Just bought a "barn-find" CMC kit

This car is coming along great. The paint looks amazing and I like the swap to wide five wheels; looks very correct. Very impressed with the carpet work too. Sweet.

Thanks! It looks like I’m going to learn how to sew next!

Fantastic build 

Great skills and execution!

No, I’m not into leather pants! I’m working on my car!

This is something that I have always wanted to try.  Can you give us some details?  What kind of machine?  Anything special...needle, thread, etc.?  What material are you using?  

Hmmm

this was an embarrassingly cheap and simple project. I borrowed my daughter’s beginner Singer sewing machine, bought needles and thread recommended for vinyl or thin leather, and used fake leather vinyl recommended on this forum. It took some practice runs, but it was certainly doable. I will attach pics when I get the pieces in the car.

The best machines for home leather work are singer machines from the 60”. Or 70’s

they have full metal gears not plastic and can sew leather with ease not big leathers jackets with a lot of layers 

I have bought one and sew canvas and leather all the time there are sewing machine mechanics out there too

built like tanks

forums exist in these machines 

Dash pads and sewing almost done...

Car is looking fantastic. Wonderful job!

Looks great ! Always interesting to see how other owners address installing things. Seat beats on the tub wall sides anchored to  ?

This is coming along so nicely!  Good work all around.

https://www.speedsterowners.co...6#640131236795713236

I welded in a set of brackets; a lower one for the tension roller and the upper one is for the shoulder harness

DIY Steering wheel assembled and installed.

That's pretty damn good!

Bad drama the day before my inspection....

I (remotely) went through the Florida DMV and they would only register my CMC as a 2020 "assembled from parts" vehicle. Fine. I got insurance from Hagerty along with a temporary license plate that allowed me to drive the fifty miles to the required DMV inspection for parts-cars. The afternoon before my appointment was the first time I was legal to test drive on real roads and open up my car. After about 10 minutes, the exhaust was smoking like Thunderbird Lead! My heart sank with thoughts of bad piston rings, cylinder damage and valve guide replacement. The inspection appointment was cancelled in despair.

The car restoration guys near my warehouse looked at the smoke and said it was a carb problem, and they were right. Apparently the fuel in my Weber 34 ICT carburetors boiled and I ended up running rich with a bunch of gas in my oil. I opened the carbs up and there was a crusty residue that looked like a bad bathtub ring. I cleaned them out and checked the float levels very carefully, but he car still smoked. I checked the valves and timing, but it was the oil change that stopped the smoke. 

I will now install insulation gaskets under the carbs if there is room, and check for overheating on my next test run. The oil temp gauge shows I'm fine, but it may not be accurate. Time will tell....

So tell me more about the 3D printed turn signal housing. It looks like a modified 68 bus unit. Is that the case? I am working on a column for a build I am on now and bought a standard 68 bus unit but it does need to be machines to work with the bug column. 

I’m going for the 356 b/c look so I changed out the little black knob with one from an early 911 which is similar. 

RE: smoking.

My money is on fuel pressure way too high, overwhelming the float valves in the carbs.

Check the fuel pressure, with a vacuum/pressure gauge, engine running at high and low rpm.

If that isn't it, you could also have a bad fuel pump dumping gas into your oil........

DannyP

high fuel pressure is exactly what the pro mechanics suspected as well. I have a Carter electric pump and a Holley fuel pressure regulator. Weber specs say 2.1-2.5 psi. Mine was at 2.5 and I backed it down to 2.2. I unbolted and looked for drips coming out of the carbs with the pump running and the needle valves appeared to be doing their job.

I will post again when the thermal insulation gaskets go in.

Thanks for your input...

Mark

Looking good this car is.  

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

@Drumagination posted:

DannyP

high fuel pressure is exactly what the pro mechanics suspected as well. I have a Carter electric pump and a Holley fuel pressure regulator. Weber specs say 2.1-2.5 psi. Mine was at 2.5 and I backed it down to 2.2. I unbolted and looked for drips coming out of the carbs with the pump running and the needle valves appeared to be doing their job.

I will post again when the thermal insulation gaskets go in.

Thanks for your input...

Mark

But did you put an actual gauge on it? Or are you relying on the maybe right, maybe wrong numbers on the regulator? In other words, do you know the ACTUAL pressure?

Yup

borrowed a fuel pressure gauge from a Porsche restoration shop and put it in line.

exactly 2.2 PSI.

I still may have a bad needle valve somewhere.....

OK, thanks man. Best of luck to you. Keep at it, you'll figure it out.

Thanks Danny!

@PaulEnvemo,  I used a '67 bus turn signal switch. As you probably know, the bus steering column tube is a smaller diameter.  I opened up the switch side of the housing with a 1 1/2" drum sander and used an early beetle right side housing.

I think Michael is on the right path here. Easier and cheaper than modeling from scratch. I did manage to hide all the wires in the tube and got the clean look I was after. The switch is from a '67 bus (high beams in the wand).

Hey @michaelmckelvey

so the bus left and the early bug right housings match up together with no mods/grinding/etc?

@Drumagination LOVE the custom wheel! Is that hub adapter from Special Edition? Looks just like mine......

@PaulEnvemo, you do have to open up the bus housing to fit a beetle tube but otherwise, they match.  I have a spare right side beetle housing if you want it.

I think my smoke problem is fixed! It sure looks like gas percolation in my Weber 34 ICT carbs put fuel in the oil. Oil changed, insulating gaskets under the carbs and some fuel system cleaner...and zero smoke. Not even an occasional puff.

The stubby intake manifolds do get really hot and I will look to see if overheating is an issue. But it runs great...for now.

I still have an issue with the carbs not returning to the idle stops.

"I still have an issue with the carbs not returning to the idle stops." - @Drumagination

Just a thought, loosen the throttle cable where it attaches to the carb linkage and see if the linkage returns to idle stops. If it does, then re-tighten the throttle cable in that position.

Do you have ALL the tin that ducts the hot oil cooler exhaust to BELOW the tin? If not, I just found your problem for you. Many cars have that hot air blowing into the engine compartment ABOVE the tin instead of below. Cheap and easy permanent fix.

@DannyP posted:

Do you have ALL the tin that ducts the hot oil cooler exhaust to BELOW the tin? If not, I just found your problem for you. Many cars have that hot air blowing into the engine compartment ABOVE the tin instead of below. Cheap and easy permanent fix.

Parts numbers 8 & 9 are what Danny is referring to.  If you're missing these bits, you're not only throwing hot oil cooler exhaust into your engine compartment, it's blasting right on your pass side carb. There's also a part called a "Hover Bit" that's not shown.  OEM VW tin needs it. A lot of aftermarket parts have it incorporated into the two pieces  

Yes, I have the tin for the oil cooler (parts 8 and 9). I have a long meat thermometer coming that will tell me if I need an aux. oil cooler or not. My VDO temp gauge says I’m fine but it may not be right.

thanks for all of your input! I think I have it surrounded....

Mark

@MusbJim posted:

"I still have an issue with the carbs not returning to the idle stops." - @Drumagination

Just a thought, loosen the throttle cable where it attaches to the carb linkage and see if the linkage returns to idle stops. If it does, then re-tighten the throttle cable in that position.

Good point. When I had to put a new throttle cable on after I installed the thicker Thing shroud last year, it took a couple of tries to get it right. I tried hard to get zero play in the pedal/cable, but I found if there was any tension at all on the cable, the carbs wouldn’t return to idle. 

Also check the tube that the cable runs in through the shroud. A couple of times that thing pulled out of its spot and kept the cable tight/idle high. 

Love the halo headlights. Can I see another photo of them. I’ve been looking and haven’t decided on a set that are right for me. I have been looking at the chrome jw 8700 and those kinda look like them. 

MusbJim...your suggestion worked! Thanks. 1/4” less tension on the throttle cable did the trick.
to4e and Halos: