Apal-factory or home built and how to tell ?

Philblack · Post by **Philblack** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 1:17 am

Dear Fellow Enthusiasts.
I have bought an Apal speedster replica and was wondering whether Apals were constructed in a factory, home built or both. Is it possible to tell which mine was ?
It has an Apal chassis plate and number and seems to be well constructed on a late 70s Beetle chassis (disc brakes and so-called IRS )

Thanks,
Phillip

mdmax72 · Post by **mdmax72** » Tue Nov 23, 2010 8:02 pm

Hi Phillip
congrats on your purchase, cant really help if they did self / factory builds. If its got a Apal chassis plate maybe its a factory build, I'm sure Helen on here had a Apal speedster maybe she could help.

Post a few pictures

Rich

Philblack · Post by **Philblack** » Wed Dec 08, 2010 4:12 am

No Apal owners out there who know about the cars' build history ?

Phillip

210bhp · Post by **210bhp** » Thu Dec 09, 2010 10:10 pm

Phillip

You need to pm pmjt on here. He will be able to tell you all you want to know.

Regards
Mike

pmjt · Post by **pmjt** » Fri Dec 10, 2010 7:13 am

Hi - just caught up with the thread - which Apal did you buy?

louis356 · Post by **louis356** » Sat Dec 11, 2010 9:21 am

Hi Hope you love your car.

I think they were home built and 'factory' in the UK by a company called TPC in Norfolk (I think) but they will have a build plate in the front boot next to the petrol tank with their build number on it.

I might have a copy of their brochure somewhere and I'll have a look.

I presume that they built them at the real Apal factory also

Philblack · Post by **Philblack** » Sat Dec 11, 2010 10:48 am

The Chassis no. is CMJ 136 built perhaps in 1982. Car was imported from the USA into Australia.PO purchased it from Sydney dealer and had it transported to Western Australia.[/img]

356 · Post by **356** » Sat Dec 11, 2010 9:00 pm

Apal built them in the factory and kit form , i have shortened a floor pan for a Apal body and fitted the body many years ago

TPC were in Stratford upon avon , avenue farm , birmingham rd when in business the last i heard must of moved from Norfolk ,

kitchens · Post by **kitchens** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:02 pm

Did a Google search TPC Stratford upon Avon and nothing found ,other than some one is selling a Speedster brochure on e-bay from that company ,may be of interest to you

356 · Post by **356** » Mon Dec 13, 2010 10:40 pm

kitchens wrote:Did a Google search TPC Stratford upon Avon and nothing found ,other than some one is selling a Speedster brochure on e-bay from that company ,may be of interest to you

When my workshop was in stratford i had a customer come in a pink tpc speedster would told me how he brought it from there ,

May be they were just agents ?

Philblack · Post by **Philblack** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 7:12 am

The car is LHD so I assume that if factory built it would have come from Belgium ?

pmjt · Post by **pmjt** » Wed Dec 15, 2010 7:28 am

Sorry - my experience was limited to one RHD Apal Speedster I owned. As I understood it *very* few were factory assembled being targeted at the home builder taking a Beetle and grafting the shell onto it.

Enjoy your car - I had a lot more fun in mine that I did in my RHD Speedster

P

DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Apal-factory or home built and how to tell ?

Apal-factory or home built and how to tell ?

Apal kit

tpc