Another long term storage, this time a T-1 Coupe

[Jbrooks]

Spent the morning heat shrinking and re routing the rear harness. Installed a remote starter switch for maintenance and hard starts. Just a simple 12 mm marine momentary switch next to the voltage regulator. Wire from Batt on the regulator, through the switch to the 50 spade on the starter solenoid. I will also install a hot start relay on this one at the same time. So both the key switch and the button power the coil on the relay. Simple and should be done on all the 356’s.

Can you find the secret switch

On a funner note today, rebuilding the carburetors. went through the dip. then the ultrasonic cleaner, and blow out the passages with air. I reassembled them, they looked very good, went to leak check and set the float level . I leak check by putting 20cc of gas in the vent tube, and let them sit, then look for shinny or wet spots. Then I run the pump and fill the bowl an check the level.

Well one wont fill. pump runs, no fuel in the P-Tool. Pop the top, lift it run the pump. no gas through the float valve... Pull the valve, blow through it is good, try blowing through the banjo fitting, no luck, Ah Ha passage plugged, blow it with air, no luck. probe it with wire, it goes through and see some black debris, keep probing, the put a plastic tube form a aerosol can it from the small end and push out the carcass of a beetle from the passage. it was about the size of the passage. I have no Idea how long it ha been in there.

bug debris remnants on the left, a good carb on right.

[JTR70]

Interesting joint where they grafted in that T5 rear seat pan.

[Jbrooks]

Justin

Not sure on the trans yet. They swapped the nose to a 741 I think, it’s on the ground and hard to see right now. They hacked in a T-5/6 shifter and piece pipe. Then Installed the shifter rod after the trans was in, by chopping some on the center tunnel. Just not sure why, I really need to look at the forward trans mount. Welds are poor but I have not measurements yet.

Spent the last few days chasing wires, and the turn signal stalk. The wires were chopped off, the single color wires crimped in the ends. Laying on your back under the wheel is so much fun. Not sure about a couple things yet, T-1 used a brass block and screw for connections, now some switched are original for some bullets and some spades. Like the ignition looks like a 911/912 key in the back but wired like 356 with spades and the original key fits.

Also using ferrules on the new wire connections. They crimp over the bare ends and make assembly simpler

wires are always so much fun, after simple hydralics.

[JTR70]

I like those termina ends. Yes, very few bullet connections on a T1. Most connections under the dash were spade.

[Jbrooks]

More component repair, for an almost “completed car”, but it all needs to be done.
Back to the ultrasonic cleaner. photos are Before…. Then On for 3 seconds…… then 10 seconds later….. it is really fast at first, the goo just jumps off. This was pretty nasty inside after this the pump is probably next.

Short 24mm wrench, 19mm crows foot. The nut has left and right hand threads, so you turn it down to the base, then screw the nut into the tank, keeping the selector point to the tube you hold it straight with the crows foot and seat the nut into the tank. A bent 19mm might give clearence between the wrenches, but crows foot was fine.

If you get a cleaner it “can't be too big”. You can also put parts in a glass jar, with different chemicals and submerge the jar. The sound goes through the glass, works well. I hope to finish the wiring, and get the engine started by the weekend.

[Jbrooks]

The battery cable is done, dip soldered and just a little longer than original. Too many skinned Knuckles over the years from the original wire length. I think only 5-6 more days of wires, then the carbs back on and it might be ready to start. Tail pipes are fitted, made from stainless, almost stock, probably a little louder!

Photo of the parade in Levenworth Wa. A Bavarian town over the other side of the mountain on US-2. Their Mayfest celebration

thanks for looking

[JTR70]

Cable end looks good. you do nice work. Like the stance on that A coupe with the hood straps.

[Jbrooks]

The saga continues, today I passed 2000 miles driving down and back to the storage facility. But the new starter system circuits are in. Put a hot start relay and remote starter switch in. The extra long battery cable worked out better than I expected, I looped it over to the right along the first 3 loom tabs the back over across the top of the starter almost to the clutch cable and then back over to the solenoid. Fits snug but I think you could unbolt the starter and pull it with the big cable attached. Yes with the 3/0 welding cable attached to the solenoid bolt. ( Disconnect the battery before trying this ). The dash wires continue to be a challenge, lots of wire stubs to translate and terminate.

Shifter will also be a challenge. Boob chopped it up removed the monkey motion parts, and cobbled in about 3/4 of a BC shifter system , put a T-5 shift coupler, and a 741 nose on the trans with a T-5 dual front mount. He Split the tunnel because the put the trans in before the peace pipe rod, then Tacked it back together. Major problem will be the shifter movement. The stock T-1 long shift lever and monkey set up has a 4” lever advantage between the shifter pivot point and shift rod. The T-5 is only about 1-1/2“ so the shift knob needs to move twice the distance for engagement between gears. 356A’s were pretty famous for long throws, this on is almost twice as far, the H pattern in 18” wide. Not sure about a cure, maybe arm extenders. I think I found all the gears today, reverse will be especially difficult but I think achievable

Replaced the bad rear brake pipe to the LR cylinder. Good news it fits, bad news, it bleeds , but no firm pedal. Did not spend allot of time trying to get it to bleed, I believe the master cylinder is bypassing internally. Too many bad wires still to worry about stopping.

Carburetors back on, I hope to move on to the engine for a while. Will start with valve adjustment, then a leak down series. If that looks reasonable, then compression test. After compression and oil fuel pressure validation, we will do a full electrical tune. I need to put the muffler and tail pipes on before trying to start it. Debating clamping or welding the tail pipes, it a Dansk muffler, so I know I will need to measure and straighten and parallel the head flanges. The tail pipes are .087 wall 304 stainless tube, so I may laser weld them. That will give me something solid to pull on.

but we progress, thanks for following.

[JTR70]

I hope she appreciates your effort, especially the miles you're accruing. So you have to make this shifter puzzle work? She won't go for a 644 nose cone with the correct shifter tower for 356A. Money might be issue? All those parts would run some money now that I'm thinking about it.