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With my Beetle truck conversion at the painters, Speedster Project # 50 is underway, we're lifting the as new body off a pre shortened rolling chassis tomorrow with neighbors. I'll confirm the all new suspension and brakes condition that came on it  With the body up on 36" tall saw horses I'll do what I can get done prior to paint.  Classic or Outlaw style( may consider doing a Emory clone ) ...I'm not sure just yet.  Color....I don't know.  Interior...unsure. Engine:  Type 1  "small block" balanced 1679cc w/ Hoover some bits being done and a few other goodies to allow for high rpms, should be interesting.  Being number # 50 maybe I'll sign the gas tank and hopefully I'll roll into Carlisle with it done.

Last edited by Alan Merklin
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Speedster # 50: I did one person interested in me building it to their specs,  he bounced around thoughts & figures for three weeks, another person is in the UK now working on MOT requirements so that scenario will get too involved so with that in mind I decided to build it,  my way yet to be decided ... for Carlisle in May. Rolled the speedster into the garage Friday , with the help of a couple of neighbors, friends and my step son David Saturday AM, we lifted the FG body onto a pair of saw horses I had made and as per past speedster gatherings ( our Pennsylvania Pumpkin Runs) Connie made a great French Toast breakfast for everyone. I've cleaned the shortened chassis that has new floors, suspension and brakes in place, painted it "Henry Ford" black today. Tomorrow,  I'll replace shift rod bushing, check and repack the wheel bearings, hook up the E' brake cables and run a steel fuel line.

Last edited by Alan Merklin
Alan Merklin posted:

While there is no replacement for displacement, one can massage quite a bit of scoot out of a smaller cc engine  " In goes the good air, out goes the bad " 

Yes, it's amazing, with a little bit of hotrodding (cam, carbs, exhaust, a little more compression), how much fun even a 1600, 1641 or 1688 cc engine can be. But everything that small engine does, a bigger engine does just that much better...

Speedster build update: Decided to build an Outlaw version idea that have been in my head for some time and additionally a combination of two Emory builds.  Picked up the freshly rebuilt & balanced 1641cc today .  Tomorrow morning the local crew stops by to set the body from the saw horses back onto the completed chassis then we'll  feed them Connie's famous Breakfast French Toast Casserole and Quiche' 

Last edited by Alan Merklin

Speedster project # 50 update: Body is bolted on the chassis, caulked and sealed, column installed and windshield was dry fitted leaving the bottom aluminum cowl strip in place . OK  I have changed my mind from the Outlaw build. …. to better appeal to a larger market it will be a classic Speedster in Porsche Seal Grey, black carpet and a nice shade of red seats and door panels.   I still use my painter Tom in PA because he is crazy reasonable and does a two week turn around.  Snow forecast here is for 5" - 8" so to get there and back before the snow ..I was up at 4AM and on the road by 5AM dragging the Speedster with a VW tow bar for the first two hours in thick fog on a single lane mountainous road then a constant 75 mph on the interstate to PA. a minor 9 hour - 420 mile round trip saved me over half the other painters quoted me here. While the car is at paint I'll do final assembly on the fresh engine and a lot of misc. prepping Then I get to do another long day to go get it with a trailer.

Last edited by Alan Merklin

How is it possible to loose a type 1 oil cooler in a 2.5 car garage? I've looked in, on below, above in between and behind everything.....it's officially declared as MIA . I 've come to the conclusion the trash men took it for a one way ride. I've gathered some funds A-gain...and as a last ditch effort I've called in the Brain Trust.  money in handsBrain Trust

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Last edited by Alan Merklin

Speedster Project 50. I heard from my paint guy Tommy this afternoon " It's Done "   I leave at 5:00 AM for the 4 hour drive into PA tomorrow, load and 4 - 1/2 hours back home . Tools, snacks, beverages, TP and extra 10 gallons of gas just in case the Governor aka Wizard of PA, decides to suddenly limit access to Petro. This gives me only weeks to complete this build for the Carlisle week.  I'll post better photos on Monday ~

20200321_191114

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Last edited by Alan Merklin

.Just spend a miserable 5 -1/5 hours getting two doors to align correctly on Speedster #50.  this venture almost fell into the classification of Don't Ask Don't Tell... but then I remembered I had one Intermeccanica  door hinge shim left over from Jake's IM resto project so that was the template to made a few in different thickness those did the trick and finally came out right.   

 
 
Last edited by Alan Merklin

Glad that's behind you Alan---that's hanging in there until an issue is solved.  We all want the quick fix" to avoid what you just went through with those doors---I'm guilty of that myself.  You are an inspiration---I know you get immense pleasure when you solve a challenging problem.  I hope some of our viral researchers possess your kind of determination. 

Jack Crosby posted:

Glad that's behind you Alan---that's hanging in there until an issue is solved.  We all want the quick fix" to avoid what you just went through with those doors---I'm guilty of that myself.  You are an inspiration---I know you get immense pleasure when you solve a challenging problem.  I hope some of our viral researchers possess your kind of determination. 

Jack... I too want the quick fix when possible but sometimes it's better to disassemble and reinstall discovering what someone else considered correct . My determination today was not to have the neighbors hear me muttering every four letter word known to man. This is all starting to get old as I am too ~

Jack Crosby posted:

Glad that's behind you Alan---that'shanging in there until an issue is solved.  We all want the quick fix" to avoid what you just went through with those doors---I'm guilty of that myself.  You are an inspiration---I know you get immense pleasure when you solve a challenging problem.  I hope some of our viral researchers possess your kind of determination. 

Subtle, but I like what you did there, Jack.

Go Alan!!!

Speedster project #50 soon will reside in Virginia !  I still some of the wiring to do, gauges and switches too. The engine needs to go back in after I change the J' tubes over the heater boxes and put on new set of dual 34 carbs with chokes,  also install the windshield, column, seats, door panels, carpet, top , full tonneau,  mirrors and make custom Lexan full view side curtains.   " Marshall " the new owner  came out today to see the progress on the build...I'll be delivering it to his home in VA on or about June 6th.  ...........Where has the years gone,  50 Speedsters to date.

Speedster project #50 soon will reside in Virginia !  I still some of the wiring to do, gauges and switches too. The engine needs to go back in after I change the J' tubes over the heater boxes and put on new set of dual 34 carbs with chokes,  also install the windshield, column, seats, door panels, carpet, top , full tonneau,  mirrors and make custom Lexan full view side curtains.   " Marshall " the new owner  came out today to see the progress on the build...I'll be delivering it to his home in VA on or about June 6th.  ...........Where has the years gone,  50 Speedsters to date.

Congrats Alan and Marshall!

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