New to the Site and Owner

Whoo-Hoo - another Speedster in FL!  Where about in the state are you - Ft Walton Beach here.  Replacing the floor pans is not too bad.  Much easier when body is not mounted for sure.  You can buy the cheaper half pans since you have to shorten near 11 inches.  The new tin ones are unfortunately thinner than OEM ones so they need to be kept painted.  There are fiberglass replacement pans but I haven't seen them offered for years. THey would be easier to work with and of course don't rust.  Just liquid nail then in and a few bolts and washers.

Donate to SOC so you can pull down the original FF/CMC build manuals.

I live in Satellite Beach but the can is currently in Orlando Fl. And about the donating to SOC?? I have no idea what that is.

SOC = this website, Speedster Owners Club.  Donating makes some resources accessible such as the build manual for your car.

Looks like a reasonable car to start with.  You certainly need new pans, and you need to add the tins and "flooring" in your engine compartment.  These air-cooled engines suck in cool air on top and the fan in the shroud blows it over the cylinders, cooling then, before exhausting it under the car.  If you can see the ground the heated air can rise back up into the engine compartment,causing over heating problems.  The body looks decent from the pictures, and I like the color.  Hey, it has a Gene Berg shifter, which is quite nice.  It'll take a little work, but you can definitely have some fun with it.  Welcome to the Madness! 

I have tried to find a new carpet kit for the car but haven't really found anything. Any ideas

VS = Vintage Speedster - check the makers tab and then parts at their site.

Has anyone had to replace their pans?

search on thesamba.com.  the process is exactly the same as a bug.

your paint is amazing considering the floor-pans.

and for Carpet - you can buy some stuff from teh speedster dealers (beck, IM and VS), but you will get better fit if you have it made for your car.  there are slight variations in the bodies of these, so there is no way these venders can assure you their parts will fit 100%.

Most replace the floor pans before the fiberglass body is mounted - since the chassis has to be cut and shortened anyhow.  More difficult with 8 tubes of silicon caulk holding the body on!

It can be done with the body on, the job is a real PITA and not for the first timer though. You would need to leave a solid edge around the perimeter and cut back the new pans. You would need a decent Mig welder and good welding skills..seal seal all the repaired joints etc... Again not for the first timer.

But, BAFTUB, you have come to the right source. That's the first right step.

Mango, the paint is in ok condition. I could possibly salvage it but I really want to change the exterior and interior color. I would want to re paint it as the mid 60's 356 irish green with the tan interior. It would be a tribute color scheme for my father.

If you look at the build manual - you can back track removing the body from the pan.  Essentially same as with a VW bug body from the pan.  In fact on yours - the builder left out the step of fiberglassing the pan to the body.  This makes it somewhat easier - save probably 3 hours of saw-z-alling it off. Go with the fiberglass pans and no welding required.

There are some Speedster repaint colors that are simply not popular should you ever want to resell it.  Most popular for easy resale are red, black, silver and ivory.  Pewter grey seems to be this year's hot color.