Vintage Speedster Widebody Verification?

Yup a VS.  They used to be easily recognized by that red curley wire off the alternator.  Plus the VS custom modern-look wide wheels. Interior has VS dash with chrome stripe and door panels are older style with the elastic top pockets (vs newer VS "briefcase top"). I think they called the body - Ultra-wide.  (Regretfully, the ultra-wide is no longer made). Some have engine size written on back of the engine cooling shroud.  Looks like a nice car in a desirable color combo.

Troy has sorted a lot of VS and can perhaps give more insight.

@TROY SLOAN

X2  Agree with wolfgang.

WOLFGANG posted:

Yup a VS.  They used to be easily recognized by that red curley wire off the alternator.  Plus the VS custom modern-look wide wheels. Interior has VS dash with chrome stripe and door panels are older style with the elastic top pockets (vs newer VS "briefcase top"). I think they called the body - Ultra-wide.  Some have engine size written on back of the engine cooling shroud.  Looks like a nice car in a desirable color combo.

Troy has sorted a lot of VS and can perhaps give more insight.

@TROY SLOAN

Alan Merklin posted:

X2  Agree with wolfgang.

Great! Thank you both! Good to know that the visual clues are there.

I suppose what I need to know is.. Is there a directory of records that would document this particular car being a VS car? Or are the visual clues considered to be enough confirmation for buyers? The only number we have is the VW VIN, which has not yielded any history. 

No question, that is a Vintage Super Widebody.  I'm curious where it came from, because it could be one that I had about 3 years ago.  If you can tell me the VIN # I can confirm that and provide additional information if it was one of mine. 

FYI.  Although there were none made in 2018, Greg Leach has told me that he plans to offer them in the future.  He owns the molds for them.

The only thing it needs is a set of my CruZin windows.   Www.replicaspeedsters.com 

@Troy Sloan - Didn't you and I both see a Super Widebody in Greg's shop a few months ago?  Or was that a different model?  It sure was beautiful.

The one we saw is the inbetween version, it's not a Super Widebody.  Greg is making a mid engine Suby with that one.

Adam said this one only has like 945 miles on it!  Geeze, one can't even get tired of it in that many miles.  I love the super wide body, especially in that color combo.  Hasn't it been a few years since they dropped doing the red curly alternator wire and their use of the elastic pocket doors?  Do the small single barrel dual carbs mean it most likely isn't a 1915 cc -- or can the small carbs be used on a 1915?

@WOLFGANG

Yes, it's definitely an older one.  It's hard to say if it has issues or he just never drove it.  My original Blue Vintage Super Widebody from 2007 came with the small single barrel carbs and they were just too small for the 1915 motor.  I replaced them with Weber 40 IDFs.

It's very possible it has a 1600 in it.

They'd replaced the old door pockets and the curly wire by 2013, when I got mine.

And they were using EMPI HPMX carbs on the 1915 by then.

Thanks again everyone. This helps a lot! We hope to have the car posted up for sale soon.. and would love to see it go to a Supporting Member here! I'll create a for sale post once we have the details completed. 

I am told that VS used to write the engine size for their cars on the back of the fan shroud--the side towards the front of the car,  Maybe use a mirror to see if the engine size is noted there on your car.  As far as a VS engine  build sheet---fuggetaboutit.

Jack Crosby posted:

I am told that VS used to write the engine size for their cars on the back of the fan shroud--the side towards the front of the car,  Maybe use a mirror to see if the engine size is noted there on your car.  As far as a VS engine  build sheet---fuggetaboutit.

Correct, after some fiddling around, I was able to locate a small hand-written note that says "1914 Full Flow!!!"  - Assuming this is a 1914cc with full flow oil pump.. 

I'm surprised you didn't find "Kilroy was here!" with an obscure note where people might not regularly find it...   Kilroy was a shipboard tank inspector during WWII.

http://mentalfloss.com/article...igin-kilroy-was-here

So a 1914 cc engine is a stock 69 mm throw crank with 94 mm pistons.  It gives you max displacement for fewest $ invested.  The full flow at least shows someone was thinking when it was built.  For it to be a performance or long life engine, a detailed build sheet is needed BUT at least you have bragging rights to a 1915!

These used to be referred to as MexiCrate motors.  Shame it didn't come with a detailed build sheet and the name of a respected engine builder, BUT like the original buyer, many new ones won't care.

I found a similar note in my VS, but could never figure out what it meant.

"Large pepperoni, extra cheese, no anchovies"

WOLFGANG posted:

So a 1914 cc engine is a stock 69 mm throw crank with 94 mm pistons.  It gives you max displacement for fewest $ invested.  The full flow at least shows someone was thinking when it was built.  For it to be a performance or long life engine, a detailed build sheet is needed BUT at least you have bragging rights to a 1915!

These used to be referred to as MexiCrate motors.  Shame it didn't come with a detailed build sheet and the name of a respected engine builder, BUT like the original buyer, many new ones won't care.

Awesome. Thanks so much for the info everyone!