Vintage Visit

Good luck. Any thoughts on what style, interior/exterior color, upgrades, etc etc?

Thanks Robert. I plan to go with pretty basic build to start with minimal upgrades, but do plan to go with a 1915 motor. Honestly, I think exterior color will be the hardest choice for me. I've narrowed it down to three I think, Black, Gun Metal Gray, or the dark blue-ish color of Heiserb1's car - I don't remember the exact paint color name of his car. Interior is a dark tan/brown- the baseball glove color. 

Good choice going with the 1915 motor.

Thanks. I live in a pretty hilly area and I think I'll be happier with the bigger motor.

I'd planned to go to the SLO meet up last summer but went to Vietnam instead for our wedding. Unfortunately, this years event falls on my 50th birthday so won't make it again. But if all goes to plan I'll be at next years event with my car! 

If it is really hilly, a 2110cc might be more pleasant to drive up those hills  

Aren't Kirk and Mary the best of folks?  I did the same as you - Just dropped in one day, even told Kirk that I was (slowly) building a CMC kit in New England but he gave me a 90 minute tour of the whole place, anyway, and offered a whole bunch of tips to help me along.  That's why I still love this little hobby.

That greenish/grey is called stone grey --- my favorite classic color!

Stone grey...or is it slate grey or are they the same?

Nooooo. Stone gray has a greenish tiny. Slate gray has a bluish tint.


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Stone Gray (the Right Reverend Sloan's IM)

Slate Gray (John Leader's JPS)

Both really, really cool colors that change depending on the light.

I have a 1776 and drive in the Cascade mountains at grades often exceeding 10% for more than 15 miles and I have absolutely no trouble keeping up with traffic or overheating and that is often at elevations exceeding 6000' and in temps approaching 90 degrees on occasion in the afternoons ... 

But I have to shift to keep the RPM up.....

I remember the 427 Cobra Club expression..

" If you know what gear you are in, your motor is too small."

 

 

bart posted:

 If you know what gear you are in, your motor is too small."  

Perfect.

I have an older Vintage Speedster early 2000-4. The color Kirk calls Sea Foam Green, Looks a bit like your 2nd photo, looks really good in the Sun light.

Thank you Stan for making my color choices one color Harder! Slate Gray is now in the running for color choices.

Looks greenish/grey to me -

Stan Galat, '05 IM, 2276, Nowhere, USA posted:

Stone Gray (the Right Reverend Sloan's IM)

Slate Gray (John Leader's JPS)

Both really, really cool colors that change depending on the light.

The grill has a cut-out.  Does anyone recommend this?  I know there's a discussion on starving carbs by blowing too much air in the engine compartment.  Mine is completely closed off, except for a couple of little holes at the bottom of the grill.

@Blake, I bought my VS 1600 back last fall.  all stock.  been putting it through the ringer and having a blast. i'm driving in the OC, mostly on the 405.  With one person in the car it's pretty perky.  You have to be super careful on speed bumps or dips.  The chrome tips are easy to scrape with company in the car.  Kirk is down the road.  so, if i have any fit/finish issues, it's not a big deal, though.  Hope you're handy or have a mechanic.

Thanks for the comments Large D. I've had some experience working on cars - I've owned two Fiat Spiders over the years so I can do some basic work. But my plan is to get to know a good mechanic (like I had with my Fiat's) although I'm optimistic working on these cars is a little easier than Italian cars! 

Anyone have an opinion on moving the e-brake from the center tunnel to under the dash like the original 356? Kirk says he can do it if I want. I'd ultimately like to get something as true to the original as possible and that seems like a good modification. 

The umbrella handle thing has been done, the builders generally know how to do it, and its a PITA, as I understand it.  i.e., expensive. And if you really want to spend money, try to get the original part and put that in.  I sorta faked it, by not having a VW brake handle on the tunnel, and instead use a so-called line lock, which is a push-pull valve set in the rear brake line that will capture the hydraulic pressure in the rear brake system when you push the pedal and set the line lock.  Then when you let go the pedal, the front brakes release, but the rears hold on.  To get and go, press the brake pedal again to equalize the pressure on either side of the lock, unset it and away you go. As such not really an emergency brake, as it is not independent of  the hydraulic system, so think of it only as a parking brake.  And it is not fool proof there, as it will leak slowly and will not stay set indefinitely.  I did it because I hate looking at the stupid VW E-brake handle right there front and center. And I rarely use it anyway.  I just leave the car in gear, and call it done.  So far so good.  PS: in some states where safety inspections are required for registration, this might not pass muster.

BWK:

I have a brake lock system like Fraz is talking about too.. Not always a good thing as it doesn't always hold and never use it on and incline even the slightest..  I would highly recommend the under dash umbrella I'm going to have one installed in a few weeks.

and yes try to get an original chrome umbrella even if you only use that part of it that would still look cool...

I purchased an original umbrella e brake for $200.. and I'm going to try to use as much of it as possible in the installation of my e-brake.

Tebs

 

 

Bwkirl posted:

Anyone have an opinion on moving the e-brake from the center tunnel to under the dash like the original 356? Kirk says he can do it if I want. I'd ultimately like to get something as true to the original as possible and that seems like a good modification. 

I moved mine myself. I paid a few hundered bucks for the original handle and bell crank. The bracket I made to hold the bell crank is crude. I would pay good money to have someone improve on my shade tree design. That said it was easier than i would have imagined. It works 100% of the time. Im glad I did it. 

Ymmv,

Ted

I had it on my previous VS.  my current VS which I had Kirk build has the center tunnel mounting hand brake.    living in Seattle with steep hills in certain neighborhoods I personally prefer the center tunnel location.  I often use it when stuck facing up hill at a light, in traffic.

most importantly, I preffer it based on childhood trauma... When I was 11, dad would drive me to school in his Speedster and his old Austin.  One spring morning the brakes whent out on the Austin, on a downhill portion of the highway, in traffic, at speed.  I have three memories of that morning....

1) My father screaming profanities, first time I heard him swear.

2) the windshield of the convertible 'Austin 1cm from the bumper of a truck when we came to a stop.  Car had come to a stop under the semi..

3) and my fathers hands, one on the wheel and one on the hand brake - pointing almost straight up when we came to a stop.

... For weeks after the fact all he could talk about as we worked on the car together is how lucky we were that morning to be driving the Austin bs the speedster - that he had the handbrake to aid him brake as he downshifted, and that the  cables to the rear drum brakes held.   Now I preffer all my fun cars to have a center mounted hand brake and a manual transmissions....  Childhood things I guess!

 

Bwkirl posted:

Anyone have an opinion on moving the e-brake from the center tunnel to under the dash like the original 356? Kirk says he can do it if I want. I'd ultimately like to get something as true to the original as possible and that seems like a good modification. 

This modification is best done while the car is being built so if you want it do it.

I am quite partial to Stone Grey 

Thank you all for your thoughts. I'll go with adding this to my build with Kirk. Tebs (and anyone else) any suggestion where to look to buy the original (or good knock-off) umbrella brake handle? 

Thanks eveyone! 

Another question for the group- what would you consider top 3 modifications to make the car as true to original spec? As I've said, to me, the e-brake seems like the first item to address. 

Thanks again. 

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/cl...etail.php?id=1919942

not cheap though...

1.  Heated seats

2.  Alloy wheels

3.  Suby engine (That was for you, @TRP).

:-)

And a survival kit in the front trunk...

Bwkirl posted:

Thank you all for your thoughts. I'll go with adding this to my build with Kirk. Tebs (and anyone else) any suggestion where to look to buy the original (or good knock-off) umbrella brake handle? 

Thanks eveyone! 

Another question for the group- what would you consider top 3 modifications to make the car as true to original spec? As I've said, to me, the e-brake seems like the first item to address. 

Thanks again. 

Ebay or thesamba.com/vw classifieds are usually a good start.

3 modifications - talk with Teby. I think he's done them all. 

"And a survival kit in the front trunk..."

Lately, getting over this Pneumonia, my survival kit has been LOTS of antibiotics (the shot in the ass was a high point), LOTS of Prednisone and a couple of Jameson's in the evening.  I think the whiskey has been key to my survival thus far.......

At least my constant wheezing has finally gone away.  

On the umbrella hand brake, give Adam Wright a call or email at Unobtanium Inc:

518-705-1355 or email adam@unobtanium-inc.com

That's all he does - buy 356's to part them out or sells them intact.  I can't say he'll be cheap(er), but he'll certainly be fairly priced.

 

The centre mounted hand brake is much better for sliding around corners...

Love my umbrella e-brake.  If I ever build another its something I spend a little extra on.  Just looks so nice.

Somebody on here commented that in the case of an actual emergency, a standard VW tunnel mounted E-brake is much more accessible than an under the dash brake.  Really think about it before you decide. 

Your car is never going to be a real Porsche, so is it really worth it?

"Your car is never going to be a real Porsche, so is it really worth it?"

Sorry Troy, I chuckled as madness is just that, madness, and nothing is really worth it if you really think about it even those who have originals and spend $$$$$$$ on a tool kit or badge or whatever... is it really worth it?  No, so madness for sure.  Some call it disposable income... whoops madness. 

But in this case it's a question of safety. 

I guess you should add the roll bar then too  

We all use our e-brakes twice every time we get in our cars.  I'm sure I can grab mine first time every time in the pitch black.  So I'm not sure a floor mounted e-brake is any safer than mine in an emergency situation.  I bet over the ages just as many umbrella e-brakes have been installed in production cars as floor mounted e-brakes.  I know umbrella e-brakes are pricey.  And I really don't care about period correctness.  I just think they are beautiful and elegant particularly when they are polished steel like mine. 

Look at the 2 pics that Stan posted.  Both of those cars have umbrella e-brakes.  Mine is the same as in Scott Sloan's old stone gray outlaw.  Classic.

As I see it:

For originality and looks - the umbrella type under the dash

For safety and convenience - the VW type on the tunnel.

IMHO