@Martin's Eleven (UK) posted:...One question I forgot to ask from a long time ago regarding the sebring style exhaust - why would the PO or original engine builder fit a 40mm ID exhaust when the exhaust manifold is only 34mm ID? I'll dismantle soon and take some pics to see if there is a rational explanation, or if that is 'just the way it is'.
Gordon- you're on the right track. One way of increasing bottom end/lower midrange torque in a higher rpm engine is to downsize the first foot of exhaust tubing off the heads 1 step and then step up the rest of the primary tubes. The engine then has better power down low but can make power and rev to the peak rpm it was designed to.
As for the carburetor/venturi to exhaust size relationship, 40 mm Webers with 34mm vents are capable of over 150 hp on an aircooled opposed engine. Your exhaust inner diameters translate to 1 1/2 and 1 5/8" tubing and on a 1905 (74x90.5) the larger size will let the engine breathe to over well 7,000 rpm. Whether the engine has the valve sizes/porting work and the camshaft specs is another story. 
Turbo Thomas is somewhat local to you (sorry, where he resides in jolly old England I know not- all I know is English he be) and iIrc he makes Sebring exhausts for VW engines- it could be one of his?
I read the thread from the beginning before starting this to familiarize myself with what you had; I guess I never read the whole thing, so- yes, those are drop spindles (they do add 1/2 or 5/8" width to each side), but even with 5½ or 6" Fuchs and wider tires (a friend runs 205's with 7" Fuchs on the front of his Beetle) it doesn't affect steering geometry, handling or effort that much. What did you finally end up with for tires? And love the new stance- the car looks great black with the alloys. Are they chromed or polished? Btw- to be really badass it could be a wee bit lower... 
And while there's nothing wrong with the alloy cast copies and when paint detailed properly it's hard to tell them from the real thing, I took the trouble to find genuine Fuchs. I did at first own fakes for my Speedster, but when the opportunity to buy some originals at a very good price came up (I traded some stuff for them and the guy really wanted what I had), since the Fuchs are 3½ or 4 pounds lighter per wheel it was a no brainer. I've since widened 1 pair an extra inch to the inside (they're now the same dimensions as the ultra rare 1967 911R rear 7" wheel) and boy, I love the look with 195's on the back! (yeah, I know, I have to finish the thing and get it out of the garage!)
