Pre-owner of a Rat Rod in VA!

Ted, and other members.

 

I looked at his profile and this is the car, just the owner chose a different name for the forum. I did find something troubling however on a few of his past post with the topic of "Engine Trouble" back in March of this year.

 

https://www.speedsterowners.com/topic/engine-trouble?

 

Hey guys, took my 80s CMC Speedster 1500 single carb out for a little ride in the warm weather and encountered what seemed like a big problem.....
Haven't had time to examine fully but wanted to get some thoughts, let me describe what happened best I can:
Cruising at 60 mph , accelerated to pass a car and all of a sudden sounded as if engine blew something and got a lot louder like a hole in the muffler or something, after that just a really intense vibration but car is still running.
I went to pull over but noticed I could still limp to the nearest exit if I kept the rpms low.  Got it pulled over checked under the engine cover, car still running everything fairly normal at idle. Checked oil , still full engine temp and oil pressure normal.
So proceeded home gingerly , goes ok but when rpms go over 2500 just an intense vibration . If I shift quickly and bog engine almost drives as normal. Couldn't decide whether an engine or trans issue but could coast with no vibration out of gear down a hill.
Got home looked under engine and just an evenly spread fine residue of oil but no single area or spot where anything leaking ( I attached photos)
Penny for your thoughts?

Regards
Ernie

 

 

Before the sale while checking out the car I asked repeatedly "are there any issue with the car, car engine, drive train etc. or has there been any recent repairs or service I should know about." The owner Ernie said no. I did drive the car. Took a minute or two to warm up but ran fine. All gears were strong and the engine pulled well. I didn't notice any excessive vibration other then the normal vibration behavior these VW engines have?  I did see the oil (that he mentioned in his post) and I asked about it. He said these cars do leak oil. 

 

So should I be concerned?

Ask him.  See what he has to say.  If he says he had it fixed as to see the bill. 

If it doesn't sound kosher, walk away. 

I agree.

 

If you feel even a little bit wary, walk away.

 

More cars come up in the ads all the time.  You'll find another.

I reread that thread. He said Dynamat fell into the cooling fan. He said he had to pull it out and then clean the fan and blades.

I'd ask him and see if his story jibes with what he has written in that thread.

Sounds plausable.

Ted

Ted, could that be something that can hurt the engine? He also mentioned oil spray as a result under neath which I did see. But I chalked it up to a gasket leaking.

Is a piece of dynamat blocked part of the cooling fan, the fan wouldn't be cooling like it should.  The vibration he heard was the fan being out of ballance due to the dynamat.  The only concerns I have are about how long he ran it with compromised cooling efficiency.

I suspect the oil was already there and that he just assumed it was cause/effect.

Unfortunately without a PPI (pre purchase inspection) - any diagnostic work we tried from here in California would be speculative.

If you want true piece of mind, ask the seller about the situation and then get an inspection.

If you don't mind me asking, what are you paying for this one?

Ted

I will ask the seller today. I'm suppose to pay the final amount, minus a deposit this Saturday. Just wanted to know the impact before I asked. I was thinking it would have blown a seal or something. And I originally asked if there were any issues or problems. Answer was no. He originally was asking 20k a month ago on Craig's list and each week he lowered it to a final price of 16k. I went to see and test drive the vehicle because he lives 20 min from me. I negotiated a final price of $14,500 with accepting small issues I plan to redo/fix over time.This is my first speedster or any replica/antique vehicle.

 

The bad: oil underneath-source?Told the oil leak hasn't effected oil level or pressure. Windshield wiper motor not working, no emergency brake (due to rear disc conversion), small outer rip in top, tonneau cover snaps off center, bottom doors not flush but are with body and top (doors close flush), cut engine grill with stacks and the interior is all there, just needs some refinement, change out the hurst shifter.

 

The good: Good leather doors and seats, dash. Suspension is new. Rear disc upgrade, 4 speed (fly highway gear) unknown gear ratio, single carb (1500 or 1600 not sure but dual outlet) pulls really strong, no smoke. No slippage in gears. New tires and wheels. Oil pressure good at all gears, temp was good for the 10 min test drive I did (all gears and idle). Electrics good, new battery, uses electric starter. All gauges worked. Radio/CD/MP3 with MP3 device plug. Cell phone charger. Heater-dash and floor (untested) told works but not great. Engine sounds and idles well after warm-up. 

 

Told that it was built in the late 80's. Sat most of it's life before upgrades. Told 10,000 total miles but noted 3,900 on odometer. Have some receipts of the upgrades (not 30 years worth). Titled as a 1969 VW. Has original CMC build manual included.

 

I was told he needs to free up money for a wife project and would make her happy since he already has a Lotus which I saw. He bought the speedster over the net, location Atlanta, GA. Had a family member bring it to him in VA in January.

 

The timing of the sale was just something I noticed after I put deposit down and then joining this forum. You pointed out he was a member, I saw the engine problem story and selling a month after he had a problem. He seems like a good guy and family man though. Did say he wasn't in a hurry to sell it, but wanted a fair price.

Forgot to mention, I didn't notice any weird vibration or vibration noise on the test drive or coming from the fan shroud.

Trust your gut. Nothing sounds too out of the ordinary to me, but it's not my money.   Protect yourself with a pre-purchase inspection.

 

At the end of the day you need to be comfortable with the purchase.

 

Ted

 

Thanks Ted.

Dynamat is a semi-rigid product.  That said, if some of it got sucked into the fan,  pieces of it would be chewed up and thrown onto both the heads (where it would melt onto the fins) and into the oil cooler where it might cause blockage of the fins, limiting airflow and causing higher oil temps or it might have punctured the cooler tubes to cause an oil leak (or both).

 

Regardless of all that, if you buy this car the first thing to do is pull the engine, pull off the fan shroud and cylinder tins and check everything out,  If you find no remaining Dynamat residue anywhere you're golden.  If you do find residue, just scrape it off, although dealing that with stuff on the fan can be a real mess.

 

If you find no oil leaks at the cooler, you're golden.  If you do find leaks (a leaking cooler usually shows up on the driver's side of the engine, generally blown about the bottom of left side), then it might be time for a new cooler (check CB Performance for pricing).

 

None of this stuff is Earth-shaking, just a concern and something that has to be addressed before you go tooling about.

 

Think of this, though:  He has dropped his asking price from $20K to $14.5K as you've asked questions.  That still might be on the high side for this car.

This car is pretty unique. It's hard to say what the 'right' price is. I do agree that 20k was clearly too high. I think Gordon is correct that this seems to still be a 'good deal' for the seller, not the buyer.

 

To build on what Gordon was saying - One thing which caused me pause. You stated:

"This is my first speedster or any replica/antique vehicle."

 

You didn't mention your mechanical abilities. Are you mechanically savvy? How do you plan on using this car? I'm not questioning your ability to work on the car. I just want to be sure you understand what you're getting into. Some of these cars, especially ones built by a private party, are prone to require noodling and tinkering.  They have few of the safety or creature comforts of modern cars.

 

Before you plunk down 14.5k - make sure you're up for the madness that is speedster ownership.

Ted

 

 

After speaking with the the seller he did tell me exactly what happened as covered on the forum. He did say the Dynamat did not go past the fan and only blocked the opening—explaining the lose of power. He removed it and all is normal. He agreed to a PPI and I pick the shop he is dropping it off today.

 

Thanks for the info Gordon.

Ted. I'm planning on just weekend cruising and events. I didn't want a project car (for cheap) to work on for months just to get on the road, nor did I want to pay a (premium) for a completed restored finished car. I was looking for something that I can drive and enjoy now, while I fix what needs fixing or upgrading. I know my way around cars, but most of my experience is in motorcycles. Riding for 25 years, I've disassembled and modified drive trains, engines and exhaust on friends as well as my previous Hondas, Triumph and my newer Ducati. I have no formal training, only manuals, and since the internet in the 90's, forum resources like this one. I'm 43 years old and still have a lot to learn. I've never worked on VW engines, but I enjoy getting into things and "tinkering" as long as I'm well informed. I make mistakes all the time, but i just enjoy working on anything that needs solving. I'm an art director and web designer so that means I'm never satisfied with a finished product. I'm always evolving. That is what has lead me to pull the trigger on a 356. They are iconic, they represent the "Porsche vintage era" (my favorite brand) and very unique. I also appreciate good customization. Additionally important, they are in my price point.

 

The maintenance /upgrades on VW engines are much cheaper then 911's, shelby cobras, or muscle cars. Forums like this have helped beginners like myself become self-starters in the madness of cars/motorcycles enjoyment. 

 

As with my motorcycles, I'm use to overlooking creature comforts in favor of just raw fun. I plan on treating my speedster as my unique 4 wheel motorcycle without the helmet. 

 

And I appreciate all the help from you guys along the way.

Sounds like you're coming into this with the right attitude and experience.

 

Good luck with the purchase,

Ted