maker?

would anyone know who made this, I know I could call but its sunday and I was just wondering, thanks

http://www.oldride.com/sports_cars/443303.html

Being a newbie I never heard of the company CMC, are they a reputable company I only heard of IN< JPS and vintage so far.

I was only aware of the speedsters on vw chasis's, are the one on tubular frames bigger on the inside, my buddy has an old IM on a bug pan and I can barely fit my knees under the steering wheel.

I do like the seats a lot - good for wide bodies

And - the wheels I was thinking of using

It still has the VW center tunnel probably a CMC. Most tube frames have a lower tunnel.

Trying to figure out why he didn't take a photo of the "bolted on folding hardtop" - have never seen one of them! All Speedster have a bolted on soft top frame. The "very stiff square steel tubular frame" is standard on CMC and FF kits (except for perhaps really early ones). Looks like a CMC with the D $995 option (1989). A cast hibachi looking aluminum engine grille will confirm. "Vintage" gauges in dash will further validate. Gulp, $26,500 and it's not even finished?

If you look at the pics carefuly you can tell the car is not finished. No door panels, no roof, carpet at the front of the floor under the dash, rear of the car sits too high, missing the pin to hold the deck lid up,. It is on a VW pan and the structure they speak of is in the fiberglass most likely. I would ask for more photos of the car because it looks like they were shooting around possible issues. My .02 cents. Good luck in your search.

Look at interior of a Beck or Thunder Ranch --- much bigger inside. CMC reputable? --- Moammar Kadafi a saint? CMC's mostly owner made so just depends on their skill - bodies/chassis over engineered and strong.

would the Beck and Thunder Ranch be bigger inside because they're on a tubular chasis as opposed to a vw pan?

I looked up CMC on the "makers" section of the forum and it says they're out of business, also has someone ever bought a JPS roller and installed their own subaru motor and trans, just wondering what kind of adapters are needed and if its worth doing it yourself instead of paying for a turn key, I like like idea of water cooled but don't have the dough for an IM, just looking aorund for other makers who do subaru

IMHO this appears to be a CMC with the roll up window option, not sure but maybe, the top was a add on ?...and probably the car was sitting in the PO's garage for years. ~Alan

Ray,

Classic Motor Carriages went under years ago, but there are still cars around which haven't been finished -- just like that one.
Depending on the coin you want to spend, your mechanical abilities and the amount of "authenticity" you want built into your Speedster replica ... well, there are about ten different directions you could go in.

How about answering a few questions, just to narrow the field?

1. Do you want a Speedster, a Roadster, a cabriolet, a coupe or a Type 1? (You may have a little homework to do.)

2. Do you want it assembled by a professional company, or would you like to have a member of this community build it for you -- to include an engine, gearbox and a few amenities?

3. Do you want an air-cooled engine, or a modern, water-cooled one?

4. Do you plan on driving the car hard? Some are based on Volkswagens which have been cut in two and shortened, while others are completely jig-built frames with better suspensions than the Beetle had.

5. Do you plan on showing the car, or driving it?

6. Are you opposed to a good used car? If you don't know how good a fit it will be for you, it's a good way to get back most of what you spent if it doesn't work out.

7. Have you ever owned and operated a Beetle before, or a 2.5-liter Subaru? A 911, a Miata (or other small two-seater)? What did you like best about the fun, smaller car you had, and what similar characteristics would you like out of your Speedster?

8. How mechanically inclined are you?

9. Do you live in an area where there would be a mechanic available to help maintain a specialty vehicle? Some of these little guys are more reliable than others. (Mine is an only child, and acts like it sometimes.)

10. Is your significant other on board with the idea of getting a toy car, and will the budget allow for proper maintenance?

We don't need to know your answers by any means -- but if you come to some conclusions you'd like to throw out there, maybe people can respond to you with the (largely subjective) pros and cons of what they own. Many of us are partial to what we have, but there are certainly qualified, objective opinions out there.

The single best piece of advice I can offer is to read much, ask lots, and buy the best one you can afford.

Hope that helps!

To add to Cory's - if the internet had existed when I originally bought my kit - I would have looked for a used fixer-upper or an unbuilt kit. Would have saved 1/2 cost of a new kit ($8k in '89) or even now a roller. Rich Pascale has a smoking deal on a CMC/FF in MS for $7k. You could drive it now and customize/up grade it to you liking. Key really is you could drive it this summer - work on it over winter - and drive the next summer. Mine just sits there waiting for the big bang.

For $26,500 you could buy a new Vintage without too many options or some seriously nice used Beck/JPS/Thunder Ranch, possible an older Intermeccanica. If your budget is that high, there are a LOT of cars on your radar. Unless you're in a big hurry, come to one of the spring gatherings (Pismo Beach in CA, or Carlisle in PA (the biggest gathering of manufacturers)). Do some research and get informed so that you'll make a decision you're happy with. Read the topic at the top of this and many other forums for background, "Ready for a Speedster Replica? - (Everything you need to know)".

I'll have available at Carlisle, a unique version of a flared Guards Red street-rod inspired speedster, stay tuned. ~ Alan

I actually looked at that car a couple of years ago. It was built by a VW mechanic to qualify for racing, channel steel frame, bug pans (for registration) but can have a 3 pt. roll bar installed. The custom motor was not with it then but was stated as being available for $4500.00. The body was supposedly a Fiber Fab but with the roll up window kit.The builder gave up the project due to health. It was pretty rough back then, lots of chips on hood, misaligned doors, rough gel coat. It was over priced back then. I tried to bargain with the owner of the shop but it seemed as though most of what was there was everyone's lost dream and he didn't seem to care if it was sold.

Just a point for folks new to Speedsters. From what I can glean all VW pan based speedsters came with the rigid steel frame (at least FF and CMC - unlike most dune buggies and the MG TD replica which just use the pan). See diagram of this frame from the build manual linked to below. It was attached to the fiberglass body with epoxies and rivets. You can see how the rear is multiple pieces of steel that are unbraced - hence common rear butt sag after 30 years. I guess they figured it wasn't holding the suspension or engine so extra bracing was not required. FF/CMC was largest vendor so most I've seen are theirs. Rusty Tubs sells the body without the frame and the frame is extra $. I suppose separate pricing is to accommodate a builder wanting a true tube frame.

https://www.speedsterowners.com/library/cmcmanual2/images/cmc59.jpg

You can probably add Vintage Speedsters rigid sttel chassis support to Wolfgangs note above since it's pretty much is a copy of the earlier CMC car, with some improvements.

Ray, if you're looking for a car, especially one produced on a custom tube frame then look here:

https://www.speedsterowners.com/forum/readmsg.asp?t=20353