It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is ...

Ol'fogasaurus · Post by **Ol'fogasaurus** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 8:40 am

When in a seated position does the raised fenders height cause any visual problems? If you get an inspector or an "on the road" officer that is having a bad day or for some reason is being an "BEEP" then visual blockage can be a problem. I am interested enough in this right now to be thinking more and more about it.

Also, after seeing your latest post on your Tow'd build, I still have to figure away around the installation of turning brakes assuming that they are still a problem on the street (here).

Lee

Iguana · Post by **Iguana** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 2:35 pm

The two'd retains the donor VW VIN Number on the rear section of the torsion housing if that helps.

Ol'fogasaurus · Post by **Ol'fogasaurus** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 2:58 pm

Hmmmm! That means that aftermarket torsion housing could be a problem

Post by **Piledriver** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 3:07 pm

Hmmmm! That means that aftermarket torsion housing could be a problem

Not if you keep that critical section of a VW pans tunnel...

Ol'fogasaurus · Post by **Ol'fogasaurus** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 3:27 pm

(read crossed eyes) Hmmmm2 (squared)! Boy, that could confuse the puddin' out of an inspector that might know something; Ya don't want to confuse/play with those guys from what I understand. They have the hammer and are not afraid to use it. Rejection the first time with a pushing the rules definitely is going to make it harder the next try (remember the hammer is discretionary and some like to be more discretionary than others to the nth degree especially the next time you show up; e.g., a long memory).

Lee

Big Bus · Post by **Big Bus** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:29 pm

Ol'fogasaurus wrote:When in a seated position does the raised fenders height cause any visual problems? If you get an inspector or an "on the road" officer that is having a bad day or for some reason is being an "BEEP" then visual blockage can be a problem. I am interested enough in this right now to be thinking more and more about it.

Also, after seeing your latest post on your Tow'd build, I still have to figure away around the installation of turning brakes assuming that they are still a problem on the street (here).

Lee

Lee , the tops of the front fenders are still lower than the bottom of the windscreen , so the inspector would have a hard time saying that they obstruct your vision .
As for the turning brakes , yes they are not legal here either , but what they can't see won't hurt them , either making the handles removable while on the street or fitting a handy padded arm rest over the levers to hide them

Andrew

Ol'fogasaurus · Post by **Ol'fogasaurus** » Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:42 pm

dustymojave · Post by **dustymojave** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 11:42 am

Those fenders are no where near as high as the ones on my SUV, or either of my pickup trucks. And for blocked view...There is hardly any car approved for the roads in any country which offers as clear of a view to the front as a Tow'd, even modified as Big Bus has his. You'd have to drive an Isetta with an all Lexan door to have a more clear view.

Iguana said "The two'd retains the donor VW VIN Number on the rear section of the torsion housing if that helps."

Ummmmmmmmm....maybe sometimes...

In California, according to JimMcGinty, Chief of Police for the City of El Centro, who owns and drives a particularly nice Crumco Baja Bug (see Hot VWs mag) on the streets of his fair (and hotter than hell!) city, at least 18" of the tunnel including the VIN is required to be retained. If one builds the car using a fabricated torsion and yokes, that gets complicated for registration.

I would recommend for street registered use, building the car using an original registered pan torsion housing with tunnel section not severed. Typical Tow'd construction is done with the tunnel cut off just ahead of the torsion tube, just as it is with tube frame rails built with a VW torsion housing. I've only ever seen 1 Tow'd with the tunnel extending forward of the torsion tube far enough to include the VIN, but not the 18" as in McGinty had Rick Crum build his BAja for him. That Tow'd had the lower tunnel extended forward as a gusset to a lower center rail to the beam mount and lower side rails as shown in mkparker's above. Mk's Tow'd, BTW, is the coolest one I've ever seen.

Ol'fogasaurus · Post by **Ol'fogasaurus** » Wed Sep 17, 2014 12:27 pm

Thanks Dustymojave the 18" is interesting to know. I agree with the assessment of blockage of the front but they don't usually have to be inspected by harassed local inspectors either. When down in OR to check on some inspection things it was interesting to listen to the Sherriff talk and some of the Deputies talk away from the boss (nothing was said bad about the "Boss" I assure you). The same could be said when getting a ticket from the Sherriff... "doing my job right or wrong".

Inspectors come in all sizes and shapes if you know what I mean. the same with titling of cars/rails. The "complicated" bit about an aftermarket torsion housing is just what I was talking about.

I do agree with you that to license for the street whether you use it that way or not.

Still thinking about it unless a Berry Mini T C-cab comes up for sale

Lee

chuckput · Post by **chuckput** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 1:06 pm

dustymojave wrote: In California, according to JimMcGinty, formerChief of Police for the City of El Centro, who owns and drives a particularly nice Crumco Baja Bug (see Hot VWs mag) on the streets of his fair (and hotter than hell!) city, at least 18" of the tunnel including the VIN is required to be retained. If one builds the car using a fabricated torsion and yokes, that gets complicated for registration.

I fixed it for you!

McGinty only drove his Baja on the streets of my fair city on special occasions.

Iguana · Post by **Iguana** » Sat Sep 20, 2014 1:46 pm

chuckput wrote:
dustymojave wrote: In California, according to JimMcGinty, formerChief of Police for the City of El Centro, who owns and drives a particularly nice Crumco Baja Bug (see Hot VWs mag) on the streets of his fair (and hotter than hell!) city, at least 18" of the tunnel including the VIN is required to be retained. If one builds the car using a fabricated torsion and yokes, that gets complicated for registration.
I fixed it for you!

McGinty only drove his Baja on the streets of my fair city on special occasions.

So does that mean you are now the chief of Police ?

chuckput · Post by **chuckput** » Sun Sep 21, 2014 3:05 pm

Iguana wrote:So does that mean you are now the chief of Police ?

I wish (not)!!

Mc Ginty left and I am still here enjoying the weather!

Post by **Piledriver** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 2:16 am

Can you buy just the plans while you save for the body?

Any idea around what the frame hoop is going to cost? CrMo?
Considering top/bottom rails (w/triangulated bracing etc) and about a foot of vertical spacing between them up front for A-arm mounting etc.

Ol'fogasaurus · Post by **Ol'fogasaurus** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 6:15 pm

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/ ... id=1693702

FWIIW

Lee

Post by **Piledriver** » Fri Oct 10, 2014 7:23 pm

That would probably be a nice score for a local, but I'll be able to get a Texas title for the real thing.
(even with a kit)
With that mystery version, dubious.

The molded in fenders are kinda nice.

Shoptalkforums.com

It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is ...

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is

Re: It's Back, It's back, after almost 50 years the Tow'd is