Room for one more?

Welcome to the madness!

From the interior it looks like you have an older Vintage Speedster.  But I have never seen the positive power cable setup like that.  Seems very scary in that you could easily touch the positive side to ground on the firewall.

You don't have engine tins. You need engine tins.  Ask us about engine tins.
-=theron

Let me be the first to Welcome you to the Madness we call Speedster Ownership.  Also- great looking Speedster (red is always killer!)- I do like the look of your car!  It definitely sounds like it needs to be aligned properly, and for proper highway speed stability it might need some shims behind the bottom tube of the front suspension to get the caster up to a safer number.  Finding a good aircooled mechanic is getting harder all the time- they're just not around any more, so it may take some searching for a good 1 that knows his way around dual carbs as well.  Search online and investigate the local VW clubs as well, as they will know who's around and good locally.

One thing- you shouldn't be able to see the ground around the engine like that- it lets spent cooling air and exhaust back into the engine compartment (both which cause the engine to run hotter- remember this is air cooled).  Talk to your mechanic (when you find 1) about what to do.

Hope this helps.  Al

COngrats and welcome.  Keep reading this site and searching for topic here and you will find a lot of information, How to keep your VW alive a guide for a complete idiot is a good book for night time reading

Welcome to the Madness, @Tom K!!  I didn't know much about VWs when I started this journey although my mechanical skill had been honed on old British cars, so I knew which end of a wrench to hold.  Listen to the experts here and buy some books (particularly the one above).  You'll learn what you need to know.

Oh yeah, join the local VW club as suggested and get those tins installed!

Welcome always room for one more.  Buy 2 sets of the caster shims (come as a pair) before taking it in for an alignment (the alignment shop will not have them).  They are about $12/set plus you'll need 2 longer bolts if both are needed.  Early VS used a single adjuster in the center of the lower beam.  They also mostly didn't use a front anti-sway bar.  You may want to add a front sway bar (and rear if IRS or camber compensator if swing-axle).

Here's some guidance on adding the engine tins that are missing.  Early VS used wood embossed aluminum house trim material -- not very aesthetically pleasing but does job.   Make a template out of cardboard and use aluminum plate/galvanized tin/fiberglass sheet.  You'ld need a 72 up bus H shaped engine gasket too ($30?) Fis it before TX Summer heat sets in.

From CMC build manual (H gasket goes between the fiberglass sheets shown and the engine's metal tin).

The exhaust headers look ok but not the exhaust pipes that hang off the collector.  Is it loud?  Won't last long before it gets ripped off.

Thanks much for the comments!  All super helpful . It looks like I’ll have to become a supporting member as I’m sure I’ll have MANY more questions. I didn’t like the way the engine compartment appeared anyway but now that I understand the purpose, it looks like I need to get on the tins right away. I have a friend in the HVAC business that’s pretty good at AC ductwork. If I made detailed templates for him to follow, would that be sufficient? Does anyone have a source for the caster shims mentioned above and exactly what name they go by? I found the Idiot book on eBay and have it on order. The car is not loud but the exhaust tips scrape the ground pulling in & out of the drive way and probably many other locations as well. In the exhaust pic from Wolfgang, it looks like that style muffler could simply be attached to the header I already have. Does this sound like a good strategy? Thanks again for all the help & advice!

Every VW aftermarket parts place (eBay too) has the caster shims - here they are on Amazon. Longer bolts are needed if 2 shims per side are used (they go in lower part of front H beam).  They are easy to install.

Amazon.com: Caster Shim Kit, Compatible with Dune Buggy : Automotive

I like CIP1 -

ACC-C10-4190 - CASTER ADJUSTING SHIMS FOR ALL BEETLE/GHIA (EXCEPT SUPER BEETLE) SOLD PAIR (cip1.com)

It looks like the muffler I posted picture of would fit your header system.  You might have to cut and reposition muffler or outlet and maybe add a brace for muffler.

C13-3200 - EMPI PHAT BOY MUFFLER - FOR STANDARD STYLE 13-1600CC BEETLE HEADER - NOT FOR MERGED HEADER - (A20) (cip1.com)

Thank you sir.

Nobody used woodgrain siding except for John Steele.

@DannyP posted:

Nobody used woodgrain siding except for John Steele.

From my experience Danny is right about siding.  Also, I didn't notice the contrasting color on the dash brow at first.  The strange positive terminal in the engine compartment also points to your car being a JPS.  @Tom K you can get any parts you need from Vintage Motorcars  http://www.vintagemotorcarsinc.com/

-=theron

SORRY Got my Calif builder cross - yes JPS.  You can get 1/16" polished alum diamond plate or plan alum and use a drill press to tool it (swirls). Think DrClock said he used the alum used on enclosed trailers (come white and black).

Here's link to bus H shaped foam engine seal -

VWC-411-813-225 - (411813225) GENUINE QUALITY GERMAN MADE - ENGINE COMPARTMENT SEAL - BUS 72-79 / TYPE-4 69-74 - SOLD EACH (cip1.com)

Thanks guys! "JPS"?  Sorry, it may take me a while to catch up

@Theron posted:

From my experience Danny is right about siding.  Also, I didn't notice the contrasting color on the dash brow at first.  The strange positive terminal in the engine compartment also points to your car being a JPS.  @Tom K you can get any parts you need from Vintage Motorcars  http://www.vintagemotorcarsinc.com/

-=theron

That does look like the plywood firewall that JPS uses.  And where is the alternator idiot light wire? It won't charge without it...

Please explain the "alternator idiot light wire". The car came with a battery tender and it always starts right up. But... after the short runs I've driven it on so far, it acts like the battery is low so this would definitely explain some things. Thanks.

OK, so on top of your alternator there is a big red wire and just behind that is a little rubber cup with a 1/4” tab connector on it and nothing connected to it:

There should be an alternator “idiot light” wire connected to that tab.  The other end of that wire is supposed to be connected to the alternator light at the bottom of your tachometer.  The wire may be lying down behind the fan shroud or off to the right side and just lying there.  If not, you’ll have to pull one through to the front.

As someone already mentioned, the alternator will not charge the battery without the alternator light circuit properly wired in.

There needs to be a wire running from the alternator to a charge light on the dash. The other end of that bulb gets connected to 12v switched by the ignition.

When the key is turned to on, BEFORE the engine is started, power goes through the key, to the light, and to the alternator.

When the alternator is NOT turning, the regulator is grounded, lighting the idiot light.

When the car is started, the alternator starts charging(the 12v on the idiot light wire tells the regulator to charge the battery). When the alternator is being charged, then there is 12v on BOTH ends of the idiot light. 12v from the key, and 12v from the alternator, and the light GOES OUT!

I circled the spade connection where the idiot light wire goes.

I may not have the terminology 100% correct, but I've got the general gist for you.

Tom,

Welcome to the madness!  I am about 90 mile east of you in Lumberton.  There is a shop in Pasadena that does good work.  The owner, Henry, is a VW guy and knows lots of others in the Houston area.

https://www.bugoholics.com/

Caster shims- http://www.geneberg.com/cat.php?cPath=12_384_2917

To revisit caster-

All Speedsters are lowered somewhat- usually1-2" in the back and at least 2-3" in front.  A Speedster with a VW front end needs the caster to be AT LEAST stock spec (about +2½°), and this is only if you travel at highway speeds and WILL NEVER (AND I MEAN NEVER, NOT EVEN FOR A MOMENT- no "let's see what this puppy will do!" as things can go terribly wrong in a heartbeat) take your car above those speeds.  We all know the temptation of driving a car that handles (and depending on the engine) accelerates fairly well so most guys are prepared, run 4-5° and their cars handle predictably to 90 or 100 mph.  Hey, there's no denying zipping through the mountains in a Speedster is fun!

I'm bringing this up because of a personal experience- I'm an old VW guy and back when I first started messing with these cars I built a fairly fast Cal Look bug.  The problem with lowering a VW front end, whether it's king/link pin or ball joint, is you lose caster (and if you lower the front end 4½ or 5" you lose a lot), and depending on how low you go and the lowering method, your car could actually have negative caster.  With no corrections, my bug was a 'little darty' at just 50 mph, needing the steering to be over corrected constantly.  In retrospect it was a difficult car to drive long distances, even at legal speeds.

This was before I knew anything about caster (or maybe paid any attention; it was over 40 years ago).  On the way home, coming down a long hill in the mountains, I decided to see "how fast I could get this thing".  At over 100 (105? 110? It's hard to tell when your front tires are dinky little 135's) mph my hands were full just trying to keep it on the road, then the car got hit by a side gust and before I could react I was in the opposing lane.  After getting back on the right side of the road (and thanking God there was no traffic coming the other way) I slowed down and pulled over.  Walking around the car as I was catching my breath (and after checking my pants, looking at my baby wondering how it had almost killed me) I knew I had to figure out what was going on, and a phone call later to GBE (I was a customer) gained some knowledge and had some shims ordered.  Even back then the VW drag racing community knew the importance of caster.

Hope this helps.  Al

Thanks Al, to you and Wolfgang. I appreciate the comments and explanation. I have the shims & bolts on order that were suggested earlier. Now all I have to do is find someone to do proper alignment (scary above 35 mph), figure out how to fabricate some tins (didn't know I needed them), run an idiot wire to the alternator (didn't know it was missing), and come up with an exhaust solution option (the one thing I new that would need to be addressed when I purchased the car). This Speedster ownership is not for the faint of heart

But your heart will beat with joy when you get around to driving it all dialed.

Of course it's never totally dialed.

Tom- While I hope an alignment (and the caster shims) does wonders for your Speedster, from what you've described (those words- "it's scary above 30 mph") don't be surprised if some other things- worn ball joints and/or tie rods or even a bent spindle rear their ugly heads.  As well as the extra caster, if your guy can dial in ½° of negative camber you'll find this also will improve your Speedster's handling.  And since we're here- check that the car is (relatively) level from front to back- use the body edge below the doors for reference.  As I said earlier, I come from the hotrod VW scene, where dropped front ends are all the rage (Cal Look was/is all about emulating the drag racers of the early- mid '70's), but for a car to handle it's best in the turns it should be pretty close to level.

As usual, just my 2½ cents (I'm Canadian, eh).  Al

@Tom K did you contact Bugoholics to see if Henry could help?

James, Don't know if I properly thanked you but I appreciate your suggestion. I have not contacted them yet but it's on my to do list. Or, since we're close, you could just swing by and help me sort it out yourself     Hope you're able to go out for a drive and enjoy this beautiful weather!

Another suggestion on your exhaust: you can get one custom made by A-1; lots of folks here have them. Also, Vintage Speed in Taiwan makes a stainless steel unit specifically tailored for Speedster replicas that looks accurate with the two tailpipes sticking out.

Link: http://vwparts.aircooled.net/V...-p/155-204-052sf.htm