Dragon’s got some kind of SMART CAR rally going on the 17th. It’d sure be fun to crash that party with a couple TDs! Looks like the deadline’s passed to get the group hotel rate. . . .

I dunno. ‘cept for the frayed wires and the masking tape bits (are those labels?) it looks pretty normal to me. Those Lafers are “factory built” y’know!What’s not working? why not trace out any bad circuits first, then slowly and methodically unplug everything from the back, one switch at a time, and remove each switch and reconnect under or away…[Read more]

HA! Old Buzz was posting right about the time I was writing that he’d probably know. He knows. Chevy SSR. We have a winner!

Thanks for the inspiration, man.

Larry, that sounds very cool. I’m picturing a Cross sterling (pen) for the signal lever. Do you remember what you used?

Nice going, Mel! ‘glass TD in da HOUSE!These cars are universally liked.

Larry, I think you’re right about the Bel-Air. I always loved those cars (who doesn’t?) but somehow never wanted one. There was a ’57 small block rod (bench seat, 4-speed) in the garage of one of the houses Karen and I looked at last summer. The dude said he’d include it with the house. I was tempted, but still said no. Paul–not a Vega! I’m gonna…[Read more]

Yes, Corvair, of course. There’s a guy ’round here somewhere with a Yenko model, too. Keep hoping to run into him. This one is just a turbo version, which I’d never seen one in person before I cruised the local Lowes. I didn’t notice the year on the plate either, and haven’t yet met the owner. I guessed ’66, so close. The car is a 4-speed too.…[Read more]

The dude who built Bridget seems to have done a pretty fair job of it. I doubt I’d have done better. But nobody’s perfect. Looks like he cut the lever and glued it back on backwards. Not beautiful but works well enough. I may end up going with a Bus signal someday tho.

BCW manual says to gently heat it and bend it back–a dubious proposition at best. Mine’s all lumped up with epoxy, as are several others I’ve had a peek at. 

Polara! Yeah! Thanks, Paul. Such a cool shape, right on the borderland between ’50s fins and ’60s angularity. Dog or no, those 2×4 cross rams looked tough. Chevy slapped a few on the early Z cars. Offy made a copy of it. I always wanted one for the Nova but didn’t have the $ and knew it would be trouble.So there was one other rear-engined…[Read more]

Mark and Larry, don’t be dissin’ that Big Wheel look! It looks more authentic, plus it promotes slimness in the hips and buttocks.
That said, I have a future sister in law who is rather substantially constructed, and she wedged herself behind Bridget’s wheel in less time than it took for me to say “sorry about the tight squeeze.” It all depends u…[Read more]

Jake Raby MassIVe Type IV fits best.Seriously, Lafers are VW Beetle based cars, just like our (VW-based) versions. What do you wish to achieve with a different engine?

Set the idle?

I had crud in mine and it quit while doing 45 mph. Then wouldn’t start until I replaced the filter. No trouble since.
Starting fluid notwithstanding, I wonder if it could be vapor locking? Maybe have a look at your fuel line and see if it’s getting close to anything hot.
BTW, the motor is running pretty cool, right? Not too hot to pull and handle…[Read more]

Probably could be made to fit.I’m trying to picture your trouble. You say you have the wheel off, yes? So you should be looking at the plastic doohickey that the stalk is attached to?

while back Chuck wrote about replacing ours with one from a bus.said it eemed straight forward to replace the switch mechanism.

Thanks, Rich. You might be a hick if . . .you go hunting with no particular quarry in mind.you shield your eyebrows when lighting your smoking material from the bonfire. you stash your already-lit M-1000 in the fender well of a nearby pickup truck when the police cruiser shows up at your party, then casually try to act surprised when it blows up.…[Read more]

Three cheers for Chuckles!You, sir, are a good egg.

Thanks Dan. I heard most guys use boat hatch equipment. I’d like to see a photo of your rig.I actually found three sources for the wing bolt today, including Moss. But two sources (english parts.com and another to which I don’t have the link handy) want about $8 for the part and $12 to ship from the UK. Moss, which wants $9.45 for the part, won’t…[Read more]