What a long strange journey it’s been. After two years, almost to the week, of off and on weekend work, the assembly is finally complete. Had I known the state of the engine I was starting with, I may not have attempted this project. So many wrong parts. Not just unoriginal, or date code incorrect. …
I continue to be frustrated / amazed at how parts from a single manufacturer do not simply bolt together. I purchased a factory Porsche exhaust. Installing it may have been the most physical activity I did this week. In theory, it. Should have been as easy as sliding the mounting flanges over the bolts and …
I believe, nay badly hope, I’m purchasing my last engine part. I had put off the battery purchase till the very end, in hopes of getting a fresh one. I landed on the “red top” 6-volt Optima AGM battery, based on user reviews, 356 Registry forum posts, and availability. I was able to get it …
I finally broke down and bought a new oil bleeder / filler / breather. I had really hoped to restore an original. Not only did I hope to stick with theme of using original correct for the car parts where possible, but also save several hundred dollars. I had two candidate parts that appeared to …
I finally got one of the air guides (aka dual flapper boxes) installed. It was quite a fiddly bit. I undoubtedly marred my paint, which is frustrating. First it wasn’t obvious to me how it fit between the fins of the head. I was going to have to bend some metal to get it to …
I finally got myself satisfied enough with the paint finish on the oil filter canister to apply the decals. I got them from Deluxe Customs, and am quite pleased with them. They are stickers, which to me means self-adhesive / peel and stick. As opposed to decals which require wetting to allow water transfer from …
Back to some more paint matching. This time for the Knecht Air Filters. I initially thought that once you figured out silver, or black, you’d know your engine colors. It appears that the Germans basically told suppliers, “das silver ist gut” (this is my German translation in my head. I’m too lazy to use Google …
I’ve had to start and stop on multiple occasions. Sometimes for travel. Others waiting on machine work or parts. I found that I had to keep looking up the same things over and over. In the interest of time, I created a quick reference sheet. I just taped on the the wall above my assembly …
Given how specific Porsche is with their parts and tolerances, I was shocked that there is no definition of spark plug torque value. Not in the manual, or to be found on the 356 Registry Porsche 356 Bolt & Nut Sizes and Torque Values article. I did find a link to the NGK website, which …
Had some decent visible progress, and did some necessary planning. The fuel pump (previously rebuilt by moi), generator stand, intake manifolds, and spark plugs are now installed. I await the J-tubes (aka heat control box) from Stoddard before I can install the air guide (aka flapper boxes) to the exhaust manifold. I am also now …
