Source for Speedwell Decals?

[John P]

2 Questions:

1. Is the Speedwell decal on the linkage below (on the center support) correct, as in originally delivered?



2. If so, does anyone have a source for the decals? I'd like to add one to the center post support area of my Speedwell linkage.



Thanks, in advance.

JP

[John P]

I've since confirmed that the decal and location are original.

Original Literature



It also confirms that the upper bar, mounts, and linkage arms should be silver, not black (as it currently is on mine).

Does anyone have a source for these decals?

Thanks,

J

[John P]

Bump

[garyj]

John, It's hard to tell size in your picture. I have a few that are 1 1/2" in diameter...PM me.
Gary

[garyj]

In the mail!

[John P]

You rock! 

Thanks buddy.

J

[John P]

A fun project this weekend - what do you think?   I took the linkage apart, stripped everything down, and refinished it in the correct colours.

Thanks Gary for the decals!

You can also see my period-correct Claude's Buggies air cleaners, which I sometimes run.

Click directly on the images to see larger versions

[garyj]

Looks great, John!

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

Looking good!  Those fresh air tubes have got to go though!  I know foil is fragile, but those plastic ones look like cast-offs from an old dryer. 

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

Explain again why you put Speedweell decals on your Berg linkage? 

[John P]

My dryer rocks.

'Cause I've since found out that it's an early Speedwell.

[Glenn]

'Cause I've since found out that it's an early Speedwell.

Bummer because I just mixed up the correct blue paint berg used. (j/k)

[John P]

EARLY Berg or Speedwell?

Yeah, I've gone back and forth on that linkage many times, talking to A LOT of people and looking at period literature. Here's what I know:

1. The guy I bought it off of was the nephew to the original owner of the linkage. His uncle bought it brand new off of Gene Berg "back in the day" (late 60s-early 70s-ish) whenever Gene had just gone out on his own. He installed it on his Baja 1000 racer, which he entered many times, and understandably referred to it as a "Berg" linkage.

2. Several people subsequently pointed out to me that it looked like a Speedwell. No surprise there, as it is clear that Gene based his linkage on the Speedwell design.



3. If you compare my linkage with the photos above of the Speedwell linkages, they are almost identical, with the exception of 1. The outboard linkage throttle arms A. You'll note that the Speedwell were adjustable, whereas mine are fixed (and welded), and, B. Mine are a slightly different shape, more closely matching Berg ends (see below for more discussion), 2. My center throttle arm is slightly different, matching the early Berg (see below for more discussion).





So what is it? I still don't know. If you look at these photos of an earlier Berg linkage, mine looks EXACTLY like it, even down to the outboard linkage ends and center throttle arm, except mine has the massive support triangles of the Speedwell linkage. You'll also note that the cut out for the coil mount on mine matches the early Berg perfectly (versus the Speewell, which is slightly different than mine), and that mine has washers on the linkage rod ends (which the Speedwell does note). The uncle did state that the linkage was one of Gene's earliest, and the more I study the photos, the more I think that it is.







(Click on exploded view of my linkage below to see large version inside the window

What do you guys think? If only the uncle (or Gene) were still around to shed some light. Do I now need to buy some of Glenn's Disco Blue?

[Richard Roth]

Your linkage is an early Berg and should be painted blue sans Speedwell decals !

[ST DRAGN]

John's linkage is a correct Speedwell linkage. The disco blue "T" early Berg linkage was a 70's version. (btw:the GB name plate was not offer on them)
someone placed it on that one!  Anyways, this a first generation GB had spin-off linkage looked just like the Speedwell, the only difference is the 3 mounting eyebolts that GB used. Speedwell used the 3 blocks.

Just for the record Speedwell released their linkage before GB did..

[Glenn]

Those fresh air tubes have got to go though!

Agreed... get either a 40hp "stale air" for non-dog house or a 73 Type 181 for dog house.

Come on JP those Connecticut winters are not that cold.

[Richard Roth]

John's linkage is a correct Speedwell linkage. The disco blue "T" early Berg linkage was a 70's version. (btw:the GB name plate was not offer on them)
someone placed it on that one!  Anyways, this a first generation GB had spin-off linkage looked just like the Speedwell, the only difference is the 3 mounting eyebolts that GB used. Speedwell used the 3 blocks.

Just for the record Speedwell released their linkage before GB did..

Art,

Believe it or not, the very first BERG linkages looked just like the Speedwell units and were painted blue.
If you can get to the Schley Brothers museum, they have one on display.

[ST DRAGN]

Yes Rich, That's what I was trying to get across.. early GB was a Spin off from Speedwell..

[John P]

Agreed... get either a 40hp "stale air" for non-dog house or a 73 Type 181 for dog house.

Come on JP those Connecticut winters are not that cold.

And this is coming from a guy who parks his car during the winter?!  It reminds me of all the macho Cal-Look guys from Orange County who post that "heaterboxes are for wusses!" Yeah, it's easy to be tough where it the climate is so extreme. 

[John P]

Art/Richard, thanks for your replies. Yeah, it sounds like it's an early Berg. "To blue or not to blue, that is the question?"

Some progress this past weekend...

Naked sex version, now with stock heater hoses. Note that I even used original VW fresh air hose clamps.

I have to admit, it does look better. What do you think?

And Glenn, the UNI's are back on so I don't have to listen to you nag me at Litchfield. 

[Dave Conklin (Cornpanzers)]

So much better!
I suspect that this is a really early Berg.  What I figure happend was that Gene bought Speedwells and modified them for a while before tooling up and building his own.  Thats just a guess tho.

[John P]

Thanks, and that makes sense, as it aligns with the story the nephew told me about his uncle.