As an aside seeing that dash wired in only one or two colors took me back to a previous career as an electronic tech. We serviced one piece of aftermarket equipment which was totally wired with identical pieces of green wire. A call to service that equipment brought grown men to tears and triggered a blue flu epidemic every time.The lesson:…[Read more]

I installed a set of three point belts from a vw van I picked up at a vw swap meet. I was able to mount the retractor inside the top of the wheelwell and bolt it directly to a frame member. The belt then goes up into the rear cockpit through a narrow slot and passes through a metal retainer bolted to the upper outside corner of the seat back.…[Read more]

For what it’s worth, the builder of my MGr used some very basic flat steel cabinet hinges to mount the wind wings. As i continued to work on the car I discovered that he had also used some very nice polished aluminium hinges on the seat back where they don’t show at all. Switch-a-roo!

Just a thought. If you modify/adapt your actual gas filler neck you should probably include a ground wire linking all involved metal parts to the metal of the gas tank to guard against static electric sparks. ❗

So here is a low cost but durable shelter idea that I have used to cover material outside at my previous work.1. Obtain the frame from a formerly fabric covered structure which has lost its’ cover.  Usually available for the privilege of hauling it away.2. Erect the framework, pinning the joints with sheet metal screws.3.  Purchase or otherwise o…[Read more]

Two things about pictures for this site:1. There are a number of free programs on the Inet to resize pictures, either by shrinking them in size or reducing the resolution. I like to take digital photos at a medium resolution, good enough for a sharp 5 x 7 print. When I need something for a web site or the small screen, then I resize it.2. I…[Read more]

Edsnova – i use Microsoft Publisher. Yes, I know it’s old and there are others but it was inexpensive at the time and I have become somewhat proficient. Features like Wordart make it simple to do curved words for dials and there are a lot of fonts available. Note I came pretty close to the origional font on the speedo.I know some people will…[Read more]

I have had some success over the years making labels and logos on the computer and then printing them out in actual size.  You can print them on photo paper or sticker stock. Doing it yourself means that you can see exactly what you are going to get and the cost is low. Be aware that ink jet printers use water-soluble ink so you will have to…[Read more]

I read this post for the first time today and when I read the words “I’m thinking of guting the interior” I immediately felt I had to offer this advice: beware of taking too big of a bite of the project at once. Yes, you want to work from the ground up and yes you don’t want to undo something you just did BUT… I think that there are a great…[Read more]

Small comfort now but you may be able to find both sizes of spade connectors at an auto supply. Check in both auto electrical AND auto stereo aisles. Two sizes are used to insure correct polarity ( for the color blind I guess).

If you are thinking about (re)starting a replica car business the building is available:http://commercial-real-estate.findthedata.com/l/1390355/1617-Main-Ave-Fargo-ND-58103Almost 50,000 sq ft with parking and both indoor and outdoor show space. Perhaps a bit off the beaten track of the automobile world, though. 😀

I was passing through Fargo, ND a few weeks ago (really) and had the opportunity to photograph the site of the Classic Roadsters Ltd facility.  Just another vacant building now.  Note the “just reach over the fence” access to a major rail line.Kall2015-11-01 18:42:25

This is what I used: Rust-Oleum/Brush on truck bed coatingIt seems to come in two colors at AutoZone, black & light grey?  Maybe other colors from others.Despite the name it does come in a spray can as well which is way fast.Don’t know about the heat effects.  Anyone?
Kall2015-09-30 16:09:50

Also keep in mind which side your hood is or will be hinged. I would think that it would be troublesome to reach around the fixed side of the hood when fueling.Ditto on the venting but a vented cap may allow some fume blowback into the cockpit when the tank is full as mine did.   Consider an actual vent hose going under the car.Kall2015-09-30 14:02:53

My 2 cents: I used spray paint made for car wheels on the outside of the gas tank and a few other underhood trim parts and it is standing up to small gas spils so far. I also used a spray on bedliner paint on the underhood (both hoods VW) fiberglass and i think that it improves the look of the “back” side of the fiberglass by making it all the…[Read more]

This is one of the great things about this on-line club. Some people are sticklers for authenticity, others are more laid back. Since the members rarely get together there are few opportunities for fist fights to break out.Like the man says: “if you don’t have fun it’s your own fault”. 😉

Thanks John. That will make a good winter project for me.While pondering the seat problem I realized that many modern car seats have edges which are higher than the center, helping to keep your butt in the seat. I don’t think that became commonplace in production seats until the 70’s, so its not authentic for our cars.

Along these same lines – does any one else feel that their driver’s seat (on the factory bases) seems to tilt toward the center of the car?  I seem to find myself inching toward the right side of my seat as I drive.  Maybe just cushion deterioration or is something off kilter?

In the garage I hope!:lol:

What a strange place to put his engine 😛