SPYDER PROJECT FOR AIRCOOLED BRUCE

Too true, Bruce. 

I'm itching to see what Greg/vendor comes up with. Pretty doubtful it could transfer to a completed car, but still interested.

Thanks for there update Bruce!  Funny how I asked about this a few days ago.

Li-Rick......Yeah it is ! Timing is all ??    All  of the time lapse  has been because of me stalling due to two knee replacements and a rescheduled spinal fusion which is going to happen this November.  I had some cash issues to deal with as well. This ain't gonna be cheap. Since I'm a land lord the pandemic has slowed/stopped cash flow for a while.Now our dumb assed Governor has extended our so called quarantine. But things will move along with the build now.

Danny.....I know you would like to change out your front suspension. This project most likely won't produce something that you could easily install without serious frame mods. But maybe the control arms and some other parts would be useable.

I'll ask Greg to take photos as he goes along ,along with me going down to take some too.

It looks like Greg is using more and more Subaru engines now. Last week there were 3 of them sitting under clear plastic. Judging by the look of them I would say they came from Outfront Motor Sports in Buena Park.  Don't know who the front suspension is coming from yet but Greg is very resourceful and particular. He makes his own cable shifter mechanism now you know.  I also see a lot of bare bodies sitting outside in que. This is really good for a future buyer because the bodies have a chance to completely cure before they go into production and will stay straight when it becomes a finished product.................Bruce

Hey, Bruce! Good news! You didn't happen to see my fashion gray coupe while yo were there, did ya?  Greg's been sooo busy he hasn't had a chance to send any update photos lately.  Oh, and one of those motors you saw was mine (unless he already popped it in) and they do come from Outfront in Buena Park. The guys at Outfront are great to deal with, too.  Customer service wise they're a good match for Greg.  Can't wait to see how your suspension comes together. 

Cheers...Michael

Sorry Michael, I didn't.  I was delivering some of my Wind Wings and neither Anna or Greg were there so I didn't feel comfortable wandering around too much or stay too long.

 Wow ! Your gonna be happy with that motor in your coupe !  John over at Outfront took me for a ride in a coupe he'd put a motor in. Your passengers better hold on !  It's a neck snapper !  I may go down there at the end of next week so I'll look for you then?                   

Bruce

Thanks, Bruce!  To be honest I've been so busy on my end I haven't had time to make a call to Greg.  If you happen to be there and want to give it a look, tell me what you think of it so far.  I haven't seen it in person since before paint.

Michael

Michael.......I will look for it next time I'm there.  I see you live in Portland !  No wonder you're buying a Coupe !  Up there the weather is very wet.  You'll be comfortable. Are you installing A/C ?   If so, you'll be comfy all year round.

On my car I would like to install Outfront's smallest turbo. Since I have to make a custom exhaust system, why not put the turbo plumbing in with it ?  Most people on here advise not to for safety reasons and I agree but sometimes it makes me smile thinking about how much power would be "underfoot". Hmmmm........Bruce

Bruce,

You called it.  Pacific northwest = Coupe + heat + defrost + AC .  Turbo for your spider?Why not?  Heck, you'll have really good traction with your suspension mods.  Just pop in a limited slip diff and make use of the RFTCS (right foot traction control system).

Michael.....I'm using a limited slip Differential . The Transaxle is a Suby 5 speed. The LSD was an extra $1500.00.  My Speedster had a LSD too. I really like that.  Hopefully I will be able to get some wider rubber on the rear. The turbo is undecided yet....Bruce

Nice Bruce!  That thing shines like a prize belt buckle.  I'm going torsen diff, too, but it's in a Rancho pro-suby.  I didn't want to do the suby transaxle...long story. I'd totally do it in a spyder, though. 

The weird thing about that diff. is it's welded together. Mike at Rancho said some guy cut one open to do a repair but in the end he just replaced it. I guess it's intended to be a throw-away. Yup, I like shiny and in a Spyder, that transaxle is right there in your face when the clam is open so I decided to shine it up. The firewall is just dark and dank looking as well so I made a complete stainless steel, engine turned cover for it. Greg had to get me the firewall piece from his factory in Baja Mex. I formed the stainless sheet over that and gave it all back to Greg. He will install it before the body goes on and secure it with polished SS acorn nuts. I still had half a sheet of the stainless left over from the firewall I put in my Speedster. At $600.00 per 4' X 8' per sheet you don't waste it.  I'm thinking about making a polished aluminum box to install in the rear adjacent to where the battery is. I'd like to store some tools and a scissors jack there.  The nice thing is I have had the time to think up all this stuff.

I can't remember, when is the SLO event this year ? It would be nice if I can drive it up there this year as the maiden voyage !.........Bruce

Bruce, the event was scheduled for early June but now reschedule for September. I hope your car will be ready.

Paul

Thanks Paul.......Hopefully it will... That would be fun............Bruce

Any update on this Bruce? I really want to see what Greg comes up with in regards to the suspension.

drove down to see Greg this week. He said he will be starting on my project in about a week and will be giving me a loose schedule soon on the development stages after that. While there he ordered some more wind wings but I am backordered on the hinges from the CNC shop for the first time since I started manufacturing them. I had to make a stop at the CNC shop on the way to try and move my little order along. The CNC guy os also cutting out some samples of a cup holder I designed for Speedsters as well. I will order a Dozen of them to send out to some of you guys you guys for test and evaluation once I get them. Any volunteers ? I will send out 6 pairs of them for right and left mounting. They will not be polished. They will be anodized Black or Red. They will have a sort of "Lego" look, very simple and practical but in keeping with the theme (so to say if there is one) of the look of a Speedster interior.

Heres some photos of the VMC shop this week. Seems like there are a lot of Spyders going out right now. Some with VW engines and some with Subaru's.

 One of these is DrDan's......................Bruce

Bruce, I'll gladly purchase your cup holder. Let me know.

Paul

I'll put you on the list Paul...Red or Black ??.................Bruce

My interior is black.

Did Greg get this on the chassis table yet for the suspension?

@aircooled, any update?

Rick......The frame and the body are temporarily riveted together and are being sent to the suspension guy so they can fab up the front suspension. The rear is a no brainer, Greg has done one already and mine will have some improvements on it. Greg said it should be ready for me to pick up in a couple months. I am leaving for Mexico for a couple months while this is going on. Greg said he would keep in touch with me thru the process. I will be meeting with him before Thanksgiving to finalize a few build ideas I have...............Bruce

@aircooled, did Greg ever get any suspension work done on this project?

Rick...........Sorry for the delay.  I'll be calling Greg for an update tomorrow ........Bruce

Bruce, when I spoke with Anna back in november, she said an IRS spyder should be finished in February.  Is that your car?  Any update?

Ric.........Maybe. I haven't talked to Greg lately but I know he doing things with it now.  He also knows that I will be returning in late Feb so Maybe ?  It will not be totally finished then though.  I will finish a lot of things on it. I was going to do the wiring but after seeing how they wire it during assembly, I will have them do it. Kind of a bummer because I had already bought a nifty marine fuse box and with my Navy experience as an Aviation Electrician, I was looking forward to a nice neat, perfectly designed and organized wiring/electrical distribution system. Actually, I have a complete wiring diagram roughed out, ready for my CAD wiring friend to put it in his system. Ultimately, if I don't like the wiring job I get for some reason, I may re-wire it anyway.  Some people would be scared to do that but I'm pretty comfortable with it and have done it before.

Today my paint color choice is Black with a Red frame/ roll bars, carpet and upholstery in a mix of red and black.  I'd like a Banjo steering wheel but can't make up my mind about which color to choose...White or Black.

The dash will have..... Ign. sw on the right.  Light sw. on the left.  Wiper sw. in upper area of the instrument cluster spaced between the gauges. The other side will have a spare switch to match the wiper sw.  I'll probably make up a stainless steel  engine-turned  panel to go behind the three gauges. I'll make 5/16" circles for the engine-turning part.  The Fire wall is all stainless with 1.5" circle engine-turning.

Can't decide on wheels and tires until the car is assembled enough to make some measurements and assessments... That's all so far..........Bruce

@aircooled If opinions are wanted. I know they aren't always, I'd vote for a white Banjo. I think it would help offset all of the black that will be in there already. I wonder if Greg could make that spare switch a fuel pump cut-off switch or just a kill switch as an extra measure.

x2 what Robert said.  The white against the black and red would be spectacular.

Thanks Guys.......I am leaning towards the white wheel too.  I don't know what I will use the spare switch for yet but at least I will have one in a convent place other than under the dash edge. I will ask for two extra 14 ga wires to be terminated in the engine compartment and under the dash some where for future whatever's too.