Whose engines in Vintage Speedsters

Who knows but buyer beware!

Ask me how I know...

Okay, I'll ask...

https://www.speedsterowners.com...two-vintage-beauties

I've always heard them affectionately referred to as Mexi-crate motors - probably same quality as GEX.  Always good to know specs and what went into your engine - so worth paying a little more for a reputable builder. 

wombat posted:

...Any idea who builds the engines put in the new speedsters by Vintage?...

Wombat, just like asking, "What is this sausage made from?", the time to ask is before you buy.

I think the chances of getting straight answers to either of those questions are about the same.

I bought a used 2006 Vintage that had a mexicrate 1600 cc (no serial #) with only 600 miles in 2011. Three years ago I pulled the engine and brought it to an air-cooled VW engine builder with almost 30 years experience. He thought it was a good build and brought it up to 1914cc (not a stroker). Stock heads and valves with a mild cam. After I installed dual Weber IDF 40s and with Danny P's assistance got it running great. It now has 13,000 miles and plenty of power. Kennedy stage one clutch and electronic ignition and tuned header extractor exhaust  with a phat boy muffler.

A buddy of mine and myself got the engine back in and car running using tall jack stands and a motor cycle jack under the engine in two hours. Not bad for two amatures. My only question is gas mileage-I get 21-22 mpg. I usually drive 50-70 mph and do get on it occasionally. It seems to run the same on regular or high test. Oh well gas is cheap in N.J.  Prad Penn 20-50 summer and 10-40 winter. I enjoy driving it in cold weather using heated motorcycle gloves.

My next modification is to install heavy gauge wiring with relays  for the headlights. I already have all the parts. I did it when I installed the accessory driving lights and they are bright.

I've attended 2 pumpkin runs, 4 Carlisle kit car meets and 3 Lime Rock vintage meets with SOC and look forward to more. A lot of you guys on the forum have answered my questions and helped me with this build-my goal is to have the closest  to original 356 replica with improved performance-I've also installed  a heavy duty sway bar and a camber compensator and better tires.

Enough B.S. but I haven't posted in a long time-I do lurk almost every day.

Joel

I don't believe Vintage ever used C.B. Performance engines.  Anyone know any different?

Last builder I ever heard Vintage used was a good one---Roland Rascon who has a solid reputation.  

To my knowledge, VS never used CB. 

At one point, they were using Strictly Foreign out of OR, but that was 15 years back.

I bought my speedster in 2011 and Roland Rascon was the builder.

I had VS build a wide body for me about 1997 or so.  I stipulated a CB 2110 engine, which was installed, but I do remember there was some friction between the two parties.  Don't remember what it was about, and the barely necessary co-operation was there, but it was evident they weren't buddies.

Roland is a good person..built me a 2232(?) with a 125 cam, fast  revving motor. I left several WRXs in the dust.

the story i hear is that VS used Pats motors along time ago but they had a falling out and theres bad blood between them

Long ago Vintage put at least a few CB engines in their cars.  There is more to the story, but I don't know the facts.

I bought Kirk's 2013 VS with standard 1600 CC and had Roland look at it just for general going over. He looked behind the fan housing for a code and new it was his and what the motor consisted of; for I had asked Kirk for a mild cam upgrade. Sure enough all was there. Roland even fine tuned the carbs that Kirk's guy installed that needed some fine tuning especially the sticky cable. Roland is a really cool guy and with tons of drag racing experience and engine building.

Not really a code that you MIGHT see when you look behind a Vintage engine, but the engine size.  I reversed this picture to show you what it looks like.

It isn't there on all of them!