VWC Fiera

[Nooner]

Picked up this VWC Fiera Body w/chassis and trans last weekend. It needs a LOT of work, but I've wanted to teach myself to work with fiberglass for a while and I need a good excuse to use up some of the welding wire that has been sitting around waiting for a project.

The Chassis looks to be a '62 with a link-pin front and swing-arm rear, the pans are in rough shape, and I have no idea what kid of condition the trans is in. Either way I expect it to be a fun project. I don't know what kind of time frame I will be need to get it done, I doubt I'll finish by the end of the summer, but you never know!

Here are some more pics of the buggy:











The car I intend to use as a 'donor' is a '74 Standard. I may end up only using the motor out of it and leaving the rest pretty much unmolested, but again, who knows? It hasn't been registered/inspected since 2000, and doesn't currently run, but it supposedly ran when it was put up in a garage (presumably when the previous driver went off to college since there is a HS parking sticker in the window) and looks to be in pretty decent shape. The Engine is stamped AE837XXX so it doesn't appear to be original to the car, but I plan to get it running while still in the '74 while I am working on the chassis and body of the VWC buggy.

More Pics:

[GregR]

Nooner, welcome to the club. Problem with your pictures. Are they hosted someplace like Photobucket or are they on your home computer? If they latter, they won't show up. Looking forward to seeing your car.

[Nooner]

Should be working now

I use me.com as my host and had linked from my logged-in (secure) view.

[BrianB]

Looks like a great start for a Buggy. It even looks to be a real Manx. Good luck on the build and keep the pics coming.

[BrianB]

BTW Fiera, where are you located?

[CoryN]

Looks like a great start for a Buggy. It even looks to be a real Manx. Good luck on the build and keep the pics coming.

It's a VWC Fiera

[Nooner]

BTW Fiera, where are you located?

I am in Lago Vista.

And yes - the body is a VWC Fiera. VWC was also known as CUMA at one point in time, from the partnership between Mike Cubine and Jim Maness. CUbine-MAness=CUMA. CUMA begat VWCUMA or 'VWC' - at least that is what my research suggests. Reportedly Mr. Maness still runs an auto restoration business (Maness Enterprises) in Odessa, I hope to contact him this week.

[CoryN]

If you talk to him see if he knows anything about any other Texas manufacturers. I still want to figure out who made mine

[ckolek]

if you intend on using the 74 pan you will have to modify the rear seating area in the body to accept the IRS rearend...

[Nooner]

if you intend on using the 74 pan you will have to modify the rear seating area in the body to accept the IRS rearend...

I am thinking about either repairing the current '62 Pan or going with a fabricated chassis. I have a feeling everything will come together much faster with less hitches if I have a chassis made, and that would free me up to hit the fiberglass hard and fast.

Plus I am suffering from buyer's remorse at the thought of chopping up the '74, it is in really good shape, I'd have to take it all apart, I may just pull the motor and sell it off until I can find something else with a title that is in poorer shape... but I dunno...

[Nooner]

I got to have a nice conversation with Jim Maness this afternoon. He said that VMC actually predated CUMA, they changed the name because VW had threatened to sue!

The body that I have is hand laid, probably dates to about 1970 or so (because it is a VWC Fiera vs. a CUMA Fiera) and was a near exact replica of a Manx. I can use pretty much any Manx parts I want, the only difference is the hood.

His former partner (Mike) was the numbers guy, and he has passed on, so he had no production numbers for me, but he said that they built them into the mid '70s. He still runs a shop doing VW work, he isn't on the internet at all, and said he does a lot sand rails and hunting buggy type stuff. He kept all his machine tools, so he does head work and the like too (as well as race motors).

All in all a very cool conversation, I didn't think to ask about other TX manufacturers, and couldn't bear to keep myself on the phone with him longer. He didn't seem like he was in a huge rush to get me off the phone, but I didn't want to keep him away from paying work!

In other project related news, I got a bunch of tune-up parts for the '74 from Steve-o in Cedar Park, and put a battery on the charger to top it off (is an Optima Yellow Top overkill for a Dune Buggy? ), so I hope to let the starter turn it over this weekend (and maybe even hear her run) after I check on fluids.

[Nooner]

Okay - a few developments.

I am really not comfortable at all with the pan as it is now. The weld at the cut is really bad - like, maybe brazed and not welded bad... so, I've decided to go with a chassis from Hawkeye. Had a good conversation with him and I am very comfortable with the product and the price.

In the change-over from pan to chassis I am gonna take the opportunity to switch over to IRS, though I wanna stick with the king-pin/link-pin front. As soon as my torsion gets here (ordered this morning) I will be planning the trip up to visit with Neil and drop off the body.

I'm planning to use a transmission from David Crow and will be working in the next week or so to get the '74 running so I can sell it off to fund paint, but that'll put me on the hunt for another motor...

Anyways, just wanted to provide an update.

[Nooner]

Wow... it has been a while. I got side-tracked by a Jeep and getting the green Bug in the pictures above up and running (as well as an '06 Buell that I keep tinkering with...)

TOO many projects!!!

Anyways, I think I've found an excuse to make it up to Neil (gotta deliver a Motor to another 4x4 guy up in Tyler) so hopefully I'll have some real progress to update this thread with.

Now VW related news:

I picked up a take-out motor & Trans from a VW Thing, so I have my case to build up when the time comes.
The aftermarket torsion arrived and looks very nice, but Neil had some other ideas I will be discussing with him when I drop off the body.

and the biggest news:
I got the Green Bug running!!! I had to cannibalize the thing motor quite liberally, but it is running, it stopped a couple times shortly after bleeding the brake system but leaked down pretty fast. The master seemed to be the culprit, so I replaced it with a Brazilian unit, after getting the master sorted two wheel cylinders were bad as well, but now it is tip-top (except for the horn and license plate light, which I'll get to shortly).

I plan to sell it off to help fund the buildup, my hope is to have the VWC a roller by spring break.

[Nooner]

Okay, dropped off the body with Neil yesterday to get the tube chassis made.

We decided on:

-83" Wheelbase (1" Stretch to the front and 2.5" to the rear), so that Means I'll be going to 930 CVs, hopefully I'll be able to squeeze in a fuel cell, but if not I can always put in a stock '69ish fuel tank.
-Stock width rear (easier to get width via spacers than take it away) on his straight pivot rear and arms
-Custom front beam
-10" Coilovers (I know nothing about torsion suspension, but am pretty competent with Coilovers)


He is building with the intention of 31" tires in the rear and 28-29" in the front. I'll probably be using his disk brake setup as well (I just have to reconcile myself to the budget creep).

So the questions that I have for you guys:

What 930 Stubs and bearings do you recommend? I know Empi has a set, but for some reason I am scared of them.

What bolt pattern for the wheels? I was leaning towards 5x4.5" - I want Centerline Auto-Drag style wheels eventually, so I am torn between 5x4.5" or 5x4.75" - I think those are the sizes most likely to net me a set of those wheels for cheap right?

Also, need a steering rack and kingpin arms that'll handle 10+" of travel. Any recommendations?