Super-secret 356 Coupe Project

[smallspeed]

I'm planning on building a speedster clinic 356 Coupe for my wifes 40th birthday present - this is a super-secret project, she has no idea about it at all! How I'm going to keep it that way I don't know, but I'm going to try..

Anyway! I have some engine questions and they're probably laughably basic for VW / Porsche people, but there's SO much info on the internet that I'm finding it all more confusing than helpful.

Plan is a daily driveable, decent power and torque (90-100bhp) reliable engine (its for my wife remember) and I'm thinking of the following spec..

69mm counterweighted crank
94mm pistons/barrels
Engle 110 or 120 cam
Lightweight flywheel
Ported / polished twin-port heads
Somewhere around 8.75 - 9:1 compression ratio
4x ITB's / injectors, Megasquirt 2 Extra ECU, wideband, etc.

I'm planning (as always) to do pretty much everything myself, and with this in mind, I'm trying to buy just what I need. Crank, pistons/barrels, cam, heads and flywheel could be new or used but most likely will buy new. What I'm not 100% sure on is the case! I need an engine to base this on/build up, and there seems to be a lot of options available. Bearing in mind what I've said above..

Can I buy a 1300 engine and use that for the case/bits and bobs, or do I need a 1600 as a base for a larger bore engine build? Seems like most of it is being replaced anyway, so not sure on this one..

Is there a "good" (or better) engine case I should use as a base? Better oil cooling, piston squirters, 360-degree thrust bearings, better sump, etc., etc.?

Can I buy a single port engine and just change the heads to make a twin port? Or are there differences other than the cylinder heads between single and twin port engines?

Is there something else I'm missing, like using a 2.0 bus engine straight out of a vanagon or something?

Hope someone can help

..ALSO..

If my spec is a joke please let me know - I have no parts right now (other than a left over megasquirt and a box full of random throttle bodies and injectors) so I'm all ears if there's a better way to get a decent torquey 100-ish BHP engine that's going to be suitable for a 40yr old woman to just get in and drive

[Nige]

I tell you what is a joke the fact that you try and pull this off as a gift for the wife when we all know that it's you that really wants it.

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/ is probably a good starting point for picking up a type 1 motor may even find one with go faster bits already screwed on in some form or other, wouldn't bother with type iv/2.0 as it's more spendy and you got to mod it for upright cooling, etc.

Personally I'd focus on the build of the shell and chassis, get that right, SVA'd, etc and just stick a standard 1600 twin port in initially (it'll be fast enough) and then think about putting a hotter motor in it further down the line. The engine is the easy part. I'd put more effort into a decent IRS setup and front axle like the Red 9 setup http://www.red9design.com/type1.htm and decent brakes.

Also when is she 40, hopefully not next month.

[Nige]

Probably a half decent starting point if it's screwed together OK
http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=1456962

[smallspeed]

Thanks for the info.. She's 34 in October this year, so I have time and plan on doing it right first time if you know what I mean - I'm still finishing my car right now, but can work on things like engines, gearboxes, etc., without her catching wind of it all, and before I need to start thinking about more space to work in

[shambly]

If it were me, and 100 miles range was enough, for 5 years time i'd be seriously considering building it with an electric motor...

Simon

[smallspeed]

If it were mine I probably would too.. And that's one of the hardest things about this - I'm building it for someone else
Re: Nige's comment, this really isn't for me or it would be a gp5 e21 or gp.a e30 bmw thread

[Bruce M]

Don't know about your Mrs but for most people who are used to moderns, the classic experience is most flawed with the brakes. I'd suggest considering fitting a servo to the system, some how. Maybe an electric steering column too (from a clio?).

Engine wise... I'd personally go with a stock 914 1.7 (high compression version, ditch the head gaskets too), with a mild cam and upright CSP T1 cooling conversion. With well tuned efi it would be ideal & unstressed.

Or go electric.

[smallspeed]

I agree, brakes are a weak-point on anything "old"..
I'd 100% be fitting a servo and decent discs/callipers. probably ABS too

[hot66]

In a light car like this will be , servo could be overkill.

[jb]

Save the heartache.
Spend time with her take her places instead of burying yourself in the workshop for days
Buy her a pretty little car. A Fiat 500 maybe or a little Audi TT or a Boxter
However the project sounds fun for you instead

[Black Betty]

Just fit a type 4 engine: stronger than the Beetle engine (aluminium vs magnesium and also more hp), very reliable and a perfect engine for a DD...

[mdmax72]

Have you set a budget??

If your after something with torque, go the type 4 route. Get yourself a 1700 and build a 1911/2056 on a budget.

Deffo standard steering and brakes can be scary for a women with these cars. I went the Red9 route has it incorporates a rack and pinion in the set up. Also have disks all round with a servo. Total transformation. Once set up arrow straight even under braking.

[mycar]

Save the heartache.
Spend time with her take her places instead of burying yourself in the workshop for days
Buy her a pretty little car. A Fiat 500 maybe or a little Audi TT or a Boxter
However the project sounds fun for you instead

Agreed. Have a think what she would really want for her birthday. I vote for diamonds.

Girls often say they don't want diamonds... right up until they open the box.

Alternatively, six years is plenty of time for the classic car market to come crashing round our ears. Save all that money you'll spend on a kit car and wait for the bubble to burst.

[hot66]

the old guys talk sense

[smallspeed]

Maybe so, but they've never met my Mrs - she'd definitely want a 356 over (pretty much) any ring, and if I brought her "a nice car like a TT or a fiat 500" she'd file for a divorce! She's a cross country eventer (horses) so anything modern under about 300bhp just wouldn't cut it she's also a vet, so locking myself away in the garage for hours is irrelevant - she works 15hr days 5 days per week which gives me about 3hrs per night garage time before I have to get the dinner on for when she gets home

She's been banging on about wanting a "356 outlaw" for as long as I can remember, so 100% I have no doubt this would be THE blow-away 40th birthday present for her, I just need to make it how she expects a 356 is to drive

Brakes wise, I have no servo in my track car and she's fine with that - I guess with the correct pedal ratio and mc sizes that might not necessarily be an issue however I will wait and see..

Power steering is something I could add later too if required, especially with the design9 front end and a proper rack. I'd aim to use a big steering wheel anyway, so I guess I can "suck it and see", it might be OK without..
The design9 front end and discs all around though is definitely the sort of direction I'd like to take this in - I'm not looking for 100% originality, more a "modern feeling classic" as I'm sure if she drove a bone-stock 356 she'd probably hate it

RE: Engine options, a t4 engine could be a good base. Like I say it wouldn't be an all out power engine, I'd rather create something with a decent combination of torque and power that is nice to drive rather than hard work - provided it feels quick it will be fine.. I know its not going to be "proper-quick" compared to the other cars she drives, but it needs to feel fast enough to be fun and I think 100bhp is about where that's at in something like a 356 rep

Thanks for the input guys, and keep it coming!