The Official 356Talk Forum

how much can be done to a stock 356 motor without going polo?

I think Wilhoit's 2.2 kit is about it.
http://willhoit-auto-restoration.mybigc ... ngine-kit/

Matthew Devereux wrote: ↑Sun Aug 11, 2019 10:26 am I think Wilhoit's 2.2 kit is about it.
http://willhoit-auto-restoration.mybigc ... ngine-kit/

thanks!

OT, but what is the cam of choice for a 1600 Super motor build?
I have two engines both from 1959. Both built by somebody else. The cams have no markngs on them. Trying to figure out what they are and if i should use them again.

I’d go factory or one of the so-called factory grinds that is similar. They already figured a nice compromise of a torque curve.

so what is the best all round upgrade for the buck? 2.2L?, polo?, Twin plug?

how much does a Polo Engine cost ?
and how much does a Wilhoit 2.2 cost.. both sound very expensive to me ..
that said.. do it once right and it is only expensive once..

Dean is a dear friend of mine, so I want to speak respectfully about the beautiful and powerful motors he creates. I also built many big type! and type4 motors for racing and street back in the day. Strokers, turbos, nitro, loved them all. But I have to agree completely with Mr. Murray, they are all just "wrong" in a 356!

Just taken delivery of my Polo kit. Long road ahead but very excited
Jim, contact Dean via his website and he can confirm prices: http://www.polomotor.com/

Tom,
How many bucks is your wife going to let you spend here? You're talking 30+K territory, versus maybe 10K for a nice warmed-up 1720 that will still put a big smile on your face.

One of Emory’s engines is far more powerful than wilhoits. Unless I had the complete package (brakes, suspension, transmission) I would stay with a 1720 as mentioned.

I don’t think Rod sells them separately. His new engines are much better than the original Polo ones too.

When Dean was first working out his Polo, he just took a bandsaw and chopped stuff up, and then welded the pieces back together. As can be seen from Julian's picture above, Polo's have come a long way!

would you call that a 5 bearing set up ?

There are 6 bearings in total. One either side of each big end journal = 5 plus a nose bearing. Original flat 6 has 8 bearings in total...