Long story!

That one was my first choice almost two years ago, when I was shopping, and I was the guy who prompted him/them to get it off the rack where it had been for years. He got it down to fix a build error that was unacceptable to me. It is a custom boxed tube frame with VW front and rear frame horns on it, using stock vw suspension, not coil springs or coil-overs, with the custom frame built by this company. But, in talking to the guys I discovered the rear frame horns on this one were welded in at a slight angle, causing the engine to pitch up at the rear of the car, and the fan shroud to contact the rear of the body tub. Originally the curreñt owner (and builder of these custom frames) agreed to correct this by cutting and rewelding those frame horns. So, he agreed to get it down off the rack, fix that, and get it ready for me to tow back to Tennessee.

About a week before I was scheduled to come get it, at an agreed upon price of $3000, I called back to check on their progress — only to find out that rather than fixing the frame horn alignment by cutting and rewelding it as we’d discussed, that he’d chosen to simply trim the rear of the fan shroud so it no longer contacted the body tub.

That fix was unacceptable to me, because it leaves the engine sitting at an angle (though slight) which could potentially cause oiling problems AND because of that tilt it would be impossible to ever run a doghouse oil cooler (i.e. later model dual port engine) in the car… So, I killed the deal, and the shop has continued in getting the car running, brakes working — while doubling the asking price from what he’d agreed to sell it to me for in an “as is” condition with only the one repair/correction I asked for…

Note that this build has never been completed, nor titled as a build/replica and put on the road, though it had been running and driving around the parking lot before being stored up on a service rac for several years. There’s several minor build steps to be completed, the ride height front nor rear has never been changed from stock VW, and the windshield glass has been cracked while in storage. A few small bits and pieces may be missing, but I’ve forgotten all those details.

I ended up buying my early FF TDr for a lot less money and about 400 miles closer to home… though cosmetically it is not nearly as nice as that one. Note that neither car (one above, nor the one I bought) came with the then-optional chrome grille shell. I’ve since added one to mine. That one thing will likely cost $500 plus/minus, based on condition…

KentT2015-02-14 23:48:10