vintage speedters 356 on 65 vw chassis

We'll need a little more info:  Type shocks (gas can be too stiff)?  Stock height or lowered?  If lowered, how and how much?  Air pressure?  Tire/wheel size?  Tire pressure? Aligned recently?

Bruce - I'm guessing your car has been lowered to its maximum. Push down on the front of your car, if it has absolutely no 'give', either the front 'adjust-a-lift' (lowers/raises front torsion) is bottomed out, or its missing 1 or 2 (or more) of the torsion bars/plates.

 

There are many topics on here regarding those two topics. Check it out on the 'Search' feature. Keep us posted on your progress!  

 

thanks for your reply  15inch wheels  Tires=p195/60r15 radials  30lbs. not lowered

What about trying a smaller tire size?  This is an inch smaller in diameter.  

 

http://tire-size-conversion.co...Season-185-55R15.htm

 

 

30 lbs is a lot of tire pressure in a light car like that. I run about 18 in the front of mine--and on 165/80 15s. You lower your tire pressure and your ride will improve a lot--no matter what else is right or wrong.

thankyou appreciate it

thankyou will try new tires

No need to jump to a whole new tire. Just lower the air pressure to like 22-25 first. Then maybe 20'ish.

Ted

Check if your rubbing on the inside before getting new tires.  195 is wide for a regular bodied VS.  Lowering the tire pressure was good advice before dropping $$.  Call Kirk or Horace at VS too and see what they say. 

thanks appreciate it

thanks appreciate it

Definitely try a lower air pressure setting.  I run 24 front/28 rear on my IM, with 185/65-15 tires.

Is the banging coming from the front or rear? 

 

Have you pushed down on your front and rear suspension to see if you can replicate the noise?

 

I can't see your tire size being the problem.  I also can't see the shocks being the problem.  Gas shocks usually make the front really stiff, so it jitters and bounces over rough roads, but not big bangs.  Gas shocks in the back are fine.

If the car was lowered I'd guess you were bottoming out your suspension or the tires were hitting the body.  That would give you some big bangs.

 

As mentioned by another poster, also check for tire clearance, both inner and outer.

thanks will try all suggestions appreciate it

I may be off track here, but I had sounds like "bumping" or "banging" with my 2000 VS, built on a '68 VW pan.  It turned out to be the doors that were making the noise and it was nearly cured by adding some additional weather stripping to keep the doors from moving when I went over a bump.   Just a thought if you are not certain that the sound is coming from the tires or suspension.  

thankyou very much I will try that

 

VS recommends 22 all around. I'm running 22 front, 28 rear.

 

There's a BIG difference in ride between 22 and 30. In a suspension as stiff as the Speedster's, tire compliance affects ride comfort more than on most modern cars.

 

Also, the car hops around a lot less on rough surfaces with lower tire pressures.

 

Your wife will thank you. And so will your dentist.

 

 

thankyou appreciate it

To add to what Hoss said cured the noise in his VS doors---I had a simiilar problem.  It turned out to be the actuating rod that goes between the door handle and the catch (about 2 feet long) was rapping against the inside of the door.  I just removed the door cover and slightly bent that rod away from the door and Voila---rattle gone.

 

It has taken a few years but today all I do is the standard periodic maintenance and just  drive and enjoy the car.  I did add some nice Marchals this winter but the sorting is pretty much finished.  Make that finished, period! 

Jack, is it ever really finished? 

thanks I appreciate it 

That's serious chassis flex.

Good one, Marty.  I guess if we ever truly "finished" any of these cars it wouldn't be called "the madness." 

 

I'll leave it at it's more finished than it ever was until now!