356B in Dallas

[tonycoke]

Hello,
I got a 1960 356b a few weeks ago. Been one of my dream cars since my dad had one when I was a boy.







It runs and drives, but I'm having a little trouble with the lights.
Brake lights, blinkers and low beam headlights don't work.
I found a wiring diagram online for 356b, but I'm not sure if it is for t5 or t6 and I don't know if those are the same or not.
For the brake lights, according to the wiring diagram I have, 6 volts goes from the master cyl, through the blinker switch, to the lights. I have verified 6 volts coming out of the blinker switch for left and right, but it is not getting to the tail lights.
Before I went tearing up any wiring, I thought I would check to make sure the diagram I have is correct and the brake light wiring doesn't go through the blinker flasher or anything.
I'm enjoying reading about all the projects on here!
Thanks!
Tony

[surfer71]

with an old car any wire drawing is just a help not a total guide but the drawings about where for the B if I remember so your do ok out of that one..

Just get the idea of the wires and chase them though.. dont look at the whole picture your get swamped.

Taking the wire off each item snipping abit back and refitting nice new copper will help a ton with 6V electrics. Clean every earth going and if in doubt add in a nice new one..

Electrics are not best advised over the net, as there is so much to go though but it's a bloody good start LOL..

Nice find BTW always liked the B I know people don't in general but I like them..It sure looks decent starting point that car.. well done.. what's going down with the ghia always wanted a ghia cab.

[JTR70]

Hello Tony,

Congratulations on your first 356 purchase and Welcome to our new forum!!
Your car looks like a great foundation to build your dream on. Where and when did you find it? Is your plan to work the kinks out and drive as is or to restore it? On the electrical: T5 wiring routes will more closely resemble 356A wiring since the fuse box is in the same position. T6 was moved into the trunk. However they are all practically the same car so the wire codes will be consistent throughout. If something is not working 9 time out of 10 its a bad ground or a corroded contact. Very, very typical problem with these cars. Take a weekend and throughly clean all the contact points at the fuse box and all the grounds to the body. (the brown wire leads under the dash and trunk) You'll be amazed at what gadgets start working again. Looking forward to more pictures and details! Welcome once again!! Justin

[roy mawbey]

Tony,

Your car looks very nice. Well worth while working on. As said above 6v connections and earths need to be checked carefully. I know Joe Leoni produced a wiring book for 356 cars with directions .I believe its sold now by Bill Block. Look on the 356 registry site you don't have to be a member to look on ( but you cannot post with out paying.0
Look up on the vendors or help pages and his address should be there. Its not cheap, but very good. Joe helped me with startor motor problems that I could not at the time resolve. I really repect him.

Look forward to hearing how you get on with your car.

Roy

[tonycoke]

Good advice on the grounds.
I should know that should be the first step. Especially with all of the rust in the battery area where the ground bolts in.

I found it on eBay and drove it home from Oklahoma to Dallas.
I plan to drive it as I work on it. If I can't drive it, I lose interest.
I'd like to keep it "originalish" so that it can easily be returned to stock.

I'd like to fix, the rust in the battery area and front fender wells, prime it, lower it and drive it.

[JTR70]

Sounds like a great plan Tony! Drive and enjoy it! I wish I would have done the same instead of tearing it apart first. Is your new car the exact same year and model your father had? Is your father excited about the car? Justin

[tonycoke]

I thought I remembered my dads car having two grills on the deck lid.
Two days after I got the car, I found old pictures of my parents car which had only one, just like mine. I was very excited to see that.
I thought i rememeberd my dad saying theirs was a 62, but I don't know if they still made t5s in 62.
He isn't around any longer to ask, but my mom likes the car!

The ghia in the picture was bought by my dad and given to my brother in like 1980.
As a little boy, i loved both those cars and was scared I would never get to have one because I thought cars would fly by the time I was 16 lol.
A couple of years back I reunited with my brother. Thankfully he kept the ghia and let it sit in his garage. A year later he said he was going to sell it because his son didn't want it as a graduation present. So I went and got it.

It makes me very happy to have both cars at the same time! I never thought I would have one!!

[JTR70]

Sorry to hear about your father. A Shame he can not share in this new journey with you. Your fathers original car could very well have been a late production T5 and was sold new and titled as a '62. I have heard of several cars like that. You'll have digitize that old photo and post it, Would be intersting to see. Very cool story on the Ghia! I am glad you were able to secure it and now have both cars from your childhood, nice! Justin

[roy mawbey]

Tony,

356B T6 cars came in from August 1961. As Justin says could well have been first registered in 62 as by the time it got to the States might well have been late in the year.

Good idea to drive it. You are aware if the battery box area is rotted out you can get a new pressing? Just get the parts you have to have and as you say, rectify as you go on enjoying it.

Roy

[JTR70]

Hey Tony, I read your reply on Gordons Van. What late model motor swaps have you done? Justin