Need advice

 

I thought it was the thread for people who need advice.

Tow bars are available from C.B.Perf., CiP1, EMPI, and a ton of small shops catering to the "sand" trade.....   Shop around as they all use this item as an advertising come on....   Just remember, it does need to be modified and requires a competent welder...  

And, I guess nobody noticed:  21 pages and counting.

 

Thread hijacking:  we live and breathe this stuff . . .

 

a couple of years ago I bought a tow/hitch for my Mazda 6 V6, so I could buy a 5x8 trailer to haul junk and stuff.  Custom designed for the car, they said, and installed it myself.  Only took a little bit of "persuasion".  Good for 2,000 lb, it says here.  Now you got me thinkin' that I could get tow bar that would hook up to the Speedster, and I'd be set.  Except I don't need to trailer my car 'cause I drive it to Carlisle.

 

Lane:  I really do "get it" wrt a long three (four??) day (one way) ride on the interstate is the little red car.  Emphasis "little" -- and also noisy.  If Eight is Enough, you ought to look into the trailer option.  Best of both worlds: comfy LD ride, and all the fun over the week end.  And we'd all stop ragin' on ya.  Maybe . . .

What are the modifications that need to be made to a tow bar (I am at work and don't want to take the time to search)?

 

Would the one for a narrowed beam from CIP1 be a better start?

21 pages!  Wow!

 

"Except I don't need to trailer my car 'cause I drive it to Carlisle."  I would to, if I only lived a handful of hours away.  

 

A trailer would be the ultimate answer, but it's not in the budget this year.  Pam's car is front wheel drive (not great for towing) and her towing capacity is only 3500 pounds, meaning the trailer can't weigh much.  Aluminum trailers are expensive.

My little 5x8 trailer weighs only 800 lbs, and I have filled that bad boy up, like w/ dirt.  That's 40 cu ft just up to the gunwales and I piled it in to about 2 cubic yards   I did not drag it 1500 mi, as was only 15 mins from home, but still, it made it.  Mazda is FWD and so what??  If you got a plain tow bar, and so no trailer, that would be just the weight of the car ~1800 lbs +/-, right?  This is WAY doable, and not much money.  The hitch would be a couple hundred, maybe, and the tow bar thingy maybe the same.  You can DO this.

This brings to mind the time I towed a load of railroad ties out of a field with my Beetle. It sure didn't want to stop after I got rolling.

Mike - Modifications needed are "narrow it" and "Lengthen it". Not wanting to hi-jack this thread even more, do a 'Search' with key words 'Tow bar'.

 

You'll find the thread I submitted (Modifying Tow bar for My Vintage Speedster) to address the FAQ about tow bar modifications. Pics with dimensions included. 

https://www.speedsterowners.com...my-vintage-speedster

 

I actually purchased one ready made from a guy on 'the samba'.  It was intended for a type2. I just had him adjust the 'drop' from the ball to the forks where the bar clamps onto the beam. I matched what Jim suggested in his thread

Ted

Need advice, this must be the place: can you wear brown shoes with a blue suit?

Yes. Make sure they are a darker brown like a walnut.

 

Here is a good reference chart for you:

 

http://www.businessinsider.com...ny-color-suit-2013-7

 

I recently bought several new suits and opted for a pair of Florsheim shoes in a color called Oxblood.  I couldn't resist buying them since my Speedster is silver and oxblood. I've worn them with a black suit, a grey suit, but I'm still waiting to wear them with my blue suit.

Anyone think it is a good time to short APPL?

 

When I do, I always wear a red tie and red socks. I find it ups my 'pimp hand'.

 

 

If you are really bent on having a tow bar, why buy one that you have to modify ?

 

Why not just go to the local welding / fab shop and have them build one to your specs? Mine, including various parts and materials cost under $200.

 

I used it on one trip when I had to get the Speedster to Florida in January. I now keep it stored away in the event that if I blow an engine or something and need to flat tow it home, I can pull it with my truck. 

Perhaps you could complete the whole thing by having the wallpaper pattern in that picture printed on leather and cover your speedster seats in it. Miniaturize that lamp pole into a shifter and you sir would be almost unapproachable when it comes to cool.....or not. 

 

Let me know how it works out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK. That was worth 21 pages to get to.

I surrender......

I fear I have completely lost control of this.  Now for some Tullamore Dew 

Ted, come in out of the garage, it's time to wallpaper and shop for furniture.

try something new.....Knob Creek

Al, a standard Beetle bar should fit your VS whether it's link pin or ball joint, and mine fits fine with the skinny, little VW sway bar. However, you may have to modify it to clear your bumper brackets and lengthen it a bit as there is more overhang in a Speedster than a Bug.

 

G.R. I have driven to Carlisle 4 times and towed there, I think 5 times. The reason I tow? 1) downpour weather, 2) bringing female companion and they don't pack light or appreciate the wind in the hair thing for four hours, 3) bringing tools like scales to weigh everybody's car and that crap won't all fit in the Spyder.

 

And Lane, tonight is Harpoon Leviathan Imperial IPA. Delicious!

Knob Creek is a bourbon, right Art?  Toolmaker Dew is a good (the best, maybe) Irish whiskey, but I like bourbon as well.  I'll give it a shot.  I have to hit the local big-box liquor store tomorrow anyway.

 

Danny, have you tried Dogfish Head Namaste?  Mmmmm....

You might get a lot of debate on that "Toolmaker Dew" stuff. Or, you could pack up Pam, head over to Ireland and hit the "Whiskey Trail".

 

http://www.irelandwhiskeytrail.com/home.php

 

Fly into Shannon (Limerick) and do the central/south trail, a nice, easy week but wait til April/May or later for the nicer weather - lots of frost over there right now. Plus, this site is getting better at finding the Micro-Distilleries that are popping up all over the island. Or, just ask any local pub where the local whiskey guys are...for instance, one of the best places west of Cork is a "re-purposed" convent that's now a B&B/micro-pub that does no advertising but always seems to be busy.

 

Bill McCarthy once wrote a book entitled "McCarthy's Bar" about traveling all around Ireland and visiting all of his namesake bars on the island - his descriptions of people are colorful, to say the least, and the book was a hoot (the things you find in Heathrow bookstores during lay-overs). Be nice if he did one about hitting the Whiskey bars, too!

I follow a guy on Facebook, who 18 months ago posted this on his page...

 

"I am going to start a contest.

ACK!!  I HATE auto-correct/corrupt.  It should have been "Tullamore Dew". 

NEED ADVICE  Dumb question my speedometer is in kilometers but is the tripmeter the same or in miles its a Beck

Same

> On Feb 28, 2015, at 11:51 AM, SpeedsterOwners.com <alerts@hoop.la> wrote:
>

Thanks

I thought Toolmaker was done on purpose, acknowledging how handy you are with tools and all . . .

 

And the blue suit side-drift had me in stiches.  Keep 'em coming, lads.  The thread that never dies LIVES ON!!

Lane,

 

Also, I notice how you are not rising to the bait here about a tow bar for your car.  You should think about this seriously.  I am sensing that you are at that place now where this is what you need to do.  Aside from just giving you the money (will never happen here), the fellows will give good advice, keep you pointed in the right direction, and you can giterdone, by damn.

You tell 'em Kelly!  That man needs to bring (or drive) the 2006 Carlisle project of the year for sure.  I think this thread has suggested that the problem is fixed and Lane is young enough and tough enough to deal with a little discomfort.  After all, Lane, we survived the drive home in the monsoon that was Carlisle 2008, right.  And you're the one who has the bright tail lights too.  If you wuss out, you may force me to drive the Mustang instead of the Red Man.  Oh, the shame of it!

"...you may force me to drive the Mustang instead of the Red Man."

 

NEVER!!!!!!  If you promise to come this year AND you promise to bring the Red Man I will promise to seriously consider changing my plans and bringing the Speedster.

Just get a couple of extra rolls of blue tape, and shove off.  What's the big deal??

...said the guy who lives 45 minutes south.

Wait... do the rest of us have this right? If he actually drive his replica from TN, you promise to seriously consider bringing yours from SC? I thought this thing was, I don't know, a SPEEDSTER meet. In the absence of some compelling reason not to-- if you don't bring the cars the meet centers around, what's the point again?

 

What am I missing with the Carlisle thing? 

 

Stan's got the balls to say what I wanted to say ten days ago. It's a Speedster meet. What if no one brings a Speedster and just a DD. What do we do all weekend ? Chat ?  We can look at pictures from home.

"In the absence of some compelling reason not to-- if you don't bring the cars the meet centers around, what's the point again?

What am I missing with the Carlisle thing?"

 

One word - ALOT! 

Why yes, Stan, that IS the correct interpretation.  However, I will sweeten the bet by saying that if YOU promise to come and bring YOUR speedster for the FIRST time, I will drive mine for the NINTH.

 

You game?  C'mon, Stan.  

Ooooooo

> On Mar 2, 2015, at 6:42 AM, SpeedsterOwners.com <alerts@hoop.la> wrote:
>