The Official 356Talk Forum

Sweet car!!! Any issues with installing the SharpBuilt cooling shroud? Cooling ok?
Conrad

Conrad: The fan shroud fit fine, I had to do a litle fitting because of spacers under the cylinders. Cooling is fine even in 100* weather. I liked the shroud because they give you the option to use the stock cooler, no messy oil lines in the engine compartment. We are running a late RX-7 oil cooler with fan in addition in the left rear fender. Mike

Michael,
Thank you so much.
Conrad

Would love to see more photos if there is an update! Thanks
Jim

Not much to update. I pulled the mock up engine and installed the coils, breather tank & O2 controller. I've started routing the wires for the fuel injection and crank fire ignition, and working on the engine build. When the engine is finished it will go back in so I can finish wiring the coils, injectors, and sensors, then on to building the exhaust system and oil lines for the remote cooler. It's been a long slow process!

Thanks! Looking foreword to the finished product

Were the spark plugs repositioned?

Martin: Yes the plug holes are relocated. The heads start out as new AMC castings that get welded up then fully cnc machined combustion chambers along with intake ports. They are copies of the 914 2ltr combustion chambers with 44 x 38mm valves.

I've got a piece of garbage T-6 B that will never be worth restoring proper, so I'm thinking of going a little wild with this one.
I lately came across a '67 912 gearbox which, coincidently, I just rebuilt one for my 67 912, so I am familiar with them and this one checked out fine, just needs synchros and dog teeth gears. Anyway, I would like to use this in the B and am curious as to what you had to do to make it work in your C.
Thanks.

Dan kinda sounds like the start to my car. I used early 900 rear suspension components. I cut the 356 torsion tube center section out and replaced it with the 900 torsion tube. The 900 tube was cut just outside the trailing arm pivot points, a sleeve machined to align the tube and the welded in place. I had to cut the rear seat pans to get access to weld the tube, and then weld the seat pans back. The 356 rear hanger was widened and aluminum blocks bolted to allow the use of the 356 rubber mounts. A 900 early shift tower was adapted and the shift tube modified. Clutch and e brake cables will need modified, I'm sure I've fogot something, but that's about it as I remenber. once the mod's are done it's just bolting the 900 parts in place. The first picture is kind of dark but the spring plate had to be notched for the lower bolt, the second photo shows the aluminum blocks I made and bolted to the bellhousing. Go for it!

Hi Michael,
Thanks for the info.
Seat bottom removal is not a problem...mine doesn't have any!
I can weld so fabricating is not an issue. Getting the 901 bits might be the only issue since not too many 912s are getting cut up anymore.
By using the 901 mid section did that resolve the length difference in the transmission? I read that the 901 gearboxes are about four inches or so longer than the swing axle gear boxes. Or did you have to modify the body at all to make up the difference and modify the shift tube?

Dan I think the 901 transaxle is mostly longer from the nose cone forward. The shift shaft and nose cone stick further into the tunnel, and on my car I cut the tunnel opening for the shift coupler access and I'm using a 900 access cover. Not that it is necessary but you could cut about 1 1/2" off the shift shaft and redrill it for the coupler lock screw. With the 900 torsion tube center section, and all stock SWB suspension components you'll wind up with the engine setting further back in the car by about 7/8". Not really an issue unless you want to use the stock muffler, then you run into clearance problems. Bugat5speed.de makes a nose cone without the speedo drive, and allows you to move the transaxle forward some. If you send me your email I've got a PowerPoint documentation of my conversion I can send you that may answer more of your questions. I've helped with 3 conversions besides my car and no 2 are the same!

Michael,
What exhaust system are you going to use ?

I've got a set of equal length heater box headers that I'm using and will fab the rest of the exhaust. My intention is to exit out the stock openings in the body with 2 1/4" tail pipes. My fall back is to use a Bursch syetem bolted to be the headers. Just have to work out the issues once the engine is installed.

I've just got my first 356 last week and this car is an inspiration, big respect to you sir. Ideas going round my head now!!