ShopTalk Forums | Aircooled VW Tech & Restoration Help

Anybody ever build a Porsche 718 RSK Spyder kit car? Saw one several years back in a Kit Car mag.... all I can find is turn key ones on the web. More interested in building my own at this point.

I would like some pics and maybe more info on them if possible. I did a search and didn't get ANY results for "718".... Details! Details Please.

Just starting an idea in my head to maybe work this one out. Looks like a simple kit car, really. But I'm thinking about an inverted engine configuration for weight distribution purposes.... that's the part I'm most concerned with really.

I didn't build this one but rebuilt it and used it for hillclimbs and sprints in the UK. They are a very simple design the same as a beach buggy but better looking. The only difficult part is shortening the chassis which was already done on mine. It was originally built in the South Africa and imported into the UK as a non-runner and I ended up doing everything to it to make it suitable for racing. It was never very quick in real terms but good enough to win its class.

Marvel wrote:I didn't build this one but rebuilt it and used it for hillclimbs and sprints in the UK. They are a very simple design the same as a beach buggy but better looking. The only difficult part is shortening the chassis which was already done on mine. It was originally built in the South Africa and imported into the UK as a non-runner and I ended up doing everything to it to make it suitable for racing. It was never very quick in real terms but good enough to win its class.

Very Cool. I have always had a liking for the simplicity of the body design, and the "gills" in the rear fenders give a completely unique feel to it. That's a very nice pic too.

The design I had in mind was the inverted engine design to center the weight in the vehicle a little better to improve handling, since they're so light to begin with. Was this one done with the normal engine orientation of a Beetle? or was it an inverted version?

Hi SCOTTRODS,

I built a GP (718) Spyder in 1982 with the low screen on a shortened VW pan.

It was a blast with a 1667 type 1 engine and twin Weber 40's.

My skills were very limited back then (no welder etc) but the car got me all over Swiss passes and even from the UK to Germany in one day!
Thats 1000km's...........

I sold it for about $ 3000, sure wish I still had it now.

I quess you know this site? http://www.718-rsk.co.uk/

Regards
Nick

Zagato750GT wrote:Hi SCOTTRODS,

I built a GP (718) Spyder in 1982 with the low screen on a shortened VW pan.

It was a blast with a 1667 type 1 engine and twin Weber 40's.

My skills were very limited back then (no welder etc) but the car got me all over Swiss passes and even from the UK to Germany in one day!
Thats 1000km's...........

I sold it for about $ 3000, sure wish I still had it now.

I quess you know this site? http://www.718-rsk.co.uk/

Regards
Nick

I wish I had purchased your car!!! That was a killer deal. & yes,... I'm familiar with the site you linked. They look like some really nice kits. Wish they were state side too.....

SCOTTRODS wrote:
I wish I had purchased your car!!! That was a killer deal.

I can understand that but you are only 25 years too late! Lol

BTW it was LHD too!

Nick

Zagato750GT wrote:

SCOTTRODS wrote:
BTW it was LHD too!

Nick

That would have made it even sweeter.... I've got a Dune buggy to build, and have chopped a frame for it, and gathered some other miscellaneous items..... but this 718 keeps haunting me as the "one to build" for me. I saw one years ago in the kit car magazines that had an inverted engine configuration and a rear tilt (I'm assuming all of them tilt rearward anyway). The engine had a Turbo and was HUGE..... All I want is a mild engine with that body. Right or left hand drive wouldn't matter much to me. Guess I'm gonna have to do some horse trading somewhere to get into a kit (maybe find me an unfinished one or something...)

Thunder Ranch do a mid engined kit of the 718.

http://www.thunderranch.com/rsktwo.html

It's not cheap but looks well done.

The english kit would be cheaper even with import duties and shipping, but if you want mid engined then look out for a used Thunder Ranch.

There's a couple of companies that have made the kits in the UK, The 550 spyders tend to be mid-engined with the transaxle out the back (with the diff flipped from memory to make sure the car doesn't have 4 reverse and 1 forward gear )

A UK TV show, Fifth Gear did a review of the "Martin and Walker" made 550, there should be a few clips of it on Youtube


The RSK Spyder as it was called in the UK was (as previous poster said) based on a traditional shortened beetle floorpan with the engine hanging out the back as per a normal beetle. I know this because I helped my uncle build one about 20 years ago. It was great to drive, but bear in mind it's quite a small car so driving in traffic was quite intimidating !


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