58367 The $75 Junkyard Carrera coupe restoration

[roy mawbey]

Well done Justin, pleased you managed to sort it. Looks a very nice nice if expensive job.
Great effort !

Roy

[JTR70]

Thank you very much Roy! Like pretty much everything else I probably made it much harder and more complex then it had to be but I'm happy with it at the end.

[JTR70]

Dual circuit master cylinder:
Making the additional upgrade and safety of a twin circuit master cylinder. I didn't buy the conversion kit but opted for this new 19mm VW bus unit by itself for 25 bucks. I'll fabricate my own hardlines as it goes. I pulled it apart and seasoned the outer surface with oil and heat to keep any flash rusting at bay. Same treatment I give all of the original bolts elsewhere that aren't zinc plated. Reassembled and mounted on a 356 pedal cluster. The mount flange comes threaded for a bus application but quick ream with a drill makes it ready to accept the studs on a 356 unit.
Mocked up in the car for the first time. A little longer than the original unit but no foreseeable clearance issues. It requires a remote reservoir will be much more convenient later on. Ashley Page was kind enough to send me this really nice remote tank and elbow fitting some time back. It went back into the box for a while as let my mind work on a mount that would not require any modifications to the original GT tank access cover.
Ashley also said that the original plunger shaft would be a little short for this application so he also included this custom made plunger when he sent me the tank. Looks to almost identical to an original but I'll know for sure as this conversion goes. Thanks again for everything Ashley!
The initial parameters of this new mount was to have it up and out of the way as far as possible while still leaving me access to the steering box adjustment and fill cap; and again with no modifications to this access cover/gas tank mount.

[JTR70]

Removable wire base frame.
Decided on a small gauge wire frame that would work off of the existing access cover holes. Base plates from a couple of large washer cut to initial shape here.
Begin wrapping the wire base around the contoured shoulders. The final mount frame will have the same foot print of the original cover.
The basic frame completed with an additional tie in at the forward tank strap bolt for a third attachment point.
The tank will sit back and over as far as the fitting elbow will allow. Next step was making the cup holder frame.
Settled on a twin ring version for added rigidity and support. Next was adding on some legs to both locate and attach it to the base frame. More on this later.

Thanks for looking.
Justin

[JTR70]

remote reservoir mount and access cover complete.
It took some adjustment and fine filing but a firm friction fit for the cup was achieved. It takes a good bit of twisting and pulling to get it out of there so its very secure.
One leg tacked in and now dialing in level for the next leg to lock this angle in.
That position now set with a second leg with one more to add to finish this mount.
Mount now completed with a reservoir mock up.
One more confirmation to ensure level was maintained. All set, now onto the final access cover plate.

[JTR70]

Final cover would be an aluminum insert. This developed as it went along as there is very limited access to the screw under the tank. I want to be able to remove this cover without disturbing it right off the bat so the plan was to make it in two pieces with the leading edge of the smaller section pinning the removable side.
Mounting frame and alloy cover complete.
Rounded up a hex head screw to loosen or tighten with the tank installed. Stepped leading edge secures the "removable" portion under here.
Back and over as far as I could mount it without modification to the car or an original part.
Remote mount and access cover complete. Onto the next deal...

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin, That was a really great design you have arrived at. Super job and so sensible to have a dual braking system. I now know if I had to do it some of the steps of course on the other side of the car! Design is not easy and fabrication not so easy either you must be pleased with yourself for sure!
Roy

[JTR70]

Thanks a lot Roy! Just had to come up with something that didn't modify the car or the access cover and stayed off to the side as much as possible.
Thank you again. Justin

[JTR70]

New LED Light kit from Vintage Trader.

I'd always planned on running at least a partial LED system to preserve more amps for the eventual EFI and electronic ignition going on the motor. I contacted Jules Dielen about his 356 LED light package.
I went ahead and took delivery of the entire LED kit that he offers for 356. All 12volt of course.
All marker and dash related lights including an electronic flasher unit.
Headlamp units are new Hella H4 housings with their LED light units.
Really impressed with the quality. All metal jacket housings with a high quality quick disconnect lead and plug. Note the impeller fan at the top, really cool.
As advertised, the light units plugged directly into my original shine down light base.

[JTR70]

White LED reverse light unit
The tall beehive lenses look terrible (IMHO) so one of my main concerns before buying the entire kit was that the marker light unit's ability to fit under the short version lenses.
Jules said they would and they do. The plan was to always go to a 12V system and I remember the danger for the guys back in the day of melting their OG lenses with the heat of an incandescent 12bulb. Have it all covered here; more brightness without the amperage draw and the heat that goes with it. Definitely the way to go.
Same "bean" shaped unit that powers the license lights also goes into the courtesy light.
Switching out the gauge lights was of course just as straight forward.

[JTR70]

As advised in the directions the new bulbs were only inserted half way for the combination gauge. This gauge's housing isn't as thick or deep as the other two so inserting them only partially here is supposed to help with illumination dispersion. We'll see how that looks when I finally get a battery in this car.
The colored LED's will be another plus for my purposes in that my gauges won't be restored and the half-century plus of UV light has faded the die in these old lenses terribly. So they should be looking pretty nice again once backlit with new bulbs.
Head light switching was of course just as easy. Switching out my vintage H4's from the 80's.
Same exact Hella housing though the logos and inscriptions are a little different being 40 years or so apart.
It will be a very compact fit inside the bucket but an initial mock-up proved that it will all fit in there. I'll have to wrap and isolate that small metal box so it doesn't chafe of bounce around in here. More on that later. Anyway a very nice product and I'm now all set as far a lighting goes.

Thanks for looking.
Justin

[Jbrooks]

That’s a very nice kit. Jules spent a lot of time researching and testing his kit. The headlights are amazing, “you can see the future”. I put together a 6v kit a couple years ago. The back lights are a little bright, but will dim well. Also found the small front parking light bulbs. (Larger domes in the plastic bag). The red green and blue will get your attention. I would recommend everyone change out the old bulbs with the LEDs.

[JTR70]

I could not agree more, they are a great investment. Your marker lights look slightly different from the ones I received did you source these from V.T. or are they from another vendor?

[Jbrooks]

Justin

I did these probably 8-10 months before Jules did his kits. We probably had the idea about the same time. I just researched the LED by the old SAE base numbers BA-7, BA-9, etc. Then built a kluge to power them up, and measure the power and brightness. I went through several versions of each bulb before selecting the best ones. Still looking for Hella 128's and Lucas bulbs for the older fog lights. The newer COB LEDs are much brighter and have about the same current draw. The colored ones make up for the fade in the original lenses.

Jules did a similar process has an outstanding kit. If I was starting today I would just buy his kit. https://www.vintagetraderaz.com/

[JTR70]

You were way ahead of the curve John. Yes, I'm hoping the colored dash lights will help with my long faded lenses. Thanks for the confirmation, I'm glad I stepped up and bought this kit.

[roy mawbey]

Pleased you have the original instruments untouched Justin. They are the best items to keep as original as everyone from when the car was new, has looked at them ! Daft really but that's how I am.

Also daft really, that I still run 6v and have lights like candles so generally given up driving it at night as lights on modern cars are so bright ! Your lights are going to be perfect Justin.

Roy

[JTR70]

Thanks Roy, That's an interesting way of looking at the gauges, I like it. I was going to have them restored years ago but I am so glad I didn't. They do show their age but I find the patina affirms their authenticity as restored gauges can be customized to be any version you like. Did you upgrade your car to LED's and 12V?