My first Porsche 356 project. Am I nuts or what?

[Aaron W. Holstrom]

Great project. Nice pics too!

[Dan Epperly]

Haven't posted any updates in a while, but I have been busy working on it. Finished the metal work except the floor sections and most of the rough bodywork is done. I also set the gaps. Right now I am doings an initial block sanding over epoxy to bring out the imperfections in the metal so I can fill with thin application of glazing putty which doesn't shrink up like high build primer. After I finish that then I will shoot three coats of high build over the car and do my final blocking using a guide coat. Lot of work but it is therapeutic after a day at work.

[James Davies]

The car is looking really nice Dan! You've come a long way.

[Jim Liberty]

If the car is going to set for a prolonged period, I'd put a coat of sealer, or weld through primer on it.

................................................Jim.

[Dan Epperly]

If the car is going to set for a prolonged period, I'd put a coat of sealer, or weld through primer on it.

................................................Jim.

Hi Jim,
It has a coat of epoxy sealer on it now except where I have sanded down to the filler or added putty. Any exposed metal has been coated with white sealer. By early next week I hope to have it coated in
High build.

[Vic Skirmants]

Dan; if you haven't done the floor yet, finish that job before you finish the outer body.

[Dan Epperly]

Dan; if you haven't done the floor yet, finish that job before you finish the outer body.

Will do Vic. Luckily I only need to cut out a section and not do the whole pan, but yeah, that would be the logical thing to do.

[Richard Finnegan]

great work Dan - wish you lived down the street from me so I could get encouraged to get mine started...

[Dan Epperly]

great work Dan - wish you lived down the street from me so I could get encouraged to get mine started...

Thanks Richard. I find spending the day teaching middle school kids leaves one with a surfeit of nervous energy that gets wonderfully expended while working on a major Porsche project.

[Dan Epperly]

Well, been busy working on this beast since Sept, so thought. I'd post some update pictures.
At this point. I have most of the bodywork done. I shot sandable primer on it and now can really see all the spots I missed even before I block, where, I will find even more spots I missed. so, a lot of sanding ahead.











Because I am not crazy enough to paint it in my garage I need to make it a roller. I has a couple people who know a whole lot more about 356 transmissions check it out beforehand I installed and (thanks Uwe and Jacque) they said the innards looked really good. I did replace the outer wheel bearings, all the gaskets and installed new rear mounts, torsion tube bushings and German old stock axle boots. Pretty soon the car will be on its feet for the first time since the Nixon Administration.




I also put together the front beam with good used zero fitted tie rods with new boots, new shocks all around, steering damper, wheel bearings, and new link pin bushings.



I have most of the front floor patch pieces in but need to get underneath to finish off some welds, but looks really good with a solid layer of dust on them.



The car came with its original engine, all three pieces match. I was told that they had it "banal coed and blueprinted" back in 1974 and then they put it back together "finger tight" so they wouldn't loose any pieces. I took all the tins and bits off and then pulled the heads off to reveal a set of NOS Mahle 85mm pistons and cylinders.







The heads were done locally here in San Diego, not sure by who. They are 62 date stamped heads so must be original to my 63 B normal. They used old valves and copper guides, though not sure all the guides were replaced,at least my machinist is not sure until he measures.





I part led up my beater parts runner and hauled everything to the machinist, and infamous character known to dispense much good advice and occasional abuse, but only to people he likes. He really is the best in town, been doing this for years and all the really good air cooled Porsche shops use him.





Dennis looked over everything and said that yeah, work had been done alright. he used valves were usable, but on the worm side, but back in the day, that's what you did. He mentioned that copper guides were a pain to install but that was all they had back then, but the new material is much better. likely I will go with me guides and Jacques new valves. I will also have to be keepers and springs since the springs that came with the car were rusty new ones. too bad. S the heads are going to cost me.
The rods had all been balanced and had new copper bushings, probably will stick with those. The cam is brand new old, so that is a keeper. The cranks was one over and the case cut once. Dennis had some Wolfsburgwest 36 hp mains that fit so I will go with those. The cam is also one over, but I have those bearings. Getting off cheap there.
The case just needs cleaned up, had the original factory sealant so it looks like its first tear down and rebuild. Again got off cheap there.
The flywheel was rusty from poor storage, so just needs resurfaced and balancing with the NOS. German clutch I got with the car.
The piston kit is good to go, so that was good news, especially that it is a big bore, will give me some extra umph.

[Vic Skirmants]

The "62" you referenced as a date stamp; are you talking about the cc stamp? Or did you find a casting date of 62 with the appropriate month. They did not date-stamp the heads. They stamped the ccs. If there is a date casting, it will be in raised numbers, and could certainly be earlier than 1962.

[Dan Epperly]

The "62" you referenced as a date stamp; are you talking about the cc stamp? Or did you find a casting date of 62 with the appropriate month. They did not date-stamp the heads. They stamped the ccs. If there is a date casting, it will be in raised numbers, and could certainly be earlier than 1962.

Hi Vic, I have the pictures of the heads up on my thread now, not sure if they will tell you anything about the year of them. They have those angled supports which I always thought only came with the 912 heads but then the valves look like earlier ones. The stamp was a Single digit number over the 62 and was surrounded by a circle all raised. I don't have the heads on me at the moment to take a picture. There was also a serial number, a 616 number stamped on it.

[Vic Skirmants]

Hi Dan, The angled supports started around 1962. The single digit number over the 62 certainly is a date CASTING number. A stamp leaves a depression in the metal, a casting number is a depression in the mold, so the part has a RAISED number. So the single digit over 62 in a circle is a raised casting number.

[Norm Miller]

Dan,



Sounds like you've worked your way through a lot of vw restorations and that'll serve you well in your new project. Start a thread over in the project section and go to town! Post up pix and watch the cheering section ramp up.

" Everyone loves a good resurrection story....

"

It was Easter Sunday and the Preacher was giving his children's sermon.
He asked the children if they knew what Easter celebrated.
There was no response so the Preacher added "it celebrates the Resurrection of Christ"
Do any of you know what that means? He asked.
One little boy slowly raised his hand and said, I'm not sure but I think if it lasts more than four hours you have to go see a doctor, or get damaged.

Happy Holidays,
Norm There were 356 people in the congregation. No cars. Sorry.

[Dan Epperly]

Haven't updated this since December, but have made some progress since. I have applied a couple coats of poly primer and have blocked the car at least three times and finally feel it is near ready for paint. I want my painter to give it a go over to make sure everything is as perfect as. I can get it before he shoots it and I want to give it a month or so for the primer and filler to cure up so I don't end up with shrinking bodywork under the paint which reveals sand scratches and other ugliness.