Winter Project for your 356

My winter project usually involves driving it now that the heat is gone.

Relocate the fuel filter, Install the hoover bit that I forgot when I built the engine LOL. LED bulbs, and a wiring/relay harness for the headlights. I have a few very small paint issues that Ill have fixed. Install a TRIMILL header exhaust.

I installed a Mallory Hyfire CDI box last week, as well as a Bosch screamer 019 distributor . I drove the car a short distance and it sure feels a lot stronger? Ill do the final tuning when the weather warms up

Im sure Ill find more things to do as the weather stays cold

Re-stain dash , door cards  etc.  (done)

Re-carpet interior with carpet from HD and Insta-bind. Got the info here, thanks guys. (done)

Re-upolster seats to make them more comfortable and match dash etc. (done)

Paint engine compartment and anything that doesn't move, frame etc. (done)

Install Rancho Pro Street trans. (done)

Re-jet carbs and a few other trinkets . (done)

New vacuum advance dizzy. (done)

Re-install engine. (done)

New rear brake shoes. (done)

I hope to get a few miles on this week to check the whole mess out.

I used carpet from menards and instabind as well. I had great results 

1. Tighten frame horn bolts.

2. check/tighten trans cradle bolts and bushings.

3. wire in backup lights

4. pull front bearings again, clean and re-grease or replace. FIND THE SQUEAK

5. fix oil gauge leak

6. blast clean idle-air control valve again & better.

7. Fix horn

8. Install new fuel filter before fuel pump.

9. fill/paint undercarriage where welds are. Fiberglass holes, make pipe cowls.

10. Install fuel vent/charcoal canister.

11. make & install shroud for heater hoses.

12 Install beam stiffeners.

13. Install rear sway bar. (if possible)

14. Install bigger front sway bar.

15. Bleed brakes, test, etc.

16. Cowl mods: cut wiper plinths and fiberglass flat, then paint

17. top mods: get upholsterer to sew canvas flap to cover gap, relieve front flap for wipers, etc.

18: top mod: cut and weld original top bow to fit.

19. new carpet: front piece--replace piece with holes in it.

20. buy and install frame stiffeners (??)

(I'll probably get to no more than 10-15 of these)

My winter list has to wait until Spring.  Car in Delaware, Craig in Florida

check headlight wiring for correct gage, re: brightness not great for H4 bulbs             new wiring/relay harness for the headlights (If necessary)

check battery - dead Nov 1st

check alternator output - did this cause dead battery?

Install new tail light rubber trim

Install new head light rubber trim

Install rubber seal around engine grille

Check Shift linkage bushing wear - trouble shifting into 1st

Check steering box and tie rod ends for steering drift
See youtube video for adjusting play

Check steering joint rag - replace if worn immediately

Check toe-in - set to 1/8”-1/4” IN at front of tire

Check to see if front frame rails were weld altered to lower suspension when built
See pics of where adjuster bolt should be

Look at lube for steering column, noise when turning in driveway

Lube left front brake pads - squeel

Fix grab in right rear brake assy, try install of new stub axle
Disassemble, clean - look for particles causing shift when bolting tight

MP3 player amp/speakers

led cruise lights

seat anchor and seat belt anchor plates under pan to replace fender washers (pull through)

electric fuel pump

body repair/paint behind license plate

re-do dash carbon fiber covering

COMPLETED

door pull/arm rests - Item complete

longer e-brake cables - Parts ordered 9/16/2015 from CPI.com (~$48) - Item complete

Install SVDA electronic distributor - Item complete

Re-build Carburetors - drill out left carb for vacuum advance - Item complete

fit ends of bumper deco and side rubber deco in place (left side, and rear) - pulled rubber to lengthen and cut to make it fit into ends - Item complete

Al Gallo posted:

 

Install Rancho Pro Street trans. (done)

 

 

 

Al, I have a question about re-setting that grub screw on your shift coupler when you reinstalled the transmission. I have very little access to the area where you have to install the screw because the front upper edge of my rear seat has a huge transverse frame tube in the way.

Any special tricks to getting that grub screw in there right?  All I can think of is doing it while the transmission is in second or fourth gear to get the coupler as far forward as possible.  Maybe it has to be in neutral to wiggle things around  ? Thanks.

David, I would have had the same problem, but I installed the CB Performance shift coupler before I slid the Tranny in.  I had to wrap some wire around it to pull the shift rod forward enough to connect it to the shifter.  It worked for me but it wasn't real easy.  Not much room there. ( lots of swearing and cursing the builder)  Good luck.

Winter projects;

Keep an eye on the surf conditions...

…watch the sunrise in the desert...

…catch some rays on the water...

…drive to the local mountains for weekend ski trip..

I'm gonna do some of those same things, Jim, but in the reverse order.

Spent a bit of time already when weather agreeable doing this and that, Items posted a month or more ago on a different thread.  This included headlight relays, and inside lighting, and new top-windshield clasps, rotation of coil to vertical, new coil and Pertronix.  The plan forward would be to get two spare clutch cables built for my very special critical length dimension. Install a Big-foot pedal adapter that I have had on the workbench for a couple of years. Find out what's rattling now and then in the back -- sounds like loose tin or heater box stuff. Drive when the weather permits.

So far, the Prize for this thread goes to MUSBJIM, hands down, who has had this sort of stuff figured out long ago.  Happy New Year, Jimbo!!

Finally get my friggin' BN-2 Heater going, debugged and installed.  It's been kicking around the shop for two years now, so it's about time, and in the end it will be a cobbled-up version of early and late parts (and a one-off PCB fuel pump controller from Danny P.)  but when installed it will be a digital climate-controlled masterpiece!

If I have any time left over, maybe rework the oil cooling system to make it even more efficient, but we'll see (if it ain't broke, you know....)

Ed:  Did you retire or something to find all that time??

#1- Drive the hell out of it...

#2- Drive the hell out of it...

Connect battery charger, wait for April.

Gordon - Here's sticker for side of your BN2 when you are done installing it.  

I'm just hoping I don't cause this:

Jim, what make of sailboat do you own?

We cruised in Mexico for nearly 2yrs in our HC 38 T in the early '90's after trailer cruising out of CO with first our C-25 then later in our 28 Newport. We'd trailer down to San Carlos every March then launch and cruise the Sea for a month, then take the boat back home and launch at a huge reservoir in Pubelo for the summer. We finally found and bought the HC in SanDiego, got her ready to cruise and us...lol.

While cruising Mexico in the HC we went as far south to Z-town, hit a lot of great surf spots on the way. Never hit any real bad weather, a few squalls. We had great times, met a lot of good folks along the way. Then it was time to head home, too soon...lol...we soon moved to WA shortly after coming back and I and a couple sailing buddies moved the HC from San Diego to Bainbridge Island where we were living...motored up most of the way, wind was either on our bow or non-existent.

Hated to 'swallow' the anchor but the wife just could not stand the thought of making another passage, especially after we were caught in a storm in the Inside  Passage between Canada and Vancouver Island coming home from a vacation while living in WA...worst storm we ever encountered, 30-40 knot winds on the bow, short 8-10ft waves braking over the bow, no place to 'hurricane hole', 22 hrs of tacking until we made the the breakout to the Straight of Juan DeFuca and the storm began to subside...

Still miss sailing today...I loved it.

G.R. - don't want to hijack ray's thread so I'll PM you!

Take the summer plugs out of the shroud to get heat in the car then start driving it.

My winter project actually became a winter project for the good Dr. He is finishing my CMC wide body and I will put in the current engine or a newly rebuilt engine.

Merry Christmas to me!  

Thank you Alan! 

Gary

Dr Clock finished my CMC today at 10:15, he has spent long hours getting my project on all fours and I am thrilled with his work.  Those of you that know him already know what a perfectionist he is. I am publicly thanking him for finishing my 40 hr CMC project!  

GREAT job Alan!

Done in 38 days ...I think I'll take the rest of the year off ~

Rest of this year or rest of next year?!  After all the work you did on my car, and listen to me, you may need next year off!  

Gary

How about posting some picts....  

Gary, The full Dr Clock job isn't done till Connie takes it for her test drive and tells Alan it passes !

Craig R

When I brought it over Connie mentioned after he Dr consultation,  he thought it looked pretty good, now it looks great. I will pick it up Mon or Tues, I will check with Connie then.

Gary

Caretech-IM  I posted a pic of the finished car a didn't it come through?

Gary

Already replaced front end single adustment beam with new dual adjustment beam, tie rod ends, steering box. Replacing drop spindles with standard on Sat. Loved the look of the lowered front end but to much of a PITA hitting stuff on the road. Going to repaint the entire front of the car come Spring. This will remove all the scrapes from the drop spindles. 

Forgot at the next snow break she will get a  5 wheel alignment to go her new Pirelli P4s. At this point I am nearing completion point. Milestone is a better word. Now the lust for more power begins.

Gordon Nichols posted:

I'm just hoping I don't cause this:

I have friend in Seattle that is gas heater guru. He put a BA6 in my 77 Westy that could drive you out of the bus in 10 min. He cleaned out the boneyard in BC years ago. Gas heaters were standard in Equipment In Canada so there many around.

pm for info

majorkahuna posted:

Forgot at the next snow break she will get a  5 wheel alignment to go her new Pirelli P4s. At this point I am nearing completion point. Milestone is a better word. Now the lust for more power begins.

5 wheel?...

Best alignment I ever received was from a shop that called it that. The 5th wheel is the Steering Wheel. Sometimes you need to re-center after an alignment.

All this time I thought meant the guy behind the wheel

majorkahuna posted:

Best alignment I ever received was from a shop that called it that. The 5th wheel is the Steering Wheel. Sometimes you need to re-center after an alignment.

Happy New Year! Did you get the ride height where you wanted it?

Al Gallo posted:

David, I would have had the same problem, but I installed the CB Performance shift coupler before I slid the Tranny in.  I had to wrap some wire around it to pull the shift rod forward enough to connect it to the shifter.  It worked for me but it wasn't real easy.  Not much room there. ( lots of swearing and cursing the builder)  Good luck.

When changing the shifter coupler without removing the trans you first place shifter in neutral and unbolt it. Lift it up and set it nearby on a rag as not to get the grease all over. Go to the coupler, loosen bolts and push the shift rod forward. The coupler should slide off either the trans hockey stick or shift rod. Then slide it off which ever shaft it's attached to. Install a factory coupler. Tighten bolts and then onto shifter installation.

when installing a new trans, install the new coupler on the tunnel shift rod before installing the trans. Trans must be in neutral.

The new spindles are going on tomorrow. It was -2 this AM. Supposed to make 40 tomorrow. 

Well it's summer here 

All the hard work is done on the Speedster so its out to cruise the coast.

I might swap out to LED headlights. Definitely I will be fabricating new caliper mounts in front, which will tuck my front wheels in a touch more. And maybe pull the heads and check the guides and pistons/rings/cylinders.

Minor work......compared to a trans rebuild LOL!

I picked up my CMC wide body build from Alan / Dr Clock and this is an example of the type of great work his does. I can  not express enough what a perfectionist he is! Thanks again Alan.

The back end is very high as I took the engine out for Alan to do work in the back.

Gary