Will please take this the way it is intended and not to insult, but yes you did hear snickering in the background when you mentioned the alignment damn well better be done. I was told repeatedly the car would have a test engine installed, car would be aligned, ride height set and test driven. None of this was done and since I speak the Kings English, there was NO misunderstanding. When I had the car aligned at home, I could not get reimbursed for it. That being said, there are a lot of good things about the car and now that I have fixed all the problems, It looks and drives very nice.
Seven words of wisdom:
Brake before the corner, then accelerate through!
(thank you, Al)
The very first 'cruising weather day' after taking delivery of my VS I was approaching a typical New England up-hill down-hill S-curve that was clear of oncoming traffic... Whoope!...both lanes of the road were mine to pull off a Juan Faungio! I punched it, high revs in third gear, and negotiated half of the 'S' before realizing that the remaining half was a decreasing radius...a bit of breaking and without any warning I was sideways, then backwards... and wound up on the soft shoulder after pirouetting through 360 degrees...Duh?
Never again...never, ever, again!
It can be reduced to four words: Slow in, fast out.
Carl, do you have swing axles, there just not my favourite with a rear endGine pendulum. Ray
... or three letters: IRS.
Originally Posted by Lane Anderson - Mt. Pleasant, SC:
It can be reduced to four words: Slow in, fast out.
Yeah, Lane, you've been there!
And Stan's right, irs is the answer. And for those that are thinking "but Speedsters didn't come with irs", they didn't originally come in fiberglass either, and that gives us the leeway to make them whatever we want....
Originally Posted by Kawika55:
And an awesome speedster it is!
I love that color in a Street Rod! Speedster look the the best in White, Red, Silver, Black. My Speedster is Black with Red Pearl. My 2 cents! Aloha, Kawika
I should probably explain that this is not my first rodeo. In the '70's I owned a 1959 coupe which I autocrossed regularly. My wife had a '58 cabriolet with the removable hardtop. I worked for Fred Hall who owned Precision Engineering, a Porsche, VW shop in SLO for several years before going out on my own, tuning and building VW motors.
I appreciate your concern and promise I'll drive carefully but wanted to clear the air and explain that some of this is preaching to the choir.
I will admit though, that once, on a test drive, after tuning a new 911, I came around a street corner at 45 mph. Seeing a friend ahead in his 914, I punched the accelerator just as the rear tires hit the cross-street swale full of water...some fancy footwork and corrective steering helped me narrowly avoid totalling a very expensive car, not to mention losing my job!
I appreciate your concern and promise I'll drive carefully but wanted to clear the air and explain that some of this is preaching to the choir.
I will admit though, that once, on a test drive, after tuning a new 911, I came around a street corner at 45 mph. Seeing a friend ahead in his 914, I punched the accelerator just as the rear tires hit the cross-street swale full of water...some fancy footwork and corrective steering helped me narrowly avoid totalling a very expensive car, not to mention losing my job!
Originally Posted by WOLFGANG - '89 CMC FWB, FL:
I'd have extra can of oil too.
Yup - age giveaway there for sure...
Originally Posted by Stan Galat, '05 IM, 2276, Tremont, IL:
... or three letters: IRS.
Those three letters are letters that I fear most come year end...
His builder is Vintage and Kirk does offer IRS as an option. Always has.
Originally Posted by Caretech-IM:
I know the purist who want an exact replica might go with a swing axle but in reality IRS is so much better and you can put sway bars on the front and rear as well.
I don't know why your builder doesn't offer you that option. my 2 shekels
Troy, well I guess some buyers need more information before they commit to the build 
Ray
I'm pretty sure it's listed on the Vintage options price list.
http://www.vintagespeedsters.com/options/turnkey.php
It's not specifically mentioned in the options list but it is covered in the "Your Options" portion where buyers are directed to call VS..
I had no idea it was available.
I was referring to the printed options page that he gave me when I ordered mine. I've also seen it listed on some of the build sheets that other buyers were given.
Did you ask him if it was available?
Did you ask him if it was available?
Troy, no I didn't ask and wasn't asked if I wanted it, never saw a printed option list, just what's on the website.
Originally Posted by Will Hesch:
Troy, no I didn't ask and wasn't asked if I wanted it, never saw a printed option list, just what's on the website.
You'll be fine with the swing axle Will. I have it on mine but I did add the Camber Compensator from CB Performance. It took about 20 minutes to install and now the car rides like it's on rails. Just ask Teby!!
Saw one on Air Cooled for $89, looks like a good price
Originally Posted by Will Hesch:
Kirk just called (Saturday 8 am) and let me know he'd been busy hence no calls/photos since Wednesday. Seems his brother died Thursday of a heart attack, thought you guys might want to keep he and his brother's wife in your prayers.
He sent these two photos and said (for the 3rd time) that they would be building my motor today.
He said I could pick it up this coming Thursday, that they would drive it at least 20 miles and check everything, that it was aligned before they put the tub on the pan...
An interesting note, during our brief call, he said the car would come with anti-sway bar in the front and a camber compensator in the rear. That was not part of the final invoice and is not on the latest copy I received with the photos this morning. Perhaps some of the builders frequent this forum more than you think?
I said we'd wait for his call Wednesday before making any reservations. He said it wasn't necessary to spend a couple days down there checking out the car, that clients have picked them up and driven cross-country with them.
The seats were to have had lighter piping, but you can see they don't. The carpet was to have been brown, but it's not. I'm a bit confused.
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Colour blindness is an issue at times
Might ask about adding a passenger's side mirror (with convex glass) - it really helps.
A really good alignment would be with body on, gas in tank and weight of driver in seat (sand bags).
A "good alignment"? Don't you mean a "proper alignment"?!
"Colour blindness can be an issue"?....so can inattention or a disregard for details.
I would think that the side walls (behind the seats) carpet color (oops 'colour!' should have matched the door panels...but then, Duh...what do I know?
Jim, apparently so.
Wolfie, I've been wanting to talk to Kirk about that, I've added it to a list I'll send him Monday morning.
I guess the alignment (correct or otherwise) will be apparent once we test drive it.
All in all, we're getting a bunch of options without charge, a bunch, so if we have to spend a couple days sorting things out, that's OK with me. Maybe we'll even get to meet a couple of you guys while we're down your way?
Will, it is hard to have everything or rather every nuance specified on a build sheet for sure... Some things you have to trust the builder to do his normal build, but you might have done something slightly different if you had been asked or explained why. So thus the reason that it is important who you choose as a builder in the first place, but then. living close to a builder should make the builder your first choice if you like the work he does. 
Ray
@ Will
I'm sure you're going to need floor mats and may I be the first to reccommend Coco Mats?
They're REALLY nice and they wear better than anything I've ever seen. Here's the link to their swatches:
http://furstil.com/virtualswatch.html#Gallery1
And here's the link to their home page:
Will Cocomats make a mat from a pattern sent by the customer?
I would like a mat set for my Spyder.
Originally Posted by Carlos G:
Will Cocomats make a mat from a pattern sent by the customer?
I would like a mat set for my Spyder.
Yes.
Tell them what you have and if they don't have the pattern they will work with you to make a template and custom make them for you.
They are some of the nicest mats I've ever owned. They're not the cheapest mats made but for these cars they're worth it.
I guess I'm a little behind on the Cocomats.
Purchased a patterned set for a VW in 1968 for $29 bucks!
Good stuff!
I have a set that is about 8 years old now. They've faded a bit due to sun, but are otherwise unworn. X3 on Coco mats.
Hy I like the old price of those Mr. Molleur
On my IM I have matching mats to the carpeting. I used to have coconuts (coco mats bad auto correct) while they look period I am not sure I found advantages, outside of looking cool or a sieve for stone. What do you find are the advantages of Coco mats in your opinion. Ray
HA, my thoughts too. They tend to look clean until they fade --- because all the sand and grit goes right thru them. Must be a nostalgia thing --- or spare supply of hemp.
I wasn't sure if the reason they came out was the hot areas, the island where thatch roofs etc are many. Or is the 60s' where the beach boys were out barefoot and that was the only way to feel like you were walking on the beach/ grass.
You know ...
Originally Posted by Caretech-IM:
Hy I like the old price of those Mr. Molleur
On my IM I have matching mats to the carpeting. I used to have coconuts (coco mats bad auto correct) while they look period I am not sure I found advantages, outside of looking cool or a sieve for stone. What do you find are the advantages of Coco mats in your opinion. Ray
Originally Posted by WOLFGANG - '89 CMC FWB, FL:
HA, my thoughts too. They tend to look clean until they fade --- because all the sand and grit goes right thru them. Must be a nostalgia thing --- or spare supply of hemp.
I have never had a floor mat last as long or stand up to so much abuse as these mats. Yes rocks and sand and stuff can get in them but you just take them out of the car and strike the ground with them few times and they're clean. Besides, I don't get in my Speedster with sand and rocks on my shoes.
Robert, I guess you carry a camel hair brush to sweep the bottom of your feet, I mean shoes, or make sure you buy smooth bottom shoes, or even better you drive barefeet which makes it impossible to drag in any pebble... Try as a may stones just seem to come into my car Ray
Paul Holden (MD) car - he comes with his mechanic (Karl?). Ha, last year he exchanged his sticking brake calipers on the parade field. Good for me as I got his old ones! Now if CRHEMI would just send me his old disc brake spindles - I'd be good to go!
Originally Posted by Caretech-IM:
Robert, I guess you carry a camel hair brush to sweep the bottom of your feet, I mean shoes, or make sure you buy smooth bottom shoes, or even better you drive barefeet which makes it impossible to drag in any pebble... Try as a may stones just seem to come into my car Ray
I wear Vans. Great shoes for driving as you can feel everything. They're not smooth but they don't seem to hold onto anything.
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