=3397

The box of wire looks like mine - argh! Don't cut the dash until you are sure which gauges you want to live with --- they all seem to be slightly different diameters.

Adam,

Let me know if you are up for a visit sometime in the summer. The wife and I are always looking for an excuse to hop in the Speedster and go for a ride. I'm about 2 hours from Erie, went to College at Penn State Behrend and grew up just south of Meadville in Cochranton PA. I'd love to see your Speedter and offer any advice you may be willing to accept.

Good Luck,

Jerome

BTW: My SB had the same rear end offset issue and it's not even mounted to a pan.

I think mine is even farther off than that. It's close enough that I would worry about it rubbing on hard turns. I think we're going to nudge it over just a bit.

In other news:
Jerome, I'm at Behrend now. But as soon as the snow clears, I'll be ready for visitors... and technical help. :)

OK, doing my part to help my injured friend in the Great White North, - sorry about the knee, Mike 8>(

I just went out to the garage and looked at my CMC and it has about 5/8"'s clearance on the drivers side from the sidewall to the wheel well, and on the Passenger's side it's almost an inch and a half.

and I measured that BEFORE the sunset glass of wine, too.....

Gordon
One of the "CMC Speedstah Guys" in Beaufort

Gordon's right, they's closer on the drivers side. I got around the problem by running Spyder rear wheels - different offset and losta room
Bill

Adam wrote:
Is that true about the wheel clearance? Can I get a 2nd opinion???

All CMC FiberFab speedsters have this trait of being offset 1/2" or more , you really can't tug on the rear of the body to pull it over to "center" because the chassis tunnel self centers on the body.
As mentioned, someone here had a chrome wheel redone with a custom offset to make it a better fit .
On one of the speedsters I've built, I was able to grind down a portion of the inner wheel well lip to allow for additional tire clearance

"This is Alan Merklin and I approve this message"

Boy does that interior bring back memories!

The good news on the different wheel well offsets, is that it's pretty hard to see BOTH sides of the car at the same time, so, other than running really wide rims back there (I have 16"X7" but have flared fenders), you can often get away with it un-noticed.

I'm not really me, and I never approved this message.

Even if different clearance from side to side, when you hit bump or go around a corner (since the suspension is IRS), the wheel goes up on an angle (inward) and not straight up and down. So if it doesn't rub at rest it shouldn't rub when moving.

So-called "IRS" (mid 1969 onward) rear ends go straight up and down.

The swing axles (prior to mid-1969) pivot on an arc defined by the length of the axle shaft and hub, such that the top of the wheel moves inward as it goes up, and vice versa.

gn

Adam,

The driver rear wheel is my problem area. Spacing is about 1/2 inch - much more on the pass. side. My old rims were made with an offset. I had Henry at IM make a new set. I've heard that Spyders need the offset on the rear but was unable to hook up with Beck either by phone or email. Also, earlier some one was taslking about Stockton Wheels doing this type of work.

stockton charges $65/wheel

ps..welcome back joe, glad you're back "in the mix"

Misery loves company. Thought I was the only one with this "crooked body mount" problem. I have a flared pan based JPS with IRS and Fuchs wheels. The rears had 1.38 inch wheel adapters, and the left side rubbed badly on hard corners. First I removed the inside rear wheel opening lip. No improvement. Next I removed and machined both wheel adapters down to 1.13 inches (pretty much the minimum that still retains the studs). Left side still rubbed badly. Currently I just removed the left side adapter all together. The right side adapter is still in place. It still drives OK. I guess that is one good thing about having a non-posi rear axle!

Looks like my only solution is to find a 3/4 inch wheel "spacer" (not an adapter with captured studs), and attendnt longer studs, for the left side. Spacers are avaliable in 1/4 inch thickness. Now to measure the studs, etc.

Go into ebay there are a couple of companies that make custom adapters and spacers..they are reasonably priced

Alan

We just cut the body loose, and shifted it over 3/4". Re-glassed it, and spray painted... looks great

Adam did you take any pictures of the procedure?

My car rubs just a bit on the rear left tire (it even smells a bit), and I have to repaint the car, so I guess now would be the time to repair it...

Thanks

I'll take some pics today. Hopefully, I'll get them up tonight...

Actually, I wonder if some of these older molds are just not very symmetrical left to right. That would explain a lot of these wheel fitment problems. Everything else on the body seems to line up correctly. Actually, maybe I don't even want to know. If I measure the contours and find they are really off, I'll only be more unhappy. Was is it they say about bliss?