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EVfun
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Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 5481
Location: Seattle
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 Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2023 4:55 pm Post subject: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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Ed Roth, of Rat Fink cartoon fame, also built rods. This was his only VW powered car. Notice the dual carb 36 horse engine with no cooling tins! Look at that shifter and think about how that works. I think this is a unique contribution to the rods of the day AND VW kit cars in their infancy. Those tiny front tires and lack of front brakes looks a bit scary!
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
Last edited by EVfun on Wed Apr 19, 2023 8:56 am; edited 1 time in total |
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kpf
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Joined: March 01, 2017
Posts: 852
Location: California, US
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| Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2023 5:10 pm Post subject: Re: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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| EVfun wrote: |
| ...with no cooling tins! |
That's fine since it appears to have no FAN either! 
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Glenn 
Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001
Posts: 76939
Location: Sneaking up behind you
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| Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2023 5:11 pm Post subject: Re: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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I smell BBQ.
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Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
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EVfun
Samba Member
Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 5481
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2023 5:22 pm Post subject: Re: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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| Glenn wrote: |
| I smell BBQ. |
How much trouble are you really gonna get into with less than 50 horsepower? 
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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OCD Garage
Samba Member
Joined: May 25, 2020
Posts: 150
Location: British Columbia, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2023 7:10 pm Post subject: Re: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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| I'm sure it's basically kinetic art like most of his other creations were. I remember seeing a picture of him using his bare hands to sculpt the head light for the Mysterion in bondo like it was clay. It may run and be drivable (I've read some didn't) but a 36hp without cooling tins/fan in city traffic would be short-lived I fear. |
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torchwerks
Samba Member
Joined: February 04, 2021
Posts: 18
Location: So Cal
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2023 7:31 am Post subject: Re: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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Ed actually worked a lot with VW power later on, especially his trikes. His backyard was filled with parts, some made their way onto my brothers ragtop.
Ed hated the Wishbone so much (he hated the way it rode) that he cut it in half and tried to throw it away.
Yes, most of his early rides weren't meant to be driven, just ways to attract kids to his booth to buy t-shirts. |
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EVfun
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Joined: April 01, 2012
Posts: 5481
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2023 9:01 am Post subject: Re: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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| torchwerks wrote: |
Ed actually worked a lot with VW power later on, especially his trikes. His backyard was filled with parts, some made their way onto my brothers ragtop.
Ed hated the Wishbone so much (he hated the way it rode) that he cut it in half and tried to throw it away.
Yes, most of his early rides weren't meant to be driven, just ways to attract kids to his booth to buy t-shirts. |
You are right -- I corrected my post. Ed Roth made of number of VW powered trikes using everything from 36 horse engines to type 4 parts. He also made a mid engine Corvair powered car. He even used a Geo Metro 3 cylinder on his last creation, Stealth 2000.
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| Wildthings wrote: |
| As a general rule, cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy. |
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oprn
Samba Member
Joined: November 13, 2016
Posts: 12737
Location: Western Canada
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2023 11:40 am Post subject: Re: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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Show cars only need to run well enough to get on and off the trailer and into the building. That shot of it on the street may have been him taking it around the block to the back door of the shop.
Actually some show cars don't even run.
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torchwerks
Samba Member
Joined: February 04, 2021
Posts: 18
Location: So Cal
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| Posted: Wed Apr 19, 2023 12:00 pm Post subject: Re: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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| The shot of it on the street is his son, Darryl. He got the pieces of the Wishbone from Ed's buddy, Dirty Doug, and put it all back together. |
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slalombuggy
Samba Member
Joined: July 17, 2010
Posts: 9147
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2023 9:25 pm Post subject: Re: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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Nobody picked up on the fact that the rear end has been narrowed at least 5 inches.
Cool car, not j-walker friendly, though 😊 |
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Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 9653
Location: Pearl River, NY
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| Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2023 3:54 am Post subject: Re: Ed Roth's Wishbone VW rod |
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The two carburetors look like Holley "BugSpray" units, a popular upgrade offered in the '60's and '70's.
The muffler appears to be a simple round long cylinder with 4 shortened and possibly gutted Type 1 "pea shooters" welded on. Also note that due to the muffler being positioned so close to the engine, the front was notched for clearance to the crank pulley. |
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