Outlaw Speedster Build.

Please, for the love of God, put a real motor in this one. And I'm talking bigger than a 1915.

Like, a 2110, 2165, 2276, or 2332.

@DannyP posted:

Please, for the love of God, put a real motor in this one. And I'm talking bigger than a 1915.

Like, a 2110, 2165, 2276, or 2332.

Edit: New 2165

I have a like new, gently broken in 1200 mile 2332 Pat Downs motor that will be crated and ready to ship by Feb. Would be willing to offer a very good deal on it if you haven’t already pulled the trigger on the 2165.

@Alan Merklin.   ^^^^Do This!!!^^^^

Either that or a T-4!

@Gordon Nichols posted:

@Alan Merklin.   ^^^^Do This!!!^^^^

Either that or a T-4!

Absolutely. No half measures.

@Chappy posted:

I have a like new, gently broken in 1200 mile 2332 Pat Downs motor that will be crated and ready to ship by Feb. Would be willing to offer a very good deal on it if you haven’t already pulled the trigger on the 2165.

I have a new on a pallet 2165cc engine came with the project ~

Carry on!

Must follow build...

@Alan Merklin wrote:
”I have a new, on a pallet, 2165cc engine that came with the project”.

That’s good - Use it!   Way better than a Ho-Hum 1915 with lots of chrome, fer sure!

Outlaw : The last three days have been spent discovering that the VW flanged stub axles on the Mendeola suspension are VW Bus and not Beetle so I'll need to make up  axles that have Beetle CV joints on one end and Bus CV joints on the other.  The disc brakes are made by Neal Inc ( now out of business) I wanted to add E brake so it's probably going to mean replacing the entire rear disc brake $ set up. ( vs a cheap $45 Park Line Loc) ...Also fixing stuff that was not done right like changing out door latch bolts for oval head screws, switch door cables for door rods, fit the battery box that gets located under the driver side rear seat base. Also hood and deck lid prop rods, aligning the doors & refitting the windshield to the car ... that, was a half day magic wand stuff :~)  I am impressed with the frame and suspension design as well as Rafael's speedster body is thick with additional glassed in bracing. Tomorrow I'll pick up the HD specific built trans.

I think that I have seen rear calipers with a mechanical lever for the E brake ,

are there any modern cars with this setup ?

@Alan Merklin, change the flanges on the transmission to Type 181/Thing flanges and then you can use Type 2 CV joints all around.  

@LI-Rick posted:

@Alan Merklin, change the flanges on the transmission to Type 181/Thing flanges and then you can use Type 2 CV joints all around.  Type 2 joints are wider than Type 1, so you will have to use narrowed axles.

PM Sent

Ham sandwich lunch time Outlaw update. My mis-matched flanges fix was to switch out the stub axles for Type 1's to match the Type 1 built trans.

Today, I'm in the process of putting a square peg into around hole. i.e being able to fold down the top carriage frame, still have room to attach the fiberglass quarter tonneau, still use part of the show bar and the cloth 1/4 boot cover so that it can all be on the speedster at the same time switched out as desired ....stay tuned~

Edit:  ......With much help from my wife Connie, an afternoon of cutting, grinding and drilling, I was able to adjust the scissor top frame fit so it now clears the rear lip on the tub body and the adjusted fiberglass header bow still captures the windshield frame along with having room to set the fiberglass tonneau over the stored top and can also now replace the fiberglass tonneau with a Stay-fast 1/4 boot cover and it all fits . With this configured, the "show" driver's hoop bar can remain and the horizontal cross brace that supports that too. The padded fairing will also be on the car. .........So the way it will work : Outlaw mode: Open polished aluminum wide five wheels, fiberglass tonneau, hoop bar & padded fairing in place. Stock configuration: Porsche wheel caps, replace the fiberglass tonneau, faring and hoop bat with the Stay-fast 1/4 boot cover. Owner's choice so to speak. I'll post a photo early next Week .......... Merry Christmas All !

@Alan Merklin posted:

Ham sandwich lunch time Outlaw update. My mis-matched flanges fix was to switch out the stub axles for Type 1's to match the Type 1 built trans.

Today, I'm in the process of putting a square peg into around hole. i.e being able to fold down the top carriage frame, still have room to attach the fiberglass quarter tonneau, still use part of the show bar and the cloth 1/4 boot cover so that it can all be on the speedster at the same time switched out as desired ....stay tuned~

Edit:  ......An afternoon of cutting, grinding and drilling, I was able to adjust the scissor top frame fit so it now clears the rear lip on the tub body and the adjusted fiberglass header bow still captures the windshield frame along with having room to set the fiberglass tonneau over the stored top and can also now replace the fiberglass tonneau with a Stay-fast 1/4 boot cover and it all fits . With this configured, the "show" driver's hoop bar can remain and the horizontal cross brace that supports that too. The padded faring will also be on the car. .........So the way it will work : Outlaw mode: Open polished aluminum wide five wheels, fiberglass tonneau, hoop bar & padded faring in place. Stock configuration: Porsche wheel caps, replace the fiberglass tonneau, faring and hoop bat with the Stay-fast 1/4 boot cover. Owner's choice so to speak. I'll post a photo early next Week .......... Merry Christmas All !

Your theme song, Alan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...b_channel=CarlySimon

@Alan Merklin wrote- "I'll post a photo early next week ..."

Looking forward to it!

Outlaw update ..... . After many hours, the body is off the chassis and bolted to a rolling cart I made and ready to go to the paint shop on Monday. It took me quite a bit of time to fit the top carriage frame assembly stored under the hard fiberglass tunnel ( shown loose on the body )  while being able to keep the rollbar cross brace intact. This involved moving the windshield slightly forward, not get too close to the wiper pivots on the cowl a lot of other fabrication, that you don’t see to get things to fits well. . The previous owner did a professional job on extending the Berrien dune buggy chassis slightly more than 8" inches to fit the Speedster wheelbase with a sleeved square 2 inch tubing...Goes to paint in PA on Monday and I'll be working on the chassis.  Color is: Ferrari Grigio Silverstone        ( dark gray metallic ) w/ baseball brown leather interior.

@Alan Merklin wrote: “The previous owner did a professional   job on extending the chassis slightly more than 8" inches with a sleeved square 2 inch tubing.”

What’s up with that?  Is this car 8” longer than a “regular” Speedster?  Looking at the chassis photos, it doesn’t look different but maybe it’s hidden well.

What’s da Scoop?

@Gordon Nichols posted:

@Alan Merklin wrote: “The previous owner did a professional   job on extending the chassis slightly more than 8" inches with a sleeved square 2 inch tubing.”

What’s up with that?  Is this car 8” longer than a “regular” Speedster?  Looking at the chassis photos, it doesn’t look different but maybe it’s hidden well.

What’s da Scoop?

I changed the text to add: 8" from Berrien buggy chassis to speedster wheelbase ...tnx !

OK, and glad it wasn’t just me.  

Thought I was having a “Senior Moment” there………

Looking sweet, Alan!

Outlaw update, the body has been at paint for ten days and hopefully I'll get a call that it's done in a week or so which is ok as the winter weather forecast for the coming week is not good.  There was no tunnel or cables tubes mounting points etc. so that was done over a couple of days. I had a sheet metal tunnel bent to size, installed the transmission so that I could get the exact shift rod length I also moved the shifter placement back a little.

Spent a couple of days making brackets and mounts, going back over weld tacks and welding beads for the 1.5: dropped floors, tube mounts, pedal mount, shifter mount, shorten the shifter rod and rear sway bar bushing mount plates using a like new Hobart mig welder that a friend here gifted to me a few weeks ago !  Pulled the four Fox shocks from the chassis they will need 100 lbs of nitrogen and softer rear QA-1 springs. Did seam sealer on the floors yesterday afternoon, found a rattle can match for the 2 x 2" square tube red paint did that that and semi gloss black on the floors tonight.  Next is to bolt the trans back in the chassis, bolt the Neal calipers back on and bleed the brakes to see if the calipers that have sat for sometime are any good as no caliper rebuild kits are available. Will post a few pics tomorrow.

Went back to an old post from 2017 also an Outlaw build where I mentioned the plan for retirement and were moving to WV and there it was, me saying this was the last project..... Well that was just about six years ago and 16 builds....   Found I have early onset of COPD (age shyt )  &  get tired sooner than later but not a crisis but told to take it easy . Connie's extended recovery time from the PE's aka lung blood clots, so these issues have confirmed it's time re-examine my priorities. Hey we're good,  it's just another chapter & perhaps another trip to Carlisle is,  in the cards :~)

@Alan Merklin wrote, in part: "I also moved the shifter placement back a little."

Sacrilege!!!  "How You Rune a CLASSIC"  ?!?!?!?!?   😉

And I saw that Hobart in the photo and thought, "Wow.....   I wish I had neighbors like that.  Mine just borrow stuff and bring it back broken.)

"found a rattle can match for the 2 x 2" square tube red paint"   Must be nice to have a heated shop.  I've brought my pre-cleaned pedal parts into the house to warm up, masked off things and was ready to paint everything in the garage downstairs in the house (now an attic space) when I heard "Don't you even think of painting those inside and stink up the my house!"   😖  

Sorry about the "getting old" $#!+.  No jokes there, Al.  I think many of us are dealing with an ache that you wake up with every morning - It just moves to different parts of the body from day to day.  My two docs and PT lady say I'm "just getting old" and paying for earlier sins, but it still sucks.  

@Alan Merklin

And besides.......    What would you be doing if you weren't building the most awesome outlaw speedster in Wilkins, WV - Maybe the whole East Coast?  

Hanging out at the Side Tracks cafe for coffee with a bunch-a local vets, complaining about the weather and how the local select-board screwed up another good thing in town?

Then, later in the afternoon at the local VFW, with a bunch-a old guys with big ol' bellies that precede them into a room?  Complaining about how kids these days are "screwin' everthin' up!!" and how it was so much better back in the '70's before these "Millennials" showed up, when we could screw things up on our own!

No......   Dr. Clock is looking "Mature Living" right in the eye  👀  and saying, "Hell, NO!  I'm gonna do somethin' useful with those days I have left!  I'm gonna keep busy!  I'm gonna build a Porsche Outlaw and do burn-outs past VFW post 3647 in Elkins while wearing the biggest SEG there is!   🖕

THAT's what Dr. Clock is doing......  Keepin' BUSY!   👏

Merklin The Magician.  Has it all, knows it all, does it all.  'nuff said.

@El Frazoo posted:

Merklin The Magician.  Has it all, knows it all, does it all.  'nuff said.

Whimsical thoughts   Mr. Frazoo'

Kelly....Do tell herein of your recent wonderful deed and dealings, I am proud and blessed to know you  :~)

@Alan Merklin posted:

Whimsical thoughts   Mr. Frazoo'

Kelly....Do tell herein of your recent wonderful deed and dealings, I am proud and blessed to know you  :~)

Yes.  Kelly performed quite a magnanimous act to help out his friends.

'Nuff said.

@Bob: IM S6 posted:

Yes.  Kelly performed quite a magnanimous act to help out his friends.

'Nuff said.

Stand by ..... :~)

Outlaw build update as of this evening ..... had to dry fit everything, ran all the tubes and lines in the tunnel framework I made, also did the sheet metal tunnel cover.  Removed most everything to weld the floors etc. then seam sealer and paint. The Fox coil over shocks get nitrogen charged and resprung with softer QA1 springs by Friday.  The wheels and tires will be different. Tom my body guy say's the body is close to being ready to final block sand.

Very neat build.  Keep the updates coming.

@Alan Merklin

Damn!  That thing keeps looking better and better.  It's a work of "aht" and that suspension system is the Bomb.  Tell me, again....   Is the rear suspension Mendeola, too, or is it from someplace else?

I like the auxiliary shop heater, too.  I especially like that pedal cluster, warming on top of the heater.  Go ahead - Torment me with it.  

Can you cook a turkey in that heater like my "Big Easy Heater"?   (At least now I don't feel like the only nut case heating his garage with a turkey cooker, but, then again....  I probably am).

Gordon You have good eyes , I set the pedals there on purpose :~)  The propane heater is brings the garage up to temp quickly then I use the ceiling electric fan forced to maintain 70 degrees.  Yes rear suspension is Mendeola too. Dropped the shocks off this AM to get Nitrogen and I'll install and bleed the Neal brake calipers today to see if they are still good after sitting.

@Alan Merklin, are those rear control arms stock width or were they built narrowed?

@LI-Rick posted:

@Alan Merklin, are those rear control arms stock width or were they built narrowed?

I believe the control arms are stock width as the rear of the fiberglass body was extender 1" and those 7 x 17's with 205 40 17 barely fit. I'm not using the 15" Airkewled chrome center smoothie rims because I can't come up with a color for the outer rim to go along with the dark gray body paint.

As to magnanimous, I will demur.  I saw a thing, considered that thing, knew I could make a sad thing (Drewek's bad fortune) into a better thing (Drake's good fortune).  And so a scheme was hatched, and endorsed by all parties. As for the Drakes, all who know them understand that one often reaps what one sows.  Cory and Jeni are very special folk, who sow good cheer, integrity and friendship in abundance.  So what goes around, comes around and they, as very special people,  will enjoy a very special car, that looks under its skin very much like the one you see coming together here.  'Nuff said.

Alan, your craftsmanship with metal melting is astonishing.  To say nothing of your unique vision when it come to automotive (should I say: "Hot Rod"??) creativity. In your hands, it is, as the man from Bahston said: aht.  I'll still say that I think your Candy was the best of the best, which is not to say that many others, and likely this newest one, were not, or will not, be spectacular. I'm lovin' the progress reports, and hope to be able to see this beauty in person somewhere along the way.

El Frazoo, I get by with metal working but I am not 25% of what you think I am.  I know three things,  the stuff I was graciously shown by way of my machine shop Randy in PA. I know how to source stuff and other's skills in exchange for cash & lastly, I know I could be a much better welder than I appear to be.  "~)   All these builds have had their specific challenges, nothing has just suddenly pulled it together and I still am learning.... Connie has learned quite a bit too over the past ten years. Project fumes and related dust are now my adversary...... Agree " Candy" was the best !

@Alan Merklin posted:

I believe the control arms are stock width as the rear of the fiberglass body was extender 1" and those 7 x 17's with 205 40 17 barely fit. I'm not using the 15" Airkewled chrome center smoothie rims because I can't come up with a color for the outer rim to go along with the dark gray body paint.

paint it body colour?

Adria blue metallic.  Porsche used it from 48-55.

Outlaw color is  Ferrari Grigio Silverstone  ...a dark gray metallic . When the body gets back from paint, I'll tape the outer rim on one of the 17" wheels, spray the tape with the body color to see if it had eye appeal.

@Alan Merklin posted:

I'm not using the 15" Airkewled chrome center smoothie rims because I can't come up with a color for the outer rim to go along with the dark gray body paint.

@Alan Merklin posted:

When the body gets back from paint, I'll tape the outer rim on one of the 17" wheels, spray the tape with the body color to see if it had eye appeal.

Do one with the outer rim in a bright chrome powdercoat. I think that will be the winner.

For reference, here is the Grigio Silverstone:

@Stan Galat posted:

Do one with the outer rim in a bright chrome powdercoat. I think that will be the winner.

Good idea Stan , I'll wrap some aluminum foil over the outer rim then stand back ten feet to see how the chrome might look. I just don't like the low profile 40 side walls but we'll see.

@Alan Merklin posted:

Good idea Stan , I'll wrap some aluminum foil over the outer rim then stand back ten feet to see how the chrome might look. I just don't like the low profile 40 side walls but we'll see.

I hear you, Al - but you have these, they're rare as hen's teeth, the brakes work with them, and there's no shortage of 17" summer performance tires.

@Alan Merklin  this is an example not the same rim but a different way to do a wheel.

@Alan Merklin posted:

Outlaw color is  Ferrari Grigio Silverstone  ...a dark gray metallic . When the body gets back from paint, I'll tape the outer rim on one of the 17" wheels, spray the tape with the body color to see if it had eye appeal.

Chrome/silver will look good, but it's been done.  What about going a shade or 2 darker than the body color?

Just a thought, but black on the outer rims would be very outlaw-ish and might solve the visual issue of the short sidewalls. The polished aluminum center and hubs are about 15" in diameter, so maybe it could tick a box?

@JMM (Michael) posted:

Just a thought, but black on the outer rims would be very outlaw-ish and might solve the visual issue of the short sidewalls. The polished aluminum center and hubs are about 15" in diameter, so maybe it could tick a box?

The 7 x 17 wheels are as new and shod with new Kuhmo's  so maybe the best approach is to try these combo ideas and see if it works visually.....  Just got back from the machine shop that has my buggered up stub axle for a week now with a promise to have it ready tomorrow..... Then I can put the rotors and caliper back on bleed the Neal brakes and see if the calpiers are good.

Edit: Just found out my speedster body will be delayed a week plus as paint guy Tommy took this week off because.... last week he fell in love and headed to Jamaca for this week to consummate the relationship or something along those lines ~

We had that happen when we were building our house, back in 1978.

Our framers got it closed in and buttoned up and then announced that they were headed to Hawaii for a month to build a house for their brother.  

WAIT....    WHAT????

@Gordon Nichols posted:

We had that happen when we were building our house, back in 1978.

Our framers got it closed in and buttoned up and then announced that they were headed to Hawaii for a month to build a house for their brother.  

WAIT....    WHAT????

Super-common. Like SUPER-DUPER-common.

Residential carpenters (even good ones) remind me of John 3:8:

"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes".

I once had a carpenter pull off my deck job because, "He was just not getting good vibes". I'd love to live like that for a couple of years.

He was just not getting good vibes".        Bwaaahaaaaa!

Eh Man you wanna do that deck job like ummmm maybe next Tuesday man ?

I've always overloaded myself, but this was more than 10 years ago, at the peak of trying to keep a dozen or more balls in the air at the same time.

When he said that, I looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language.

He pulled off anyhow. I mailed him a check, and hired another guy to finish. He came back after a couple of months when he ran out of money (I guess "the muse" was upon him again by that point), but the deck was already done.

That was the last time I hired Bob, but even the good guys are pulling off to go do something else, post-Covid.

There's a special word for these guys in Colorado. They work like hell all summer and then snowboard all winter.

@Alan Merklin posted:

He was just not getting good vibes".        Bwaaahaaaaa!

Eh Man you wanna do that deck job like ummmm maybe next Tuesday man ?

I think he is burning the evidence before the stop.

Outlaw / Berrien / Mendeola chassis photos....  Had to order special short 15-5/8" torsion drive axles.... and waiting on the body to get back from being painted.

Specs: Berrien 2 x 2 square & round tube chassis extended 8" w/ square sleeves          10 Gauge floors with 2" drop in seat area. VW frame horns w/ narrowed IRS trailing arms. Mendeola suspension w/ tubular A arms, R & P steering. Fox adjustable nitrogen filled shocks w/ QA-1 250 375lb. nitrogen springs, sway bars and kafer bar  Neal disc brakes with aluminum two piston calipers. Built up Type 1 transmission by John Brown  (specs listed previously)  Vintage speed shifter. Auto Stick HD starter.  Moblewagen 5.5  x 15 x 205mm  # 520 P polished aluminum wheels. Tunnel tubes, lines, & tunnel cover hand fabricated.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

I just got a

Outlaw Speedster photos and update :  Body is block sanded sealer, black primed and blocked and guide coated another 3 times. The Grigio Gray Silverstone Ferrari transparent metallic paint goes on tomorrow and should get it back here by next Saturday. I bolted the 2165 engine to the chassis with a 1,700 lb clutch set then disassembled to the long block, new oil cooler seals, sand seal and valve cover gaskets. I had to rework the head tins around the large intake manifolds and trim the 3-piece push rod tube tins to fit around the A-1 exhaust so they are functional then dry fitting lines, cables and hoses. The engine is new with just a short break in period but has sat a few years and I put in a bit of Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinders as a precaution & I'll be doing a compression check tomorrow. On this build there was a lot of extra time fitting and fabricating than usual. The area above the trans is busy with the lines, cable tubes and Kafer bar etc, so I'll have to wait until the body is on to find room for the 72 row - fan oil cooler and order tires this week. The plan is to set the painted body on tall jack stands so I can sit and roll around on an old office chair while doing the wiring, lights, gauges, wiper assembly, windshield, door panels top etc then bolt it to the chassis ........... Will clean the now completed chassis and engine, posting photos early this week.

@Alan Merklin I am anxiously awaiting  the paint job. That color is amazing and should be gorgeous on your build. Good luck going forward and thanks for sharing.

Looks to be coming along.

@Chappy posted:

@Alan Merklin I am anxiously awaiting  the paint job. That color is amazing and should be gorgeous on your build. Good luck going forward and thanks for sharing.

Awesome for sure Alan!!!

Outlaw update:  Paint guy found a couple of minor issues in the fiberglass that didn't show until the 3rd guide coat so that is being fixed today and final sealer coat before paint. I am pulling the engine from the chassis today ( 72 degrees here :~) need to  make a small Kafer bar anchor point adjustment. The new 185 65 15 tires are on their way ..... Tomorrow I'll bench - prewire the Beck- Special Edition GPS VDO reproduction 356 gauge set . That's about all I can do until the painted body gets here this Sunday .

• Like

"Tomorrow I'll bench - prewire the Beck- Special Edition GPS VDO reproduction 356 gauge set . That's about all I can do until the painted body gets here this Sunday."

Well, you could attach the sensor and a 12V battery to the Speedo and run up and down the neighborhood to see if it works?   Jus' sayin'....    Give your neighbors something more to talk about.   🏃‍♂️

That makes a clear mental picture … Alan getting in shape.

Yeah….   Like THAT’s gonna happen!

He’s too busy building stuff to worry about being “in shape”!

Building $#!+ = In Shape!

I don't know getting up and down etc etc keeps the midrift in shape

Getting in shape has passed me by, before I kneel or lay on a moving pad on the garage floor, I have an old rolling office chair nearby to grab hold of. it is what it is. Weekly low voltage Acupuncture sessions help greatly with the arthritis.

......Outlaw is in black primer today, the transparent Grigio Silverstone sprayed on Tuesday. 

y .

I hear you about the arthritis and general aches and pains, Alan.  I'm not that far behind.

This is going to be a very special Speedster, one that I really think you should keep for a while yourself.  Those WV backroads are calling your name.

Looking good, Al.

^^^ What Stan said!^^^

I love the smell of primer in the morning...

Looks great, Alan.

First Outlaw paint photos, Ferrari Grigio Silverstone,  a semi transparent medium to dark gray metallic over black base coat.   It's showing lighter due to the lighting.

Like rolling liquid mercury……

NICE!

LOOKS AMAZING !!!!!! Going to be one to Keep can’t wait to see it finished.

I know you know that you know your painter is awesome. You know, no?

Hey.....  

What are you planning for tail lights?

Those openings look a little different.

@Gordon Nichols ...   Using stock tear drop taillights I do cut the opening a bit different from a template I have.

@WNGD  I trailer the bodies 4 -1/2 hours each way to Tom in PA to do the body & paint , the overall job never fails to exceed the very reasonable estimates I get from him but still comes in at half the cost of having it done locally here. His work is 9 plus,so that works for me.

Awesome work

Speedster made it here today, ( photos) totally impressed with the color and deep gloss clear, tomorrow the real work begins ~

Looks beautiful, Alan.

Looking sweet Alan!

@Alan Merklin 

Very nice!  It's going to look fabulous when you're done.

@Alan Merklinn When you get her done I’d like to come down and take a ride.

I can't wait to see the finished product, Alan!

Michelle and I both LOVE the color!

That color is a wow. I’m doing Porsche Grey Black. We are very close. Can’t wait to see the final product.

I HATE your paint job.  It's making me want to take sandpaper to my car!!!          Seriously, WOW!

Alan, what size wheels did you go with? I thought I read something about 17 inch wheels. The ones in the pics look good. I did that on my first widebody vintage because I thought it looked cool; but I grew up. Nothing bigger than 16 in my opinion. It’s just looks hot rod and not “outlaw” and to me there’s a difference. That is what is  so cool about the Emory cars.

And thar she blows!!  The amount of total awesomeness in this build is frightening.  I sure hope that old/new engine does not give you any headaches when you give it that first fire.  It sure has an impressive throttle  linkage.  Very elegant paint color and application.  Oh my ...

@Marty Grzynkowicz posted:

Alan, what size wheels did you go with? I thought I read something about 17 inch wheels. The ones in the pics look good. I did that on my first widebody vintage because I thought it looked cool; but I grew up. Nothing bigger than 16 in my opinion. It’s just looks hot rod and not “outlaw” and to me there’s a difference. That is what is  so cool about the Emory cars.

Sold the 17's that came with the Speedster. The new wheels are from "Moblewagen"  #520P Interceptors. 5 -1/2 x 15 's

Tires are 185 x 65 x 15 .......... they allowed for 7/16" rear tires to wheel well clearance.

Outlaw: The Kafer bars that I had previously installed on the rolling chassis interfered with bolting down the body, had to remove them, bolt the body to the chassis replaced the Kafer bars. In doing so,  I found the horizontal bar that runs from top of the shocks had minimal threads into the bar because of the Mendeola custom suspension. Tomorrow, I'll weld a sleeve to extend it the bar 1-1/2 ".  I had time later today to  install the 2165 engine too.  Tomorrow I'll finish the carb linkage, test fit the fan - oil cooler and remote oil filter housing, then prep the driver's hoop style show- roll bar that's going to powder coating next week. 

@Alan Merklin, before you go cutting the horizontal bar, I would look into installing a spacer between the upper shock tower and the shock. It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but I think the shock is leaning into the tower. The Mendeola suspension should have no effect on that Kafer bar, as the shock towers are in the stock location, the only thing that is different is the shock absorbers.

@LI-Rick posted:

@Alan Merklin, before you go cutting the horizontal bar, I would look into installing a spacer between the upper shock tower and the shock. It’s hard to tell from the pictures, but I think the shock is leaning into the tower. The Mendeola suspension should have no effect on that Kafer bar, as the shock towers are in the stock location, the only thing that is different is the shock absorbers.

Thanks but spacers will change the vertical geometry of the shorter bars ... I had to change where they are mounted on the solid trans cradle mount so I don't have the clearance. Sleeving the long bar to increase the length is by best choice.

@LI-Rick , patience Little Grasshopper, the sensi knows . . .

Rick is no "Grasshopper". He knows more about hi-po VWs than most ever will.

A lot of guys could learn a thing or two from Rick.

And it's spelled "sensei".

Outlaw project photos .....Moving steadily along, a good day to take a few sunshine pics.

Mobilewagen polished aluminum wheels

Deep shine

Wonderful

Paint/color came out fantastic.

Jeeze, @DannyP, I'm just pokin' some fun here at LI-Rick even if my Romanji is a little off. You gotta be right every - single - time??