Whoa is Me Engine Locked Up….and Solex carb issues

[Nick Warinner]

The car looks great and it sounds like you are on the right track. It won't take much for a competent shop to get you back on the road.

[Martin Benade]

You’ve got the right idea to still smile, and we both understand how the world temporarily becomes fine while enjoying a 356. Keep it up!

[Bill Oldham]

I have a set of S90 heads which I had Luke's & Shorman recondition in the 1980's. I never used them and stole the valves for another S90 engine. Been meaning to list them in the classifieds.....

[Michael Pawelek]

I have a set of S90 heads which I had Luke's & Shorman recondition in the 1980's. I never used them and stole the valves for another S90 engine. Been meaning to list them in the classifieds.....

PM sent…..

[Mark Roth]

Rennsport?

[Michael Pawelek]

New picture showing old high dome piston next to a new one to be installed. Rings in a new area also. This will put compression ratio 9.5 to 1.

[Martin Benade]

Using the AA cylinders wouldn’t be scandalous.

[Michael Pawelek]

He ordered in the new cylinders. One shown on the left. I have no idea what brand it might be….

[Martin Benade]

I’d guess those are AA Biral cylinders with aluminum fins and iron bore. They are not Shasta.

[Chuck Allard]

Make sure your builder test fits the barrels to the case (without pistons) since the AA Perf aluminum barrel fins have a slight interference with the case acorn nuts on cyls 1 & 2 and the left side of cyl 3. A slight grind with a whizzer will get the cylinders to fit flush with the case.

[Martin Benade]

Also make sure the piston tops match the angle of the heads- 22 or 30 degrees.

[Harlan Halsey]

There's a lot more to it than that. With stock crown pistons it will be difficult to get up to 9.5:1. (which is my target these days.) How do you measure compression ratio? I was not aware that modern 356 pistons, JE from Shasta for example, use 4 thick rings anymore. 911s use 3 thin rings above the wrist pin. I haven't bought any 356 pistons in a long while, but if I were to, I would specify the 911 set up. (Total Seal 911 ring widths is what I order for my Coventry Climax engines,) Perhaps someone with more recent 356 experience will comment.

[Michael Pawelek]

Engine finally back in the car….

[Martin Benade]

That’s a beautiful sight!

Same heads back on?

[Michael Pawelek]

One side replaced and I have a member here offering a set if these are not ok.
New cylinders, pistons etc.
After this engine was rebuilt in 2015 my mechanic wonders what type of break in was used if anything at all. Cylinders he replaced still had cross hash marks from previous honing. Who knows? Also as you can see from the pictures the bottom of the 356 is extremely clean so it was run very little and in dry weather.