Hi Karen,
Not sure what year your VW chassis is but the fuel smell is probably from old, brittle fuel vent hoses. And a lot of times one of the hoses from the canister is either missing or broken off. Start off by replacing the fuel vent hoses. Get the braided hoses. I usually get mine from a VW show vendor for about $1 a foot. Same for any fuel…[Read more]

Hi Karen I’m new here also but can’t resist throwing my two cents in. First welcome and I believe the information available here is worth taking advantage of . As to you fuel smell I’m assuming that your using a VW donor undercarriage fuel tank also that on mine it had to be the original with the VW. It was so brittle that when I went to look at…[Read more]

Thanks for some Ideas other than the one that I was tunnel vision focused on. More ideas will always be welcome. Some people horde books or magazines I horde things with wheels or that at least had wheels. And your probably right too much power to waste it with a TD kit besides the fact that 90% of the nose would have to go away too accommodate…[Read more]

I was recently thinking a cool Simpson/Miata mill would be the aluminum Buick/Rover 215, appropriately bored and stroked, of course. Very light and nominally British. Outfit it with some old strombergs maybe . . . But, as everyone knows, I have way more theories than either money or skill. Ever thus.

Dan R hit the nail on the head…these cars need a fan shroud.

Monster Miata, Cobra or Sebring (Healy 3000) is the way to go. They make a great kit.
I started on a build with a CMC Ford based kit. It was to be Buick V6 (3.8L) powered with a TH200R4 automatic and an 8″ Ford 3.55 posi rear.
I had also upgraded to GM “G” body (Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, Malibu, Cutlass, Regal) metric disc brakes on all four…[Read more]

How about a Miata Italia II or Manta from Simpson Design?Way cheaper than a Factory 5 Cobra & doesn’t look like everyone else’s Cobra. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that).I seen these Simpson kits offered used for well south of $10k–Miata included. Go get your Mustang-to-Miata kit & get to work.

I you have a mustang 5.0 you need to go to factoryfive.com and get a cobra.
I would say 225 hp in a mgtd replica is way overkill.

Good deal Ed – ready for some hard driving on the twisties.
Took mine out for a ride on Sunday w/ Paul Rich ( speedster guy ) and Greg ( another speedster guy I am helping him finish his project after 20 years sitting in his garage ) and had a great run. Looking forward to more of the same.
Glad yours came out like you wanted

Well I replaced my front shocks with a set of Empi “shorty” shocks.Looks like they’re maybe 2.5 inches shorter. Had to “jack up” the trailing arms to install them, and when I let the car back down I was worried that the shocks would not have enough downward travel–that is, the suspension would not be able to go down into ruts or potholes enough.…[Read more]

Got started on my e-brake relocation project, finally. 14 months to think about it is just about right…So here we have the interior, carpets all pulled out (and the door panels ’cause I’m making new ones of those too):Cutting out the e-brake bracket–fun! Ruined a new cutoff wheel collet with just one wheel. Jig saw=NG; broke about five blades…[Read more]

  Hi Russ I have a chevette kit also the over heating a quick fix the fan is to far from the radiator i used a plastic bucket cut to make a fan shroud that ended the over heating now it never hits over 200 degrees even on a hot Tennessee summer day ,,as for the seat you have , cut the back of the seat bottom ,the fiber glass box  ,to 3.5 inches o…[Read more]

Glad you got out, Russ. Hope the gel works for the seats. Be sure to let us know. Wondering about your medium speed overheating issue. Anyone else experience that with their Chevette-based car?

Welcome aboard Karen. Great looking TD. I too lik the pinstriping. I second what Paul said about the mirrors.  But you are way further along on yours. I’m still working on building mine. Loking for a good donor chassis.
You might look into a set of windwings. I understand they really help with preventing the wind from entering the car as you…[Read more]

there are several lucas style mirrors for sale on ebay
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=mgtd+mirrors&_sacat=0&a mp;_odkw=kit+cars+replicas&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c 0.m270.l1313

Thanks so much – You guys are amazing!

The show in PA sounds like a really great idea.

I am working through some other issues with the car. Luckily I found a
shade-tree mechanic who used to work for VW. He has gotten the
engine stable – it now runs on all cylinders and the automatic choke is
reconnected – and, no, the push button on the dash…[Read more]

 Great  Dan

 Hi Karen nice to have here good people good advice  Dan

 Gee if was me I would do COBRA or maybe a Tbird some of the older un finished kits i have seen on ebay are priced lower than a new kit.  Good Luck   Dan

oh that brings back memories, in the 60s i built an astra j-5, (kellison),392 hemi. that engine was soooo heavy. i cant believe i scraped a 57 300 c to do that. wish i had both of them now.