356 gearbox removal.

[Peter Roberts]

Shortly starting my restoration and first job is engine and gearbox out. Engine out is straightforward ( i understand the Porsche record is under 9 minutes) but i need to move the car to another site after taking out the gearbox. Can you remove the gearbox and axles and the refit rear wheels to make the car mobile again. I have stripped 911's and the drive shafts on those make it simple but having not removed a 356 gearbox before i am not sure if this is possible.

[Ashley James]

I don’t think you can do that because the drive shafts remain attached to the gearbox.

[Ignatzcatz]

N O no Pete, as Ash said the axles, like the add are one with the transaxle. But I did weld up a very cheap and effective dolly so I could push my shell around. It was a few metres of 2" x 1" steel, some square plates and four casters from Screwfix, you could even bolt most of it together. It was just perfect to be able to spin it around 360 degrees in the garage.

[Peter Roberts]

I am aware that the drive shafts stay attached to the gearbox but i was hoping the hubs could be removed and bolted back onto the trailing arms. Obviously not!!!!
My problem is that i am taking it to one site on a trailer to take out the engine and box. i was then going to trailer it to another site for the body welding then back home to strip the car down . Making a dolly is a possibility but would not fancy trailing it around and loading and unloading without 4 wheels fitted. Has anyone tried making stub axles to put the wheels back on or am i talking rubbish? Would driveshafts and hubs ( without gearbox) from a VW fit as a temp measure to put the wheels back on and tying up the driveshafts just to move it around?. Sourcing those would be cheaper than genuine Porsche items.

[S.J.Szabo]

Mr.Roberts:

Well, there are a few ways to work this, but all involve a fair amount of ingenuity and a bunch of work.

On the other hand, you could save the work on the gearbox until the tub is back at your digs to work on it. It's just a small change to the critical path diagram, but saves a bunch of non-necessary work time.

Or find a junk box to be the wheel/axle holder.

Just a thought...

[Ignatzcatz]

I've just nipped out and had a quick lie down under my 356, and I reckon with not too much fabrication you could run supports from the transaxle hoop thingy back to the rear bumper locations then rig a small trailer axle and wheels onto this assembly and, bingo, you are mobile. Obviously as you are undertaking a restoration job yourself you must have skills in this regard so I think the foregoing might have possibilities. Or you may think I'm quite mad and I for one wouldn't argue with your assumptions for one minute.

[Peter Roberts]

We are all quite mad to evn own and restore 356's Thanks for the advice i will look into it as i do have the ability to build such a device

[roy mawbey]

Yes I think SJ has a point there, ' leave the gearbox in place '. Only when the main work is done attend to that. Of course if the rust is really bad you cannot attend to the sheet metalwork that' s above it and most bodywork restorations now take place on a rotisserie.

Just how far are you going with the restoration? How long do you think it will take? Does the gearbox need work?

For sure, a bare bones body is the best way no question but, its all dependant on what time and money you have to spend on it. A 356 restorer would take it in, take it apart, then mount it on a spit, get it media blasted, weld and finish and attend to all the running gear and organize painting and interior.

How much do you want to do, and how much are you happy doing?

Never removed the gearbox on my car, and the metal is great above it, possible yours is too?

Roy

[Peter Roberts]

The car is generally in good nic. Its not a rust bucket. i have a hole in the front floor but sills and longitudanals look good. I am not doing a complete back to shell and bare metal strip down. Engine out for clean and paint only. Gearbox has a selector problem that why it has to come out. Front axle is coming off to be rebuilt and painted even though there does not appear to be a problem with it. Body work will be rubbed back to bare metal and painted. I had some small holes in the door and front wing but these were cut out and new plates welded in a few years ago. I expect the job to take about 6 months as as i am now retired the winter days can be more than filled with productive work.
My real problem is moving it to another site if i take the gearbox out. My thinking now is to get all the welding done first then bring it home and take the engine and box out. i have a lift that takes the car up 4 ft so i have the facilities. My original plan to take it to a friends garage with a full size lift is that he would assist me in taking it out but i am sure i can get him to come to my garage to help.
Other than carpets the interior is perfect with seats and upholstery only needing a clean. Chroming is going to be a big expense as i intend to get all the chrome bits replated and friends have told me this is not cheap. But what does it matter as it will just heap more value on the car

[roy mawbey]

You mention a gear selection problem and that's why you are going to remove the gearbox. Just a thought, selection problems are often the result of bushings or even loose bolts. The arrangements for the linkage under the gear stick and under the cover at the back under the rear tunnel cover might sort out the problem by not having to remove the gearbox. I had a similar problem almost 10 years ago and if you look on this link below so have others and descriptions are clear.

Before removing the gearbox might be worth reading the 2 pages in the link and then look to see your situation. You have I presume, the correct type of workshop manual to see the selector system on your car?
http://forum.porsche356registry.org/vie ... c7fa3d6e7d

Roy

[Peter Roberts]

My problem with selection is only on second gear. When i shift up from 1 st to 2nd I pull the stick back to neutral position then have to move the stick to the left and then pull down into second ( just like changing into first in a 911 dog box) Stick will not pass neutral position if i try to go straight down as it should. All other gears are fine and when i change down from 2nd into first it goes in straight. Do you think this could be loose bushes. Other than that problem gearbox is fine, no whining, good synchos and drives normally. I have had the car 15 years and done nothing on it in that time so wear in bushes could be an issue. There are no records in the history that suggests the previous owner had it done so perhaps i should look at these before stripping out the box just in case I can save myself a whole lot of work.

[roy mawbey]

Peter,

I would investigate that for sure by removing the front tunnel section by the gear stick look at the motion and its components. You will see the way the rear back up light is operated by movement across the tunnel by the gear stick.

The fact you can shift down to first surely means that the shafting is operational but the connections of the linkage might be out of adjustment. You can see all that if you remove the back cover sat the back of the seats. I might just ask the question of a good guy in the states. Mike at PRS knows gearboxes inside out too.

Worth a few hours as the job to remove and go through that box is not easy. Try everything first take photos too.

Study it carefully!!!

Roy

[simon james]

Peter, when I bought my T6 the gear change was lousy. It tuned out to be the ball cup thing on the bottom of the stick that was fractured in two places as well as a loose pinch bolt on the rod at the gearbox end of the tunnel.
New bits were cheap, but a week later the diff exploded in spectacular fashion, bending the main shaft and breaking the rubber transmission mounts in the process.
Being an SC you should have a twelve bolt diff carrier so possibly not as crack prone as the VW derived one???
At the very least I'd always inspect the diff carrier, but if you've had it for 15 years then it could be ok!