Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

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Al Zim
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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#16 Post by Al Zim »

HECHO EN MEXICO is where the shocks that you purchased for Stoddard were manufactured! There is a strong possibility that these shocks were NOT manufactured to Boge specifications. Imagine that. In the far distant past early 1960 you could purchase heavy duty shocks for the rear of your 356 which I think were used on Chrysler products rear. These were huge and adjustable. We did something else on the front but I at this moment can not remember what we did. But as I think about it what we did it is very probably that a dangerous situation for Porsche disc brakes. PORSCHE offered two types of Koni shocks in later production. The orange shocks were recommended for the Normal and sometimes the super for regular road driving. Then cane the grey or blue shocks depending on how you see colors. These were a heavier duty adjustable shock designed for more spirited driving. I think at some point in time probably with the advent of the T-6 all the car received the blue shocks. This made things simpler on the production line. You can probably find some blue shocks but they will have to be rebuilt and that becomes a very questionable situation. When you are ready to install your new shock absorbers call me and I will sell you some parts and/or modifications that I consider very necessary in the instillation of the rear shocks. We make these parts and use them on the rear of the cars we service/repair. al zim Correct suspension components and a perfect alignment (especially for Carreras) is essential for your 356 to handle correctly.
Last edited by Al Zim on Sat Nov 09, 2019 1:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Olivier Auvray
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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#17 Post by Olivier Auvray »

Bill Sargent wrote: Sat Oct 26, 2019 3:10 am My 59 A cab with the 2 liter 4 cam motor was bouncing quite a bit with the Boge shocks - seems like the shocks are too soft to cope with the extra 100 pounds of motor. Since it has the 2 liter 4 cam motor I figure the closest comparison is a Carrera II.

I have purchased a set of the Koni Classic shocks for the car. Does anyone with a Carrera II have experience on a good setting for the shocks - both front and rear? Absent other advice I plan to set them at the half way point of their adjustment. I have the same shocks on my bone stock 64C cab set all the way soft and they are good for that car.

Thanks in advance for any direct experience that you can pass on.
Hi Bill,

Why you didn't try something else than Koni? Bilstein is one idea and one official Bilstein shop can adjust "regular" Bilstein to your spec or your wishes.
Good to very good shocks can transform your "old" 356 into a "modern" car

If you want to do it yourself (as they are externally adjustable):

https://www.gazshocks.com/images/PR%20M ... Damper.pdf

The old Europe has many shocks companies and pretty sure that you can find something similar in USA.

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C J Murray
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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#18 Post by C J Murray »

Jeff Adams wrote: Sun Oct 27, 2019 1:18 pm 356C bars have different part numbers for left and right. Anyone know why?
I have heard that before with the explanation that they were sensitive to twist direction.
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Olivier Auvray
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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#19 Post by Olivier Auvray »

C J Murray wrote: Sun Oct 27, 2019 4:32 pm
Jeff Adams wrote: Sun Oct 27, 2019 1:18 pm 356C bars have different part numbers for left and right. Anyone know why?
I have heard that before with the explanation that they were sensitive to twist direction.
Not easy for me to explain in English but, in this case, the torsion bar must work in only one way. If you put it on the wrong side, it will broke soon

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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#20 Post by Bill Sargent »

Harlan and Jeff,

Many thanks for providing the information I needed! I have installed the new Koni shocks on all 4 corners and set them half way in their adjustment range. adjustment range was about 2 1/8 turns so I set them 1 turn up from soft. I will report back after some miles on how this works.

Cliff,

Rear ride height/camber was previously adjusted and is at -1.5 with motor in the car. Front lowered as well such that there is about 0.5 degree slope up toward the rear.

Vic & Jeff,

Thanks for the additional T bar info. I may be calling Vic for a rear camber compensator set up.

Jeff,

Is the 59A cab getting the 904 motor originally a carrera, or a Franken Carrera like mine? Glad to help with anything I can. You can PM me and I will send you my email address. I am running a Skirmants built 741 with A nose cone, A axel tubes and an above tunnel shifter. If the 904 motor has the 904 flywheel you will probably need 2 of the 5mm spacers between the motor and trans to keep the starter from chewing the ring gear (I had to do this). If so you will need upper engine mount bolts 1 cm longer than the stock carrera ones. Let me know if you need a pair - I purchased some extras and have drilled the heads to insert the roll pin to keep them from turning upon removal. 2 spacers also makes throttle linkage adjustment from pedal to cross bar interesting. I ended up with 3 or 4 turns on each ball socket to get everything long enough. I may lengthen one of the rods that goes from the bell crank to the cross bar to allow more thread engagement everywhere.
Regards,

Bill Sargent
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Bill Sargent
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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#21 Post by Bill Sargent »

Jeff,

One other issue with the 904 motor in a 59A cab if it was not originally a carrera and has the single grill engine lid. I am running 46 IDM carbs and the throttle cross bar conflicted with the engine lid rain tray. I modified the rain tray to provide clearance, but you could also try to lower the cross bar somehow.
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Bill Sargent
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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#22 Post by Brad Ripley »

As for Koni shock settings, below is information Koni supplied to dealers which might be of interest in this discussion. Note the two sentences in caps
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Koni 6_1_1964 pg 2.jpg
Koni 6_1_1964 pg 2.jpg (793.1 KiB) Viewed 998 times

Geoff Fleming
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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#23 Post by Geoff Fleming »

Actually, Vic's bar is a camber REGULATOR not a compensator. It attaches to the transmission and exerts upward pressure against the axles, keeping the negative camber that is desirable. The old compensator could pull the axles into a positive attitude, which is exactly what you never want.
I've used both and the regulator is definately the better of the two options.

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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#24 Post by Harlan Halsey »

The camber compensator went with the thinner, weaker torsion bars. The point was to reduce the rear roll stiffness, which reduces the oversteer, without decreasing the load capacity of the rear. If you don't go to the thinner torsion bars the CC does nothing to affect the handling. (When I was vintage racing my Convertible D I lowered the rear to get the negative camber on the track. I used the camber compensator to pull the wheels back vertical on the street so as to save the fulcrum plates. The GT Carrera is rather tail heavy so I use the CC just to help the torsion bars out a bit.)

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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#25 Post by Geoff Fleming »

I formerly owned a C-2 coupe with a push-rod engine installed. I also used the camber compensator to maintain a higher stance at the car's rear. It did make it easy to adjust the height of the rear though.
Not sure if it handled any better than an SC which I was using at the same time but without the spring.
I do find that the camber regulator gives the car a better, more modern feel in regular driving.

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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#26 Post by Bill Sargent »

Got the Koni shocks installed set half way thru the adjustment range (1 turn up from soft) front and rear. Went for a 25 mile drive today and the ride was much better. Very stable With a nice damped return. May still be a little soft in the rear so will give it a few hundred miles. If it still feels soft I will go another quarter to half turn at the rear.

Thanks for all the advice!
Regards,

Bill Sargent
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#159176 64C Cab
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Bill Sargent
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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#27 Post by Bill Sargent »

Lots of stuff going on.
587/1 in a 59 A cab.
587/1 in a 59 A cab.
99E8C6AC-31DE-457E-B506-08582706F807.jpeg (157.13 KiB) Viewed 896 times
Regards,

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Dick Weiss
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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#28 Post by Dick Weiss »

A further note;

The vertical threaded rods on the compensator bar's end to the linkage on the trailing arms
have 2-locations of the holes which can be adjusted for which engine exists--pushrod or 4-cam.

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Re: Koni Shock Setting for any 356 Carrera

#29 Post by Max Handley »

Anyone tried the adjustable shocks by Gaz.as mentioned by Olivier.
 Contact email Spyderwerks@comcast.net

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