Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

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Robneal
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Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by Robneal »

The project starts here...

I have been dying to build and drive a 356 Pre a for years but personal circumstances only now allow me to start turning my dream into a reality. I have been parts collecting for 12 months and now my Speedster Clinic Chassis is now on order so I thought I would start my build thread now as I can now stop dreaming and start building.

I am determined to document the whole process of the complete build as although the Internet is a wonderful thing, I am often left wondering with other projects over some of the details of how people integrated certain parts on projects so with lots of photo's and plenty of detail I will let you know how I chose and integrate each of my parts, and document any mistakes along the way in the hope others will earn from my mistakes.

I am a little nervous of stating a timeline but unless I put a line in the sand then I fear this like other projects will drift. However I do think the limiting factor to this like most projects will be funds so with all this in mind I am putting a date of December 2019 as my first on the road date, so 730 days to go...

I will try and update regularly and will start by publishing the plan and vision for the car and then over the first few months I will cover off the bits I have already done and then the updates will be as and when I get round to the individual build items.

Hope You all find it useful, and be sure to let me know what you think.
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Bootsy
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by Bootsy »

Look forward to following the build - saw a pic up on Facebook of Speedster Clinic Pre A shell - looks good
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by Gary71 »

This will be great to read, a replica is the only viable way into this body shape these days.
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by smallspeed »

really looking forward to this! i'm currently in the planning stages (although already have a 4 page thread :lol: ) for a speedster clinic coupe build, so hoping to gain a lot of insights from your build :)
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by Robneal »

OK My inspiration....

Body Shape - So I love the look of the Pre A as I think it has the best lines by far and the bent window front windscreen is pure Hot Rod. The Red beehive rear lights also in my opinion are the best lights you can get on a 356 and lastly the bumpers where they wrap around the body seem to lengthen it and make it lower and meaner.

Style - I love the outlaw style, but it has been done to death so I want to take mine in a slightly different direction combining the best of Outlaw styling with my true roots as a Hot Rodder, and then put a modern twist on the whole thing so watch this space for what that actually means in terms of style....There is a clue in the title of the thread.

I did a lot of searching on the internet about who makes the Pre A shape and although there are manufacturers in the USA the only manufactures in the UK made the 356a versions of the Coupe (Martin & Walker & Speedster Clinic at the time). So 18 months ago I saw Gary at Speedster Clinic was working on a Pre A version so this was the natural choice for me.....

I have attached a few photos to show my inspiration so hopefully you will see the sort of style I am going for.

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[/img]https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4004/356 ... 2521_c.jpg[/img]

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Last edited by Robneal on Mon Jul 03, 2017 8:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
greg356a
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by greg356a »

Most excellent, another build :)

Do you have a specification mapped out? engine (carbs or injection), gearbox, brakes, wheels/ tyres, suspension, colour, interior etc etc?

It would be great to use video to show build progress, my problem was always being short of time to document progress

:)
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by Robneal »

I should probably give you a little more around a specification, as inspiration pictures are one thing but my specification is pretty much solid....

OK, as I said body wise it will be a Pre-A style body that will be black with blacked out chrome on door handles, light rims and Door Frames.
Wheels, I have 2 sets of wheels, (one for summer and one for winter- get me changing my wheels with the seasons) I have now collected 4 x Porsche 10 hole space savers that I will get stripped and Diamond cut to give them a matt alloy finish 3 of which I found on UK EBAY, but the last one I had to get from USA via Pelican parts forum. I have also recently taken delivery of some very rare 2 piece 60's racing wheels that look somewhat like centrelines....one of them needs some major repairs so if anyone has a recommendation of someone that can undertake a major repair to the wheel then let me know.

Here's an image of the stripped space savers I found on the net on another build....mine will be more matt finish though

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And here a some pictures of the American Racing wheels - first is an image I found on-line of a 356 with these wheels and then the last one is a picture of the actual wheel with a nasty crack that goes about 70% of the way round the wheel....

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Engine - Jenvey Fuel injected mild performance 2056cc Type 4 engine with Emerald K3 ECU - built for reliable daily driving & hoping for around 130HP

Gearbox - IRS Beetle with heavy duty side plates & still looking for preferably a 3.44 diff or failing that then a 3.88 (Anyone got one kicking about???)

Suspension - Front Red 9 wishbone set-up with Beetle Drum Brake spindles and 944 vented disks with ATE 944 Calipers - Rear Beetle IRS Arms with Red 9 Uniball and 944 brakes and a 944 master cylinder.

Interior - Porsche Electric High wing back seats.

Image

Fuel Tank - Beetle Late tank with Subaru in tank fuel pump
Last edited by Robneal on Mon Jul 03, 2017 8:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by Robneal »

lets try those pictures again - did exactly the same as last time when they worked.....F**king unreliable technology.....

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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by louis356 »

Wow, sounds good. I would love to build a coupe rep. Can't wait to see your progress. Do you have the body yet? You are already into 15 days so only 715 to go at time of writing. Watch out as time flies when you are having fun!! Good luck.
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by Robneal »

No I don't have the body yet... my thoughts were get the rolling chassis sorted first and then when I have run out of things to do then add the body.......so I reckon the body could be my Christmas present this year.

OK build Progress....lets start with the engine.....

As you will get to know I like a bargain and once I had decided to go with a type 4 engine then I made a list of all of the parts I would need to complete the engine, set some searches up on EBAY and regularly trawled the various forums to find the bits I needed. I have been collecting for over a year nowand now have all of the parts I need to put the engine together. So as not to bore you too much but to give you a clue as to what you can find if you look hard enough here's my bargain list.....
Engine Short Block with Crank, and Rods - £120 (Recouped £40 by selling on the Rods & Another 40 by selling the original Type 4 Flywheel)
Keith Black 96mm Pistons - £115 Second hand but only used to break a cam in
Heads - £450 Second hand Stateside Tuning items but I did have to change the valve springs to match the cam
Vintage Speed Equal length headers - £150 Unused
The rest of the parts including a Web cam 494, H beam Eurorace rods and 96mm barrels are all new and came from Stateside Tuning...It will all be topped off with a CSP upright cooling set-up.

Just before Christmas I dropped all of the parts down to Paul Foreman who is going to build the engine as although I have built engines in the past, this is my first foray into VW air-cooled engines and want to make sure it is done right. Paul is building the engine and then running it up testing it and breaking in the CAM. We found on closer inspection that the case needs align boring so this is is the first task, and it is off to Stateside for surgery this week.
I have asked if I can be spanner monkey for the day for Paul when he is putting the engine together so I can take some pictures and maybe learn a little from a type 4 Jedi master, so watch this space for further engine updates soon.

Meanwhile - need to complete the re-build of the rear suspension which will be my next instalment.
Last edited by Robneal on Fri Jan 20, 2017 10:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by greg356a »

Looking forward to your progress.

I would mention that whilst building my chassis I was constantly checking the body on and off for fit/ clearance etc. In the beginning there appears to be masses of room which as you add more and more parts, the space quickly disappears. In my case I pushed the pedals forward through the bulkhead to give more leg room, but then this clashed with the master cylinder/ frame tubes so I used a LHD one pushing the pipe work out of the way, the pipes are then difficult to get to whilst the fuel cell is fitted. I have pushed the fuel cell outside the steel bulkhead for added safety, now I will struggle to fit the spare wheel in the well. I would have also moved the fuse board some where else to avoid leaning over the side of the wing all the time to reach. Hopefully you get the idea, you need to be about 5 steps in front ensuring you use the space available in the best way. Anyway just trying to give you a flavour of the hurdles which I could have avoided if I placed the big components in place before going to far with the build. :)
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by Robneal »

greg356a wrote:Looking forward to your progress.

I would mention that whilst building my chassis I was constantly checking the body on and off for fit/ clearance etc. In the beginning there appears to be masses of room which as you add more and more parts, the space quickly disappears. In my case I pushed the pedals forward through the bulkhead to give more leg room, but then this clashed with the master cylinder/ frame tubes so I used a LHD one pushing the pipe work out of the way, the pipes are then difficult to get to whilst the fuel cell is fitted. I have pushed the fuel cell outside the steel bulkhead for added safety, now I will struggle to fit the spare wheel in the well. I would have also moved the fuse board some where else to avoid leaning over the side of the wing all the time to reach. Hopefully you get the idea, you need to be about 5 steps in front ensuring you use the space available in the best way. Anyway just trying to give you a flavour of the hurdles which I could have avoided if I placed the big components in place before going to far with the build. :)
Great advice...I am under 6ft so hopefully I won't need to consider moving pedal box. Would welcome all the advice you have as I love plagerise and learning from other people's mistakes.... :oops: :oops:

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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by mdmax72 »

If you got Mr Paul F putting your engine together you'll be in safe hands. ;-) he put mine together towards last year.

If your using the Red 9 rear suspension, you may end up having to change the springs if you've got a type 4 lump (being heavier) and depending on how low you want to run it. Can't remember if l need longer or shorter springs. The guys at Red 9 will happily change them if they are not scratched up etc for free. Theres a thread on here (suspension upgrade) if you go back through the pages. The front will be fine. Recommend a full suspension setup to get the most out of the suspension also. Centre Gravity are familiar with setting the Red 9 up.

Keep us all updated. Enjoy
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by Sam »

Does Paul Foreman build engines 'commercially' now?

I remember seeing the name on various forums, but thought he was just a well known amateur.

I have a 2.0 type 4 to discuss.
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Re: Burnt Pig - 356 Pre a Build Thread

Post by Robneal »

Sam wrote:Does Paul Foreman build engines 'commercially' now?

I remember seeing the name on various forums, but thought he was just a well known amateur.

I have a 2.0 type 4 to discuss.
Yep he does, & I know he stalks these forums so I am sure he will jump in and let you know what he can offer...He seems like a great chap and has provided some great unbiased advice to me on the finer details of the engine build.

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