Reputable Shop San Diego for IM with 1.8t

Can't help there but beautiful car

@ProfHollan

Beautiful car! Contact Kevin Zagar who is also a fellow SOCer.

   Kevin is a very cool dude and owns a shop in San Diego, CoolRydes Customs. He's an awesome fabricator and does custom builds installing Mendeola Suspensions and other custom touches). Here's a link to his website.

https://www.coolrydescustoms.com

That is Dale Bates' old car it was built for him, great car. Congrats the colours are pretty cool.

You are correct.  It passed through a couple of owners after Dale. I am the current caretaker.

This is truly a spectacular build, ask me how I know  New owner should be enjoying the heck out of it very soon

great car, i was at bugorama in Sacto, dale was there with us speedies...didnt he have an Audi engine in it? might have been the other guy.

@IaM-Ray posted:

That is Dale Bates' old car it was built for him, great car. Congrats the colours are pretty cool.

... actually, it was built for Jane (who you may remember from this site), but she backed out at the last moment, and the car went to Dale. Dale and Terry Nuckels did the detail work on the Fuchs to butch it up a bit, and ended up with a beautiful car.

That's a great engine. Marianne had a Quattro propelled by the 1.8t and it scooted along nicely with little or no lag. This package weighs about 1/2 of the Quattro, so I can imagine it's great fun!

If I remember correctly, Dale called the interior leather color tomato 🍅

He isn't italian, so it wasn't hot tomato.  

Yes, I got some of those early details about the original order by Jane from Henry. The leather color is Absolute Tomato.

The customer provided the leather to Henry at the time of the build. Great color and nice patina and as the professor said it is called Absolute Tomato

i remember the paint called Mousse brown? think it was a VW color

Close @barncobob Mouse Gray is what Henry said

RAL7005 Maus (Mouse) Gray, unless I'm mistaken. The paint code should be on the door-jam plate.

Dale's car was the first "D" I really liked. You have a beautiful car @ProfHollan.

Not my favorite name for a color but it is: Mouse Gray  VWL 325 Glasurit base clear

Oh. maus grau your taking about oh it could be elephant Grey .  

Still looking for repair shops in San Diego in case things come up that are beyond my skill level. So far only one recommendation. I do appreciate that one but would also appreciate others.

I suggest that you Google "Audi mechanics San Diego" or something similar.  You will find a few independent shops.  Call them and describe your car and engine.  Some will  refuse, but you may find one or two that will welcome the novelty and challenge.  If you stay with one guy for a period of time, he will become an expert on your application, as you will.

I had a Subaru engine in one of my Speedsters for a few years.  Some Subaru shops would shudder if I dropped by, while a few would say "Sure, no problem".   Best of luck in your search.

@Jim Kelly posted:

I suggest that you Google "Audi mechanics San Diego" or something similar.  You will find a few independent shops.  Call them and describe your car and engine.  Some will  refuse, but you may find one or two that will welcome the novelty and challenge.  If you stay with one guy for a period of time, he will become an expert on your application, as you will.

I had a Subaru engine in one of my Speedsters for a few years.  Some Subaru shops would shudder if I dropped by, while a few would say "Sure, no problem".   Best of luck in your search.

Also VW tuner shops. AFAIK, that’s the same (or very similar) motor as GTIs and Passats.

FYI. I owned an IM with the 2.0L SOHC VW/Audi engine. Not as nice as yours but same set up in the car. Your CV joints are at extreme angles. Not extreme enough to affect the CV joints but you will eat through CV boots. Guy who had the car before me had to replace the joints and axles. Ate through 3 sets of CV boots in its first 20,000 miles. Next time it happened I was going to replace the boots with larger off road boots made for extreme angles. Sold the car and bought a Spyder before it happened again.

Thanks for the response. When the car was inspected before buying the only issue was with one of the CV boots. I discussed this with Henry Reisner and he mentioned that a boot with a higher angle capacity was needed.  I plan to do exactly as you suggest and replace all of the boots with ones made for extreme angles.

Thanks,
Jim

If you search the old threads I have a lengthy discussion on this topic. I believe that the off road boots I purchased are listed in the thread. I’ll try to find it.

https://www.speedsterowners.co...c/532592670945894284

I appreciate all the useful and very informative responses about cv-boots. Still trying to find a good shop in San Diego to work on the Intermeccanica when needed. I also have a 73 911E Targa that I have owned since new. It is now at my second home in New Mexico. I asked the very capable mechanic who use to work on it when it resided in San Diego for advice about shops. He has unfortunately recently retired. The two shops he referred me to aren’t interested. Looking to establish a long term relationship with a capable mechanic. Any other pointers?

I can’t offer much except to say there is quite the Vw following. Someone must be able to help in that area.

I have a near identical 1.8t bought a year ago with about 7000 mi and it has become my daily driver.  Replaced torn up CV boots on both sides with higher angle ones, had a coolant leak at the rear of the head which necessitated either pulling the engine or cutting a “window” in the fiberglass to access the engine compartment.  This is a non structural area and it worked like a charm and now have access to the back side of the engine compartment.  These 1.8t’s are pretty bullet proof but I would be happy to advise on issues you may have.

Thanks for the note and offer of advice!

The problem with CV boots seems to be a common issue because of the angle. Mine aren’t torn but there is a grease leak on one side. The mechanic told me it looks like it was overfilled and leaking from breather hole. Which higher-angle boots did you use as replacements? Looks like a messy job to replace but maybe would be wise to go ahead and get done.

My steering seems a little sticky. I was told this might be u-joints. Since the car is new to me I plan to have my mechanic go over it to look for other issues.

Drove the car up the coast for the first time. Was even more fun than I expected. Have a plate on order. Not as nice as the one for my 73 911E Targa that I have owned since new. Only in New Mexico could one get that plate.

Jim

Glad you are enjoying the IM Cabriolet....be sure to tell everyone where you bought it Jim

Aah, CV boots.  I don't have the same engine in my IM, but do have the same issue with the high angle on the axle.  I have tried three different sets of boots.  The ones I have now have lasted at the transmission end, but not at the wheel end.

I have accepted that as a small price to pay for being able to drive such an exquisitely engineered car.  For precaution, I avoid dirt or gravel roads, and also try not to drive in the rain.  On pavement, I let the gas pedal distract me from the torn boots...

Here are a few shots of the car's underside during construction.  The top photo shows the angle of the axles best.  That's a 3.6 Porsche 993 engine Henry managed to squeeze in back there.  I have the car serviced once a year, and inspection of the axles has shown no wear whatsoever.  My mechanic just shoots more grease in there each time.

Wow, a 993! Super interesting! What boots have proven best for you?

Jim

None have, really.  The latest were high angle boots that weren't cheap, and they tore at the wheel end.

As I said, I accept that the boots will tear, and drive it accordingly (no dirt or gravel roads, no heavy rains).  The axle ends are still in perfect shape.

But, I still do some searching occasionally for a permanent solution.

Which high-angle boots? Am going to replace mine soon and would like to use the best available.

I contacted the shop that does the work on my car, and these are the boots:

EMPI  https://www.cip1.ca/c13-86-9300k/ 

Whether or not they fit your application would have to be ascertained.

Thanks