ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

Swoo...
Your concepts look very attractive but you are coming to the point where reality raises it's ugly head.

Some questions you need to ask:
1) How is this vehicle design/price significantly better than existing designs, particularly the Beck product.
2) Your design appears to be rapidly running out of room for most Porsche/VW upright engines. Sad as it seems, the mechanical designers and the stylists don't always agree.
3) Your wheels look great, but using some of the less sophisticated suspension systems mentioned, you may not be able to control wheel positioning, and maintain so little body to tire clearance.
4) And, to be very practical, do you have the backers for the big bucks you will have to spend to get the first car and the molds built?
5) Did you investigate any liability you may incur by building and selling such a vehicle?

I had a number of friends here in California that went through this process in the early days when there were literally 100's of different dune buggy bodies being built. Basically there were two groups back then: The original Meyers MANX, and everybody else's wannabe's. Some were of good quality but, without standing out from the crowd, they went by the wayside while often inferior products, at higher prices survived.

I don't know where you live, but if you can get to the Knott's Berry Farm kit car show in April you will get a significant education in the two days, see more of what's being offered, and have the chance to talk to 100's of owners/builders and kit car mfg.s. Good Luck

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1966 MANX SR2 (Karma Coachworks), 1974 VW THING

Thoughts well taken. I will try to reply to some of them.
First of all, the beck car is exraordinary. I couldn't hope to make that exact of a replica. However, his cars are more expensive due to you having to purchase a frame and some suspension parts from him. Well worth it if you are a racer. On the other hand perry designs have developed a spyder to fit on an unmodified vw pan. I believe he actually won an award at the knots berry for his design. This is more what I want to develop, an affordable body kit with a little more aggressive styling. Kind of a cobra 427 to their ACE. I had not considered the wheel problem. I will probably widen the body to tuck the wheels under the fenders. I have seen this done on many 356 replicas and some beetles. The engine fitting is something that has worried me. I would really like to fit a corvair motor. At the tallest point of the engine the bay only has 24" clearance. I might be able to squeeze a couple more inches. I lengthened the rear compartment somewhat without disturbing the overall look too much. I would really appreciate it if someone had the engine dimensions they would post them.
I'm footing the bill for the first one. I'm doing the plug and am using moldless construction for my prototype. If I am pleased with it I will take a mold from that and start production.
Thanks for the critique and if you have any more obstacles I might encounter please bring them up.
Scott