Subytub has arrived

Wow, I was 90% sure I was getting an IM until I came across this. John, any recent missives? I hope nothing has been keeping you from driving your Speedster. It looks like the differences with the air-cooled VW set up is nothing but good improvements. Maybe still a little early to render a verdict, but is there anything the air-cooled versions do better that you miss? Thanks.

I'll bet he doesn't have all that cool valve noise at idle........

It must be the pits not having to adjust his valves every 3,000 miles. And what about not having to fiddle-fart around with carbs and linkage all the time? I feel sorry for John...what will he do to keep himself busy?
Ron

Yea, and he doesn't have room for a sub-woofer in the back seat.


Jerome

Yeah, but he has room in the way-back trunk for a REAL SUITCASE!

Not a big suitcase. Maybe a 12-pack and couple of big bags of pork rinds.

Jerome

Mmmmmmmmm.........Pork Rinds...........and maybe some Duff beer.....

Gordon said.."I'll bet he doesn't have all that cool valve noise at idle........ " Yes, but he could record some VW clacking noises and play it on the CD player. Mount some speakers near the back.

THAT would work!

I love it when I go to a show or crusin nite, park, and then someone parks nearby with Miatas or Hondas or something like that.

Then, later, when it's time to go, I fire up the Speedster and watch as all the heads turn to see what the heck is making that great exhaust sound (it's lots louder than the valves).

Funny you should mention that George.

At the Knoxville show someone was handing out CD's of top feul dragsters idleing, doing thier burnouts then making their passes. We cranked it up in my Speedster and you sould have seen the looks on peoples faces as they walked by. They couldn't beleive that someone stuffed a nitro burning hemi in that little blue car.

Jerome

Did you try for the smoky burn-outs?
Ron

I was one of the gathered multitude doing a double take when Jerome was playing his CD. It took me a few seconds to figure out that he hadn't had an engine transplant since the day before.

With the Subytub, I sort of miss the fan noise but not the valve clatter. It runs and drives really great. It is a spirited performer and is knocking down about 30mpg based upon 3 calculations.

As far as anything keeping me from driving it, I am in Manchester Connecticut for about a week and Steve has the car for his togetherness time with his first field test S/T. Since the car has 2,100 miles on it, it is a good time to give it a once over. I am having a bit of separation anxiety, but this too will pass.
John H.

Come on John, give us the good and the bad, so far, on the Soobster. If you do I'll show you a picture of my broken axle!
Ron

Ron: Too bad about your broken axle/driveshaft. The driveshaft on my IM is fine, but then, it wasn't made by Ford.

Bob ;-)
>>>>>>>>

RonO, you got the good stuff. I love it. Not much bad, just a little adjustment for weather tightness where the windshield meets the side windows and a modification to the A/C system. Overall, this is turning into one beautiful auto experience. Steve will be checking the car over and driving it to make sure the finished product and the design are one and the same.

As a side note, when I was taking the car over, a kid in a Japaneese car was trying to position his car for a look see. He actually followed me into SAW and we had a chat. Possibly a future new SOC member???

John: I'm really glad to hear that you are so positive about your cabriolet. You waited a long time, and I think took quite a risk on this project, but the smile on your face must be 'unwipeable'.

As for 'a little weather tightness', what's that? Rain just helps to keep the interior clean.

Nothing like a top fuel car for chest pounding noise. A few years ago a friend of a friend came to town with his Alcohol dragster and I got to be in the pit crew and go to the starting line and squirt alcohol in the blower to start it. One foot away from 3000hp is loud and the alcohol fumes burns the eyes. His best time was 5.86 and didn't make the show.

Jerome, I'll bet it was a hoot to play that CD at the car show. Should have had a little nitro in a spray bottle to give it that authentic smell, but probably get you thrown out of the show. Dangerous stuff, nitro. The pit crews wear face masks with breathers when they work on them in the pits.

Johnny two bolts!

I'm only about 90 minutes away from you if you're in Manchester. In fact, my wife lived in East Hartford when we first met.

Send me an email if you have time to get together this week and I'll make a run over from Providence on rt.44.

Gordon
One of the Speedstah Guys from Rhode Island

Gordon, great idea. Check your e-mail ;-)

ps. The e-mail was just a suggestion and if you would prefer to try to hook up near where I am that's fine with me.
jph

John:

Tomorrow (Tues) is a possibility, although I'll be pretty busy until later in the day. Rest of the week is open.

I'll reply to your email with a cell number you can call so we can hook up.

gn

Gordon, did you get the e-mail? I sent it yesterday.

Yup, just found it - see the reply (and I also copied John Estes in Matunuck so we'll have HALF of the entire RI Speedster population!!)

John, have you gotten your Speedster back yet? Just wondering if they made a few tweaks....

Probably by the end of the week. I console myself by looking at my wallpaper and staring at the "builder news" section, pp. 8 - 9, of the latest issue of "Kit Car Builder" magazine. There is a brief but interesting article about the Cabriolet and there are two pictures of my car. There is also a good article about one of Steve's street rods, a really nice looking '34 Ford coupe.

It's back in the garage, mine that is. It's tweaked and ready to boggie. Gonna take a drive across Foothills Parkway tomorrow after early church with puppy in the right seat. Yeeee...Ha!
Hoss Hallstrand
ps. mods were made to the cooling system, A/C delivery system and engine compartment sealing. Looking pretty good so far; It's getting better and better.

John:

How long a drive is it to Savannah from your place? I may decide to visit......

gn

Gordon,
This is what map quest says: Total Est. Time: 7 hours, 22 minutes Total Est. Distance: 439.94 miles
Savannah is a nice destination, however. Perhaps there are possibilities here.
jph

I've posted some pictures illustrating some of the modifications which Steve has installed in the Cabriolet. We tried to avoid going through the dash to deliver cooled air, but alas, it just wasn't effective. The radiator was remounted, essentially flipped over, for better cooling performance. Also, the air filter was remounted further forward and higher up since it was discovered that the previous mounting resulted in abraision that created a pinhole; this altered the computer's reading of the incoming air. All seems to be well now.

Those A/C vents look good, John. Just don't aim them at your Hoss Hat.

Computers in a Speedster.......sounds like sacrilege, doesn't it?

(Just kidding, Hoss......)

Gordon, not sacrilege, just new age.

John, while you're on the new age engine, that air cleaner looks ripe for a typical rice-burner cold air intake thingy. Can't imagine the throaty sounds that will be coming out of that Speedster. But seriously, is Steve making those engineering changes permanent on the models he is producing now? I'm still at least a year away from acquiring my own Speedster. Hoping that Steve will have all the wrinkles worked out by then. I won't have your luxury to go back and forth to his shop from PA.

Hey! Out of pity for us luddites with dial-up connections, could we start a new thread once we hit 100? Please? This one takes like 30 seconds to load.

David, to answer your question, yes, that is what I have been told. The sounds when you goose it are amazing. The 2.2L makes peak power at 5,400 rpm, but I believe it is red lined at 6,200, in spite of what the tach says. It also has a neat flat four chortle which sounds great also. Now, out of respect for Stan, I will start a new thread.
John H