Just bought a "barn-find" CMC kit

First try at a handbrake cover...my next one will be better. I hope.

@Impala posted:

Are you using a VW pan and title? If you are I believe you don’t need to do any inspections in Florida.

Only "inspection" would be by FL tax office (i.e. DMV in FL) is of the VIN to match title and speedo miles.

@WOLFGANG posted:

Only "inspection" would be by FL tax office (i.e. DMV in FL) is of the VIN to match title and speedo miles.

Exactly; as per Troy’s suggestion mine was titled in FL as the donor, which is a ‘68 Bug. I could’ve titled it as a ‘57 Porsche 356 Speedster but that would just make possible registration in certain states a headache. My car did get inspected at a title service for the VIN and miles on the odometer. When I meant inspection was a yearly inspection in which emissions and everything else get tested. By registering the car as a special build you can potentially open a can of worms.

Wolfgang was right...the only "inspection" was checking the VIN number and the official weight slip. I am now legal as a 2020 built-from-parts car. The "donor car" that came with the kit was sold as scrap in 1990 and had no title.

When I installed the canvas top, it was unacceptably lumpy. When Covid subsides, I will take it to a specialist to tighten up and then I will be "done."

Congratulations!

Those of us who've also built their cars know that this was a lot of work, now behind you.  Now it's time to get out there and really enjoy all of your hard work!

Well Done!!

Great that the paperwork is over with. The car looks amazing and you’ve done a killer job.

@Gordon Nichols posted:

Congratulations!

Those of us who've also built their cars know that this was a lot of work, now behind you.  Now it's time to get out there and really enjoy all of your hard work!

Well Done!!

It's only 40 hours. Says so in the CMC manual.

I'm new to all this...it took me 42!

Thanks everyone for the advice along the way!

I still need to do something about a bad second gear, and my crushable steering column...and so the fun never ends....

Due to the concerns on here, I, too, just pulled my front wheel and Closely checked the crush cage, just to make sure it is OK (it is).   Just one of those things to Put on your list to check every spring For the season.

Honestly, visually checking the crush cage is not enough. You can't see metal fatigue.

If I had one on my car, I'd replace it or sleeve it and weld the crap out of the sleeve.

Yeah, after witnessing Mike’s failure the rule should be “absolutely NO crush cages!”

@Lane Anderson posted:

Yeah, after witnessing Mike’s failure the rule should be “absolutely NO crush cages!”

@MikelB is a very thorough, very meticulous man. He inspected his crush-cage before coming to the mountains to play. It failed catastrophically.

The crush-cage is meant to keep the column from impaling the driver in a crash. I've got a double u-joint steering arrangement (which is safer), but I've always liked the look and simplicity of the old-school VW columns and turn signals.

We all pick our poison. It's been repeated this 1000 times on this site, but these cars are not safe. Thinking otherwise is foolish.

I'd rather risk the column killing me in a crash than losing all steering without warning. Your mileage may vary.

" I've got a double u-joint steering arrangement (which is safer)..."

Stan:  Just curious - is this what you have?

@Bob: IM S6 posted:

Stan:  Just curious - is this what you have?

Yep.

If memory serves, older GM steering shafts had a sliding assembly for impalement protection. I wish I still had a pick-n-pay near me, I could probably score one. 

@Bob: IM S6 posted:

" I've got a double u-joint steering arrangement (which is safer)..."

Stan:  Just curious - is this what you have?

@Bob: IM S6,

Is that a rack and pinion setup?

@Eric (McGruff) posted:

If memory serves, older GM steering shafts had a sliding assembly for impalement protection. I wish I still had a pick-n-pay near me, I could probably score one.

Yes they did, any machine shop can easily fabricate a male female sliding column shaft using your existing column the issue is if, they would do it considering the ever looming liability issue.

FYI, the picture that Bob posted is the IM install of an Ididit column, with a U joint going to a center tube welded to the frame that ties it into the rack and pinion.  It is a great set up but the guts of the signal light is a bit antiquated, it is a 1988 GM style so it is a solid click for signal light use. It works well, but if they could redesign it, it could house a more modern set up and be made into a smaller hub... Concessions concessions

Great job IM.

It's a 911 set up, rack and pinion.

Wouldn't you think that for whatever car you drive (Speedster or Spyder) and whatever steering column you have (Straight, crush cage or double-U-Joints), if you take on enough frontal impact to affect any of the above, the gas tank right above your feet and knees will likely rupture?

As Stan said, "It's been repeated this 1000 times on this site, but these cars are not safe. Thinking otherwise is foolish."

If you hit hard enough, there is a safety feature LOL! The gas tank separates from the car and the fuel source is no longer a danger to YOU. It may be for wherever it lands!

FYI, a Vintage Spyder frame is very sturdy and the space frame around me protected me from getting dead. I did flop around wearing only the lap belt. I won't drive without the 5 points on me any more. Lesson learned.

Has anyone ever seen or tried something like this?

https://precisionmatters.biz/steering-coupler.php

This is for a 356, but may fit a VW column.

@James posted:

Has anyone ever seen or tried something like this?

https://precisionmatters.biz/steering-coupler.php

This is for a 356, but may fit a VW column.

Those look great!! Thanks for the link.

@James, it looks like this would replace the rag joint at about 10 times the cost but I don't see how it would offer the same protection as the crush cage or double u-joints.

Maybe I am missing something.

@Michael McKelvey posted:

@James, it looks like this would replace the rag joint at about 10 times the cost but I don't see how it would offer the same protection as the crush cage or double u-joints.

Maybe I am missing something.

If you crash a fiberglass speedster with enough force to collapse the VW crush cage, you will likely have other, more serious worries. These cars aren't designed to today's safety standards. They are meant to be fun, nothing less, nothing more.

.

@Eric (McGruff) posted:

...These cars aren't designed to today's safety standards...

These cars aren't designed to any  safety standards.

Not today's, not yesterday's, not any.

For us, there are no crash tests, no required maintenance schedules, no manufacturer recalls, no lemon laws. No one has our back. We have managed to slip through all of the regulatory safety nets. We are Ralph Nader's worst nightmare. We are as safe or as unsafe at any speed as we choose to be. We are completely free.

With every freedom, though, comes responsibility. To ourselves, to our families, and even to the motoring public with whom we share the road.

A critical part of owning these cars - and one that is easy to forget about - is working out our own inspection and maintenance routines and staying one step ahead.

We are aging parts and outdated technology wrapped in a thin, candy shell.

Be careful out there, kids.

As a popular YouTuber car dude puts it:

.

@Sacto Mitch posted:

.

These cars aren't designed to any  safety standards.

Not today's, not yesterday's, not any.

For us, there are no crash tests, no required maintenance schedules, no manufacturer recalls, no lemon laws. No one has our back. We have managed to slip through all of the regulatory safety nets. We are Ralph Nader's worst nightmare. We are as safe or as unsafe at any speed as we choose to be. We are completely free.

With every freedom, though, comes responsibility. To ourselves, to our families, and even to the motoring public with whom we share the road.

A critical part of owning these cars - and one that is easy to forget about - is working out our own inspection and maintenance routines and staying one step ahead.

We are aging parts and outdated technology wrapped in a thin, candy shell.

Be careful out there, kids.

As a popular YouTuber car dude puts it:

.

I wasn’t sure if you were describing the cars or us.

.

Robert, not all of us have managed to replace aging parts like you have.

But you still weren't able to get a 30-day return guarantee.

.

Gonna get me that shirt....

Ed, you also need a "Binford Tools" shirt:

@Michael McKelvey posted:

@James, it looks like this would replace the rag joint at about 10 times the cost but I don't see how it would offer the same protection as the crush cage or double u-joints.

Maybe I am missing something.

I do not think this coupling is intended for driver safety.  It only provides protection against a rag joint failure.

I think it is interesting (but not enough to buy one) and wonder how well the steering shaft to steering box have to be aligned for this to work?  My car has a little angular misalignment which is tolerated by the rubber rag joint.  This coupling will probably tolerate axial misalignment better than angular. 

I agree, I don't see the benefit of a solid coupling at all. It would require 100% alignment of the two shafts.

Crush cage fix?

After reading about breaking steering column crush cages, here is what I decided to do about mine...

I will use POR-15 and install this week.

I think I'd just put a solid steel tubular sleeve over the whole thing and weld the ends.

Or, measure the length, cut the cage off, and weld a tube where the cage was, 0.120" wall is fine.

Or, if one doesn't do welding, they could just get an earlier shaft without the cage.  They would need to be sure the splines on the new one match their steering wheel.

@Michael McKelvey posted:

Or, if one doesn't do welding, they could just get an earlier shaft without the cage.  They would need to be sure the splines on the new one match their steering wheel.

That’s what I switched mine to when I changed my steering wheel. Had to install an earlier unit for an oval window which had to be shortened as with the later units.

FWIW, the 60s Bug column has the same spline as an early 911. I took an old destroyed 911 wheel and cut the hub out and bolted it to Carey's beautiful aluminum Nardi adapter.

“I think I'd just put a solid steel tubular sleeve over the whole thing and weld the ends.“

I wanted to retain some semblance of crush-ability while fixing the cage failure problem.

There is a special place in hell for safety features that cause accidents (think Boeing 737 Max stall/trim system).

That was a horrific storie and in 2018... go figure.

@Drumagination posted:

Custom  3D emblems.

I printed one set with needles that marked duct tape. Then drilled holes and separated the letters. Did the same in the back.

Do you still have the files for these?