Announcement

**Black Sheila** · 03-03-2015, 02:59 AM

Floor Pan Assembly:

CB Performance Camber Compensator

**Black Sheila** · 03-03-2015, 03:05 AM

Floor Pan completely assembled:

**Black Sheila** · 03-03-2015, 03:38 AM

The engine is an item had had a lot to think about the initial idea was to replicate a Porsche 356 engine and over the past year started sourcing a few parts that would help me achieve this in all fairness with out Armand help and creativity I don't think it would have been possible, again I must compliment Armand with a job well done.

The idea was to replicate a porsche 356 Engine:
The one on the left is my Speedster VW Type 1 engine and the one on the right is an original a template I used for the build.

Initial Mock up:

Replicating a 356 Engine:

Alternator removed and replaced with a Porsche generator

This was completely Armand's creativity at play I had a brand new Pertronix III Distributor which had transformend into a classic Bosch look alike.

**Black Sheila** · 03-03-2015, 04:21 AM

Rubber seal and seal channel fitted to replicate the Porsche setup

Temporary crank pulley

Aluminium CNC machined pulley's to replicate the OT pulley

Another creative idea by Armand

Distributor completed

**Black Sheila** · 03-03-2015, 04:30 AM

Engine Assembly

VW beetle Oil Dip Stick modified to replicate a Porsche 356 Oil Dip stick
The dip stick in the middle is an orginal dip stick

Porsche 356 Heat risers

**Black Sheila** · 03-03-2015, 04:38 AM

Engine painted and assembled

**JTR70** · 03-03-2015, 12:45 PM

WOW, Chassis details are great! An amazing job dressing that engine like a 356; a lot time spent here...Nice work!

**Impi** · 03-03-2015, 06:09 PM

Hi one of the things that had us going for a while is that although the bodies are a very accurate copy of a 356 in most respects there is much confusion with regards to wheel base. since the figures for a 356 is a wheelbase of 2.1 meters and that of a beetle is 2.4m it stands to reason that the chassis needs to be shortened by 300 mm taking real life measurements disproved this theory and the actual shortening was 306mm to get the front and rear torsion tubes in the correct relative positions
I think that wheel base is also dependent on ride height and spring plate angles. we also set the camber to 356 specs by adding camber shims to the lower tubes and also had to account for that in the shortening process.
most replica makers specify a distance of 286mm for the actual shortening which can be accounted for by converting decimals to inches and back again if you are not careful with the commas, a fault which has been perpetuated for a long time.
Armand

**Black Sheila** · 03-07-2015, 04:18 PM

After the front-end was corrected I decided to install an original 356 fuel tank the mounting straps I had laser cut, the brackets where laser cut and CNC bent as shown CAD drawing. The brackets and straps are rivited together. Due to the fuel tank mounting placment I had a strap loop plate laser cut and this will be bolted onto the fiberglass with a backing plate.

Straps Laser cut and e-coated the other channels is for the"A" pillar and "B" pillar strip. A shown below was my first attempt with aluminum strips "trial and error"

CAD Design

**Black Sheila** · 03-07-2015, 05:09 PM

I received the luggage straps which I ordered from SMC and the obvious thing to do ...I had to try it out.

**JTR70** · 03-10-2015, 12:34 PM

Nice job retro-fitting that original tank. yep, backing plates for all the tank hardware and straps; that's just the way they did it originally on my Corvette. Great effort!

**Black Sheila** · 04-14-2015, 03:27 PM

Latest update on the Black Sheila engine, the CNC pulley insert is now flush with VW pulley, the original Porsche heat risers that I sourced is now securely fitted with a dummy cross bar this was used to open and close the flaps allowing hot air to be directed to the carbs in this case only a dummy, once again great work from Armand.

The engine is basically complete except for the plating of the generator, generator stand and crank pulley with insert.

**JTR70** · 04-15-2015, 12:07 PM

I can appreciate all the time and effort that went into this conversion. Nice work!

**Black Sheila** · 04-22-2015, 03:33 AM

The pedal board has been modified to accommodate the fuel petcock rod, fuse block and also the under-dash E-Brake.
The fuel tank straps has been securely fitted.