OT: Speedster in a barn, Holy Moley... Options

[bernbomb914]

You guys are to young to remember torry pines, santa Barbara pomona. palm spgs., Ontario, riverside. I used to race F jr back in the 60s My brother used to print the programs for the old Cal Club races. he used the profit to race everything from a mg td to a 550 spyder. he won the index of performance at the 6 hour race at Torry Pines in a 750 morritti owned by Ernie Macfee he drove the whole race by himself. He just past on fathers day. Great times, : great memory s

[SixerJ]

OT but what is the car behind? Looks like a frog eye sprite or MG midget bulkhead and inner wings but with with a small block V8?

[jkb944t]

Very cool car and great story, thanks for sharing!

Jeff B

[tygaboy]

OT but what is the car behind? Looks like a frog eye sprite or MG midget bulkhead and inner wings but with with a small block V8?

Ha! You win! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)
I was waiting for someone to ask about that. (And / or the cool Maico leaned against the wall.)
Yep, it's a Bugeye Sprite with a 215 Buick V8, updated IFS. It's available to be purchased, though he's chipping away at it and not actively advertising. I was tempted but clearly don't need any more projects.

[tygaboy]

I've been getting to know the Speedster's owner, Bill.
He stops by now and then to check out my 914 and we inevitably get to talking about the Speedster. This is a bucket list car for me, and to make it even more bucket-listy, Bill's is a '58 model, just like me! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Anyway, Bill was having issues fitting the top frame as it had become bent over the years.
He gives me the hugest compliments in saying 1) he is impressed with my work and 2) asking if I could help him fix and fit the top.

Fast forward to yesterday.

I've never worked on anything this rare or valuable. And to top things off, it had already been painted! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wacko.gif)

Let me tell you, even with temps in the 40s, I was sweating from nerves as I worked out a fixture to repair this. Yes, essentially it's "just bent" but still... and Bill is meticulous.

Well, the fixture table came through beautifully and all went as planned! So much so that Bill then says, "You know, this one top bow isn't perfectly straight either..."

He's coming back today... Wish me luck! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif)

[tygaboy]

Some other progress pics, for your enjoyment. This thing is unreal...

[Unobtanium-inc]

There is nothing prettier then a Speedster coming together.

[Krieger]

How cool to be a part of this cars build!

[Blue6]

There is nothing prettier then a Speedster coming together.

Agreed. Speedsters and E-type roadsters....

[preach]

Back in the early '80 my Dad had a couple shops in the S. NH area. One of which was a VW/Porsche specialist of a sort.

It was his first auto body shop and the guy he hired to do the body work was a VW/Porsche guy and it just so happened that the mechanic hired was too.

I got to work there in the summers when I came to visit and had been doing so at his other shops since about 1977.

I came in one early summer and the body guy asked if I wanted to learn body work as he had seen me before help the mechanic out and learned a ton about T1 engines and Beetle stuff. Well I said sure. We'd start the next day.

I spent he rest of my time that summer learning how to sand, then learning how to sand some more, then learning how to sand with a DA, then learning how to sand wet, etc. More sandy that a summer at the beach! I learned slightly more than that, like applying filler, rasping filler, fiberglass, basic stuff. I never got to spray a panel (on anything not just the Speedster).

It was his personal Speedster, I cannot remember the year. I think I was 10 or 11. I still hate sanding to this day.

I was into VWs and Porsches for life.

What a great find.

[ConeDodger]

Another pic?

[tygaboy]

Working on straightening the top bow:

Tweak, (panic a little) tweak, check, (phew, but needs more...) tweak, check (man, this is nerve-wracking...) Check...and I think it's time to see how it fits on the car.

Halleluiah, I didn't screw it up! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

Bill is thrilled. He called it a home run.

Sorry, I forgot the "before" pics but it had a serious "s" bend in the middle bow. The frame isn't fully secured to the car (no latches so not attached to the windshield frame). I can still see a small area that isn't quite perfect, but I'm not sure I can get it much better.

Back to working on my 914, where I can bump into it without concern, thank you very much.

[tygaboy]

Another pic?

@ConeDodger

Hi Rob - the front looks similar to Bill's but I don't think he raced under that number. Plus the rear hips look different. I'll check w/him and see if maybe that was an earlier/later version. God knows he was constantly updating or testing new ideas...

[Unobtanium-inc]

Working on straightening the top bow:

Tweak, (panic a little) tweak, check, (phew, but needs more...) tweak, check (man, this is nerve-wracking...) Check...and I think it's time to see how it fits on the car.

Halleluiah, I didn't screw it up! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

Bill is thrilled. He called it a home run.

Sorry, I forgot the "before" pics but it had a serious "s" bend in the middle bow. The frame isn't fully secured to the car (no latches so not attached to the windshield frame). I can still see a small area that isn't quite perfect, but I'm not sure I can get it much better.

Back to working on my 914, where I can bump into it without concern, thank you very much.

Nice to see he's using the correct 400mm wheel, I see too many restored Speedsters now with the 420mm wheel, and it never looks right.

[Dave_Darling]

Damn, I wanna be him when (if!) I grow up!!!

--DD

[rgalla9146]

The Speedster is near the end of a full restoration.
I don't know him or the car but it's obvious.

[tygaboy]

The Speedster is near the end of a full restoration.
I don't know him or the car but it's obvious.

I don't think that's any sort of secret! Nor was it my intention to imply otherwise. Just look at the side of the car. The reflection doesn't hiccup at all across the door gap. I could be wrong, but I don't think the paint or panel fit was like that from the factory.

It was taken down to bare metal and fully metal finished. No filler.
All the original parts that were in good enough shape to be used were re-chromed or re-plated. He found some NOS parts and only when there was no option was a repop part used.

Bill isn't after a 100 point resto. He wants to drive it. He likes the hot rod parts he installed when he was racing it and he's gonna run them. He does have all the original items like the brakes and wheels but remember, it had a 4-cam in it so there's evidence of panels that were cut to accommodate oil lines, brackets added for the oil cooler, things like that. It's an ex-race car and, IMHO, a remarkable return to street car-ness.

I'm honored to be able and help an 81 year old, ex-racer get his favorite car back on the road.

[rhodyguy]

Great car. Those wheels are so cool.

[Unobtanium-inc]

I'm honored to be able and help an 81 year old, ex-racer get his favorite car back on the road.

Yeah, hanging out with the old guys is the best, the stories they tell are mind blowing!

[rgalla9146]

The Speedster is near the end of a full restoration.
I don't know him or the car but it's obvious.

I don't think that's any sort of secret! Nor was it my intention to imply otherwise. Just look at the side of the car. The reflection doesn't hiccup at all across the door gap. I could be wrong, but I don't think the paint or panel fit was like that from the factory.

It was taken down to bare metal and fully metal finished. No filler.
All the original parts that were in good enough shape to be used were re-chromed or re-plated. He found some NOS parts and only when there was no option was a repop part used.

Bill isn't after a 100 point resto. He wants to drive it. He likes the hot rod parts he installed when he was racing it and he's gonna run them. He does have all the original items like the brakes and wheels but remember, it had a 4-cam in it so there's evidence of panels that were cut to accommodate oil lines, brackets added for the oil cooler, things like that. It's an ex-race car and, IMHO, a remarkable return to street car-ness.

I'm honored to be able and help an 81 year old, ex-racer get his favorite car back on the road.

I now see that I responded to the Ed Turbo comment of Aug, 8 2017 !! before all the following pics and comments. DUH !
Love the real American magnesium wheels.