1960 356B Coupe restoration

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ScottBerry
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Location: Cobourg, Ontario

1960 356B Coupe restoration

#1 Post by ScottBerry »

I have started work on the restoration of my 356b 1960 coupe and have asked a number of questions in the main discussion and received great support. I figure I am going to be at this for a while so maybe it would be best to start a thread in the projects section.

Let me rewind back a bit. I took possession of the coupe late last spring. Dragged it out of a barn after sitting after 20 years of neglect. The good news is that it is mostly original with all the parts – the bad news is the rust is everywhere. I knew there was some work done by the previous owner but during tear-down I’m starting to find some bad welding and repairs by an even earlier owner.

First step was to start to take off every part and piece so that when I started the metal work I would not need to reach for a wrench or tool other than the grinder and cutter.
I took detailed pictures of all the parts during disassembly – the final job was puling all of the wiring which was a real bear.
Attachments
interior dash.jpg
stored in barn.jpg
first daylight.jpg
1960 356B (110196) restoration project in progress
1968 912 Restoration Complete

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Andrew Serdich
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Tag: Enjoying the ride
Location: Coatesville, PA

Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#2 Post by Andrew Serdich »

She looks good in the pic. Its amazing what you find when you start tearing them apart. Keep us updated!
1962 356b T-6 Coupe

neil blaber
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Location: melbourne, oz

Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#3 Post by neil blaber »

looking forward to seeing your progress scott
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ScottBerry
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#4 Post by ScottBerry »

With the parts removed it was time to get it up on a rotisserie. The car was mounted on the front torsion bar and rear transmission bolt mounts. It was based on plans posted here on the registry.
Once the car was on the rotisserie I then cut and welded cross bracing front and back inside the cabin to hold the shape for future metal removal.
With a bunch of parts in hand from Design restoration and having read the key 356 restoration books it was time to start to cut out metal for the inner longitudinal supports. The challenge has been to find good metal to start to get the car to shake hands with good old metal with new metal. There is a significant amount of rust. I debated about media blasting the car first but given the amount of metal to cut out I did not see the point early on. Living in Canada and enjoying a cold snowy winter I will media blast the car in the spring once it gets warmer.
So my recent post on the main discussion forum was ensuring the inner longitudinal is in the correct position and whether or not I should weld solid pipe and forgo the use of the sound baffles. The responses were clear – put back the baffles/mufflers. I managed to get two used inner baffles/mufflers from an old 914 that I cut down to fit.
Attachments
inner longitudinal pipes.jpg
inner lonigtudinal inside.jpg
rear torrision tube end.jpg
1960 356B (110196) restoration project in progress
1968 912 Restoration Complete

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Steve Harrison
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#5 Post by Steve Harrison »

You are coming out of the gate running Scott.
Just from the few pictures you've posted thus far, I can see where this will be a great restoration. Nice work!

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ScottBerry
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#6 Post by ScottBerry »

Time for an update. After giving it a lot of thought I decided to remove the front clip. This was not an easy decision as it seems I am just getting deeper and deeper without any new metal installed for progress. In teh end it was teh right decision as I have really good access to a lot of trouble areas.
Attachments
front clip sm on car with weld drilling.JPG
cutting the clip away up near front window
cutting the clip away up near front window
driling out the welds took time - not as much metal meat in this area as I would have hoped. cut the front latch and drain hole away as well
driling out the welds took time - not as much metal meat in this area as I would have hoped. cut the front latch and drain hole away as well
front clip sm drilling out welds.JPG (46.07 KiB) Viewed 16354 times
clip removed with lots of access
clip removed with lots of access
1960 356B (110196) restoration project in progress
1968 912 Restoration Complete

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ScottBerry
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#7 Post by ScottBerry »

I Continue to work at putting together the centre longitudinal with the frame strut and the battery box side pieces. A complicated area with most of the bottom five inches a mess and cut away. The real problem is the inner wheel housing areas (area with large whole for steering linkage to pass through to the wheel) is damaged and badly rusted on the bottom. A tough shape and piece to visualize and shape.

I have fabricated a rough shape of this piece and have determined now is the time to remove the battery box side as it ties into the torsion bar support piece and the wheel housing area over laps this as well. Nervous about how is being cut away - don't want it to fold in on itself. Need to tie the firewall, frame struts, battery box side and inner/outer longitudinals all together to regain a ridge strong body.

I have now cut away the front inner nose section and will start to clear away old rusted metal and the area around the inner wheel area on the inside. Need a clean strong surface on the torsion bar support piece frame to weld edge of battery box side and the inner wheel well piece that will overlap each other.


I
Attachments
firewall pedal support in position to allow for positioning of the inner wheel shape
firewall pedal support in position to allow for positioning of the inner wheel shape
fire wall and longitudiunal support in position to judge the lower edge of the inner wheel well piece
fire wall and longitudiunal support in position to judge the lower edge of the inner wheel well piece
started to hammer out the rough shape of the inner wheel well section that one side welds to torsion bar support. some honda brake drums worked well for thr round hole shape
started to hammer out the rough shape of the inner wheel well section that one side welds to torsion bar support. some honda brake drums worked well for thr round hole shape
created a metal template to properly fit the new battery box side lined up with bumper bracket bolt holes
created a metal template to properly fit the new battery box side lined up with bumper bracket bolt holes
strating cut to remove inner nose
strating cut to remove inner nose
inner nose removed
inner nose removed
inner nose is off and drilling to remove all the welds holding battery box supports
inner nose is off and drilling to remove all the welds holding battery box supports
1960 356B (110196) restoration project in progress
1968 912 Restoration Complete

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Doug McDonnell
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#8 Post by Doug McDonnell »

Scott You may have done this already but backup you photos in one of the on line photo sites. I didn't and regret it now that my computer crashed and they are all gone.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.

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Aaron W. Holstrom
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#9 Post by Aaron W. Holstrom »

Scott, looks awesome!!!
Aaron

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ScottBerry
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#10 Post by ScottBerry »

After a busy summer its time to get back to work on the car. The passenger side needs the bottom half of the front inner pannel replaced that surrounds the torrsion bar tubes and opening for the steering linkage. A paper template was used to cut the metal piece and holes drilled before forming. Using an old brake drum which was a perfect shape for the hole opening it was hammered to shape.
Attachments
formed part.jpg
brake drum form.jpg
1960 356B (110196) restoration project in progress
1968 912 Restoration Complete

neil blaber
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#11 Post by neil blaber »

looking good scott

your getting deeper into it! almost knee deep in 356 rust lol
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ScottBerry
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#12 Post by ScottBerry »

Definitely knee deep in rust. Always nice to get some clean metal in but discouraging as you look a few inches away and see more red rusty metal.

I have been working on the driver’s side longitudinal. Have the inner longitudinal in place and welded where I am happy with it. Now working on the heating pipes and heater muffler. Front pipes are in place and welded to inner longitudinal. Now working on rear. The pipe extends through the panel that supports the torsion bar – a tight snug fit.
Attachments
pipe opening on longitudnal welded and ground flat
pipe opening on longitudnal welded and ground flat
smaller pipe extends from the pipe to the inside face of the inner longitudnal
smaller pipe extends from the pipe to the inside face of the inner longitudnal
I used a tight fitting pipe to slide up into existing remaining pipe coming down from the inside the pillar.  It was tricky getting two round pipes of different thickness to join at a forty five.  Ended up cutting one pipe at a forty five the other straight. The end of the straight pipe was squeezed in a vice and closely matched the eliptical shape of the forty-five cut from the pipe. There was some overhang – with a little cutting and hammering it was shaped to close over remaining gap in end of the pipe.
I used a tight fitting pipe to slide up into existing remaining pipe coming down from the inside the pillar. It was tricky getting two round pipes of different thickness to join at a forty five. Ended up cutting one pipe at a forty five the other straight. The end of the straight pipe was squeezed in a vice and closely matched the eliptical shape of the forty-five cut from the pipe. There was some overhang – with a little cutting and hammering it was shaped to close over remaining gap in end of the pipe.
1960 356B (110196) restoration project in progress
1968 912 Restoration Complete

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ScottBerry
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#13 Post by ScottBerry »

I tackled the rear heating pipe positioning and welding. It is a tricky alignment to line the pipe up through the inner longitudinal support for the pipe and then angled out and through the rear outer frame panel. Unfortunately I got ahead of myself and did not pre-cut the small hole on top of the pipe that takes air to pipe for the rear defrost. Will have cut the thin pipe short and try to drill and enlarge a hole on top of the pipe to receive the rear defrost pipe.
Attachments
rear heating pipe 2.jpg
rear heating pipe 1.jpg
1960 356B (110196) restoration project in progress
1968 912 Restoration Complete

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ScottBerry
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#14 Post by ScottBerry »

making some progress on rear suspension cover for torrsion bar.
Attachments
a1 first fit for rear suspension closing.jpg
1960 356B (110196) restoration project in progress
1968 912 Restoration Complete

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ScottBerry
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Re: 1960 356B Coupe restoration

#15 Post by ScottBerry »

more work on rear - used a pie plate to determine shape of new piece - easier to cut holes for torrison bar and heater tub and then trace to new part for more accurate cutting
Attachments
using a conduit connector to join heater pipe
using a conduit connector to join heater pipe
a1 rear suspension panel.jpg
using a pie plate to make accurate shape that is easy to cut and determine where holes are required for torrsion bars - this is then translated to the part
using a pie plate to make accurate shape that is easy to cut and determine where holes are required for torrsion bars - this is then translated to the part
1960 356B (110196) restoration project in progress
1968 912 Restoration Complete

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