Not another 356 restoration

[Ignatzcatz]

Steve, if you could get that info on the screen I would be most grateful.

[Ignatzcatz]

Here's some new stuff, I seem to have been rubbing down pug for so long on the front end, its pretty good now where the new wing and front end all meet up. I braced the front with a hidden strut running fron the battery tray to the lower lip on the front end because it had some movement in it. So yesterday I turned my attention to the wipers. When I got the car it had nothing in the way of wipers and having seen how neat the wipers are on 911's I decided to get this set up. It is a complete unit all self contained plus it is 12v which is what I want and it's a three speed motor. The only problem is the spindle spread on the 356 is 440mm and the spread on the 911 is only 360mm. No prob really, just drill out a couple more holes and weld up the old ones. I welded up the aerial hole as well as I will run a windscreen mount aerial to keep things clean. Yeah I know it's not stock but neither is my car and it certainly sorted some problems for me.

[Ignatzcatz]

Ever feel like you are taking two steps forward but find that you really are three steps back, this restoration deal is a struggle. I got the front panels on and all pugged and smoothed then I decided I did'nt like the two horn grill openings, they just looked like two gaping big holes so I welded them up. Unfortunately, my TIG welder decided to pack up so I had to gas weld the last bit which slightly distorted the panel. I was able to panel bash the worst bit out and filled the undulation. With all the pugging, flatting and subsequent mess in my previously neato garage, I decided to go to work on all the blips and dips and dents on the body. Just about a months' worth of block sanding and it's looking good now and the arms are like Lou Ferrigno. One item I knew was really crappy was the fuel tank. Mine's got the neck which is accessed via the fender. I knew it was bad after my shotblaster returned it to me with the bottom of it looking like a collander. As the price for a new one is in the 800 region I had no option but to weld on a few patch panels. Fortunately it has been a long while since any gas was in the tank but I still wafted the lit torch into the spout of the tank while I hid behind a wall of the garage. No bangs, good lets get to work. I put six panels into the base of the tank and checked for any leaks with an air gun from my compressor. No leaks but I still sloshed some Harley D tank sealer in it just to make doubly sure. It's an elastomer compound which fills in all the little nooks and crannies. My trans is away being checked out at the moment. Hopefully it will pass with a clean bill of health, but I Fedexed a trans rebuild gasket kit in from Stoddards for the rebuild. I emailed them on Monday and got the kit on Thursday. That's good for the UK let alone from across the big pond. I hav'nt taken any new pics cos it still looks like a piece of s**t, and that's a base problem to keep working, but I am and my spray gun trigger figure is getting itchy.
I have to find or make some seat runners and start on the interior. There is a carbon fibre dash panel and remote switchgear panel coming so I better finish this coffee and rock on.

[Ignatzcatz]

Thought I better update the log as it's a coupla months since my last script. All the underside is now sealed and sprayed. I have only used 2 pack as I did'nt want the arches etc. all lumpy with underseal stuff and I usually, no always wash under wheel arches. I have had some problems with my other vehicles over the past few months. My truck came up for it's MOT test and I decided to use a local MOT station. Now my truck is about 20 foot long and pretty wide and in manoeuvering the beast off the lift the front wheel slipped off the side of the ramp and the truck impailed itself on the power box situated alongside the ramp. The result was a big ding just behind the drivers, nearside door. Oh and my truck failed the test on rear handbrake cables, these are never used because its always in park on the auto, and front ball joints. I had to get the cables and joints from the States via my UK supplier WASP in Wisbech so delays there. I repaired the dent by cutting out the inner panel and hammer and dollying it out but as the truck is too big for my garage plus the weather turned crappy I had to find a painter and did I ever find one. This guy is in the next village and I've never heard of him before. He is primarily a vehicle restorer and when I visited his shop he was working on a MG TC a Citroen ID21 and his own truck a '55 Chevy in Aston Martin black which has an amazing red tint to it. Anyway he did a super job on my truck, not cheap but not dear and he will definitely be spraying my 356 when the time comes. So truck repaired and all MOT work done and a pass at a commercial test center, no falling off ramps this time. And then my Buell developed an annoying oil leak. which I checked to find was coming from the oil tank which at best is part hidden by bodywork. The rear bodypanel isnt too much fun to get off but I had to have three goes untill I finally located the leak which was a tiny split on a seam. This was after rewelding both inlet and outlet and drain hole. Fortunately all welds were on the inside so the exterior still retained its polished finish. Next on the agenda was to get my Harley all spivved up for a motorcyle show happening at the end of October. This was the last time I have ridden the old girl and what a beautiful morning it was. Just a superb Autumnal morning, blue skies dry roads wonderful sunshine and the bike was running just great. I had spent a few evenings polishing up the Harley and I was knocked out to be awarded 1st place in my class for best overseas bike. Result! Well I don't have to tell you what the weather is doing right now so the bikes are tucked up warm in the garage. She who must be obeyed still does'nt allow me the bring the Harley into the lounge, it is a bit leaky so I guess that's OK. So at last back onto the 356 and I have been ordering lots of parts. I spent an evening with the Stoddard catalog and ordered about 400 bucks worth of kit the biggest being a king pin and link pin kit. Lots of bushes for the shifter, pedals and all cables. From Jegs Automotive I've ordered a complete set of Autometer gauges, these are going into a carbon fibre dash panel. I have had all this stuff sent to a pal of mine near Sacramento because I'm flying over to spend the Christmas week with him, so my pressies will be waiting for me. Last week I got a pair of Cibie Oscars for the car and although it will be one of the last things to go on the car, these lights are so lovely I could'nt wait to fabricate a pair of lamp brackets for them. Pics will follow when I paint them. I'm still waiting for the trans to be checked but it has been promised for early January and then I can really get cracking.

[roy mawbey]

Well, you certainly have applied effort to this. So easy to walk away from a rebuild as difficult as you are attempting. I really hope the next stages work out well for you. Very interested in seeing some final photo's when you are ready to do so.

Its not an easy job is it!!!

Well done for staying with it,

Roy

[owen nw]

like this one me self , i like to see how other people work owen nw

[Ignatzcatz]

Good heavens, it was Dec last year when I last scribed some stuff about the old relic. Actually, although throughout this very cold Winter I have been in the garage a lot, I just hav'nt had the time to punch a few keys. Anyway I'm at work at the mo and it's very quiet so let's bring things up to date. Last week I finally journeyed up to PR in Billericay to get some front suspension parts I was lacking from Paul. As these parts hold the kingpins I asked Paul to do the biz with the reamer and hopefully I will be able to pick these up in a week or so's time. Whilst in this neck of the woods I nipped down to Home Grown Hot Rods in Southend. I took my shotblasted engine cover there to have two sections of 4" louvers punched in it. What actually will happen is that matey will cut out a section of steel and work it through his english wheel to replicate the compound curves of the engine lid, punch the louvers and then weld it into the space left by removing the twin grills which I think look like something left over from a barbecue.
One job I have been putting off is attending to the fuel tank which after getting it shotblasted, it came back doing a good impession of a collander. As a new one listed for about 800euros I took the only other option and folded up and welded a new base for it. I really wanted 16 gauge but I could only get 18 gauge however the thinner metal folded and formed easier and I don't expect it'll rust through with some protection. I have pressure tested the tank now and it's leak proof but I'm still going to swill some sealer round in it just to make doubly sure. I am doing away with my factory fuel tap and filter and just run dash 6 braided to a remote filter in the engine compartment and the suck and blow will be via a Carter pump I had left over from my Cobra build. One problem I had with the new fuel tank base was that I omitted to thoroughly check the angles and depth of the new section and guess what it did'nt bloody fit the hole in the body. Still a bit of the old heat an hammer and she sits sweet in the hole now. OK now for the next bit, anyone who is anti-outlaw, stock or die or anyone who is a member of the 356 Registry, look away now. Tailights chucked in the bin, I have french'd in '39 Ford tailights vertically into the rear wings, french'd in a US size licence plate aperture and fabricated a pair of dinky little nerf bars which are away being chromed now together with the complete and I mean everything, front end of my Harley. I don't know how much that lot will be, but I won't be telling the wife.
I reckon I have just about eveything I need now for the car and I am just a spit away from starting the big build up. I have decided to farm out the bodywork so I am not worrying about getting panels straight and such but I am doing a bit of leading especially on the front end and bonnet where the panel gaps are a bit off. It's only recently that I have started to use lead as filler and it's just so good, much better than plastic filler although it does take a bit of getting the hang of; I started with oxyacetylene but I use a propane torch which is much more flexible. Now the last thing is not directly 356 related but . . where before I suffered in the garage with a poxy old parrafin stove and fan heater, I've now got an infra red wall mounted heater. It's the bo**ox. No smell, no noise, no condensation, sometimes too much heat. They're about a 100 squidz, get them from Sealey or Ebay list some, definatelly very good. Gosh, time to go home, see you guys.
Ig . . . .zzzz

[58A - 71E]

Tailights chucked in the bin, I have french'd in '39 Ford tailights vertically into the rear wings, french'd in a US size licence plate aperture and fabricated a pair of dinky little nerf bars which are away being chromed now together with the complete and I mean everything, front end of my Harley.

Got any pics / drawings of how this will look, I really cant visualise it (and I'm not someone who believes Porsche can do no wrong )

[Ignatzcatz]

Onward and upward we go. I'm in the garage most days and it still looks like a rusty shell, well not so rusty, actually totally rust free now but still just a shell nonetheless. It does have a shifter now. New bushes in the stick and long rod and U jay thingy. I pulled the trans apart and everything looked OK so I threw it back together again. Paul at PR told me what to look for and I did'nt find any. I'm glad. But it seems everything I'm doing now has pieces missing. I have had to fabricate a gas pedal and linkage cos I did'nt have one. I have a clutch cable but I've had to make clevises. I fitted the trans but I did'nt have the trans mount to trans bolts. There was no clutch release bearing but I got one from Brays when I was down in Cornwall for a few days. (The surf was crap) I have no bonnet or engine lid catches but I got a neat little set for the rear from the NSRA swap meet and I'll be down at the local breakers to find something usable for the front. My good buddy Mike came by in his immac T5 so I was able to get some pics of his latches and fittings. He had just got back from the big 356 meet at Liepzig which he said was very good indeed. And another thing I'm missing is the locking studs that hold the front torsion bars. With regard to the interior although I know my doors are both complete I have absolutely nothing in the way of heater ducting or controls. I did run a hot rod Pop for two years without a heater, although the 5 lire V8 up front did a fair impression of one. However the rear suspension is just about in, half the brake are done and I just need those front torsion bars studs and I will be able to rock on with the front suspension. When I am able to bolt on those Fuchs which are sitting patiently up in the garage rafters gathering dust, it wil be just huge. I heard last week that all my chrome is done including my sweeet nerf bars and tons of Harley stuff which will really keep me busy. And speaking of Harleys my 'local' dealer Black Bear HD in Newmarket called me t'other day about a bitchin Fat Boy and I am seriously tempted. Is three bikes getting greedy? nah, but I might have to speak to the handbrake about this one.
Keep spannerin

[Ignatzcatz]

I'm in from the garage early tonight cos I'm just ever so slightly well f@*%ed off with my lack of progress on the old boat. I got all the rear suspension on sweet as, well not really, with new inner and outer rubbers, getting the radius arms onto the torsion bars and seated so the cover plates could be bolted down was far from easy. I had to position the inner rubbers into the torsion bars first then push on the radius arms into very tight rubber bushes whilst trying to get them to locate on the splines of the torsion bars and keep them at the required angle. You can't hammer anything that is being positioned into a rubber housing cos it just bounces back so it took a considerable amount of muskle and a bit of sweat to seat these radius arms. But job done and I was looking forward to bolting up the front suspension which I thought would just ease on sweet as. No chance. On measuring the offset between the trailing arms, as per the manual I was expecting something around the 5 to 9mm region. OMG 17.5 mm. This is way out. So I slackened everything off, swapped the arms, same offset, swapped the torsion bars, same offset. The nearside wheel has positive camber, the offside has negative camber. I am now thinking that the old boat might have had some previous accident damage. I am also thinking about junking this whole front suspension and going for a street rod style independant front. I built them for the last two street rods I had so why not for this beastie. I mean link pins and kingpins were designed in the early nineteenth century, not exactly cutting edge technology. Oh what to do, anyway the saving grace for the moment is that my 944 disc brake adaptor plates look and fit great. Hey, another Southern Comfort and I'm off for an early night.

[roy mawbey]

Well, I feel tired out just reading about your work on the 356 let alone doing doing it. You really are brave person to keep going. I can't imagine the problems you might encounter changing to another suspension system have you really, really, tried to fathom out what is actually wrong?

Sometimes, you need to stop forget about it for few days and sometimes on your return to the problem you can see the answer to resolve it.

Best of luck and let us know.

Roy

[Ignatzcatz]

Ahh thanks for the kind words Roy, It's nice to know I'm not alone with my struggles. Yes, I stood back and pondered, finished off the SC and decided to plumb down and firstly get some dimensions. I plumbed down from existing bolt holes on the car and lengthways and crossways it was dead on, well to about an eighth. So at least I know it's square. At the outset of this restoration I costed out going to coilovers on the front suspension using parts from a USA dealer via Pelican parts. It uses rods through the torsion bar tubes as locators with forged arms similar to the stockers and the coilover shock into the stock location up top. It came out to a sniff under 900 bucks and although I fancy a few track days with the old boat, this deal was really for full time racers, so at that time I discounted it, however I am thinking along these lines again. But firstly I am going to mill the bosses where the link pins fit and see if I can get to similar cambers left and right. I think this route is the easiest and cheapest and hopefully will provide results. I am having a few days off soon so I'll be able to really crack on with the beast. I feel the car is taking much longer to build than I had hoped. I built a Pop street rod in under a year and that included boxing the chassis, making motor and trans mounts for the V8, fitting front and rear suspension, plenty of bodywork, full interior and wiring and loads more stuff. Anyway I realize this is a different animal but when it's done it's gonna be good.

[cubist]

I was mulling over a similar set up a while back. Looking at the shortest coilovers available (proper mini, golf, Westfield etc) and locating in the std top shock mount, it didn't appear too difficult to fabricate some lower mounts that would bolt up to the stock arms. By removing the adjustable centre clamp bolts, the torsion bars would then become unsprung full width locating bars in tubes to hang the car on... Discuss!

[Ignatzcatz]

All the parts for this coilover non-torsion bar conversion was available from California Import Parts which are in, you guessed it - Canada, oh well. Anyway some guy emailed me from the Pelican parts forum and listed all the stuff you need. I am sure it's all still available, an email to Cal Imports should assist.
So following on from my restoration ramblings, I have made a wierd discovery which I am at a loss to understand. As I mentioned before, with the torsion arms correctly assembled on the car, the alignment difference was way out both sides in the region of 20mm. Upon dissassembly I found both torsion bars were of identical length and as far as I can evaluate all 4 arms share same dimensions. Now with all this stuff off the car - again I rigged up one assembly on the bench, so picture this if you can, the stubb axle is secured in the vice vertically thereby the torsion link which carries the kingpin sitting horizontally and the link pins positioned in their respective holes minus any shims. Ok now position the radius arms correctly on their respective link pins so the steering arm - part of the torsion link - points down where the lower torsion arm with the shock boss is. This is as it should be on the car. The result the offset way out - 20mm. No good. Now swap the torsion arms so the lower arm is in the upper position and upper is in a lower position. Result - offset spot on approx 3mm. My thoughts on rectifying this problem would indicate that the torsion links incorporating the steering arm are fitted 180 degrees out. The solution, as far as I can see, would be to press out the kingpin, turn the links around and press the pins back in. Am I right or am I on another planet. I would like to take advice on this but I'm not too sure who to ask, but I am sure there is a simple solution to this, I hope.

[Ignatzcatz]

Computers, don't you just love em. So I took my front torsion arms to a friend of a friends CNC computer and got all the arms scanned. Then had the outline printed out and guess what we found, two arms were way out of spec. But you could'nt see the difference just holding them, they looked spot on. So I went up to see my pal Mark at Flatland Engineering (aircooled VW engineer extrordinaire) and picked up a couple of VW arms which are exactly the same apart from the anti roll bar mounts which I ground off and re-welded onto the vdub parts. Also they don't have the additional bearing collar but I gave the spec to my local engineering shop and they are tooling up some new collars which will be a press fit onto the torsion arms. I am sure all the offsets will now be perfect and hopefully, I will be able to dial in a bit of negative camber. I have my little nerf bars back all chromed up and very sexy. I got some runners for my bucket seats although I will have to raise them up a bit so's I can see out the windows. Oh and I got my 356 Registry US style number plate surround chromed too and this just looks too cool in the french'd plate section on the car. So I'm back from the depths of doom and gloom and happily twirling me spanners once again.