Noob 356 coupe (kit) questions

Hello Dk5o,

 

1) Kitzkrieg - there is a lot of history with the owner of that company. I don't know how much of it will carry over into his new venture (Kitzkrieg), but you should know more about his past and go into any dealings with your eyes wide open and be well informed.

 

2) I think the most detailed build log I've seen is from Mango Smoothie, but that was more of a refurb/total custom transformation. I'm sure there are other blogs out there, but his made the biggest impression with me.

 

3) Depending on where you live, the year of the pan can really improve your ability to register the car without having to get it smogged.  You should really make sure you understand registration constraints prior to diving in too far. Typically the later years have more up to date technology. Don't go into the super beetle chassis as that's a completely different animal.

Vintage Motorcars Inc. is in the process of offering a pre-A coupe. Soon. It will fit on a pan or a custom chassis of their making. Don't have a timeframe but I do know they will be offering kits.

I have no info on a build blog but I know you'll get plenty of help from this site should you ask.

It depends on what you are looking for, reliable stock-ish cruiser or radical road-eater? Or somewhere in between?

The ultimate coupe for me would be a preA on a custom tube frame, Mendeola or Eyeball a-arm and coil-over front suspension(with big brakes) and VW IRS rear with Porsche 944 brakes and upgrades, probably eliminate the rear torsion tube and go coilover there as well.

Engine? Easy for me. Either STI or flat six Subaru. 250 to 300 ponies should do. And a limited slip rear end in a 915 trans.

Yup, that'll do.

Thanks for the replies guys. Luckily a Vw pan is the easy part as they are everywhere. I'll look up Texas registration rules to see what years to look at.


I'll look into the kitzkrieg one a bit more. I'm not set on any one company, just not many at the moment making coupe bodies. I guess popularity if them is starting to come around though.

Think really hard before sending Kitzkrieg a deposit; the prinicpal guy (sorry, don't remember his name) was involved in Carrera Coachworks before, and that didn't end well. In a previous thread, there was talk of previous projects he and his partners had been involved in and it seemed that everything they touched ended in law suits and disaster. I believe MisterAC was his user name here.

 

Some light reading- https://www.speedsterowners.com...4#383400670103337194

personally, I think that dealing with "Kitzkrieg" would be very risky, right now....until they develop some street creds....They don't have that, yet.

 

"Luckily a Vw pan is the easy part as they are everywhere."

 

That's true, BUT......  If you run anything more than 140 hp in your engine AND you have a decent front suspension (that Mendeola that Danny mentions above would certainly be cool), then the rear should certainly be an IRS setup, preferably a 1969 VW or an early 1970's 924/944 Porsche setup (they're the same thing).  Otherwise your rear suspension will NEVER be able to keep up with the front, especially in a coupe weight distribution.

 

Keep reading, Grasshopper......

Exactly on both counts, Al and Gordon.

 

Kitzkrieg is like betting your entire 401K on a single hand of poker, STUPID, but hey, it's your money.

 

If you just want to tool around and duplicate the regular coupe experience, a ball joint front end and either swing axle or IRS is fine.

 

BUT, if you want to DRIVE, you need to follow our advice. We will definitely help you spend your money. Do some searches on here and READ. You'll get good info, and learn to filter out the bad. And some sarcasm, wit, humor, and lots of other meaningless stuff!

So the porsche 944 rear assembly can bolt to a vw pan? Sorry if it's a crazy question just the first I've heard of it.

Thanks again for replys everyone. Yeah I'll be very cautious on my 356 coupe body find. Any other companies spitting out 356 coupes?

I've heard of guys using the irs trailing arms (and getting the disc brakes), but I don't know about the whole 944 "rear assembly".

Mendeola rear end!

And oh boy, can we do that!

 

I don't mean to trivialze the rest of Danny's post, as it was full of great advice. But that one line I couldn't resist... 

 

Bill- you'd never have to worry about breaking it, but how much more does it weigh over a type 1 transaxle?

Maybe I should have been a bit more specific;  The diagonal arms from some 944's ( with hubs and brake assemblies) will replace those on a '69 VW pan, as will the same parts from a 924 and some of the 914 models, although some of them may have to be flipped, side-for-side.  The '69 VW pan had DUAL spring plates on each side, just like those Porsche models.  Later year VW's (the super beetles) went to single spring plates each side.  The Samba is a good source for this conversion.  In was going to make my next Speedster with a 924T rear suspension but then Life got in the way and it never got done.

$5500 from recent post by Troy

 

 

 

http://sandiego.craigslist.org.../pts/4632610346.html

 

 

Yeah I saw that coupe kit posted. Not ready to jump on a body yet especially so far away (I'm located in Dallas tx)

 

so I'm taking from this to basically get a 69-70 beetle pan to chop due to IRS. Are there other years to look for?

 

has anyone here purchased a coupe kit anywhere they can vouch for that was not a turn key?

We will be offering Vintage Spyder's coupes in kits at the end of the month. Pre-A Bent Windows.

 

Email me if interested. We can make the kit paint ready to as basic as you'd like.

 

daniel@seductionmotorsports.com

I'd look for newer years - just avoid the Super with MacPherson front struts (although they can be used with a little more welding).  1972 and you get a dual port engine --- late '73/74 and you could get a 3.88 R&P.  Better yet find a Karmann Ghia '71 up and you get standard front disc brakes along with the 3.88 R&P.

 

I think you are going about it all wrong though.  I'd be cautious chopping a VW pan to Speedster dimensions hoping it would fit an unknown coupe body. Buy a wrecked Subbie and use its components for a custom tube chassis. 

What Greg said- but keep in mind beetle and ghia pans are differently shaped in front where your feet go.