Aircooled VW South Africa

Glad you are making progress.
While you are at it, ask about what Outsurance doesnt offer... it'll scare you

Keep it up man. You;ll get there.............take loads of pics, I love seeing what other speedster owners are getting upto.

Packing your shipment today and will send it probably by tomorrow morning.

- G

Thanks man, much appreciated.

I tried to clean up the rear lights as well, re-sprayed them with Aerolack Chrome.. At least they look clean and consistent now. The lenses are Sad as they have both got melting spots.. But re-sprayed them to try get a clean look.. Battling to find the wiper arms right now..
Went down to the beach\garage just to drive it for the first time.. I found it a little nervous personally. Not sure what or where, possibly the mounting points to the chassis might be lose, or it's just old and tired.. Almost every other not or bolt I've come across has been loose..
Will take more Pics once I start with real things.

Cheers

Alan

Alan, don't be put off. I was scared shitless when I drove mine for the first time. Unless the previous owner has been a stickler for detail and has sound deadend the car and replaced all rubbers etc, then it's probably going to be a very nervous first ride. Wait until you have it out on a proper road and up to speed. Don't let people spin this massive romantic story about the repop speedsters and how great they are to drive, not all are created equal. But you've already done the hard part......getting hold of one.

Tweak and tune buddy.....................tweak and tune. I found that the back of the speedster wasn't even mounted to the frame, so I'd get a lot of shuttle shake, so I fabbed some brackets and then bolted the lot down to the back of the pan.

Once you get over the fact that your car really really wants to kill you, then you really start enjoying it............it'll become a drug.

Ta, I'm hoping it's something simple..

Have you "lifted" the Body off the chassis? Where exactly do the two marry up? eg: the Buggies I was involved with back when were bolts all the way around the chassis.. What would be the ideal thing to fit in-between the chassis and the Body to assist in this? How did you find out the back of yours wasn't bolted down? To where?
Wish there were a few more Speedster owners down here to share experiences with and compare things..

Alan

The local speedsters to come out of KCC are mounted on a tube frame that's mounted to the pan. Mine has a loop over the front pedal area and there's another pillar by the b post and there is another loop that goes around the engine bay. This rear loop is where the engine seal kit is mounted. This was where mine was attached with 3 freaking pop rivets. Plus the inner linings of mine were soft and brittle and I ended up just glassing a whole new section when I made my repairs.

Never lifted the body off the pan........too much pita.

Have a look under the side sills underneath the car, there are some of the bolts that run under there. I think that the rest is attached to the frame that goes on the car.

IMPI actually told me at some stage when he was fitting the old motor that the back was loose, it used to rattle like nuts when you hit any type of bumps.

Well, I'll get there, sometime...

been pondering over the box of carb bits I got from a Forum member.. But not the same as the Hex Rod type system I had on my old street rod.. From searching the net, this looks like a twist pull linkage system, ie: the rods go under the Alternator to the Carbs.. But, I don't see how this center mount is mounted to the Motor?? I realise once the single intake manifold comes off, there's a hole that the bottom of the single Intake manifold bolts to the casing.. Does this mount to that same point?



Also looking at the space through the Speedster's "boot"... Me thinks the motor needs to drop for this kind of installation... Never be able to mount this all correctly while in the car I don't think. Mmm, Did I do the right think here..

Thoughts...

Shouldnt need to drop the engine. Most twin carb kits dont fit in or out of the engine bay when attached to the engine anyway. Yours might be different
If it is like the other linkages i have installed, the center pivot will bolt onto the case using one of the case bolts.

Alan I know that nervous feeling when driving your Speedster for the very first time

I had the "honour" of building mine from scratch; I know every bolt and nut etc on that car because I put them there and I was sh*t scared when drving it for the first time let alone driving a car that someone else built, but as Flatfour said.... once you used to it, it becomes a drug

All advice I can give for now is go through the car bit by bit and dont take short cuts with the intention to sort it later.... they normally dont get fixed later lol.

But it still is an awesome car you bought...

Ok, well found the other Wiper arm, so will sand them down and respray, fit, and going to attempt Roadworthy, and see where I stand. Might also have to give the underside of the motor a once over with Aluminium Spray to conceal a leak.
Once it's in my name, I'll be in a better space.. Then I can at least make calculated calls and do things to the car. So we'll see.

You got seatbelts on it Alan?

yebo. I need to go through and see if the Suspension\Link Pins etc are all good. brakes are good, just need to roll the adjuster screws a bit on each wheel and get them the same "level".
If it fails, I have a target to aim for, but now, mission to roadworthy and then change of ownership..

You don't need roadworthy to change ownership. Will get registration papers WITHOUT disc (pending COR).

Really,?? Every Bike I've bought I've road-worthied before going to the traffic department.. I'm sure I did what you siggested once, and they chased me saying I need to roadworthy the car...

Edit. I've just checked and they say if it's 2nd hand it has to be re-roadworthied for change of ownership and registration. So, Roadworthy is required..

Right, got a Wiper arm from Shelleys, and got new Wiper Blades from Midas, Metal arms, in case I needed to cut the blades and re-squeeze them in the blade holders.
Sorted. Also re-adjusted lights upward, unfortunately by having to put nut spacers behind the brackets before the bolts go through the fender.. So the lights sit slightly raise off the holes.. I'll attend to this but allowing the lights inside the older fittings to lean further back, drill a new hole, and then adjust via the scres on the front of the light fittings.. for now, I think they look high enough to pass.

Rear light bezel's sprayed Aluminium, and lenses with Aerosol Spray. Ok for now, am sourcing Euro lenses from the USA.. New Rubbers also hopefully on their way, but will only be fitted after Body respray.







Perfect Clearance..



Going to test tomorrow morning.. I think the tyres will fail, they are very low tread, and there's a huge amount of inner camber wear.. Either front's not set up properly, or these are rotationals from the rear.. But I need to try test.

Will let you know.

Alan