58367 The $75 Junkyard Carrera coupe restoration

[merbesfield]

Nice write up. Good job Adam.

[JTR70]

Thanks Dick! yes, it was nice of Adam to post that up...

4/10/18

New wiring harness arrived today.

Pulled the trigger and ordered a new YNZ's kit about a month ago (6 to 8 week lead time)

I've been wanting one of these for this car for almost 30 years. Price was always a little prohibitive and that's back when they were about a grand. Well, they haven't gotten any cheaper so now was just as good as any.

Grounds, and other misc. lead wires.

Don't know if this ground strap is absolutely correct for my car but I ordered it anyway.

Digging out my original harness to so how it compares. That next.
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

[quote="jetdog" post=41666]










Hi Justin,
Just re-read your thoughts on your amazing 356 Carrera rebuild rescue journey.
Your two years ago paint job still looks great, no bubbles in finished
product is a very good sign. Perfect alloy deck lid you have there, Trevor does fantastic work, my coupe has a nose clip from his shop, the original had just too many prior "track" mishaps and thin metal from dents and wrinkle grinding.
Last June the refreshed T5 made it back home in a U-Haul after 4 years of resto in Oregon. Heavy load of metalwork, twisted body realigned, floor pan and numerous metal bits and paint completed over a three year period plus a year in storage while space was made in my tiny garage.
Photo shows on flat deck after emerging from U-H, still shiny, with.... one little dent in drivers alloy door. It's
taken 33 years to get to this stage, and has yet to run under it's power. It has suddenly gotten closer with Polo motor and WEVO-5 speed recently arriving ...the year clock is relentless. Was 31 when purchase was made for a no longer running former track beauty, it was pile of dents, chock full of incorrect parts rust and twisted ill fitting metal. Here I type 33 years later...tick,.. tock, where did the dang time go?
Keep the faith, and quickly, pass the wrench!
Pete

...VIA ACARS DATA....[/quote

Thanks Pete!

Congratulations on getting her home after all this time. The body looks fantastic! Is that a shot of the garage where you'll be assembling? If so I am very nervous for you Once their in final paint the body becomes a magnet for damage. I've only managed to keep my finish out of harms way by isolating it in a relatively uncluttered corner of the shop as best as I can so I don't pass by it too much either. Yes, sadly you and I are on about the same time schedule... thirty years has gone by in a blink.
You're building a really killer car; I don't want your story to get lost in the shuffle here would you please think about beginning a dedicated thread on it here. We'd really be interested in seeing your current progress and anything else you'd be willing to share about your build. Think about it!
Thanks again for all the great words of encouragement and sorry for this late response.
Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin,

Your new ground strap looks fine to me. A pic below of my original strap I took a while ago.

Pete is right resto's can take half a lifetime but what else would you to do that's any better. Both his and your car as is mine, are so nice to have around. Sunny day today for a change so took mine out really nice to do that. You both have that to look forward to!!




Roy

[roy mawbey]

Justin,

That was not the best one of my earth strap. I try this one.

[Jack Staggs]

Justin,

That was not the best one of my earth strap. I try this one.

Roy, I think I can safely say that no 356 ever was produced with a ground strap like that from the factory.

[roy mawbey]

Jack,

Without doubt you are perfectly correct its not an original earth strap. To be honest I thought it was and that I had never changed it.

How wrong I was

I was convinced till I looked through my workshop log book and there in June 1989 I clearly stated I had changed the earth strap as the copper braid had degraded and was weak in places. Probably when my starting problems now solved, had started really playing up.

The fact I changed it almost 30 years ago, is no excuse I think you know the 356 inside out, I presume you would be perfect for PPI's by prospective buyers.

Sorry for trying to assume something when in fact my assumptions were totally incorrect!

Roy

[JTR70]

Roy, thank you for the reference shots just the same. The help is always appreciated.



Jack, what are your thoughts on that strap that YnZ's supplied, is that close?
Thanks guys!
Justin


4/15/18
New and original harness

Rolled out a nice clean space to lay the harnesses out together for a direct comparison. God, I still remember how scary and intricate I thought this harness was the first time I pulled it out. Then sometime later I bought a '93 LT1 chevy engine for my truck project. Once I was done getting my head around the ECU harness and all the various sensors this thing is a piece of cake by comparison.

Color coded wires and branch/split-off's all seemed to be in about the right spot.

This green and black lead into the trunk for the electric fuel pumps was one of the features I wanted to be sure was included.

The other end of it comes out above the ignition on the dash to a push/pull switch.

New harness has it with the added feature of an inline fuse which the OG did not have....but its there.

Spade ends are a size larger than the originals.

I was concerned that the larger size might not work with the collar clamps on the relays

OG spade locked in position here.

Though pushed to the side a bit these spades will allow enough clearance for the collars to lock them in the upright position. Then I remembered: I'm going all 12V this time around so I'll probably be looking at some sort of new Solid state type relay units? Haven't got that far into it yet. Perhaps Jack or Bruce might recommend what to type of 12V headlight, flasher relays to get?

Begin taping down the leads in prep for install

Not just the leads but the leading edge of the cloth weave to protect it from chafing and or fraying as it passes through.

Also taping the leading edge of the shrink tubing to it won't snag as it goes.


I've had the original harness out and back in two times before so I feel that I can get this thing fed in without being too hard on it. This sheath is the one part I really feel the factory should have made removable. Everything south of the fuse block location on the harness has to be fed in from the top of this sheath then out the bottom. The immediate turn or corner it has to make at the bulkhead is what really puts a stress on the wire and the cloth sheathing especially as it gets fatter as more leads pass through. I suppose one could feed in everything north of the fuse block (dash panel leads) up through the bottom of the sheath and then up and out as its overall a short distance but I never tried as I never wanted to unplug the fuse block. It seems it would be just as tricky as its fatter and almost immediately you've got to make that turn right away. I'd be interested to hear how Bruce or Jack prefer to feed it in. Anyway if this sheath was just removable how much easier and nicer would that be...on everyone IE the harness and the installer.

Began feeding the tail lights in through the top

As it very slowly goes I'll try to keep the harness oriented to reduce the need to twist it after the fact.

Now up to the dimmer, brake light and forward trunk leads. Taping those up for install next. On my previous attempts I had taped the entire harness together. This I'll just bind each branch unto itself to allow me more movement as it passes through.

While I'm at it I ordered that new fuse block from CDD which allows the use of modern fuses.

Its really a quality piece made of a durable plastic composite. You know how you have to be really careful with the old OG bake light unit as not to crack it in half; this thing isn't going to break.

Kit comes complete with instruction, packs of fuses, hardware and cover.

Of course not factory correct or original but like the drivetrain I'm looking for performance and reliability And like all the rest of my modification this one also unbolts and the factory original along with the OG harness will always be with this car...just in a box.
More later...
Thanks for looking!
Justin

[bbspdstr]

"Jack, what are your thoughts on that strap that YnZ's supplied, is that close?"

Jack, Justin...you made me realize that I had not seen a posting from Jack for a while...and viola!...there's a cryptic shortie from one of us who is still working!

Nice piece about Justin, even if Adam no longer posts here. There was that nice piece about Jim Breazeale, which shows that if I want any recognition for 'time in grade' I better adopt a J name like Jake, Jeremy or maybe Jesus.....like "Jesus, that damned Baker is posting again."

Enough about nothing. "Earth calling Bruce".....Jack is correct, sorry Roy. Yours is whatever was on hand. Too long. I have not seen all of the "original" 356s but I worked on some when Porsche was still making them, and all I can remember were copper weaves. Longer for the early batteries, shorter for the later batteries and if I needed to know, the clamp spec could be sourced, as there were several...but the positive clamp was more important concerning that.

J. Bruce Baker

[Jack Staggs]

Thanks, Roy. Just doing my best to keep the facts straight (as best as I can remember). Other forums are rife with mis-information. I help where I can, but where I feel most needed, I am not allowed. I just can't bring myself to pay (for the privilege?) to share hard earned knowledge for free. Well, enough of that, sorry!
re: PPI. Often called upon for that. Well over 100 in the last ten years, with 99% complete satisfaction wether they bought or not. One unhappy guy from Germany that sent over 15 emails after the (well bought ex celebrity Speedster) purchase. Apparently he felt I was obligated to give him detailed advice on fixing EVERYTHING that was noted on the inspection at no additional cost to him. We're talking at least a dozen hours of typing at my skill level. Huh.
Sorry for rant II, and deviation from topic ,Justin
Jack

[Jack Staggs]

Justin, the YZ one is "close", like you said, but BB got it right. Copper woven material, with solder sweated end @ the chassis. Stoddard has this one:
http://www.stoddard.com/64461230100.html
What battery will you be using? For 12V, I like the Odyssey 680. That tiny battery will start a built 350! Fits well in the 356 battery box. No fumes. No leaks. No "snowballs" growing on the terminals. Gotta make a custom bracket though. And maybe use the T6 shorter ground strap?
What you say, Bruce? Good to hear from you, bro.

[bbspdstr]

"Perhaps Jack or Bruce might recommend what to type of 12V headlight, flasher relays to get?"

BB here, 3 hours ahead of Jack.....

I am at a disadvantage with any offer of new 12v advice, as now I am retrofitting many early 356 back to 6v. Like Weber carbs and 050 distributors being retrofit with re-conned originals units, "originality" is now king.

Still, for 12v use I just get the headlight bulbs, whether sealed beam or H-4, as were used for 6v. The original relays were stout SOBs and can hold 12v as well. They just work more quickly. Like 6v horns being fed 12v, they just get louder! Wiper speed just goes on 'kill' and like that.

The key to the 6v/12v thing is the wiring and grounds. Like drum brakes, all on a 356 was just fine WHEN NEW, but that was at least 54 freekin' years ago!

EVERYTHING gets worn or corroded or rusted...except the time capsules found now and again. Even the nicer 356s have the 'atrophy' issues. I just took in a nice '58 Cab that was brought to the US about 8 years ago by it's NL owner after it sat in storage over there for 10 years. It is now a fuel and brakes systems restoration just to fulfill the owner's request to "just make it drive reliably and safely." "Oh, by the way, sir....the brake drum linings are undersize".......there's another ~$3,000 added due to simple wear.

Yes, like you Jack, I occasionally am directed "over there" to another forum (or even go there on my own) if I have a few minutes to see what's being posted...and, like you, have an urge to add my 2 cents...and realize I can't due to having to pay-to-play. All I can say to that is "THANK YOU JUSTIN." Thanks to all the other participants here....it is fun...and as I have said a hundred times; it's a learning experience for all who come here for any reason.

Bruce, or J. Bruce (he plays major league baseball for some team, I think)

[roy mawbey]

Bruce,

How correct you are we have so much to thank Justin for. So true what Jack said the info he is able to pass on like you also, can save the guys in trouble loads of money as well as time. That's what forum's are for and it takes a lot of time to put answers together for these people to read and then know what they have to do.

Justin knows if suddenly he needed assistance to keep ABCGT running one word from him and I reckon we would resolve the problem for him.

Bruce it pleases me a lot of people seem to be going back to 6volt and factory carbs and electrics. I do have to work on everything to get it all perfect but it pleases me when that happens. I guess it helps I have a daily car though in the form of my 18 year old BMW the night driving and these latest headlights on moderns are hard to cope with even with the BMW let alone the 356 and its 1959 lights !

Roy

[JTR70]

Jack, thanks for the info and the battery recommendation. I was thinking about an optima but if this one doesn't leak either then this is the way I'll go.



Love the size and they make a ton of custom mount frames. I'll come up with something non invasive.

Thanks Bruce, so you are confirming that the original 6V relays and the flasher will survive on 12V?

Thank you Roy! Its nice to know that you guys have my back!

Justin

4/21/18
Continue slowly feeding more of the loom through the metal sheaths


Direct comparison to the original block. Slightly larger but otherwise very close.

Once the cover is on it will really look the part.

Finished taping up the rest of leads that must pass through the metal sheath.

Running the tunnel lead through was easy enough but it got pretty tight as more leads and girth where added.

Again this immediate turn is pretty hard on everyone especially as it got fatter. Took both hands to push and pull from both sides of the sheath. Little by little.

Only about a couple more feet from getting the fuse block leads seated at the mouth of the sheath. Just about there...

Before I did that a concern I had was at the edges of the weaved wrap. A lot of it was loose and threatening to unravel in and around the junction points. Certainly didn't want that to happen as half my motivation for buying this new loom was this original looking wrap.

I bought a few rolls of hockey tape to secure these areas.

Not original of course but its cloth and adheres really well. It will be hard to detect and above all I want that loom wrap left intact.

Before I pushed the fuse lead area home it was secure in and around the wires. Only the left side yet to do here.

Wrapped and seated in pretty much its final position.

Same at the other end. No more bending or pulling...the wrap survived.

Onto the next challenge of feeding the tunnel lead through its steel sheath. Once I get past this the worst is about over.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

BTW: Could someone (maybe Roy) show me some detailed shots of how this forward area was plumbed with the leads and the battery cable?



..And what this bolt secures???

Started running the dimmer switch and brake light leads after new rubber grommets installed.

I'm leaving all loose until I can get some confirmation on how the headlight leads, battery cable etc were situated in this area. I appreciate any info on this as I have had this car apart for too many years and just don't remember how it went. No reference car here either.
Thanks for any photos up here.
Justin

[Drew.s]

Hi Justin

Does this help? From my 58 LHD.



Remember Roy's car is very original but RHD so everything is the other way round.
Regards
Drew