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@RMtotheC I can give you initial impression. Overall the VMC is a more solid build. There were some little gotchas on the JPS. Both are beautiful little cars, but on the VMC the details and quality is a bit higher. That said, I loved the Subie motor on the JPS. It was a rocket. The 2332 lacks power for my tastes, but the car is much more turnkey and solid. And VMC is a pleasure to work with. I’ll be looking for ways to get more out of the engine. Any suggestions?

@MikeM posted:

@Kevin - Bay Area I’m smokin mostly CAO Steelhorse and Alec Bradley prensados. When I worked, a long, long time ago, I smoked almost strictly Cubans, montecristos and cohibas, but it got to pricey for me.

I've never tried a Prensados.  I do Alex Bradley Project 40 - a mild smoke.  I too used to smoke Cohibas and Monte Cristos, but the taxation on cigars make their price ridiculous.

Thanks!  Before my kid (and speedster) I smoked Romeo y Julietta Wide Churchills, Hoya de Monterrey Epi Especial, Partagas Serie D, Diplimaticos, and Cohiba Siglo VI’s.

But had to cut down my expenses considerably after kid and speedster (and making a mortgage payment—the little things), therefore my go to is the La Flor de las Antillas in Toro size.
every once in awhile, I’ll treat myself to one of the aforementioned cigars.

If either of you are close to the Napa Valley, one Thursday a month there’s a hotel in St Helena that offers a cigar dinner with cigars, food and all you can drink wine.

@Impala posted:

Ironic that those Cuban cigars are so expensive, considering how much the ones that make them get paid. Someone else is definitely pocketing the money, wonder who that is?

I spent a couple weeks on Isla de Cuba in July of 2017 and went on the tour at the Partagas cigar factory in Habana. I thought I knew "everything" about Cuban cigars but I soon discovered that I really knew NOTHING! The 3-1/2 hour tour covered the entire production process from the grading and sorting of incoming leaves to the final boxing of all the brands hecho en Cuba. While there are 40 or so cigar factories across the island, 4 of them (Los Cuatro Grande) actually produce all of the government's brands -  everything from Partagas, Cohiba, Romeo y Julieta, and Montecristo to Bolivar and Quai d'Orsay. The last thing I did was buy a box of Cohiba Esplendidos for $200 directly from one of the cigar makers. You see, once he/she has made the daily quota, he/she can sell whatever is left and keep the money. That's one helluva incentive to do their job and supplement, as you alluded to, the minimal salary received from their "Big Brother."

The proverbial "bottom line" is that this tour was one of the most interesting, informative, and "fragrant" I've ever taken on travels around the world that, so far, have been to 142 countries.

https://www.speedsterowners.co...3#694322184112862403

i love the JPS! It’s a blast to drive and quick. I am interested in what quirks you noted. I enjoy upgrading my cars . So far I replaced the hose clamps on the JPS with stainless better ones. One failed and I got a coolant drip the clamp was not the ones I use. Some wiring clean up and a stereo upgrade are coming. I also noted it cranks slow to start but always starts not an issue other than seems slow. Have not tried to diagnose. The engine is loosening up with some more use and is seeming to be gaining power as they do,

About your 2332. For more power maybe turbo? The cool thing about VW engines is there are a few shops that have them so well figured out it’s nutty. Jake Raby is the undisputed king of VW/356 performance but you will pay the same amount for one of his engines as the car cost, not joking.

I would note that proper break in will help and you will gain more power as the rings seat more. I have some lower HP cars and that is where turns become your friend.

My advice is to keep driving it. See if it gets more hp on break in. Those mills will like the Subaru consume oil especially when just built. Also they are sensitive to having the carbs set up right. There used to be a magazine called Hot VW’s when I was into them and saw one recently.

the world of VW also has a lot of imported parts that are jinky.

side note the JPS is so fun I am leaving it up in Seattle for awhile and messing with my MGA in the desert a bit. I have a friend with a 550 with the same engine size vw as yours we plan on some back country adventures. Will keep you posted. Sorry for the delay replying and hope your move and better half are better than ever!

@MikeM posted:

The 2332 lacks power for my tastes, but the car is much more turnkey and solid. And VMC is a pleasure to work with. I’ll be looking for ways to get more out of the engine. Any suggestions?

Although not having driven 1, I'm under the impression from what I've seen of the build sheet (and from other people here) that Greg's 2332's are a pretty well thought out combination (kudos probably to Pat Downs for this as well).  Have you asked Greg about increasing power?  Do you have the build sheet for the engine?  What's the redline, or peak rpm now?  Does your engine have single barrel carbs (Kadrons) or Webers?  Is the exhaust a big cannister with tailpipes, Sidewinder or???  This may seem unrelated (but trust me, it isn't)- 3.88 or 3.44 ring & pinion?

VMC advertises their 2332 as producing 145 hp- an engine this big is capable of substantially more, but Greg and Pat have designed/built a combo that puts out great power FROM IDLE TO REDLINE, is easy to take care of, and IS VERY HARD TO BREAK! (note the last 5 words- sooo important with new Speedster owners not mechanically inclined and/or familiar with VW engines!) I asked about the redline in the preceeding paragraph- I'm guessing it's somewhere around 52-5500 (or so) rpm.  It will have big valve (40x35mm) heads, which are capable of more but to get that 'more' out of them the engine will have to rev higher and that will probably take a camshaft change, some 44IDF's (from Kadrons), maybe a bigger tube exhaust, and a slight bump in compression would probably be beneficial here as well.  Go too nuts here and the engine becomes rather high strung, with way more down time for maintenance...

I also asked about the r&p- if you're looking for zip around town, the 3.44 is the wrong way to go. The 3.88 (or even 4.12 if you're really looking for a street stormer) will be quicker through the gears, the downside being a slightly slower highway cruising speed.  Sooo, the question is- how much time do you spend on the highway?                  Hope this helps.  Al

PS- as suggested above, a turbo is certainly a game changer, but anything more than mild boost and you'll be spending a lot of time trying to control heat.  And after you've experienced the increase with mild boost, the temptation to turn it up is hard to resist!

ANOTHER  PS- I don't know if you guys are getting the same ads I do (I really should become a supporting member again) but it's prompted the thought for the day-

     I may look calm but in my head I'VE ALREADY SLAPPED YOU                                                          3 TIMES!

Last edited by ALB

Good to hear @RMtotheC. The Subie is a blast and I’m glad you are enjoying it. I just felt a little uncomfortable given I had two problems in a short time. The starter you mentioned (I replaced it and it must be something else) and pulling the throttle cable out of the linkage when I floored it through the gears. Those were the only problems I had in 800 miles but those issues made me a little nervous  I’m glad it seems to be breaking in well  

I do think the 2332 is breaking in well also and I think I’ll like it when it does. It only has 60 miles on it! The car just gives me more confidence than the JPS. Real solid.

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