Last minute tips on purchase?

Hello, this is my first post... I am going to purchase a Speedster replica today, and I am new to the fiberglass bodied cars. I have been into VWs forever and had one in HotVWs so the car knowledge is there. But the question to all you replicar experts out there, is there anything I should look for outside the standard mechanicals and such? Please let me know asap.

Sorry, yes, used.

Used? Look for stress fractures. Be sure to pay close attention to the way the doors close. Some early CMC/Fiberfabs didn't have the pan strengthened and the bodies have slowly collapsed. Look for how the body lines up over the wheel, like the space from the body to the rear wheel on both sides. Also, run your hand under the fenders, see if the fiberglass thickness changes dramatically. If so this is one of the chopper gun cars that CMC had little QA on and worth less money.

Don't pay over market just because the car is there. There are lots of good cars available. A very good older car (1980s kit) should go for 8-10k. Obviously you would have to adjust for options. But it would not be worth anything near what a newer JPS/Vintage is worth and not even in the same ball park as a newer Intermec.

Most of all:
Know what you want and don't let your emotions get involved.
Don't buy the first car you see, nothing is a substitute for education.
Never run with scissors!
-=theron

Mark have you seen the car and driven it??????? Who made it?? What kind of options does it have???

Mark,

I agree with Theron! Question everything. There are alot of cars out there. It takes a little bit of time to find the right investment.

Have you looked at Robert Carley's 99 Red IM? It's a beauty!

Good Luck - Mel

Well, I bought the car. It should make a decent driver. It's a 90's model CMC. Needs a little work but it is definately workable and has a lot of potential for a nice fun driver. Now it is just a matter of actually working on it. It needs some minor fiberglass repair and paint, although it looks decent now. The interior is not my color of choice but the spartan interior should be simple enough. Outside of that, I have the mechanicals (adj. front end, modified VW trans, fuchs, and T-4 motor) from my Ghia project. I have a feeling this is going to end up a really fun car! Oh, I saw the Robert Carely car and it is nice! But, I wanted something not so complete, in other words, I wanted something I can customize without having to buy or build new one or one that is already super clean. It will have the resto-custom look when complete and if all goes well. At the price I paid ($8k) it seems like a worthy investment and when completed I will probably have the amount into it that I would have paid for a super clean one. I recently discovered Andrew posted it here in the classifieds section, it is the black one, pic attached.

Mark, that's a great looking car for that price!

Congrats Mark!

Keep posting those pics as you progress on her. It's nice to be able to add your own personal touches.

Mel

Thanks everyone and good luck on the sale of your car Robert. It is definately a super clean one! I forgot to mention that the car I bought was 10 minutes away from the shop we will be restoring it at so because it was local, it was just an all too easy transaction. There were others in a similar price range (I did not buy it because of the low cost) but it was local and easy to deal with. I am not up on what is considered an accessory on a replica car, but he did have some desirable items, front disc brakes, yellow/black CA license plates and it is registered as a '57. Nothing is missing so it is just a matter of fixing small things and making it look nice.

I do have a question regarding the tunnel of the car. I have noticed that some of the high end cars have the "correct" squared off tunnel, it the tunnel something that can easy be purchased? I am not so concerned about cutting and welding it in (our shop is equipped for that) but it the part available? Also, I assume the body is bolted on, do any of you know if it is as easy as a VW for body removal? I am probably thinking way ahead of myself right now but if I remove the body, I can change the tunnel at the same time for a more authentic look.

Lastly for now, I have used German square weave carpet in my '56 Oval Ragtop, is that the carpet of choice in these cars for authenicity? As of now, it has the fuzzy cheap stuff that will probably get tore out this weekend. I have many more questions but I will save them for when I get there. Thanks again!

There are two aluminum tunnels for sale on Ebay right now. Here's one of them, the better looking of the two.

cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=34204&item=2489406814&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW#ebayphotohosting

If you remove the carpeting and such, you can no doubt fasten a stock Porsche tunnel to the VW pan or VW style floor in your car (if it's a tube chassis).

You might do well in fashioning your own squared off tunnel from sheet metal if you're just going after a more 356 interior look for the car.

If your car doesn't have a genuine 356 ebrake assembly, you'll have to allow for the VW set-up when installing the tunnel, or purchase an assembly from a supplier/yard/etc.

Otherwise, anything can be bolted (or welded) in place to further the illusion. Just takes time and effort.

Luck!

TC

A word of caution regarding replacing the tunnel on a VW chassis . The VW factory tunnel is stamped out of a super heavy gauge metal and not thin sheet metal or aluminum. The tunnel is the back bone of the chassis strength.
The only way I see to change out the stock height VW tunnel for a low squared version would be to fabricate a strong inner frame structure under the replacement squared tunnel.

Thanks for the word of caution, I suspected the same thing. Sure looks nice though! Here is a picture that was in the classifieds section on this site.

Mark
Good luck in your speedster search and find ! I too am an old time VW fan from way back and made the switch to Speedters ..Alan

Thanks Alan... If you want, check out my oval, it was in HotVWs in Jan 2004 but after I had already sold it to a guy in Hawaii. The site is mine, now I should look into making Speedster parts. I did a Porsche logo for a Pre-A before, it was pretty easy, the drawing took a while to get correct but I had an original to work with.

www.vsvw.com

Hey, just an idea . . .

Just bend some metal and stick it over the VW rounded tunnel. Screw it into the sides to keep it in place. You get the square look and don't sacrifice strength.

I might do that myself, just for the effect!

TC

The tunnel will appear square but will sit too high. I have several friends with early 356's and should measure their tunnels.