The Resurrection of Foam Car - 63 T6B

[Phil Planck]

Did not realize I would bring out all of the comments about Harry. Fun to read. When he died, I auctioned my ABCs and sent the proceeds to MIT in his name. I know a lot of the "experts" did not like Harry, but he did add a lot of interest to the 356 community. I just printed out last week an old email I had saved from 356 Talk pre forum days. It was a list started by Pat Tobin of what to do to remove a transaxle. Harry added to the list. Neither of them had all of the steps. The factory manual did. And speaking of transaxles, I looked all over today for my engine mount and stand. I have 2 stands, but one works better with my mount. You know your getting old when you can't find a complete engine stand and mount in your shop. Finally found it, with my PreA engine attached to it. Will be easier to by another cheap VW mount and adapt it to my other stand. I scraped about a large peanut butter jar worth of sludge off the top of the camber compensator. No rust on that baby.

Now this forum has got me thinking about converting Foam Car to a Speedster. Just kidding.

Phil

[tperazzo]

I too copied several posts from Maestro and others from back in the day. I remember arguing about heat transfer with the Maestro and it was all in good fun. The discussion spilled over to our personal email and we never did agree with each other. I always respected him and he was polite with me and seemed to genuinely enjoy the mental challenge.
Later I introduced myself at a swap meet in SoCal and we thanked each other for the email chat. He said he was right and I said maybe, but I don't think so!

I certainly wish he was still with us.

Good on ya Phil for the donation!

[JTR70]

Quote: Now this forum has got me thinking about converting Foam Car to a Speedster. Just kidding.
Are you sure Phil?

I had both of the Pellow books in the early 90's and found them to be very helpful and entertaining. I later ordered a pair of 44IDF's for my 912 motor as a kit he used to offer which I later found out to be way too much carburetor for that engine. I personally did not have a good experience as I found him very short and bit arrogant on the phone. I remember during that conversation when I ordered my carbs complimenting him on his books and said that I owned them both and really enjoyed reading them... Dead silence... No thank you, kiss my ass or anything. I thought okay you f-er, be like that but this will be last time I buy anything from you. Looking back on it now maybe he was a good guy as you say and was just having a bad day. Maybe his wife just got finished chewing his ass right before I called who knows but that was my experience with Ole' Harry.
Justin

[bbspdstr]

With Saint Harry looking down past the Titanium Gates of Porsche Heaven, the most disappointing thing we could do for him here is....stop talking (posting) about him and get back on topic for Phil!

Here on this thread is engine work, trans removal, welding and sheet metal work. Harry was all about engines and while helpful to a fault (how he made any money or got anything done with all the time he spent writing or on the phone is beyond my comprehension), he did the same thing again and again and self-promoted himself into a cult icon. Maybe "ego-altruistic"?

Joel has it almost right...he was eccentric, yes, and in a good way for his fans and friends but primarily for his own satisfaction.

Maybe, just maybe, he was smart and way ahead of his time with 356 restoration. I am finally aware that all the money needed for 356 disassembly, rust and damage remediation through paint is not so hard to justify or collect....but when the reassembly process begins, the client/owner gets a jolt from that billing. I'm sure they all think the most money was on the most obvious progress....and putting those 4,000+ parts all back together again is viewed as, well, "How hard can that be and how long can that take?"...and the shop either gets a hard time for "too much" time or money or gives back any profit made in the first steps.

I now sub-contract my trans and engine work to Eric Wills, as he has realized this reality and given up full restorations to concentrate on unit work and service work. He is very good, very busy and the 'next-gen' of those who are committed to early 356 and 900-series work.

Harry made it even more defined, "Just the (4-banger push-rod) engines, ma'am, just the engines" (Hey, today IS Friday, isn't it?)

[roy mawbey]

Hey Phil,

Just looked at your engine shot. It looks very nice and being able to test it out and getting it running perfectly in the other car what a good idea. But for me that would seem a lot of work, it always has taken me much longer to remove and replace than they say in books.

Roy

[Phil Planck]

Roy
I had done several removals prior, alone, so with a helper this time it was pretty easy and quick. A little story on that installation. I got a 912 crank from CE and sent them my S90 flywheel to modify to work with a standard(non-S90) crank. When the parts arrived, there was a long(1") pin in one of the flywheel alignment holes for the pressure plate. I assumed this was for balance and left it in. Being a little wary of that long pin, after the engine was installed I turned it by hand and the pin was hitting something in the bell housing. Called Vic and he had no answer, saying it should not matter that it was going in a 519 trans. Told him how long it was and he said "Oh", that's probably it. Pulled the engine rearward far enough to get a small pair of vice grips on the pin and wiggle it out. I never did call Walt at CE to discuss this.
Tom - I would have enjoyed participating in that discussion(argument) with Harry as I have a masters degree in heat transfer. Never used that education for various reasons, so now it is almost all forgotten. But back then I might have been able to hold my own.
Justin - I plan to continue on with Foamcar's body and work on the trans in parallel - sort of like your 2 projects. Not going to do much with it as it was quiet and shifted great. New boots, a cleanup and exchange hockey stick with a reworked one from Vic. Of course the breaks also.
Phil

[Phil Planck]

Not a lot of progress but did get my heavy duty motor stand assembled and awaiting arrival of VW/356 adapter to get transaxle out of the way so I can weld up the rocker to quarter joint. I had my 50 Chevy pickup block mounted to this for years until I finally took some time to assemble it and sell it.

Took measurements off of the original rockers for the molding hole location vertically. As the drivers side rocker was shortened at the rear to get it to line up with the wheel opening, I started drilling the 5/15" holes at the rear and worked my way forward using the new molding studs to locate the holes.


Got all of the hole locations center punched and drilled the holes. Here is molding installed:

[Jack Staggs]

That deco strip looks just a bit too forward to my eye. MOST T6 deco's exterior perimeter seals are very close, (to me), almost overlaping the leading edge of the torsion bar cover plate . Anyone have info/details/opinions? A closer photo might help. Nice work by the way. Not criticizing at all.
Jack

[Phil Planck]

Good eye Jack
The rear of the strip is dead on. You can't see the torsion tube depression in the pic, I should put the cover on the hole. The front is forward because I had to shorten the rocker to make it fit at the rear. The only way to make it visually "correct" is to shorten the deco strip by 1/2", which is the amount I had to shorten the rocker(story several pages back). I have a friend that is a TIG welder, so may eventually do that, but would have to re-annodize the deco.
Phil

[JTR70]

Looking good Phil! It may not seem like much progress but all those little things add up and its so important to have at least some part of the project moving forward on a daily basis if possible.

Great observation Jack.

[bbspdstr]

Phil, since Jack noticed, a comment if I may? (OK, more than one)

If that rocker deco is not original, the early repros were too long, probably so they could also work with early 900-series cars. I may have an original 356 B/C version to measure tomorrow. There can be a half inch right there.

Also, many original ends were slightly over the rocker disc, at least with their seal at that end. The rocker holes for the deco studs were often bigger than needed to allow some 'adjustment' in tilt or horizonatal back-n-forth... to look good to the eye.

Another thing; the discs were gasketed by circular pieces of scrap headliner or thin vinyl material. As the repro rocker disc impressions vary in depth, that same material, 1 or more, can be used to shim, even using half discs to get a tilt if needed. When the discs almost 'disappear,' the deco can be even more rearward.

(Hell, I've had 356s come in that had the discs slicked over and useless, so the deco could be 'centered'.....no problem...ha!)

There is a shop in LA (King of Trim or somesuch) that will re-anodize the Brite-dip finish if the rocker deco is shortened, if original, or ends made round and not 'spear-like' if early repro.

You could also strip the anodize with something like Oakite (you'd have to strip at least some for welding, anyway) and take the needed chop out of the middle, rejoin, file and sand and polish the whole thing like an A deco and "Japan" it with a nice clear lacquer (Eastwood has aerosol)

These pitfalls and assembly issues are best addressed prior to paint, obviously, but I need to point out they also are what drive up the time and therefore costs of a professional restoration.

Phil, if I haven't said it lately- "nice work getting nicer"

-Bruce

[Phil Planck]

Thanks Bruce for the details. I am going to measure the deco length and post it. I got these several years ago from a fellow in Ann Arbor who had listed them for sale in the Registry. Here is a shot of the front and rear. As I posted earlier, the rear hole is as exact as I could make it location wise to my original. I drilled the holes 5/16" which was very close to my original.





Checking my earlier post, I moved the torsion bar hole forward 1/4", so the front of the deco, if correct length, should be 1/4" too close to the front wheel opening.

[MMW]

First I'll say, great work Phil! It is coming along & I'm glad you are including us on this journey.

Secondly is, please don't anyone take this wrong as I love all the observations & discussion on correctness but sometimes people (me included) get mired in the little stuff & it holds up getting the car done & driving it. A simple fix would be to slot the holes in the rocker to have for/aft adjustment. Once it's painted then the deco can be installed to what is pleasing to the eye. Heck the other side may be different & an average between the two may be the way to go.

Again looking great!

[Phil Planck]

Thanks Bruce for all of the tips and know how. I measured both decos and each is a tad over 49". Mic, you are right, this may be as close as it gets. After all, apparently having the only 356 in NE Michigan, I don't think I will get any comments from the local car shows - mostly pickups, tractors and 70s muscle cars. That's assuming it will make it to one during my caretakership. As for adjustment, I made 5/16" holes which is very close to what the originals had. Not a lot of wiggle room, but some. I checked both originals at the rear and the first deco stud hole is in the same location on both, which is where I made the one on the new rocker.
Phil

[356JAGER]

Perhaps Foam Car has another 'foam' connection in that the irregularity could be attributed to a bit too much of a foamy
libation consumed by Helmuth, Horst or whomever during the lunch
break prior to rocker assembly. Makes a good and plausible story
in any case. Additionally it absolves you of any further adjustments.