Right Hand Drive 356

[Murugesh Nidyananda]

So i took the car out of the anti rust shop and it is all done. Next step is to find a guy who can install an A/C.

I drove the car for the first time today! Never really drove it before purchasing and I must say i am in love.

I do find the throw of the gearbox a bit long and i think the bushings are worn, so will look into ordering those. Also the car feels a little 'wobbly.' I am not sure if that is due to the steering box, or the tyres.

My uncle has suggested that maybe I put some spacers and run 175/80/15(if i can find them!)

What do you think of spacers on the 356?
Have they been put on before?
IS there a ready made oil sump for the car?
-I am thinking of installing an oil sump instead of installing an oil cooler,might be too big a job for the mechanics here.

I would like to say thank you to Steve and Justin, as without your help, I might not have been able to get this beauty! ALso thank you to everyone else who has helped me in this beautiful search

[JTR70]

My pleasure Murugesh, glad to be of some help to you.


SCAT offers a deep sump kit for 356/912 engines.


Spacers have been used on 356 race cars since practically day one. If your going to run them you will need to install longer wheel studs.

[Murugesh Nidyananda]

Got caught in the rain today and found out the wipers dont work

And also some of the lights seem to be not working, sending it back to the shop to check on the wiring and install a horn(doesnt seem to have one).

Its hot to drive in the car,I practically sweat more than a round at the gym,but it is such a beauty to drive.



Took the car to the groomers for a proper wash after 6 months and it shines.

Will be posting more updates here.

[JTR70]

Thanks for the update Murugesh. Its so neat to see these photos of you actually driving and enjoying your new car! yes, non-working wipers and courtesy lights ETC. are Par for the course with these old cars. Its nothing like jumping into your new 911 turbo with the A/C on full blast but then again its crudeness is part of its charm. Keep tinkering with it you'll eventually get the bugs worked out.

[Murugesh Nidyananda]

I was told that the car steering box might need replacing and I was told by the previous owner that the car shares same parts with a 1960 Steering Box, and as Beetles are common here maybe I should look into getting that as a replacement. So i am confused.

I am planning to take the car up to Melaka(a small town about 200 Km from where the car and I are) with eyedoc,a resident 356 guru in Singapore on the 8/11. Just want to sort things out by then

[roy mawbey]

Murugesh,

Car looks nice! Don't think the steering box from the VW beetle will fit. Your car if its a later A with have a ZF steering box fitted. I would get that checked out is it leaking?? The ZF is a good box and should be kept on your 356.

The horn ring in the middle of the steering wheel is it still there? The brush on the steering column might be faulty? It does have horns in the front? The headlight flasher in centre of the wheel does this work?

Roy

[S.J.Szabo]

Mr.Nidyananda:

Your late T1 A should indeed be equipped with a VW steering box.

At this point, tho, it would be good to know the mileage on the car. The VW box has its shortcomings, but a short lifespan is usually not one of them.

It would be wise to make more detailed inquiry; perhaps its only fault is worn-out seals, which should not require replacement to solve.

Besides, any used box is just as likely to require re-sealing at least.

[roy mawbey]

Murugesh,

Possibly Mr Szabo is correct, but from my records with the introduction of the 356A they introduced the ZF ( Zahn Fabrik ) worm and sector steering box from chassis numbers 55001 - 55390. The pre-a used from my memory a different style of box probably VW.

It would be nice to know if a VW Beetle box as you mention would actually even fit in a 356A.

I can say the ZF box is really nice mine has well over 100,000 miles on it and is faultless EXCEPT... I thought some years ago I should check the oil level I saw it and it looked a little low so I topped it up with SAE90 and then over a period of about 4 years slowly the level went down till it was really was just above the gears. This ended up where it was all those years ago. I thought SEALS as the oil used to be on the garage floor but no, it stopped leaking and further more once reading an account on the Registry guy mentioned ( can't remember his name) NEVER to overfill the box that much over the gears below.

Ah, the Registry can be so useful pity there is not a sensible subscription rate!!

So get the large allen key and if its leaking report back on the oil level. It made sense to me to top it up to the top maybe someone else thought the same, possibly pressure then forces it out?

Mr Szabo corrections please if I am wrong or if VW boxes from a Beetle would be a substitute and can be fitted.

By the way there should be no steering wheel play with the wheels straight ahead position. ( As soon as you move the steering wheel the front driving wheels should move too.)

Roy



Roy

[JTR70]

Hey Roy,

SJ is correct all 1956 and early T1 '57's were fitted with a standard type 1 VW steering box. Both my T1 coupes had them. The ZF introduction was one of those Mid '57 T1 to T2 transitional changes. I Posted this up a while back: http://www.abcgt.com/forum/4-356-Forum/5072-Evolution-of-the-356A-T1--T2-How-they-differ.html?limit=6&start=90



I've done the ZF upgrade on my coupe.

I've read that its an easy bolt-on upgrade but it was not my experience. This larger ZF unit doesn't fit or clear behind a T1 version battery wall as you attempt to install it. I could get it started on the beam but the cap and the wall soon collided not allowing it be rotated into final position into the locating dowel pin hole. I had to remove the cap install box then reinstall its cap. total PIA. You can see in this photo I trimmed away the center of that flange of the forward cover to buy more clearance but it still wasn't enough.

I tried every which way to get it to fit as one piece. Even tried without the pitman arm installed and also had the luxury of the car still being mounted to my rotisserie, no luck. I suppose I could have bashed the wall forward to clear but I couldn't do that.
You'll notice too that the T1 access cover in front of the steering box is spot-welded on and fixed into position. On later T2 covers both sides are removable. This change coincided with the ZF steering box introduction.

BTW: if your seals are leaking or weeping I've heard you can add engine stop leak or even brake fluid to get them to swell and buy some more time. I'm sure Jack would be able to confirm or debunk this.

[Murugesh Nidyananda]

Thanks for the tips once again. What would i do without all of you!

Roy,
'The horn ring in the middle of the steering wheel is it still there? The brush on the steering column might be faulty? It does have horns in the front? The headlight flasher in centre of the wheel does this work?'

I am not quite sure i understand what you mean. Do i remove the steering wheel to access this? The horn ring is still in the middle of the steering wheel. I am a newbie with many of the mechanical terms so i do hope you all, bear with me

So my uncle whose a Beetle guy noticed some petrol smell coming from the engine bay(i didnt even notice it,till he pointed it out) noticed that one of the copper washers was missing.Will look into getting that fixed.

I have sent the car to the upholstery shop with the intention of changing the roof lining,which in my opinion looked worn but was chided by the upholsterer who said he will clean it and it should be alright for another 5 years.Also took the opportunity to carpet the front bay to make it look neater, and will upload photos once it is done.

One more niggling issue was that the key which came with the car, would not lock the car. So i have to look into getting the locks changed. I was wondering is this lock mechanism similar to the Beetle or do i have to change the whole assembly. The only reason, is that Beetles are very common here and parts are a dime a dozen. My 356 is one of only 12 in the country so mechanics are hesitant to work on the car.

Will be posting pics of my new carpets in the front soon

[S.J.Szabo]

Mr.Nidyananda:

I would note that the T1 As had a separate key for the doors (and a third for the glove box).

I suggest sending the lock cyl no. (located on the side of the cyl. (some disassembly required) to a vendor like Mr.Zim @ Zim's Autoteknic (some spelling required?) in Texas who could cut you the right key(s).

Besides, lock cyl. for the late square door handles are, I think, hard to come by. Replacement handles are even more problematic; they are handed, side from side.

[S.J.Szabo]

Mr.Rio:

I too had a ton of fun changing over to the ZF strg. box on the Trusty Coupe. And my box's surroundings, while re-coated and tidy, were not nearly so pristine... Impressive.

I couldn't help but notice that you are not of the "hog out the adjusters" school of suspension setting. Now there's another fun job. But for my particular plan, it was worth it.

[JTR70]

Be very careful about who you trust those handles and tumblers to Murugesh. Early units like yours are very expensive to replace these days and no VW parts will not interchange here. I would recommend sending them out to Victor Miles at Concourse Refinishing.
Looking forward to seeing your new upholstery!


Thank you SJ, there was a ton of time spent in there to get that area prepped well enough for paint. I've never been a fan of the looks of a 356 in stock ride height form. The right stance and the attitude of the car are everything so yes, I am of that school of thought and the adjusters on my car were maxed out long ago while I still had it on the hoist.


The easy one was opened up first

As you are probably aware the shrouding must also be opened up to allow for hardware access.

Top shrouding was opened up which began with a paper template.


Didn't like the exposed adjustment hole with it all the way up.

I added a shield to both top and bottom of the block that way no matter where it sits the slot is covered.

The widened slot allows the block to travel and rest right up against the bung. This is as far as you go without major surgery.


Modification completed here. I figure by the time it translates out to the control arms its good for about 1-2 inches of additional drop.



Thanks again! Justin

[Murugesh Nidyananda]

Can't seem to post pics on mobile anymore. Justin any luck with going onto tapatalk?

Collected the car today, carpet at the front is simple and spruces up the front of the car.








Next on agenda is;
1. painting some parts in the engine bay to spruce up and make it look 'new'
2. checking the wiring on the car
3. fixing the wipers
4. replacing the blown bulbs
5. replacing the felt at the window
6. checking the steering box
7. spacers 10mm front 15mm rear

Even though my car is a 1600, it feels much faster.My uncle who has a 60hp Beetle says it feels more like an 80hp car. In lieu of that thinking of getting disc brakes for the front. Can disc brakes fit behind the stock rims?

[roy mawbey]

Murugesh, Justin and Mr Szabo,

Thanks Justin for that confirmation of the VW steering box question. It seems sometimes you have to get confirmation always from people that have done the job themselves Didn't want to confuse Murugesh on that subject and as JS has said your installation looks like new Justin on the ZF box.

So I assume if the box is repairable better to keep it VW. I learn something new to me every day Not easy to retrofit ZF!

Sorry again for the confusion on the horn. I guess if you have the same as the photo here and your headlight flasher centre push button
works okay but the horn ring doesn't it could be the contact brush on the side of the steering column or the horn relay 7a The relay is on my car attached under the dash to one side and possibly on your car there is a relay 7b for the flasher which is linked to 7a.

The carbon brush is needed so the contact is made anywhere on rotation of the steering wheel. Maybe check all the earth wires and fuses as well. I presume you have the wiring diagram for your car.

Just checking the diagram Fuse 2 might be checked as connections for the horn and the wiper motor seem to be protected by that one.

Only a minute or two job to see if fuse 2 is okay, Don't want to lead you on a goose chase after my last comments




Roy