356 Registry

Periodical Maij.1ime-Dated Material-Address Correction Requested
Postmaster. Send changes to 27244 Ryan Rd . Warren, MI 48092
356
Registry
'111.'111"11'.'.1111"""'1111",',,',"""'1111111'.111' II
*"'*"'**********ALL FOR ADC 270
356Reg Mcm#1685 Exp. 12/3 112999
364
JOE JOHNSON. JR.
6 18 GATEWOOD AVE
HIGH POINT NC 27262-4722
Volume 25, N u m b e r 2
~uly/August 2001
...
Va I u m e 2 5, N u m be r 2
July/August 200~
s
t
.................... ... ..s
Upcoming Events
The Miscellany File
Gordon Maltby
6
President's Letter
Bob Campbell
8
.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
In theMail
26th InternationalMeeting
Bob & Ginny GuITlmow
.10
Restoration
BrettJohnson
12
Scott Harvey
.14
La Carrera
._~
",
Another Bright Idea
Stan
Bonnesen
-:=
In Search ofEvents
Everett Anton Singer
.18
Pat's Posts, Distributors
Pat Tobin
20
Four Cam Forum: Blasting
Dick Koenig
28
Years Ago
JimPerrin
32
Hershey '01
SteveBaun
34
Marketwatch
Jim Schrager
36
Porsche EarlyPostcards
Prescott Kelly
38
The Maestro
Harry Pellow
.40
Rare Porsche Posters
Everett AntonSinger
.42
\
Classified Ads
;
16
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . ..44
Does God Hate Porsches?
Ken Kamstra
.47
356 Registry magazine is the official publication of 356 Registry, Inc., an organization oriented exclusively to the interests, I
needs and unique problems ofthe 356 Porsche automobile owner and enthusiast. The mission of the 356 Registry, Inc. is the
perpetuation ofthevintage (1948- I965) 356seriesPorsche through356 Registry magazine, the central forum fortheexchange
of ideas, experiences and information, enabling all to sharethe 356 experiences of one another. 356 Registry, Inc. is a nonaffiliated, non-profit, educational corporation, chartered underthestatutes oftheState ofOhio.Subscriptions are available only
to members. Membership duesare $30.00in the USA, which includes $23.00fora 6-issue annual subscription to356 Registry'
magazine, $40 in Canada and Mexico, $50 to foreign addresses. All rates are in U.S. dollars, checks MUST be drawnon U.S.
banks. An application form for membership is available on the back wrap cover ofthis magazine, from membership chairperson Barbara Skirrnants, 27244 Ryan Road, Warren, MI 48092USA, fax (810) 558-3616 or on our websiteat 356Registry.org.
356 Registry! magazine (ISSN 10666877) is published bi-monthly for
356 Registry, Inc. by MDesign, 225North Second Street, Stillwater, MN55082.
Periodical Postage paid at Stillwater, MNandadditional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Sendaddress changes to
356 Registry, 27244 RyanRoad, Warren, MI 48092
The opinions andstatementsexpressed in356 Registry' magazine are notnecessarilythose of356 Registry, Inc., its trustees, officers or the Publisher. Technical dataand procedures described herein are the opinions of the authors and carry no claim of
authenticity or suitability fora particular purpose from 356Registryor the Publisher. Anyprocedures described herein are carriedoutat the reader's ownrisk.Porsche®, the Porschecrest, Carrera®, Targa® andthe distinctive shape ofthe Porsche models are tradedress and trademarks of Porsche AGand are used with permission. Publisher reserves the right to edit or refuse
publication andis not responsible for errors or omissions. Driveyour 356 day is September161
2
Volume 25. Number 2
Onthe cover: Atthe Reutterworks,
August. 1962. Ed Verhoef photo.
Onthe outer wrap: Wiesbaden hillclimb,
early 1950s. Lloyd Meyer photo.
No part of 356 Registrymagazine may be reproduced in
any form without the express written permission of the
publisher. Copyright © 200I by356 Registry, Inc. d o M
Design, 225 No. Second St., Stillwater, MN 55082.
Printed on a Heidelberg 5-color press in Red Wing,
Minnesota U.S.A.
Local/Regional 356 Groups
"These groups offer activities, information and fellowship for 356
enthusiasts from a particular geographical area . Each group operates
independently and is not sponsored by the 356 Registry.
WEST
MIDWEST
Porsche 356 Cl ub
Bob Fitzpat rick
23738 Barona Mesa Rd .
Ramona CA 92065
760-7 88 -9354
356bob @home .com
Group 35 6 St. Lou is Reg io n
Ted Melsheimer, Sr.
10517 E. Watson Rd .
St. Louis, MO 63 127
314-96 6-213 1
356 CA R Cl ub
Jim Hardie, 1920 Shelfield Dr.
Ca rmicha el, CA 95608
916-972-7232
Central Co ast
Wes & Diane Morrill , 25209 Cas iano
Salinas, CA 93908
831-643-0356
Windi ge Stadt 356 Klub
Dale Moody
19532 Governor's Hwy
Homewood, IL 60430
70 8-798-2637
Fah r No rth
Phil Saari
337 4 Owasso St.
Sho review, MN 55126
651 -484 -0303
ps356er @aol.c om
35 6 Group Northwest
Bruce Rockwell, 430 9 Reid Dr. NW.
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
356 Motor Cities Gruppe
253-858-2788
Barbara Skirmants
bnmrock @msn.com
27244 Ryan Rd.
Warren, MI 48092
Sierra 356 Po rsche Club
810-558-3692
Glenn Lewis, 2000 Royal Drive
Reno , NV 89503
Ohio Tub Fanatics
Richard King
330 -678 -6259
Rocky Mountain
tUbfanat ic @aol.com
Po rsche 356 Club
AI Gordon, 12773 Grizzly
Littleton, CO 80127
303-979· 1072
Arizona Outlaws
Po rsche 356 Club
Mou ntainlan d Porsche 356 Club
Mike Wroughton
Edward Rad ford
19870 N. 86t h Ave .
t 568 Con necticut Drive
Peoria, AZ 8538 2
Salt Lake City, UT 84 103
62 3-362- 835 6
801 -52 1-7330
mwroughton @aol.com
SO UTH WEST
Haw aII 356 Ow ne rs Group
Terry Felts
16 1 Hanohano Place
Honolulu, HI 96825-3515
808 ·396-6017
wtfelts @aol.com
SOUTH
Southern Owners Group
Ray Ringl er
3755 Creek Stone Way
Mar ietta , GA 30068
Three56 @aol. com
Florida Owners Group
Rich Will iams , 4570 47th St.
Sarasota, FL 34235
813-758-0356
rich356fog@ earthlink.net
Zia 356
David J . Berardinelli
P.O .Box 1944
Santa Fe, New Me xico 87504 -1944
(505) 989 -9566
djblaw @nLnet
Tub Cl ub
Bob Morri s
397 Creekw ood Dr.
Lancaster, TX
972 -227 -8357
bob.morris @halliburton.com
Lone Star 356 Club
Mark Roth
4915 S. Main , Suite 114
Stafford, TX 77477 (Hou ston)
281-277-9595
mroth356@ aol.com
356 Mi d Atlantic
Dan Haden
143 W. Ca rpenter Lane
Philadelphia , PA 19119
356 Southern Connecticut
Reg ister, Ltd.
P.O. Box 35
Rivers ide , CT 0687 8
w3 .nai.netredwardhle d4yhtm
Typ 356 Northeast
Fran DeLeo
18 Co m ing St., Beverly, MA 01 905
978-927-3070
www .Typ356NE. org (website)
info@Typ356NE.org (emaiQ
356registry.org
The new password for members-only pages: Speedster
Valid through September 2001
Officers
Bob Campbell , President, Event Insurance
(Bo bCampbell @356r egistry.or g)
20964 Canterwood Dr.
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
66 1-251-3500
Chuck House, Vice Presiden t
(ChuckHouse @356re gistry.org)
6402 Harvard Circle
Huntingto n Beach, CA 926 47
714 -89 1-2386 (H) 949-250-4043 Fax
Patty Yow , Secretary
Randall Yow , Treasurer
(RandaIlYow@3 56registry.org)
21 Thimbleberry Square
Gr eensboro, NC 27455
336-545-8994 (H), 336-2 75-9 116 Fax
Trustees
Bob Campbell
(BobCa mpbell @356registry.org)
20964 Canterwood Dr.,
Santa Clarita , CA 91350
661 -251- 3500
Chuck House
(ChuckHouse @356registry.org)
6402 Harvard Circle ,
Hun tington Beach, CA 9264 7
714 -891-2386 (H)
Joe Johnson
(JoeJo hnso n @356re gistry.org)
618 Gatewood , High Point , NC 27262 -4722
33 6-886-52 87 (H)
Vic Sk irmants
(Barbar aSkirmants@ 356registry.org)
27244 Ryan Rd., Warren , MI 48092
810-575 -9544 (W)
Randall Yow
(RandaI IYow @356r egistry.org)
21 Th imbleb erry Squ are ,
Greensbo ro, NC 27455
336 -545 -8994 (H), 336-275-9116 Fax
Club Services
OUTSIDE USA
Barbara Sk lrm ants, Membership,
Renewals,Circulation
(Barb araSkir ma nts @356regist ry.org)
27 244 Ryan Road, War ren , MI 48092
810-558-3692, fax 810-558-3616
Map le Leaf 356 Club of Canada
Dave Hinze
2304 Weston Rd. # 1407
Weston, ON M9N 1Z3
4 16-244-4759
Ch r is Mar kha m , Webmeister
(We bme ister @356registry.org)
7185 W. Zayante Rd., Felton , CA 95018-9466
831-335-3582
EAST
Po tomac 356 Owner 's Group
Dan Rowzie
800 South Samuel St.
Chartes Town WV 25414-14 16
To subscribe to the Registry 's electronic mail list,
send an email to 356talk-request@356registry.org
with the single word subscribe as the message,
or go to the Registry's website at
Australian Porsche 356 Reg ister
P.O. Box 7356, St. Kilda Rd.
Melbourne, Victor ia 3004
Aust ralia
356 Down Under
P.O. Box 47 677
Ponsonby
Auckland
New Zea lan d
John Je nkins , Travel Ass istance Network
Oohnjenkins @agilent.com)
3122 Kingsley St., San Diego, CA 920 16
6 19-224-3566 ,619-22 4-3933 Fax
M & M Enterprises, Wes & Diane
Goodie Store
(356goodiestore @usa .net)
25209 Casiano, Salinas, CA 93908
831-643-0356, fax 831 -643-1333
Dr. Brett Johnson, Porsche Factory Liason
(356drb@ indy.net)
75 10 Alliso nvill e Rd ., Indianapolis, IN 46250
317 -841 -7677, fax 317 -849 -200 1
Magazine Editorial Staff
Go rdon Ma lt b y, Editor
Ali ce Ro ss-Jinks , Production Manager
22 5 N. 2nd St.
Stillwate r, MN 5508 2
65 1-439-0204
fax 651-439-7620
(Gordo nMaltby @356registry.org)
Dr. B ill Block, Book Reviews,
356 Registry Databas e Monitor
(blocklab @aol.com)
423 Hawk High Hill
Metamora , MI 48455
810 -678 -30 17
Ke ith Denahan , Vintage Racing
21537 110th Ave. S.
Boca Rato n, FL 33428
561 -482 -0516
Dr. Brett Johnson , Restoration Editor
(356drb @indy.net)
7510 Allisonville Rd.,
Indiana polis, IN 46250
317-841 -7677
Dic k Koen ig , Four Cam Forum
7S 710 Donwood Dr.,
Naperville, IL 60540
630-369-4492
Harry Pellow, The Maes tro
(mae stro @well .com)
20655 Sunrise Drive
Cupertino , CA 95014
408-727 -1864
Jim Per r in , Historian
(carreragts@ aol.com)
Box 2930 7,
Columbus, OH 43229
614 -882-9046
J im Schrager, Market watch
Oames .schrager @gsb.uch icago .edul )
54722 Littl e Flow er Trail
Mishawaka, IN 46545
2 19-259-926 1
Vic Sk irmants , Technical Editor
(Ba rbaraSkirmants @356registry.org)
27244 Ryan Rd.
War ren, MI 4809 2
810 -575 -9544
Hal Thoms , Photographe r,
W. Coas t Vintage Racing
13341 Ethelbee Way,
San ta Ana, CA 92705
714- 731-719 1 (W)
(photobyhal @aol.com)
Pat Tob in , Pat's Posts
(tobin p @ix.netcom.com)
1709 2 Chats worth St.,
Gran ada Hills , CA 91344 -5849
818 -368 -1262
Robin Hansen, Ass 't. Webmeiste r,
email List Mon itor
(rhans en @356reg istry.org)
Rick 0 111, email List Monitor
(rdill @cyburban.com)
356 POWER
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your 356. Thirty years experience, worldwide reputation.
Featured here are newlyintroduced engine components to
add powerand value.
1720cc Piston & Cylinders
• Quality permanent mold pistons, "hypereu tectic" 13%
silico n, insu ring strengt h and the rmal cont rol.
• Balanced within 1/2 gram, ringsgapped and installed.
• Lightweight offs et wrist pin for quiet operat ion.
• Cy linders are super ior castings
finish e d on the late st Sunnen
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Available NOW!
Par t# NLA 103 901 86
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Aluminum Oil Cooler
Latest and most efficient design - SuperiorU.S.
manufactured unit for a11356 & 912 engines.
• Improved cooling compa red to
curren t Porsch e or 36hp coo lers
used by some engine builders.
• 45%lighter than original steel
units, minimi zing possible
engine case cracks.
SuperLite Crankshaft
By Scat Enterprises, the world leader in special
cranks for custom applications.
• Machinedfroma 4340 lab certified billet, far higher strength
and life that the original SC/912German version.
• Special Superl.ite counterweight design gives20% reduction
in rotating mass = faster rev's, longer bearing life.
• Special mounting fasteners for
Available NOW'
Note: Supply is limited.
early and late eng ine cases.
$19 95
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Part# NIA 107 04100
$39 9
Flywheels
• NEW! From original German supplier.
• 2 versions - Super 90 & C/Se.
• Plus - Complete line ofclutch parts in stock.
$349
48-Pages
of parts for
all 356
models
Toll Free OrderLine
800.438.8119
PO BOX 41030, Ren o, NY 89504
775/626 .7800 Fax 775/626 .1220
SERVICE & REPAIR
Available Again
New Facilities!
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• Southern California showroom-by appointment
• Indoor storage-private and secure
• Consignment sales· Enclosed transportation
• Sellers/Buyers remorse counseling
Volume 25 . Number 2
Headrest
Set
Vinyl $395.
Leather
$445.
u
Trustee Election 2001
•
ommq
Ev nt
1\1'0 356 Registry trustee positions are open this YC'J r. Chuck House and
RandallYow's two-year terms are up for nomination. Any member in goodstanding maynominate themselves or another member. Nominations must be received
by the Secretary (see page 3) by August 10, 2001. An election ballot listing all
candidates will be included in the next issue.
july 21-22
Effingham, Illinois
Mid America Direct presents the second annual Tweeks Fun Fest for Porsche at
their headquarters. Free registration, parking, food and a discount on catalog
orders during the event. Tour the museumand display your car. Get info and register on line at Tweeks.corn or call 217-347-559 1.
Lime Rock, Connecticut
j uly 27-29
Brian Redman presents the Rennsport Reunion, three days of all-Porsche vintage
competition plus a Sunday concours. Special features: an all-3;6 race with 550 to
RS 61 models and a 356 Corral. Tickel/entry info 561-794-9755, www.gorace.com.
july 29
Henderso n, Colora do
The Rocky Mountain 3;6 Club, Rocky Mountain Region of PG\ and the North
American Porsche Tractor Registry are jointly sponsoring GMOND 200I, a Sunday
"Wasb and Shine." Bring out your Porsche car or tractor for the dedication of the
Maybee's Gmiind Workshop in progress. Car placement begins at I I a.rn., beer &
brats served at I p.m. America Roadster, Gmiind Coupe, other 356s and 6+
Porsche tractors are scheduled to show. Info/pre-registration, George Maybee,
303-655-983 1, gmaybee@whatley.com. (See related story& photos on page 9.)
August 17- 19
Monterey, California
The Monterey IIistoric Races featuring Bentley will be held at la guna Seca. Sec
laguna-seca.com for details or call 800-327-7322 for tickets.
April 2 - September 30
Reno, Nevada
"Porsche Passion," the collection of Ranson Webster at the National Automobile
Museumshowcases 12 Porsches froma 1953 Cab to a 1994 RSR. Included are two
550 Spyders, three Carreras, an Abarth, a 904 and three significant 911s.
September 6-9
356 Registry E:L~t Coast Holiday. Details, page 7.
October 20
Monterey, California
j oin us for the 5th Almost-Annual Bear Poop Open 356 Golf Tournament at la guna
Seca Golf Club. $125 per player: green fee, cart, tee prizes, awards and a barbecue. Proceeds to the American Cancer Society. For info and a registration form,
call Wes or Diane Morrill at 831-643-0356 or email t03 56goodiestore@usa.net
November 16-18
Palm Spr ings, California
Porsche 356 Club presents the 10th Annual Palms to Pines Weekend. For more
information, contact Mi ke Goldberg at 323-665-2040.
April 2002
Charl eston , South Carolina
356 Registry E:L~t Coast Holiday. Details to follow.
May 2002
Billingchus Skbvde, Sweden
27th InternationalPorsche 356 meeti ngMay9-12, 2002. Info/registration: bertilsson@ebox.tninet.se or Porsche 356 K1ubb Sverige, Box 11059, S-550 II
jiinkiiping, Sweden.
August 22-25, 2002
Duluth, Minneso~1
Fahr North hosts the 2002 356 RegistryNorth Coast Holiday in Duluth, along Lake
Superior's beautiful :'\orth Shore. Details to follow.
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Ventura , Californ ia
September 14-16
The inaugural German AutoFest presents the fi rst-ever All-Porsche Industry Trade
Show combined with a full judged Concours, LiteraturcIMobiliaShow, Porsche only
For Sale Corral and a huge Porsche Swap Meet. This collection of 5 Wo rl d-c hL~s
events will be Industry-only Friday, open to the public Saturday & Sunday. What a
great place to drive your 356 to on September 16th! Call 661-2%-6545, fax 661263-0431, email info@german-autofest.como r lisit www.genllan-autofest.co m
September 15
Doheney, California
Porsche 356 Club presentsthe 7th Annual Beach Party at DoheneyState Beach. For
more info rmation, call Mike Nelson at 949-66 1-1171.
September 16
Annual Drive Your 356 Day. Start planning now!
October 19-20
Sedona, Arizona
join theArizona Outlaws as theytour thescenic high countryofArizona forthe 6th
javelina 100. Contact Mike Wroughton for a registration form and more info at
623-362-8356or mwroughton@aol.com.
Wor ldwide
fJeclusively
Porsche®
Automobiles
Industry Trade Show - Meetfaceto facewith the Industry's major
manufacturers, suppliers, tuners and restoration experts.
Full Judged Concours - Porsche" after Porsche downa palmtree-
linedmain streetwith victory lapsto all award winners.
International Literature . Model and Mobilia Meet - Be sure you
allow timefor this alwayspopular offering of rare items.
Huge Porsch -onlv Swap Meet - Acres of Porsche® parts & acces-
sories. Find the partsyou need. sell the ones you don't.
September 22
Stuttgart , German y
The 5th International Porsche Model Club SummerSwap,I0 a.m.-4 p.m. in theSSBVeranstaltungszentrum Waldaupark, Stuugart- Degerloch, For Swap infocontact
PMC Club: P.O. Box 2, NL-7800 A:\ Ernmen, Netherlands. Tel. ++3 1-59-671442,
F:I.'\ ++31-599-671044, info@koop-co.nl. Applications online at:wwwkoop-co.ul.
October 4-7
Mammoth Mountain, California
Porsche 356 Club presents Fall Festival 200I, headquartered at the Sierra Nevada
RodewayInn-I -800-824-5132. Formore information, contact Mike Nelson at 949661-1171.
Porsch e'·only For Sale Corral - Place yourcar in frontof thousands
of Porsche enthusiasts, collectors and dealers for a full threedays.
° Seminars on Industry Subjects ° New Model Displays °
° New Product Demonstrations ° Silent Charity Auction °
DON'T MISS IT!
For more information and our colorbrochure:
Phone 661-296-6545 ° Fax 661 -263-0431
Visit us at: www.german-autofest.com
email: info @german-autofest.com
No affiliation with or a roval of Porsche AG or Porsche Cars North Americais intendedor im lied
July/August 2001
5
he phrase "Time flies when you're having
fun" must betrue.Dave Scott, co-founder
ofthe Rocky Mountain 356Porsche Club
asksin the latest edition of the Oversteer, "How can
it be 15 years ago that a few of us sat down to talk
about thepossibility offorming a small local club for
356lovers?"
It has indeed been that long Dave, and the
small local clubhasgrown quite a bit. The size, however, is not as important as the fact thatthese people
know how to have fun with theircars! From thefirst
meeting in 1986 they have been a very active group
and have hosted four fabulous West Coast Holidays.
It helps, ofcourse, to have some great locations like
Estes Park, Steamboat Springs, Aspen and Durango
in your "backyard." But organization, imagination
and true 356zeal made these events reallyoutstanding. As a participant at three of the Holidays, 1 can
attest to the fact thata good time was had byall.
Driving seems to be the focus of the group's
get-togethers, and rightly so. The Aspen Holiday in
1995 was a moveable feast where the entire group
packed up and headed through the mountains to
Crested Butte. Ofcourse, not to inflict hardship on
theirguests, our Colorado hosts arranged a sumptuous breakfast and a barbeque lunch along the way.
Now, 1callthat a class act! It was such a niceevent
that even the fact there was hail and the concours
was in a parking ramp could notdampen spirits.
The group provided another stellar Holiday last
summer in Durango where, true to form, the partie-
T
6
Volume 25. Number 2
ipants hit the road on some of the most scenic twolanes this side of the Alps. Throw in the Silverton
steam train, great restaurants and shopping... how
can you not have a good time at a Rocky Mountain
356Club event?
Forclubmembers, there's a lotofactivity on a
regular basis. Tech sessions, tours, picnics, parties
and regional "West Fest" weekends have given
Colorado 356ers ample opportunity to get out their
cars over the years. Their enthusiasm should be an
example to us all. Congratulations to the Rocky
Mountain 356Club members andallthose who have
sponsored, organized andparticipated forthelast15
years. Keep up the good work and keep driving! Oh,
and how about another West Coast Holiday soon?
EdKollar ofTaos, New Mexico senta postcard
with the following:
"After reading thatrattlesnake story... Well, I
crossed theNile river in myoid '88 Land Rover on
the backs oftwocrocodiles. Yes sir, I drove up on
their backs as they lay in the mud Had a dead
chicken on a pole hanging in front of the Rover.
Well, themcrocs tookoffand before you knowit,
wecrossed the river!"
So what you're saying, Ed, is that you didn't
believe the snake tail (1 mean tale)? Trying to pull a
rattler out of a heatertube is stretching the truth, 1
guess. Something was stretched, anyway. Personally,
1 bought the whole story until the last part about
making a steeringwheel cover out of the snakeskin.
Who would do something that tacky?
For the record, the publisher disclaims any
responsibility for damages resulting from the use of
a grease gun to remove rattlesnakes from heater
tubes (or anywhere else). 1 published Jim Hinde's
story in the lastissue strictly as a public service for
people who might find themselves in a similar situation. Oh, and bytheway... as far as 1 know, the rest
ofthose Tail Lights stories were true.
Some newnames appearon the contents page
this issue. I welcome Prescott Kelly to these pages
and look forward to more collectible articles from
him in the future. Ken Kamstra has contributed a
wonderful 356 story from his book It's OK to Love
Your Cal: Steve Baun has organized the Hershey
swap forseveral years andreports on theevent here.
Scott Harvey has run two La Carrera races in Mexico
and his two-part travelogue/race report begins this
time. Stan Bonneson offers a novel approach to lightingupgrades. Thanks to you all. Enjoy!
)56 Registr,y
East Coast Holida'y
September 6-9
chatlano oga, Tennessee
Below: Walnut Street Bridge, the longest pedestrian
bridge in the country, boasts outstanding views of
Chattanooga's new rivertronl.
Left: Lookout
Mountain's Point
Park is the site of
the 1863 Civil War
"Battle Above the
Clouds."
HoIidaH Schedule
September 6
Hotel Reservations
Registration open
9:02AM 'til 10:58AM
Lookout Mountain Tour
1:22PM 'till 4:18PM
Li terature & Parts Swap meet
5:01PM 'til 6:48PM
Registration Open
5:05PM 'til 6:37PM
Welcome Party
6:56PM 'til l 0:l0PM
Call the Chattanooga Choo Choo Holiday Inn 1-800-872-2529 to make a hotel reservation.
Ask for the special group rate. Single: $99. Double (2 persons): $99. Plus tax. Children 18 and
under, FREE in same room with parents. Reservations must be received by Aug. 13, '01.
----------------------------------------------,
')56 Registr~ East Coast Holidaq Chattanooga 2001
_
Registrant~
September 7
Registration Open
9:02AM 'til 10:08AM
Downtown Tour
10:15AM 'tiI 2:07PM
Tech Session
2:10PM 'til 4:18PM
Registration Open
2:10PM 'til 5:01PM
Literature & Parts Swap Meet
5:01PM 'til 6:12PM
Aquarium Dinner
6:22PM 'til 9:22PM
Member Number
Co-Registrant.
_
Address,
_
City
COuntry
Phone,
.StateIProv
_
ZiplPost. Code
_
Email,
_
September 8
Concours Car Placement
8:02AM 'til 9:58AM
Concours Peop le's Choice
10:02AM 'til 12:12PM
Concours Awards
1:58PM 'til 3:56 PM
Literature & Parts Swap Meet
3:56PM 'til 6:06PM
Banquet Cocktails
6:28PM 'til 7:32PM
Banquet
7:33PM'till0:27PM
50 piece band. Dress in the style
matching the year of your car!
September 9
Last Stop Swap Meet
7:58AM 'til l 0:02AM
Please note: The Hospit ality
Complex will be open Thurs . thru
Sat. 9:02AM 'til 11:58 PM
Car Model,
Body Style'--
year
Car COlor
Long-Sleeved T-Shirt Size - Registrant
Co-Registrant,
Registrant
x1
$95 ea. = $95.00
Co-Registrant
X
$70 ea. =
I Junior Co-Registrant*
x
I
I Fri. Night Aquarium Dinner x
I
x
I Sat. Night Banquet
$20 ea. =
I
I
li tal
' Junior Registration: Under age 16.
Includes Welcome Party & Hospitality Complex ONLY.
$27 ea. =
$30 ea. =
0
_
=-- - -
_
_
Registration fees include: Welcome Party (cash bar), Hospilality
Suite, T-Shirt, Hat, Patch, Swap meets &Awards.
Registrations must be received by August 15, 2001 .
Late registrations/registration at the eventwill be accepted at the
aboveprice, but you willnot receive T-Shirt, Hat, Patch, Welcome I
Partyor be ableto purchase mealtickets. Toencourage youthpar-I
ticipation, we offer a juniorco-registration, but please notelimila- I
tions. Meal packages for juniors must be same as adult.
I
Make checks payable to:
I
356 Registry East Coast Holiday 2001
Mail To: 356 Registry East Coast Holiday 2001
618 Gatewood Ave., High Point, NC 27262
I
I
!
~---------------------------------------------- ~
irst off, many thanks to Chris Markham
for his very informative article on this
page in the last issue regarding the
Registry's Website. The 356 Registry Trustees realize
how very fortunate we are to have had the likes of
Robin Hansen, Robert Boyle, Rick Dill and now
Webmeister extraordinaire Chris Markham volunteer
their time, year after year, to produce what is already
considered the 356Porsche"Portal" to theInternet.
F
Bob at his 356 Salesshowroom. Hehopes to sell
enough cars to afford electricity for the lights
some day.
If you have not visited 356registry.org lately, I invite
you to do so. Thanks again to Chris and everyone
involved, keep up thegood work.
Bob Campbell
Also included in the "good work" category is
our editor Gordon Maltby and his production manager, Alice Ross-links. Gordon and Alice just keep
finding ways to continually improve this magazine.
The recent changes in overall size, page count and
paper quality, along with their personal artistic
touches everywhere, add up to one of the greatest
automobile club publications anywhere. Thanks
Alice and Gordon, keep it up.
The 356 Registry has three terrific events on
the Holiday Calendar for yourdriving pleasure. The
East Coast Holiday in Chattanooga, Tennessee on
September 6-9, 2001 will be here sooner than you
think. JoeJohnson and Randall Yow have organized
yet another wonderful gathering for all 356 Registry
members so getyour registrationin ASAP and don't
be left out. Mike Duck and friends will host the 2002
East Coast Holiday next April in historic Charleston,
South Carolina. This event promises to be a lovely
affair with the azaleas in full bloom and "Plantation
Row" among the many magnificent places to visit.
Your fearless editor Gordon Maltby and Fahr North
ringleader Phil Saari will welcome all Registry members to the 356 Registry's North Coast Holiday in
Duluth, Minnesota next August. This will be a
change-of-pace andchange ofvenue Holiday andwill
give everyone a chance to enjoy Duluth and the surroundingarea for it's beauty, history and attractions
while enjoying optimum weather conditions. Put
these dates on your calendar and be sure to check
UpComing Events for morefun things to do.
The International 356 Meet recently held in
Holland was a great success with over 330cars present and except for a little rain, everyone had a great
time. Ginny and Bob Gummow report in this issue.
One European enthusiast provided an unsolicited
report regarding Wes andDiane Morrill, who were at
the meet with the 356 Registry Goodie Store. The
individual stated that these two people were
absolutely the nicest, most helpful and considerate
individuals he had ever met. Typical American
tourists, I say. This is just another example of the
incredible goodwill that Wes and Diane spread
where ever they go. They are indeed our Premier
Ambassadors. Thank you, Morrills.
Your clubcontinues to roll along quite smoothly, which is exactly what I hope you and your 356
automobile are doing. Don't you dare let another
summer pass without putting a few more miles on
your 356. Remember, if vou don't drive it, you don't
get it!
~
t: - ~- -
Z
TWEEKS celebrates 25 YEARS IN BUSINESS with a
whirlwind of Silver Anniversary promotions, including our
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This 400+hp Super Boxster will attend numerous events,
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information, Funfest highlights and, of course, to order your
FREE full-colorCATALOG of performance, restoration,
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8
Volume 25. Number 2
Daytime Phone: (
Model:_
Year:
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Do you belong to a carclub? 0 Yes
0 No
Fax coupon to: 217-347-2952 • Or mail coupon to:
......1IiI:::f~~r.~r~:J::;;'I.J;;;;1~
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c" " ~ ~"y,,,
~
P.O. Box 1368,
Dept. T3071 ,
Effingham, IL 62401_
Whatzits
In the Mail
he theme this issue is filters, and in the
photo above wehave four different ones.
Iwo of those above are related, filter the
same liquid and are located adjacent to each other.
The others filter other material but all are located in
the front half of the
car. Only one of
them is visible
without signifif~ cant disassem/ -.7 bly At left is one
::::::::::---- more filter from an
earlier model that's not located in the front of the car.
Answers on page 17.
T
J)
From replica to reality
eorge Maybee visited Gmiind and the
Porsche museum there in 1989 (top,
left) . lie was so inspired bythe buildings
he created the diorama shown (top, right) for the
199 PCA Parade aI1 show. Not content with a smallscale replica, George also built a full-size-and-then-
G
some building in the same style to house his 356s
and Porsche tractors. Irs also big enough for his
other vehicles, workshops and storage. George will
host an open house and dedication at his new building in Henderson, Colorado for Porsche friends on
July29th - seethenotice on page 5.
,~
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July/August 20 01
9
26th International 356 Meeting
byBob & GinnyGummow
riVing early Tuesday at Schiphol,
Holland, we head directly to the Gold~n
lip
Conference
Center
In
Noordwijkerhout, to rest up before the festivities
begin on Thursday. We arrive to find Peter and Thea
van der Berg and others of the organization hard at
work putting the finishing touches on what will be
the largest ever of the International 356 meetings.
The Conference Center has accommodations and
private parking forall ofthe 254 cars registered. On
hand for viewingoutside is a line-up of each model
ofthe Porsche tractors-all nicely restored.
We spend Wednesdaypaying an obligatory visit
to nearby Keuchenhof gardens-the tulips are nearing the end of their blooming period but the main
exhibition hall has a fabulous array of lily displays,
and the azaleas and rhododendrons around the
grounds are at their peak.Arriving back at the hotel,
wefind several more 356s have arrived.
Registration officially opens at noon on
Thursday and the meeting is underway. The afternoon is spent talking cars and looking for old
friends. At 5:00 wegather fo r a welcomedrink, followed bya buffet dinner in the atrium.
Amongthe special guests at the dinner are Dr.
k
Talbot®
Sport Mirro rs
Berlin 300 Chrome Plated Brass
SL 300 Brushed Aluminum
o
o
o
o
Senior - 4.0" Diameter
Junior - 3.5 " Diameter
Several Mounting Systems
Flat or Convex Mirrors
WolfgangPorsche and Ms. Petter-Godin de Beaufort.
Thislovelyandcharmingladywas very interestingto
talk with about the colorful racing career of her
brother, Carel Godin de Beaufort who, between 1957
and 1964, drove a Porsche in 22 Grand Prix races.
He lost his life at the age of 30 in August 1964 during practice for the German Grand Prix at
Nurburgring.
On hand fo r viewingin the entrance hall are a
formula car and a pictorial racing history from the
de Beaufort collection. Also on display are photos
and the car of Han LeNoble, driven in the "Around
the World in 80 Days Rallye" last year, which was
written about in the 356Registry magazine.
After dinner, Dr. Wo lfg~mg Porsche, member of
the SupervisoryBoard of Dr. Ing. II.c.E Porsche AG,
addressed a very enthusiastic worldwide group of
356Porsche Pushers.
Following breakfast Friday morning, we open
our road book and head for the old airport at
Schiphol. All assembled, we look across five acres
(or should I say hectares) of356s. Under the precise
direction of head judge, Walter Gratama, Dutch 356
expert, a judgingteamis sent off in search ofthe best
car in each class (no easy task). In addition, there
That's right! The guys at CE are
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10
Volume 25. Number 2
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will be a "Peoples Choice" awards, one selected by
the men and one selected by the women-as one
would expect they did not select the samecar.
While lunch is being served in one of the
hangars, two Douglas Dakotas are cranking up to
give rides to those who had signed up for them.
"Stand up and hook your static line!" was the last
order given aboard these flytng workhorses of the
Allied Air Forces over 50 years ago as they carried
members of the 10lst and 82nd Airborne to their
destination: a bridge too far.
Back at the anthill, the news media descends.
Everywhere you look there are TV cameras recording
and car magazine reps interviewing various people,
includinga session with Dr. Porsche.
In theafte rnoon, it'sbackto the road book and
on to Anthony Fokker Business Park for somespeed
trials and a gymkhana. That's right, Tony was the
Dutch airplane designer ofthe capable airplanes that
flew for Kaiser Bill. For anyone interested, there are
also bicycle tours, beach and dune walks and a visit
to the Ford Museum.
In the evening, following libations in the lobby,
in the dining room we are surprised by a group of
well-endowed dancing ladies (wearing a minimum
of textile), representing the Dutch East Indies. They
get and hold our attention for the better part of the
evening, with severalofour number joiningin on the
dance floor.
On Saturday, we have several options: an historical sailing trip, a visit to the college town of
Leiden, or a tour through the countryside and a visit
tothe "National Automobielmuseum." We have opted
forthesailinghip, so out with the road book and off
to Mulden, We are directedto a nice green cow pasture, which made our limited slips necessary. Astroll
down a cobblestone street through the quaint village
brings us to the canal where we board a small boat
to the accompaniment of strollingmusicians and are
taken to our larger three-masted schooner.
Altogether there are three sailing ships forthe group.
Once on board the sails are unfurled and we're
becalmed! Who shot the albatross?What the hey?No
problem. The reliable diesels are cranked up and it's
off to the open sea (not the North Sea) where all
three ships are tied up together. The bar is open,
lunch is served and musicians are keeping us entertained. Then Diane Morrill does her rendition of
Shirley Temple's "Good Ship Lollipop," immediately
causi ng several members to jump overboard. Later,
it's back to port, an Italian Ice in the village, and
back to the pasture (oops) for return to the Golden
Tulip for the grand finale.
"Smart Casual" is the suggested attire for the
evening ~U1 d as the pretty people enter the atrium,
trays of hors d'oeuvres, champagne and orange juice
are circulated amidst the chatter of people from 16
different countries. The Schudmaks from Australia
have traveled the fu rthest distance.
As we are seated for dinner, Rolf Sprenger is
appointed wine steward at our table to ensure that
the red is room temperature and the white is chilled
(and the supplyis adequate).
Following dinner, a portion of Han Le Noble's
video of his "Around the World in 80 Days" trip is
shown, and the awards are made to the deserving for
the Concours and speed trials. Koni, one ofthe sponsors, presents a beautiful award to the car of their
choice and we present Henne and Marla Lembeck
with a "Porsche Pushers Personified" award. They
have attended every international Meeting, except the
veryfirst (which theydid not knowabout) in a 356.
Following dinner, a disco is set up at one end
of the dining room and in an adjoining room, there
are two screens set up showing movies and videos
from this meeting, as well as the two previous
Holland meetings. The frivolity continues into the
early hours as we retire.
It is Sunday morning, time for breakfast and
the packing of the little cars for the homewardboundtrip. Bynoon, most are gone and we head out
too. As weare not returningto the U.S. until Iuesday,
we decide to make a trip on our own to Leiden, but
we never got there. We went instead in pursuit of a
concrete 356 Cabriolet, but that's another story.
The 27th International 356 Meeting in 2002
will be May 9-12 in Billingehus Skovde, Sweden,
northeast of Goteborg, Club Holland, you're a tough
act to follow.
~
Left: The Around-theWorld 356 of HanLe
Noble was on display.
Right and below:
Arriving at the HQ
hotel. DC-3 rides were
available, or a
schoonersailing trip,
which included
strolling musicians on
the ferry to the big
ships. Wolfgang
Porsche is interviewed.
Hegave a keynote
speech at dinner honoring Dutch driver
Count Carel de
Beaufort who won 22
races for Porsche in
the 1960sand was
killed in practice in
1964.De Beaufort's
sister displayed his
memorabilia during
the event.
Left: More musicfor
the participants.
Above and right:
Landlubbers had a
chance to sail (sort of)
on a three-master. One
of the interesting 356s
at the event was this
Roadspeedboxster.
Several tractors were
at the meet; not shown
are the "unrestored"
versions also on display.
July/August 2001
11
his time somefollow ups and new information, and while still somewhat disjointed, at leastthere isn't so much 1956
stuff. I am thankful to all of those contributors who
take thetimeto write ande-mail.
Harry Kurrie added another data point on
356Cs with plain hub caps and headlight adjusting
screws at 4 and 8: #215745 , which he collected at
the factoryinjanuary 1964. He also has a brochure
printed July 1964 that illustrates the tarnished
chrome center crests. This confi rms information
presented in Volume24, Number 6. Still looking for
verifiable tarnished chromecrestsprior toJuly 1964
- anybody?
Also presented inVolume 24, Number 6 were a
couple of things sent in by Rainer Schmidt in
Gennany. I commented about the decal on the Leitz
luggage rack being totallyunaware that these are, in
fact, readily available from Brad Ripley at NIA
Brad also sent a photocopy of page 18 from
Cbristopborus Number 36 (November 1961), which
shows the same hardtop as on Mr. Schmidt's
Roadster. The accompanying caption states, "The
miniature poodle is named Coco, and this elegant
roof, which can be taken offin a fewseconds,is sold
by the firm of Erich Meinhart, Munich 13,
Tengstrasse 36. For roadster or convertible [this
means Convertible OJ, priced at OM. 1050 - (ca.
$262.50), without poodle."
T
Factory photos last issue
Last time I commented about the color cover
photo ofVolume 24, Number 5 taken byLloyd Meyer.
The other photos in the last issue certainly clear up
one point of confusion. Those are definitely 356A
Speedsters meaning that the photo was sometime
after the first of the year in 1956.
Uwe Biegner showing his powers of observation weighed in onthis topic. "Fora German it's pretty simple to tellthe date ofthe photo. We are used to
theviewofthe seasons. Itmust be Februaryor March
1956. March makes most sense. With a little more
research I could date it to the week. The photo was
taken in earlyafternoon, butthe sun is stillverylow."
He also commented on thefact that German license
plates went from black with white letters to white
with black letters onJuly I, 1956.
The other comment I made last time was that
the Speedsters in the photo remained in 1955
Speedster colors. Upon closer inspection anda little
research, I was about two thirds right. The blue cars
are notSpeedster Blue, butrather Aquamarine Blue.
The last Speedster Blue car (as researched byUwe!)
was #81094, a November 1955 production 1600
engined pre-A.
I had Bill Block review the cars he has in his
database and it appears that many 1956 Speedsters
were Aquamarine Blue, white or Fire (Signal) Red.
The four-campowered Speedsters had much greater
variety, though.
Okay, so what's that under the cover in the
photo on page 15 ofthe last Registr)'?The Type 542
Studebaker? Frau Porsche's Mercedes? The Cayenne
prototype?
12
Volume 2 5. Number 2
Afinal comment; did anyone notice that there
is not a single exterior mirror installed except those
on thecommingling Beetles? Speakingofmirrors, I
mentioned last time that from mid-1 957 exterior
mirrors were normallyfound on the doors andprior
to that on the frontfenders. I have yet to see a factoryphoto of the earlier car's on the door. There is a
356A Speedster with beehives and a mi rror on the
door on page 107 of the Conradt book, but this is
obviouslya restored car with no bumper guards and
a snazzy four pipe exhaust system. The wipers aren't
right either. Incidentally, thephoto in the upper leftis
not the same car.
Later cars with mirrors on the fenders do exist,
but rarely show up in factory photos. One indisputable example is again in Mr. Conradt's book on
page 135 showinga batch ofEuropean delivery1960
356Bs which was, according to Mike Robbins-who
was on that Treffen andwhosedarkcolored Roadster
without a hood handle is shown in the group---in
September, 1959. There are a number offendermirrors including the coupe in the frontrowcenter with
one on each side. There are also door mirrors and
all appear to be Ponto Stabils.
Most other factory photos show Ponto Stabils
(or the Talbots that look like them) on T5 and T6
doors. All of the 356Cphotos show Durant mirrors
on thedoors. Anybody have any exceptions?
Also since last time, I got another datapoint on
tachometers. This car with a mechanical tach is over
two hundred chassis numbers higherthan theprevious one, butthe build date is onlyone daylater.
Karmann Coupe
Last mechanical: 217787 build date 3/25/64
First electric: 218381 build date 5/8/64
Unusual lights
Bill Leavitt, who has an Italian spec. SC contacted Joe Leoni and me about the rear lightconfiguration on his car. In my authenticity book I comment about Italian lenses having the red on the outside and amber on the inside, in contrast to the typicalamber outside/red inside used on other non-U.S.
lights. Where this information originally camefrom,
I don't recall, but with the aid of a new set of old
parts books, I wantto advance more definitive information.
First, there is no mention of Italian spec. rear
lights in the 356Aparts book, nor in one T5 356B
book I have. Amore recently acquired T5 bookhas
a notation in section 913 to go to supplemental pages
The above photo is from Bill Leavitt. It is the
front fender mounted signal light used on late
Italian spec. cars.
(18-20) for Information on Italian and Australian
rear lights. These units are described as having different housings, butuse the samelenses as thestandard European units. The supplemental pages are
dated 2/63.
The actual light units differ byhaving a dual filament inner light (where the lens is red) that functions as both tail and brake light. The outer amber
portion serves only as the turn signal. The standard
units have two single filament bulbs; the inner functions as the taillightand the outer fu nctions as tum
signal and brake light. With the non-U.S. lens this
means the brake light is amber.
These cars also have front fender mounted
"auxiliarysignal units" and a "control lightforlimiting light." The latter is partnumber 644.631.407.05
and I haven't got a clue what it is. It would make a
good Whatzit, so ifyou have one, send a photo of it
to Mr. Maltby.
In any event, the lightunits on Bill's car match
the above description. Interestingly, a set of lenses
wi th red on the outside and amber on the inside
turned up on a 356A outlaw coupe belonging to
Michael Branning. These were on the car when purchased andobviouslythe car is much too earlyto be
the recipient of the Italian/Australian spec. lights
described above.
Sorry, I can't resist a few 1956 quickies: I got a
couple of e-mails about appearance ofthe first commemorative "Meister Schaften" badge. #55977doesn't have one; #58007 does. Incidentally, the earlier
car also has oatmeal colored carpet. No reports of
dashboards that don't match exterior paintcolor.
Finally, I'd like to pass along some first hand
observations from Howard Fisher of San Diego.
Being ten years old when they stopped making 356s,
as well as being geographically deprived, I didn't
have these opportunities. I encourage anyone with
similar memories to share them here.
Howard Fisher's comments
"I am a professor and a historian. I have personally restored a Japanese Zero, Mig 17, several
WWI fighters, etc., etc. Therefore, I know paint colors and how they look as theyage. I also have a very
unusual memory. It is seldom wrong or plays tricks
on me and it remembers color. It is my natural aptitude to notice detail in the things I am interested. In
high school I had a 27%absentee rate. I didn't like
school, so I became obsessed with I'orsches (which
was great). I cut school every day and 2-3 times a
week I would go to San Diego Motor Imports, which
W~L~ the only Porsche sales place south of L.A. I
would talk to the salesmen and mechanics, etc. I
would even drive to Competition Motors in L.A. They
bad two outlets (most people aren't aware of this),
one on Vine and the other in the middle of the
Hollywood area, just off Hollywood Blvd. I always
went to both places. Furthermore, I went to all the
races, there I would look at Speedsters and what
accessories they had.
In 1958, I went to Europe for three years and
went to the races there. I visited the factory several
times during the 1958-61 period. The film "Made by
Hand" 1 believe would have been filmed in
October/November 1961. It is a wonderful treasure
and I sawfirst hand everything depicted.
Anyway, I digress. Here arc some things I
remember.
I never saw a red Speedster until the introduc-
tion of Ruby Red. Signal Red was introduced with the
1960 cars. The Signal Red from the fac tory had a
brightness that I have never seen duplicated. White
was the most common color (just look at race photos of the period). 1\vo thirds ofwhitecars had black
interiors, one third red interiors. Silver Speedsters
were very rare and I mayhave seen one or two at the
most. The silver used on the Spyders and the silver
used on 356swere different. The Spyders were very
brilliant. I sawa nice,butstillsmall number of blue
"The silver used on the Spyders
and the silver used on 356s
were different. The Spyders
were very brilliant'
ones (even though, my Speedsters/Roadsters are
always white, Isecretly lustafter a blue onewith a tan
interior). Black was not plentiful, but also was not
unusualas was the metallic blue. I have seen at least
one concours winner in Fjord Green, but I didn't
have the heart (courage) to tell the restorer that the
color was offshade.
You could paint your I'orsche any color with
either enamel or lacquer. You had to provide 4
quarts ofthe color. Delivery time W~L~ 3-4months. By
the way, because it W~L~ softer, enamel was an
improvement. Hard tops, CA variety, were also seen
regularly. But not the factory's top (never saw one).
One of the nicest cars I ever saw was ivorywith a tan
•
interior (obviouslyspecial order).
This is certain; 90%, maybe more, didnot have
a door or fender rear view mirror. They were not
legally required. I onlysawthem on the Speedsters
owned bythe fans at the races, noton the sales floor,
Nearlyallof themwere round, mounted on the fender, not the door. Theywere ugly; onlya mirror manufacturer could love them. The Germans may have
made great cars, buttheygetan Fon chrome. On my
'60 Roadster, which did have a rear view mirror, I
had it replaced 6 times! I may have seen onecar with
a full tonneau cover. In fact, when I had my full tonneau cover installed in 1961 it was a rare event.
Of course, my experience was limited to
Southern California but isn't that were most of the
Speedsters were sold?
The factory shut down in mid-August until the
first of September. Any car built in September was
considered the next year's model. 1 noticed in 1956
with the first 356As that the cars had three large
instruments and no metal headlight grills. Whyam I
so sure of this? It is because I immediately associated it \vith styling characteristic ofJames Dean's 550
Spyder. He had beendead for onlya veryfewmonths.
Also, they broughtDean's car to my highschool as an
object lesson (naturally I went out and bought a
Speedster; don't ever tella teenager notto do something). I took colored photographs of the car which
I have to this day. The picture's color is perfect, it has
not faded.
~
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cross-drilled front, ea
stock rear, ea
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• New Bosch 050 distributor wl lgnitor
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• 40,OOOv high-output coil (not shown)
49.95
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cyl head gasket set, Reinz
rod bearing set, std, Glyco
early 12v generator, N.O.S. Bosch
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stock muffler, B or C, Dansk
55.00
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July/August 2001
13
La Carrera 1999
ompeting in theMexican Road Race has been a dream of mine since
the original running ofthe event in 1950 to 1954. In those days I was
a young engineering student at UCLA. I was developing my driving skills
on Mulholand Drive and the canyon roads of Southern California in my 1950
Porsche 1100 coupe and later in my '55 Speedster. The idea of racing on real
roads-closed to thepublic, ofcourse-has always appealed to meespecially on
mountain roads like the onesin Mexico.
Acouple ofyears ago I learned about the resurrection oftheMexican road
race. I started inquiring into what carswere eligible andlearned allI could about
this retro event. Ralph Beckman expressed an interest in co-driving La Carrera
with meandsharing expenses fortheevent. Ralph was my navigator when wewon
the Shell 4000 Trans-Canada Race in 1968 and later when we won Michigan's
Press-On-Regardless Rallies in 1969,1970 and 1995. It was a great reunion.
C
Even though my Porsche racing experience dates back to the early '60s, 1
decided on a 1956 Porsche coupe for my first entry in La Carrera. I spent over a
year restoring an old beat-up, but rust-free car and developing it into a race car.
In the 1999 La Carrera wewent with a very conservative approach, allowing us to
outlast allthe 356s in themodified class andallbutoneofthe carsin our class.
The event turned outtobeeven better than theoriginal Carrera. In the1950s
the races ran from city to city, even though the roads were straight a large percentage of the time. Now the velocity sections (special stages) are mostly run on
mountain roads, uphill anddownhill. Once the roadstraightens outthestage ends.
We usually hada Federal HighwayPolice escort at90to 100mph to thenext velocity section. I don't know any road racer or special stage rally driver who thinks
racing on straight paved roads is interesting or necessary, so this format is favored
bymost ofthecompetitors.
We hada relatively trouble free run in 1999 andfinished 2ndin our class to
Texan Francisco Gallegos in a Mexican entered 356c coupe. Based on what we
learned about the roads and thecompetition wewere determined to puttogether
a better car for La Carrera 2000. Disc brakes were on a listof "musts" and that
meant a 356c or latercar. As it turned out, the costofpurchasing and preparing
a suitable car dictated using an early 912 over the C. This model provided some
other benefits-a close ratio 5 speedgearbox andan improved suspension system.
Above left: TheHarvey/Beckman 356Aon "Mil Cumbres" in 1999. "Wewere
continuouslyat an apex or lining up for the next one for 38Kms. A great
road:' Above: The 1999"Original Pan Am" class winner from Holland,
Westerman/Ecury
Above, from left : Thestart in Tuxtla, #264 is the
Harvey/Beckman car. The father/son team of Diego
Ribadeniera Sr. and Jr. from Equador. 1999"Historic Pl'
class winners Tito Gallegos and JorgeGuzman Loyo in
their 356C.
Left: Bob Gough, JuneHarvey and Scott Harvey returning from the 1999adventure. The 1974 Ramcharger, a
former SCCA Pro-Rally tow vehiclewas pressed into
service for the 6500 mile trip.
14
Volume 25. Number 2
La Carrera 2000
From Villahermosa we headed south through a dense rain forest. The road
always look forward to these long distance events because they fre- was extremelynarrowand the road crewswe passedwere using machetes to clear
quentlytum out to be great adventures. If last year's La Carrera had been vegetation, preventing it from growi ng onto the road. In the next 200 miles we
crossed about a dozen mountain ranges. Agreat Porsche road, buta long difficult
anymore ofan adventure, wewouldn't have been able to handle it.
road to tow a trailer. Half-way across this road we came to a long back-up of
My wife June and I drove I; 00 miles the first two days from Southern
Califo rnia to Loredo, Texas. The third daywe crossed the border to Nuevo Lorado stopped vehicles-mostly trucks and buses. At first we were told there had been a
landslide aheadthat neededto be cleared. Aswetalked to more people in the lineandstopped at Mexican CustomsHeadquarters to get tourist andvehiclepermits.
We thought we were well prepared with multiple copiesof all appropriate docuup ofvehicles andsomelocals, we learned it was a politicalprotest bythe people
ments, but were info rmed weneeded ORIGINAL TITLES for the vehicles. We also
in this small town against their local sheriff. Theywere trying to get the attention
learned that one person could obtain a permit for the tow-car and trailer, butthe of more people for thei r causeby blocking the road with a large dump truck and
racecar hadto have a permit in another person's name, and of coursethe person
refusingto let normal traffic pass in either direction. We studied our maps to find
getting the permit had to be the owner of that vehicle. Last year copies of titles
a by-pass, buteven the most detailed maps indicated no easy alternate route. After
a couple ofanxious hours welearned the protesters were allowing a few vehicles
were adequate and race carson trailers did not require a permit.
When I bought912 about a year ago, I titled it in mywife's name as well as each hour to continue past their road block. We estimated, at the rate vehicles
myown, so we dodged the bullet on that one. Whenwe finalbeing released, wecould be on our way in 4 to ;
"One thing we have learned were
ly got the Porsche permit in June's name, I was warned by
hours, so we decided to stick it out and hope for the
one of the customs executives that if I drove the car in towing a race car in Mexico best. Sure enough at about 8 o'clock that evening we
Mexico, I needed proof that I was married to the permit
is that you get to meet a were allowed to continue on our way. We were allthankholder. Eventually, after about two and a halfhours, we were
ful we didn't have to spend the night on that desolate
lot of policemen:'
able to argue our waythroughcustoms with ORIGINAL REGmountain top with the restless natives.
ISTRATIONFORMS instead oftitles. But, I would not tryto do
It was a tough but uneventful
that again.
drive to our destination - Tuxtla
Most of the other "gringos" spent a dayor two clearing customsand donatGutierrez, just 70 miles from the
ed $300 to $1000 U.S. to a "Customs Broker," who arranged title swaps, or whatGuatemalan border.
ever was necessary to meet the custom requirements. The two teams we had
Below: The protester's roadblock.
planned to travelwith to southern Mexico were not able to clear customs that day.
Left: The Harveys at a sponsor's
We stayed at a hotel on the south edgeof N. Loredo that evening and were
reception before the race.
fortunate to meetupwithpeople weknewfrom previous eventsandagreed to travNext issue ue 'll continue toitb the
el with them to the racestart. Contrary to our original plan to go through Mexico
Han ey's stage-by-stage adrenture
City aswe hadthe previous year,weagreedto gothe coast route withour newtravduring La Carrera2000. Ed.
clingcompanions.The roads on this route were narrow for the trailers and there
were no shoulderson manyof the roads.
One thingwe have learned towinga racecar inMexico is that you get to meet
o
.k
a lot of policemen. Our first encounter with the police came the first day
I
zw
~J
-~
approaching Tampico. We "failed to slow adequately" for a pair ofspeed bumps
andboth vehicles towing trailers were pulled over and threatened with huge fines.
I slipped a $20 U.S. bill under my drivers licenseand asked to settle the fine on
the spot. The policeman originally declined, but eventually took the money. The
driver of the other tow-car did the same. The next meeting with the police came
the following afternoon enteringVera Cruz. We were stopped and told it was illegal to tow our trailers into town except on the truck route. After several minutes
of discussion, our young traveling companions canlC up with an ingenious plan.
We would paythe minimum fine ifthe police wouldagreeto escort us to our destination. This plan worked great several times, and more often than not the police
didn't even collect the fines.
The nextmorning we leftVera Cruzwith a free police escort out of town and
traveled about 6 hours on an excellent toll road to Villahermosa, still on the gulf
coast. So far the coast route had been veryscenic and easier traveling than last
year's route.
w-
[IT
o~
lL~
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July/August 2001
15
Another bright idea
By Stan Bonnesen
here hasbeen a lotwritten about improvingthelight output from 356headlamps.
Years ago, in the '70s, I mounted a relay
forthe headlights in a '60 S90 Cabriolet. It mounted
in the battery/spare tire area and connected the
headlights practically directly to the battery. This
resulted in a doubling of the light output as measured on a GE light meter.
On a recently acquired '64 SC coupe, I wanted
to do the same thing but was unable, initially, to
locate a high current 6-volt relay. After some looking,
I found that MagnecraftiStruthers-Dunn makes a very
small 30-amp relay with a 5-volt, 30 ohm coil.
According to theMagnecraft engineers, as muchas a
50% overvoltage of the coil is acceptable. 1\\'0 of
these small relays mount easily in each headlight
bucket, oneforhigh andoneforlow beam. They are
held in with hot melt glue, making them easily
removable if necessary. In this case, using the same
GE light meter, the light output was more than doubled. I foundthe relays, butthe idea ofputting them
in the headlight buckets came from Joe Reid and
Andy Stillinger in New Jersey.
T
brown *
The relays used were MagenecraftiStruthers
Dunn, PIN W9ASlD52-5 . The -5 means a 5-volt coil,
but 5 volts may actually be close to what is available
in some of the nether regions of a 356. The coil
resistance is 30 ohms, so they will be drawing about
0.4amperes total, either high or low beam while the
lights are on. They have onlyonefixed normally open
andone movable contact. Try Allied Electronics (see
boxbelow); a year ago or so they were $2.60eachin
quantities of 10,and $3 and change, singly.
At thesame time, remembering earlier difficulties with I) high current through thestarter solenoid
contacts in the ignition switch and2) lowcoil voltage
during cranking, a relay was mounted in the engine
compartment that reduced the current through the
solenoid contacts in the ignition switch to about 200
milliamperes and also connected the # 15 terminal
on the coil practicallydirectly to the battery. Thishas
made a large difference in easeofstarting.
The useofa relay forreducing current through
theignition switch on cranking is oneofthose things
that doesn't show great results immediately, butyou
know it will preserve the switch, and it may well
Relays and additional wiring will fit in the head·
light bucket.
make theaction ofthe solenoid a little more positive.
On the other hand, the use of a relay to put battery
directly on the coilwhile cranking makes an immediatelynoticeable improvement in starting. The normal arrangement forthe coil returnsoncethecranking stops.
The problems with resistive connections and
perhaps some wires with broken strands thatplague
36- to 50-year-old 6-volt cars can be solved if the
current drawn by headlights, etc. does not flow
through these wires. Relays allow this and can provide higher voltage at ignition, lights, and solenoid
than was there whenthe carwas new.
~
IHeadlamp Connector I
+Battery 2
Hi Beam
Batter
yellow*56B
ground 3
yellow 1
• wh ite*56A 1 - - - - - - - . - - - - . 1
white 1
-,
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
,..;----------_.1
r - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -~
I
I
I
I
I
-5
6
Lo Beam I
16
Volume 25. Number 2
'1.-
II
....
I
I
I
I
Allied Electronics, Inc.
1-800-433-5700
oJ www.alliedelec.com
Stock No. 850-0123
' original wires from loom, cut and
connected as shown
1. Terminals on headlamp connector
where original wires were connected
2. Fused connection at battery +
3. Connection made at ground strap
connection to body
4. Movable contact
5. Not used
6. Fixed contact
7,8. Coil terminals
Original
Memorabilia
Whatzits revealed
I
continuedfrom page 9
Posters: Factory, event & commemorative
(buy/seliltrade)
Publications: Factory manuals, supplements,
literature
Advertising Items: special Factory pieces
Postcards: Factory & period releases
Models: vintage pieces in various scales
Signs: Factory & period manufacturers
Ads: originals from the era
Photos: Factory, tracks, auto shows
AUTO RESTORATION
356 Specialists
-Show quality painting
-Metalwork, rust and
collision repairs
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rebuilding
-Interior installation
-Cars / parts bought and sold
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inspections
Hand-Crafted
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Since 1980, providing serious owners with:
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Visitors welcome!
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Long Beach , CA 90804
VISA and MasterCard accepted
30-page list of original/authentic memorabilia:
SASE +$0.80 postage (US) or $3.00 (foreign) to:
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Item Con page
9 (# 1 in illustration)
is the fi rst line of
5 defense against gas
crud; it's the "stocking" filter around the
gas pickup tubes at
the top of the fuel
cock assemhly. "A"
(#4) is the screw-on
filter inside the fuel
cock howl. "B" (#3)
is the filter at the hottom ofa drum brake
fluid reservoir. Brake
fluid must pass through it into the master cylinder
bore. "D" is the screen in the trunk air intake horus
for the vent systemin T-6 cars. The coarsescreen will
filter out mice and leaves, but not much else. "E" is
the fuel filter screen within the early large fuel
pumps.
Now in stock: 356 Roll Bars, GT
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July/August 2001
17
In Search of
Events...
by E.A. Singer
Monterey in August offers an incrediblearray of
events for all automotive tastes, likethe
Concorso Italiano (above). When was the last
timeyou saw ten Lamborghini Miuras together?
The number of Ferraris present isamazing.
Above: The Monterey
HistoricRaces is one
of the best places to
see historic Porsches
(and many other
marques) in action.
The quality and
quantity of cars at
the event isfirstrate.
Right: The Pebble
Beach Concours is the
world's pre-eminent
collection of classic
cars. The setting is
gorgeous and you'll
see the most beautiful cars ever made.
Below: Swap meets take place all over the
world, but for Porsche collectors, the Los Angeles
meet in February isthe best. Coupled with the
Registry's parts swap at Dunkel's, thewinterLA
weekend is a must-do for enthusiasts.
Right: In addition to Retromobile in Paris, the
Techno-C1assica show in Essen Germany offers
American car people a chance to visit Europe
and see an eclectic and fascinating display of
cars, parts, toys, memorabilia and almost everything else automotive.
Essen photos by Ken Ito
Calif. photos by G. Maltby
18
Volume 25. Number 2
ile thewonderful 356is thecenter of
our universe, there are many other
marquesoutthere. We sometimes lose
sight ofthis byonly attendingevents that are specifically Porsche.
Each summer, formanyyears, I have made the
pilgrimage to car heaven: Monterey/Carmel in
August. This is singularly the greatest annual coming
together of show, race, and road cars anywhere in
the world. In that Porsche is notthe designated honoree, you should notstayhome; on the contrary, you
just never knowwhat you'll seeor whom you'll meet.
As an example, the year after the bigPorsche festivities, Porsche made the graciousgesture of bringing
over "001" which had been damaged in transit the
prior year. If you had stayed home, because it was
not "a Porsche year," you would have missed a great
opportunity.
The "Monterey Madness," as I call it, is like a
three-ring circus of car activities. You simply cannot
take it all in during the five days. There is the world
famous Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance (easily
the finest venue anywhere), the Monterey Historic
Races at Laguna Seca (again the finest anywhere),
three different auctions, scores of displays all over
the area, tours, parties, etc. The cars, the ambience,
the people... it just doesn't get anybetter!
There are many other wonderful events that
take place in different parts of the country which
merit consideration: Amelia Island Concours,
Florida, in early March; Meadowbrook Concours,
outside Detroit, in july; the Vuitton Concours,in New
York City (I) , in September. All of these have multiple
events to make your visitworthwhile.
My personal passion has been graphics, so I
also include in my calendar three "must do" events.
W
First and foremost is the L.A. Literature Meet in early
February. Believe me, nowhere in the world will you
find so much specific Porsche memorabilia in one
place at one time. Nothing'compares to this lnternational gathering in terms of quality, quantity and
depth of materialavailable.
In addition, I attend the Retro-Mohile in Paris
in early/mid-February. It is the finest event of itstype
with top-of-the-line collectiblesfor sale, cars on display, antique boats, etc. The best model selection is
to be found here. Just don't expect to make great
Porsche discoveries! The fares to Paris arc inexpensive at that time of year, the hotels are available and
fairlypriced, and the restaurants are open and happy
to see you! lillie in the world compares to Paris!
Early spring brings the Techno-Classica show
in Essen, Germany Once again, the flights, hotels,
etc. arc very reasonable. This four-day show occu. pies 16 halls and virtually everything is for sale. This
year there were scored of very fi ne 356s, Spyders,
Carreras, 911s, etc. for sale in addition to parts and
accessories. It is unlikely you'll find great pieces of
literature, posters, or other memorahilia, hut I find it
well worth mytime.
These arc but a few of the many and varied
events that allow us the freedom to explore the vintage automotive world. While they may not be
Porsche focused, we do come away with a greater
appreciation for the cars we cherish, a sense of
exploration and education, and just another reason
to get out and enjoywhat is happening all around us.
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S-90 piston/cyl set. new (Shasta)
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L tube/heater box. new. blowout
B/C. 9 12 sta inless muffler. new
B/C. 9 12 US & Euro muffler. new
A/B/C sport ex haust muffl er. new
A hom buttons
Carrera 2 rear lower valence. new
Viton gas ket sets & seals
Pre-A ign. Rotors. Bosch. new
WWw.cocomats.com
Transmission & Gears
•
Race gea rs 74 1; IC- 12:33. 2C- 15:32. 2A- 16:3 1.
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Rebuilt 74 1 trans. exch
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$ 1500.
Ratios
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FAX: 303-444-3715
email: tomconway@carquip.com
WE TAKE TRADE-IN PARTS AND BUY USED PARTS
July/August 2001
19
f I had a dollar for every carburetor that has
been rebuilt or replaced when the realculpritwas the ignition, I would be writingthis
from aboard my yacht in the south sea islands. It isn't
that good carburetors don't go bad; they do, but not
nearlyas often as theyare blamed, Carbs are so visible and mysterious, and they do feed the engine, so
theyare "the usualsuspects." But correct mixture is
nothing without spark - at exactly the right split second. And here's a dirtylittle secret: the right split second changes with engine speed! Getting the spark
there at exactly the right instant at everyenginespeed
can make the difference between an engine which is
sluggish and notvery responsive, and one which is so
energetic and eager that it is hard to hold it back.
And that's the "other" job of the distributor.
But after we have replaced the points, condenser, cap and rotor, isn't the distributor good as
new?Probably, up topwhere the distributor does the
glory job for which it is named. But something
extremelyimportantisgoingon in thebasement-out
of sight under the breaker plate on which the points
are mounted. That's where the centrifugal advance
mechanism lives and works, hidden and mostly
taken for granted.
In order to understand why the spark timing
must be advanced with increasing engine speed, we
must know why it has to be advanced at any engine
speed. The answer in a nutshell is "flame speed."
When spark happens (I), an explosion doesn't
occur inthe combustion chamber. Surprised?Well, it
shouldn't anyway; if there is an explosion, meaning
that all the mixture in thechamber ignites simultaneously, we have detonation. At low engine speeds we
can hear it as a "ping", or as our Brit friends like to
say, "pinking." The results to the engine are about
the same as hitting the piston head with a sledge
hammer. Detonation breaksengine parts.
What's supposed to happen is that the mixture
in the chamber burns, not explodes. There is a
"flame front" that starts at the spark and emanates
outward, rapidly but smoothly. The time taken from
the instantofspark to theflame fronthaving reached
and burned the entire mixture is called the "flame
speed." When the burning process is complete,
cylinder pressure is at its peak. The object of the
game is to have this peak cylinder pressure occur
just as the crankshaft has passed TOC so that the
pressure may go to work immediately pushing the
piston. But in order to achieve this, we must set the
fire earlyto allow for the fact that flame speed is not
instantaneous. That, my friends, is spark
advance-firing the spark somecrankshaftdegrees of
rotation before peak cylinder pressure is desired.
Our 356s need it even at idling, although modern
engines forego the efficiencyof slight spark advance
at idling, actually firing a few crankshaft degrees
ATOC (After Top DeadCenter) because that results in
lower emissions. But 356 enginesshould be set for 5
degrees "initial" advance. (The original specon the
higher compressionengines-S90, SC and 912-was 3
degrees, but time and falling octane changes
things-more about that later.)
So if the flame speed stays about the same, we
and it is now preferable to have advance top out
around 2,500 rpmwith less maximum advance.
I
20
Volume 2 5. Number 2
How it's done
Distributors
must ignite the spark earlier at faster engine rpms.
Otherwise, if peakpressure arrives too late, the piston has already begun to move downward and we
have lost the first part of the power stroke. And if
peak pressure arrives late, it isn't as "peak" because
the combustion chamber has expanded due to the
crankshaft pulling the piston down. So spark
advance increases from just aboveidlingup to about
3,000 rpm (original design), keeping peak cylinder
pressure right were wewant it.
But wait a minute - what was that about "...up
to about 3,000 rpm"? In our engines as originally
made, the spark advance levels off at about 3,000
and does notincrease further at higher engine speed.
When wehave a good thinggoing, whystop? If some
advance is good at 3,000 wouldn't more be better at
5,000?
Flame speed is modified by several factors,
among them heat, the effect of fuel octane rating,
compression pressure and turbulence. At high
engine speeds the entering mixture becomes more
turbulent. This is believed to take the form of many
small whirling vortices which pass the heat better
from molecule to molecule of the air/gas mixture.
Result: higher rpms mean more intake turbulence
which means faster flame speed. So abovethe rpmat
which this effect gets serious, the rate of increasein
flame speed pretty well tracks the increasein rpms,
and itall comes out in the wash. For the original356
engine design, the magic number is 3,000 rpm. As
we will see, falling octane has changed the picture
Dist. Type
The distributors usedwith our 356 engines use
"centrifugal" advance. That means spark advance
increases as engine revs increase due to the effect of
two pivoted weights which are swung outward by
centrifugal force which is proportional enginespeed.
The other common type ofspark advance control in traditionaldistributors is "vacuum," in which
the vacuum at a certain pointin the carburetor(s) is
applied to a small aneroid cylinder on the side of the
distributor. Vacuum control on older cars (VW and
most other brands world wide) was used to advance
the spark during light-throttle cruising, which
increases fuel economy. However, from the late '60s
on, vacuumcontrol usually retards the timing during
certain engine conditionssuch as overrun (coasting)
in order to reduce emissions. Sometimes vacuum
control is combined with centrifugal advance, such
as in some 912s. Modern engines have turned controlofmixture andignition timing into high art, continuouslyfine tuning both over a large range ofconditions as we drive. But our 356 engineswere made
in simpler times when engine power was paramount
and fuel economy and emissions were not yet considered very important. For this, we need only centrifugal advance.
See the Sidebar, below, for a table of the various types ofdistributors associated with the 356 and
the graphs for typical advance curves. Throughout
the life of the 356 engine, only two advance curves
were used. The Pre-A383andthe 9 usedin the "A"
Normal and Super engines prior to '58 models used
essentially the same advance curve, even though the
advance mechanism was changed significantly for
the9. The curve shows that advance increases quickly just above idle rpms where the engine is not
expected to deliver any torque, then becomes more
gradual when engine gets to the "pulling" range.
Known as Application/description
VE 4 BRS383
"383"
Pre-A (through 55 models) Flat Top, sparkplug wires out to the side
VJ 4 BR 9
"9" (Not"009") 356A 56 & 57 models, all engines
VJ 4 BR 18
"18"
356A from 58 models & 356 B all engines
Bosch changed their numbering systembeginning with 64 models.
0 2311 29 022
"022"
356C, SC & 912 thru 67 models. Main shaft runs in bushings rather than in cast iron
bore as earlier models; otherwise identical to "18"
All types aboveuse cast iron bodies. All types belowusealuminum bodies.
023 1 129031
"031"
Supplied by Porsche throughdealerships as replacementfor all 356s after
discontinuation of the 356 cars. Originallythey wereof the same internal
construction as the previous 356 distributors. However, at somepoint construction
was changed to the type moretypicalof the 009 and 050 models. The method of
limiting advance range on that type is not as rock-solid as on previous models,
above. With age and wear, advance range can increase.
9 2300 81 050
"050"
Neversupplied by Porsche nor designed for the 356 engine. Can be used if
non-original appearance is not a problem. Pro: has reduced advance range,
idealfor today's loweroctane gas.Can: advance curveis not ideal for 356;
engine will be less responsive below 3,000 rpm.
0 231 178 009
"009"
Widely used as VW replacement, especially in modified engines. Maximum advance
rangeis only about 20 degrees. Suitable for use in 356 ONLY with hot camshaft of
higher duration, whichneeds initial advance of 10·12 degrees. Not suitable for any
356 engine with stockcam. Sometimes advertised as suitablefor use with Weber
carbs, which is incorrect unlesshot cam is also used.
Distributors associated with the 356 engin es (912 vacuum timi ng control not included). All manufa c·
tured by Bosch.
The advance curve was changed slightly in the
18 which appearedon engines in the T2 cars beginning with the '58 model year; the same curve was
continued in the 22 which was used on theS/SC cars
and '67 912s. The subtle changeis that the advance
comesup even more sharply just above idling. The
rate ofincrease softensa little fromabout 1,100rpm
and continues to roll off gently as speed rises
through the hard-pulling midrange. Some feel that
since the 18 was introduced at the same time :L~
Zenith carbs, the " new" curve was to complement
those carbs. Perhaps, but I don't necessari ly hold
with that. For one thing, the same curve was used
with thebigSolex carbs used on the later S90 andSC.
And the later replacement 031, which has the same
curve, was sold byPorsche foruse in ;<II 356 engines.
My opinion is that the "new" curve of the 18 may
simplyrepresentfurther engine development, a higher degree of "fi ne tuning" carried out simultaneously with the switch to Zenith carbs.
Distributor problems
Assumingthat the top deck of our distributors
has been keptfresh with newpoints, condenser and
an occasional fresh rotor and cap, how do things
faredown in thebasement after 40 years, give or take
a handful? In truth, usually not very well. There are
two principal afflictions that beset theadvance mechanism in its old age. The first is that it may become
stickyabout returning. When the engine speeds up,
the mechanism may do the advance ;<II right, but
when the engine slows down, there are only two little springsto pull the mech back to "initial" position.
If timing doesn't return crisply to the initial setting,
the engine will idle faster than it should, although it
may gradually slow down to normal. This effect is
often blamed on the carburetors. The part of the
advance mech which includes the distributor cam is
a concentricslip fit over themainshaft. The slip fit of
one hollow shaft over another shaft must be kept
oiled. If the lube is old and gummy, the upper partis
not free to rotate and cannot be pulled back home
sharplyby the springs. That's what the little felt plug
is for under the rotor - it is a combination dust cap
and oil reservoir for this concentricshaft assembly. It
should be kept moist with a few drops of motor oil,
preferablysynthetic which stays fresh longer without
gumming. To make a quick check of this system,
remove the distrihutor cap. Rotate the rotor c1ockwi se until it stops (representing maximum advance),
then allow it to return slowly to rest position. If it
seems hesitant and gummy, the advance mech is not
free enough in operation. Oil the felt plug and try
again. In extreme cases, I sometimes pick out the
felt plug and put two drops oil directly into the concentric shaft area, then replace the felt plug and
dampen it with oil.
But even if the concentric shaft system is free
and well lubed with fresh oil, theadvance mech may
still he sluggish in returning home if the springs have
becomeweak.Withage?Yes, butmore than that; they
are often rustyl Especiallyin cars which have lived a
good part of their lives outside rather than in a cozy
garage. If the springs are weak, notonly wil! they not
returnthe advance mech to idle position sharplyand
dependably; even worse, they allow the advance to
increase too quickly - before the engine revs are high
enough. This can be bigtrouble - detonation with a
capital "1'. " At least, pinging from this cause usually
happens in the engine midrange where it can be
heard. But detonation which can't be heard with the
naked ear can also occur - at high engine revs. Even
without the later requirement for emissions control,
correct spark advance has always been a challenge,
Too little and the engine is not developing full power
and efficiency; too much and we're into detonation
andengine damage, often withoverheating thrown in
for good measure. Gettingthespark advance curve to
closely track the needs of the engine without going
too far is a tight-wire walk. And now the picture has
changed - the world is not the same as it was when
our tubs first sawthe lightofStuttgart. As in thesong,
"Where has ;<II the octane gone... long time passing."
Advance and CR.
In addition to the carefully-shaped advance
curve, our distributors have a certain rallge of
advance. As manufactu red, the range is 30 degrees,
give or take a couple for manufacturing tolerance.
Add that to the 5 degrees of lnitial advance and the
356
Enterprises
Vic & Barbara Skirmants
Complete Performance
Parts & Prep
~~~~I
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ENGINES BUILT
~~L:J~
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TRANSMISSIONS
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Isn 't it time you joined the crowd?
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INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Call for Catalog
1236 Simpson Way
Escondido, CA 92029
Seat recovering & rebuilding
(760) 737-3565, fax (760) 735-9909
Website - www.autosintl.com
email -autos @electriciti.com
27244 Ryan Rd., • Warren, MI 48092
10-575-9544 . Fax 810-558-3616
- , s k i r ma n ts @home.co m ::E
www.356enterprises.com
July/August 2001
21
Distributors
Remanufactured
Correctly
Keep the original appearance and regai n the
performance lost through the years. All castiron distributors (383/9/18/22) restored to the
highest cosmetic standards possible, recurved
and re-degreed to utilize the fue l availab le
today.
For further information...
GEARHEAD CO.
DON MARKS
CALIFORNIA, U SA
530-895-3296
advance ultimately reaches 35 degrees. Problem is,
most experts who have rebuilt a lot of engines with
detonation damage feel thatalthough 35 degrees of
advance was just what Herr Doktor ordered whenwe
could buy 100 octane gas at any station (some premium was 103) , that much advance doesn't wash
with today's gas of91 or 92 octane at best. Might be
OK forthe Normal with itsconservative compression
ratio of 7.5 and marginal for the Cwith 8.5, but no
way for 9.0 to 9.5 of the S90, SC and 912. And of
course these are the stock CRs; many engines have
hadtheir CR increased eitherdeliberately, in a quest
for more power, or accidentally, which often happens if a big-bore kit is installed without shims
under the cylindersto bring the higher compression
thatresults from increasing the boreback down to a
livable figure. So do you want the badnews straight?
Unless you are driving a stock Normal, if your distributor is virgin, you have too much max. advance
forthe healthandlongevity ofyour engine. True, you
can reduce max. advance by simply setting initial
advance (idling) more retarded. That will eliminate
the danger of harmful detonation, but at the costof
engine responsiveness below 3,000 rpm. You will
have to use more throttle opening to get the same
urge; theengine will losethat sharp, eager feeling of
youth. If that's acceptable, read no further.
So what to do? In order to make our engines
run as eagerly and responsively as they did when
new andstillbe safe on today's gas, we must, asWC.
Fieldssaid, "Take the bull bythetail andface the situation." Our original distributors canbe modified to
reduce the advance range by4 or 5 degrees, which
will allow correct initial andlow-rev advance without
the danger of too much maximum advance. And as
long as this is being done, it only makes sense to
check the distributor for weak springs and other
problems. Can this be done bytheindividual owner?
Theoretically, yes. But this is notfor thefaint of heart;
it'snotan afternoon project.
Rebuilding
Justputting in a kitofnew parts doesn't get you
very far. Rebuilding a distributor correctlyis difficult.
Forstarters, it'smy understanding that exact replacement springs are no longer available. It wouldn't be
necessary for us to know that muchabout thesprings
except that they are among the few parts in the
advance mechanism which wear out. Consequently,
the springs areusually replaced in a distributoroverhaul. Replacement springs are available from aftermarket suppliers, but there is some evidence that
they may be "close, but no cigar." True, the spring
anchor points are adjustable, but rotationally
(around the axis of the main shaft). That affects
mainly the "wrap" of the spring around the heel of
the top piece (seeillustrations) which mostly affects
the upper range of the curve; there is a lesser effect
upon spring preload (length at rest) which affects
thelowest partofthe curve. The springstops canbe
bent slightly to affect the preload, but not very far
outward or they will hit the inside of the case. But
the carefully-designed hump in the curve is a mostly
a function of the heel of the top piece bending the
Trevor's Hammerworks
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Service & Concours Resto ration Shop since 1955
NORTH HO LLYWOOD SPEED OM ET ER
& CLOCK COMPANY
6111 LANKERSHI M BLVD., NO. HOLLYWOOD, CA 91606
Phone: 818-7 61-5136 - Fax: 818-761-4857
Email: nhspeedo @thevine.net www.nhspeedometer.com
OVER 45 YEARS OF SERVICE AND SATISFACTION
Please call or write for our free custom Porsche instrument catalog
22
Volume 25. Number 2
Above right: The advance mechanism from the
bottom side. The spring anchors are part of a
plate which may be rotated for adjustment,
secured with clamping screws. The entire dist.
must be disassembled to gain access for this
adjustment.
Left: Thecentrifugal advance mechanism, at rest
(top) and in maximum advance position (below),
where the weights have swung outward. Note
that the angle of the top plate and "cam" center
shaft has rotated, or "advanced" as the weights
swingout. Thesprings are somewhatextended,
but the rounded"heels" of the upper part are
also distending the springsto the side. It is the
precise shape of the heels, in conjunction with
springs of exactly correct rate, length and outer
diameter, which givesthe advance curve its very
beneficial hump.Without this secondary mechanism, the advance "curve" would be onlya
straight line.
springfrom the side (see photos). In order to have
that precise dance come outright, the spring must be
exactly correct in more ways than just the usual
length and rate. The spring must also be of the correct diameter, andeven theshapeand location ofthe
end loops playan important part. Bcuom line: unless
the springs arc exactly to the original design, you will
have to tryforthe best compromise curve - it is NOT
goingto be correct all thewaythroughthe revrange.
Thcn there arc measurements. Adj ustments are
cut-and-try You know what that means? Unless you
have a distributor testing machine or access to one,
you will have to "run the curve" by running the
engine and using a timing light with appropriate
marks on the lower pulley - several if you want to
track the curve throughout its length. (Or you might
use one of the calibrated timing lights, although I
have heard their accuracy questioned.) If it isn't
close enough all across the curve, then you get to
remove the distributor, completely dis-assemble it
(which you alreadyhad to do to install new springs),
make a guesswork change, put it all hack together
and back on the engine to have another look. I am
patient and like to do my own work, hut this is
beyond the pale fo r me - life is too short. And we
haven't even talked about reducing the advance
range by precisely the right amount - that's another
headache hy itself, and perhaps the most important
taskofall.
The other answer is to have your distributor
professionally rehuilt and re-calihrated, with the
advance range accurately reduced. The only shop I
PORSCHE SALVAGE
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Since 19 75
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8 171 Afonroe A ,'t'., Stanto n, C4 9(/680
(2 mib south of KnO[f 'S Ben)' Farm)
piw""
(8(I(I) J54-9202
. {ax, (714)995-5918
hOlm: 8:30-5:00 tuee-tn ., 9:00-3:00 sat.
« e bsue: http:// U5crs.dcltanct.com/ -bo rdclIl
Porsche 356 Tool Kits
• Excellent
Reproductions with
mostly German tools
• Hazet wrenches
and screwdrivers
-Tlre pressure gauge
and lots more
know of which does all of this, to a very high degree
of accuracy, is "Gearhead Company," better known
as Don Marks in Chico, CA. Don is a fellow Registry
member and advertiser and a long-time 356 guy and
concours judge. See the "Gearhead Co." ad in this
issue. I have oneofhis rebuilt I8s, and can vouch for
Rebuilt and cosmetically restored 18, modernized with limited advance range for today's
loweroctane gasoline. Courtesty Don Marks.
his great care and attention to detail. Don has
researched and found his own source of springs,
almost duplicates of the factoryoriginals. And developed his 01\1 1 proprietary method of shaving 5
degrees offthe advancerange. His rebuilds comeout
with 26 degrees range give or take one. (lie fi nds
OIL FILTER · MAHLE
$4.75
AIR FILTER ELEMENT ALLWIZENITH . .9.75
1600 ENGINEGASKETSET COMPL
89.50
OIL LINE INLET
8.50
OIL LINEOUTLET
8.50
OIL STRAINER GASKET KIT
1.50
GENERATOR PULLEY HALF INNER
9.25
GENERATOR PULLEYHALFOUTER
9.00
A-B-C-TRANS GASKETSET
.45.50
SWEPCO GEAR LUBRICANT (GAL)
34.50
BOSCH 050 DISTRIBUTOR
85.00
POINTS FOR .050 DISTRIBUTOR
2.50
CAP & ROTORFOR 050 DISTRIBUTOR 19.50
KING AND LINK PIN SET GERMAN
62.50
BlC HOOD HANDLEwith CREST
.75.00
CHROME LOCKING ANTENNA
19.50
A-B-CSTAINLESS BRAKELINE SET . . 42.50
BRAKE MASTERCYL,AlB w/reservoir . .89.50
BRAKE MASTER CYL, C/SC
$79.50
C BRAKECAUPERKIT F OR R
12.50
A-B-COUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE
19.50
A HORN GRILLE
21.00
B-C UPPER HORNGRILLE
21.50
B-C LOWER FOG LAMPGRILLE
23.50
A-B HUB CAP BABY MOON
21.50
B HUB CAP S90 WITH ENAMEL CREST37.50
C HUB CAP WITH ENAMEL CREST
37.50
A SIDEVIE'N MIRRORAERO
.41.50
B SIDE VIE'N MIRRORPONTOSTABIL .41.50
C SIDE VIE'N MIRROR DURANT
.42.50
B-C BUMPER GUARDFOR R
98.50
A BUMPER DECO F OR R
85.00
B-C BUMPER DECO F OR R
62.00
A ROCKER PANELDECO
50.00
B-C ROCKERPANEL DECO
48.00
CUSTOM-ffi CAR COVERS $109.50
Call about parts for newer Porsches, too !
= .-
B Kits starting at
$475. +shipping
Chris Purer
24222 ViaAquara Ave. Laguna Niguel, CA 92677
Tel: (949)363 0891
Fax:(949)495 8061
e-mail: purer@home.com
We also carry a full inventory of parts for all other
Porsche models - Please call.
July/August 2001
23
40
trI
.AJ
.
_
~
1•
o
o
I
I
2£_ i~~
~
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30
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Zl;-
:-..;Jborlll:-rli...I1/
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Left: Typical 356 distributor after a major explosion in the crankcase. The
upper, movable pieceof
the advance mech (29),
which includes the cam
that operates the points,
is a slip fit over the
upper shaft of the weight
platform unit (15). Each
weight is pivoted at one
end to the plate, retained
by the small clips and
fiber washersshown. At
rest, the weightsare held
inwardby the springs
(24) (springs and weights
shown out of correct
position; see photos). The
pins extendingdownward from the upper unit
fit into the slots visible
on the weights (211.
When the weights are
moved outward by centrifugal force, they rotate
the upper unit with the
cam"forward" to advance
the spark timing. The felt
plug, 30, should be kept
saturated with oil to
lubricate the concentric
shaft assembly. Thethin
disc shown directly below
the upper piece is fiber
in original units. Some
modern replacements are
Teflon. It goes on the
plate under the weights
to provide a low-friction,
low-wear surface against
which the weights may
slide.
Degrees
Spark
Advance
I¥
35
1.-'
30
,,
~
,¥
I"
1/
1/
1/
I....
25
"
I"
v
L'
20
.,
.'
J
15
II
I.
10
I
I.
II
II
5
Cra nkshaft
RPM
500
1500
1000
2000
2500
3000
3500
40
Degrees
Spa rk
Advance
35
V
1/
I.J
30
I...
Right: Since no two mechanisms are identical,
advance curves are stated in terms of an area of
tolerance. Thedotted lines represent the upper
and lowertolerancelimits of the advance curve
for the 18 distributoras givenin the factory
service manual. Thesolid line is the "average" or
"centerline" curve, as used for simplicity on the
remaining graphs for all distributortypes.
However, it should be understood that each centerline curve is actually surrounded by an area
of tolerance, and any curve which remainswith·
in those limits is acceptable.
All curves in this articleare presented in terms
of actualoperation in an engine,using 5 degrees
initial advance as the starting point.Therefore,
these centerline curves relate directly to measurementswhich can be made on a running
engine with initialadvance set at 5 degrees.
Curves taken on a distributortesting machine
usually begin at zero degrees, and the speed is
sometimes stated as distributorspeed, which is
1/2 engine speed. Sometranslation is necessary
when relatingcurves from a distributortesting
machine to actual operatingconditions.
25
, I'
J
,v
20
II
I
"J
15
r
10
i"
III
II
V
5
Crankshaft
RPM
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
Above: the lighter curve represents the 18/22 stock, the darker line represents the 383/9 stock.
24
Volume 25. Number 2
that the great majorityoffactoryoriginal distributors
have 31 degrees range; spec is 30 degrees. +/ - 2
degrees.) Included is an individually plotted curve of
your distributor after rebuild. And for frosting on the
cake, Don's rebuilds include cosmetic restoration.
They come back looking like new and working better than new, with the proper advance for today's gas.
In my book this is the way to go. This is very specialized work; leave it to the specialist and benefit
fromhis experience.
The 050
Sometimes original 356 distributors are
replaced with the Bosch 050 (see table). The 050
has two things going fo r it: the advance range is
around 26 degrees, ideal for a 356 on modern gas,
40
Degrees
Spark
Advance
35
l;'
v
....
30
....
25
and it is cheap. But after that, the story isn't pretty.
The 050 was not designed for the 356, and never
sold byPorsche. It's a distributorfor another engine
which happens to be kinda close, butnot really.
Theproblemwith the 050 in356application is
that the advance curve isn't even close (seegraphs).
Bosch is notorious fo r notproviding technical info rmation. The data on the preceding distributors is
from Porsche; no Bosch data seems to be available
on the 050. 1was able to obtain measurementcurves
from Don Marksandfro ma rebuilder ofVW distributors. The curves from these two independent
sources, who don't even knowone another, are virtually identical, which gives me confidence that the
average of the two accuratelyrepresents the 050.
The 050 curve is a straight line, lacking the
sophisticated andvery beneficial "hump" which is so
important to engine responsiveness in the midrange.
At 2,000 rpm the 050is 8 degrees less advanced than
the factory 18/22, and9.5degrees less thana typical
Don Marks-modified 18. Folks, that's a LOT of
advance down the drain. There will be two results:
1. The engine will requireconsiderably more
throttle in the midrange to get desired power. That
means lack of responsiveness, an engine that feels
weak and unenthusiastic.
2. Because the spark advance is so much less
than optimum, the engine will run rich in the
midrange, fouled plugs andall.
In order to offset effect #2, the carbs would
have to be re-jetted. Not a simple job sincewe don't
want to change things above 3,000, just below. And
then there is the difficultyofacquiringnon-stocksize
jetsfor the Zeniths. Jetsfor Solex are more available.
If a conversion to Weber carbshas been made byan
experienced shop, perhaps the change of jettinghas
,
2
3
"
I~
I~
20
I"
II
"I have heard from several
independent sources who
have run 050s, then converted
to a Don Marks-rebuilt original.
The universal reaction:
'WOWI' That confirms what
the data tells us:'
II'
.,
I"
15
10
I
I
,
I..,
v
I~
5
Cranksha ft
RPM
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
1. 18/22 original. 2. 18/22 Don Marks modified . 3. 050 stock, dotted-050 modified .
been made. But why bother with the re-jetting; even
if that correction is made, the enginewill never be as
responsive below 3,000 as it should be (and once
was) with the spark so retarded. The 050 can be
slightly modified (by bending the spring support
posts) to loosen the springpreload slightly. That lowers the rpm at which advance begins. Look at the
graph: this mod shifts the curve to the left. But we
can't move it far; we don't want advance to start
below 750 rpm minimum; 800 is better. That is
because the advance must be at minimum at idling
for a stable idlespeed. So this moddoes helpthe 050
slightly, but it is stillseriouslylacking compared with
the sophisticated, carefully optimized humped curve
of the 9 or the 18/22.
Itissometimes said that an 050 is better thana
worn-out original distributor. Well, maybe, maybe
not. Worn out in what way? True, in original fo rm,
they all have about 5 degrees too much advance for
today's gas, which means that you either get harmful
detonation or, to prevent that, the timing has been
retarded about 5 degrees which detracts from midrange responsiveness. However, the 9, 18 and 22
have brick-wall limit stops on their advance range;
no matter the age and mileage, the advance range is
not goingto be greater than when new unless it has
been modified. The replacement 031 is a different
story, as described in the table. Otherwise, a "worn
out" originalislikelyto have weaksprings which can
make the idle speed unstable and cause some
midrange detonation, without affecting maximum
advance range. But even a worn-out original, if the
advance mech is working at all, will not have the
soggy midrange that you will get with an 050.
Anumber of well-respected 356suppliers sell
the 050. Before the Don Marks rebuilds were available, the 031 was the "replacement" distributor from
Porsche; price: 1 arm + 1 leg. Soa new distributor
under $100 which will make the 356runwas attractive. 1 just don't think the disadvantages have been
clearly understood. I have heard from several independentsourceswho have run 050s, then converted
to a Don Marks-rebuilt original. The universal reaction: "WOW!" That confirmswhat the data tells us.
Back to those carbs - check the float levels theyare very important for correct mixture. If you get
a response from all four idle mixture screws and
nothing really horrible is happening, like rawgasoline shootingout the Side, leave themalone untilyou
are certain that you have a good distributor with the
correct advance range andcurve. Getting the distributor right cures many "carburetor" problems. And
no matter howyou minister to them, they will never
workcorrectlyanyhowunless the distributor isdelivering the spark at exactly theJ"!ght instant at every
engine speed.
'4CJ
July/August 2001
25
Stoddard
Cars
Imported
, - - - - - - - INLA.531.003.10 A coupe left
Outer
Door Skin
Have you been there today?
NLA.531.003.05 B,C coupe
NLA.531.003.26 B,C cabl
NLA.531.003.45 Roadster
I==JCJ~SCH= '
~oJP! R JE M
DEALER
]I JE
~II
20 0!
356
New/Old Stock
Stoddard
I mp o rt ed C ar s
. 38845 Mentor Ave.
Willoughby, Ohio 44094
440-951-1040
NLA.51.311 pre A coupe
t------"'"
Exterior ~~
Body
Panel
NLA.503.033.05 B1 5 coupe
NLA.51.312 cabl front fenders
NtA.502.016.00 rigHt side
5 Rib Panel
356 A
.-J/J
1956-1957
1---
c/0
Call: 1-800-342-1414 to order
NLA.550.640.00 Pedal Stop hardware. Fits all 356 cars
Yours for only: $1.50
644-561.710.00
Fixing Plate w/bolts for lower end of top frame. 2 required.
Fits 356 B-C Cabriol et
A bargain at: $24.95
616.609.303.00
Beru plug connectors, original style. 4 required.
Fits all 356 cars
Run with it for only: $11.25
NLA.I00.138.65. Line bore bearing set crank .75 case. Second oversize .50mm
2X
Fits C, SC, & 912
Wow, only: $295.00
616.108.033.01
Manifold, for solex 40 PH - 4 carbs. Fits 356 B, C, 912
These will fly at: $63.95
644.555.300.40
Dash beading for Speedster & Road sters.
A great price at: $158.95
1
J
644.347.007.05
Steering shaft tube & switch complete with housing. Fits 356
Yours for only: $325.00
B & C.
644-543.103.30
Side window glass for '61 Karm ann hardtop.
Out the door for: $15.00
644.555.044.04.
700
Arm rest for right door with black vinyl cover.
Limited quantity: $39.40
644.741.901.01
Single spade instrumental bulb holder, non insulated.
All 356.
Now only: $2.95
NLA.502.064.40 356 inner wheel housing.
A must have restorative part: $495.00
ick Koenig hada long and fruitful interviewwith Mr. Tom Kaniffof MediaTech,
in Naperville, Illinois. Tom explodes
some myths and offers his views on the proper way
to clean and prepare metalusing media blasting. It's
interesting to note that new materials and processes
offer a means of surface prep unavailable just a few
years ago. Read on for a primeron the "new" sandblasting. Editor
D
O.K. What do you try to accomplish with an
old Porsche?What is your goal in sandblasting?
T.K. You've asked several questions. Let me
start at the beginning anddescribewhat wetryto do.
Then we can talkabout media blasting technologies
and wheresand, as one particularmedium, fits in.
My take on airborne media blasting is the
process involves several factors to do the best possi-
Dick Koenig
K~
Blast Offl
What I don't understand, however, is what you said
about sand. Clearly there is some physics involved,
butisn't sand justsand?
T.K. For manyyears silica sand was themedium of choice for nearly all types of coating removal
and surface preparation. Typically, the surface would
be cleaned and etched down to bare metal in one
Surface preparation with
new media blasting materials
An interview with Tom Kaniff of Media Tech
ble job. Ignoring anyone of them increases the risk
of damage and more workdown the line. The first
two factors are physics and geometry. They include
an understanding, for example, that larger and harder particles delivered at higher air pressures can
have more impact on thesurface. On the other hand,
the richer and denser the mediumtoair mixture, the
softer the impact. Similarly, the less perpendicular or
direct the angle of contact by the airborne particles
with the car, the less invasive the outcome. While
these ideas are easy to understand in principle, they
are more difficult to apply on the car. This is where
the most important factors- judgment andwhat I call
"finesse"- come in. Itis easy to clean metal, no matter what kindit is or what covers the surface. To do
the job right, however, requires someonewho is passionate about their work. The end result is that the
metalis clean and the contours are not distorted. It
is not acceptable to say thatsome filler needs to be
applied here or there to smooth over warpage. This
is notwhat weare about!
There's a reason this Porsche, or whatever
other antique car, is at my shop and not at someone
else's. The reason is that I am not going to tell the
equipment how to operate or the metalpanels how
to behave. Instead, and this is very important, I am
goingto cooperatewith themto make sureweget the
desired finished job with no adverse effects. Finesse
is what I call my way of respecting the cleaning
method, the vehicle I am working on, and the customer's wishes and trust they placed in me. Getting
done a few hours early or a little cheaper whileviolating these standardsis not right.
O.K. Most of us understandwhat you mean by
passion. That iswhywe're here. Otherwise, wewould
be driving Ford Pintos, Honda Civics and the like.
28
Volu me 2 5. Number 2
swift operation. Since sand is nothing more than
crushed glass, the particles are irregularly shaped,
with manysharp edges. This means that metal cleaning occurs very aggressively. While nobody disputes
that sand cleans metalvery quickly, few people have
discussed its limitations, and they are Significant.
First of all, the highly abrasive cutting action heightens the risk of damage due to warping. Even if
applied at low pressure, sand generates a large
amountof heatwhich can warp the metal. Asecond
problem with sand is that the dust and fumes are
health-hazardous. It is no longer legal to blast sand
indoors, limiting its use to objects like bridges and
swimming pools. Athird objection to sandis thatthe
"Even if applied at low
pressure, sand generates a
large amount of heat which
can warp the metal:'
grains, like glass, are brittle and fragile. They crumble quickly, after limited use and turn into waste. In
short, using sand is and has been a very riskywayto
prepare a classic Porsche for restoration.
Fortunately, in the past 10years or so, a number of
other media have been developed that create new
possibilities for the enthusiast and restorer. These
materials span a wide range of possibilities, making
the one-step, high-risk sand method obsolete in the
restoration business. Sand is history. The modern
approach uses multiple media and several steps.
Preparationof the metalsubstrateis farsuperior and
risk of damage is kept to a minimum.
O.K. Could you give us a briefintroduction to
the types of media and their physical properties,
especially the ones thatyou use?I assume, sinceyour
approach has multiple steps, that certain media are
used for specific purposes. Maybe you could make
this connection also.
T.K. Inverysimple terms, there are two kinds
ofmedia: those that will not alter the substratemetal
and thosethat will. In the first category are the softer materials which are used to remove paint, undercoating, glue or anything else that mayadhere to the
metal. These materials generate no heat and when
used properly, will not alter the contour or shape of
the metal. Included are various plastics andacrylics,
as well as black walnut shells. In the other category
are those materials which have the capability to alter
the metal's surface. Media ofthis type may beusedto
remove rust, or other corrosion, etch the skin and,
incertain instances, to peen the surface of aluminum
castings. The substances I like to use include aluminum oxide, glass bead and Starblast, the brand
name of a product by DuPont. Starblast is a unique
newmaterial madefroma combination of 6%titaniumand the rest staurolite- a mineral mined only in
Northern Florida. Starblast is very strong and retains
its shape yet is lightand not too forceful.
O.K. Having identified your favorite materials,
let's describe how you approach the job. Since our
cars are so valuable and a top quality restoration is
the goal, let's assumethat the car comes to your shop
with all the trim, glass, upholstery, etc. removed.
Your startingpoint is the shell and whatever coatings
are on themetal. Perhaps we can begin with the steel
pieces, since they are the majority.
T.K. There are three processes I perform to
clean and etch the body, making it ready for metal
repairs and priming. The starting point is the
removal of all coating adhering to the metal, first on
top and then underneath. The final step, with more
abrasive materials, eradicates rust and etches the
metal.
Theinitialstep is to get allthe paint and primer
off the car's outside metal. Once completed, this
process exposes all bodywork, prior repairs, lead
fillers, andhidden rust. It does not, however, remove
bondo fillers. The endresultis a very comprehensive
blueprintof what the body really is like. At thispoint
in time there are almost no secrets about the body's
history. The material of choice for this step is an
acrylic. First introduced several years ago for cleaning aircraftaluminum, this material is very soft and
compresses at lowpressure (25-45 psi). The acrylic
particles at velocity flatten out when they touch the
paint and thensend a shockthrough the paint layers,
breaking them away from the body's skin. The
acrylic's spongy nature prevents it fromchanging the
surface texture of the metal. Ink stampings used for
identificatio n by the steel manufacturer or the body
builder remain visible at the end of this step.
Step two is the complement of the fi rst, but is
done on the undercarriage. The goal is the same exposure ofall baremetalwithout impacting thesurface. However, since the undercoating and sealers
are perhaps 10times thicker than the exterior paint
coatings, differentmaterials are required. One ofthe
dangers ofusing traditional media, such asfine grain
sand, is the tendency to heat the surface. While 40
year old tar appears hard and brittle, it can be reactivated somewhat from the heat of sandblasting.
Instead ofchippingor breaking the tar awayfrom the
body, sand has a tendency to become embedded.
During this process of rapid bombardment, heat is
generated. As the heat makes the tar soft, it becomes
sticky and more difficult to remove. In the more
tenacious areas, metal warping is a distinct possibility.
D.K. I remember a scenario like this on oneof
my cars. To avoid these situations, restorers used to
say that you could use sand on onlyone side of the
panel - typically the underneath. Since the process
was so risky, we were advised to clean the top hy
hand- with power sanders,etc.
T.K. That's not the C:L~e :Ul}11I0re. We remove
old German tar with our own blend of materials
designed specificallyfor this purpose. The mixture is
composed of 70% blackwalnut shells. This material
is ideal because it has a tough grain, but is not very
sharp and has a high level of elasticity The shellsare
too soft to impact the metal. The other 30% of the
media is composed of a slightly harder and more
angular shaped plastic called urea. Together the
combination of lug-soft and small-sharp particles
"chunks" off the undercoat. Everything stays cold
and there is no impression made on the metal sub-
Thefirst treatment removes the paint layerand
reveals any areas of filler, which can then be
removed in any of several ways. Thethin skim
coatededges of the filler must be carefully blasted off.
strate, After this phase is completed, all of the spot
welds and grinder marks from the original fabrication are visible, as well as ally rust, of course.
At this point, the entire car will be free of all
paint and tar-based coatings. You will be able to
make a [ourney back in time to see what the hody
might have looked like when fabrication was completed plus all repairs that were made during its life.
This is like an event-by-event diaryfrom birth to the
present. As interesting and info rmative as this hlueprintis,there is one more step to prepare the surface
for restoration which involves cleaning and etching
the metal.
Our goal in this step, contrary to the prior
ones, is to change the surface texture of the metal
without altering its form and contour. Materials are
chosen which have a slightly abrasive CUllingaction.
The blasting process makes a very slight imprint on
the outer skin, resulting in a finelygrained pattern of
highs and lows (approximately 1.0 - 1.5 mil deep)
on the oncesmooth surface. In addition, all rust and
other contaminants are removed. When fi nished, the
metal is ready fo r whatever body and paint work
mightfollow. Thecoarsened,grainy surface has heen
said to be the ultimate preparation fo r anchoring
paint and/or bondo. We referto thisend pointof our
work as "dryetching".
I like to use two materials during this step,
stall ing out with the one which is least aggressive.
First, I start by etching the entire body to a unitorm
surface with a material called "Starblast", This composite mineral/titanium medium is subangular, or
egg-shaped, and moderatelyhard (7 on the MOilS 110scale). I use small particles, (about 240-320 grit)
in a rich mixture at low pressure. The idea is to have
a high-density impact, not
high pressure. You want as
many particles as possible
to strike the panel, This prevents the blasting process
from penetrating very deep
or generating much heat.
Typically, the metal temperature does not exceed 103°
- 105°F- kind of like a hot
shower. The potential for
trauma under these conditions is much lower, especiallysinceonlythe metal is
being cleaned. The paint
was already removed during the prior step.
At this point, the metal
for the most part is clean
and has a dull gray, muted
appearance. There probably remains some rust damage and whatever hondo
was applied during mid-life
crisis. For these areas I like to use a slightly more
aggressive and expensive material called aluminum
oxide. It is harder than Starblast (9.2 versus 7.0 on
the MOilS scale) and a little sharper, butcomesin a
fine grit (e.g. 400 as well). Typically, we use a lean
mixture to get a very focused yet potent strike right
on the rust area. Aluminum oxide cleans faster than
Starblast, so we depend upon it if there is considerable rust to be removed. However, aluminum oxide is
double the cost of Starblast, so some judgment is
involved.
Blasting aluminum
D.K. We've talked strictlyabout the steel parts
of the body. But, someof thelater GTs hadaluminum
panels. Are they treated anydifferently thansteel?
T.K. Alumi num bodypanels are a whole other
ball game than steel. They require a different
approach. You can't be in a hurry because the metal
is so softand distortion will occur quickly. However,
once you understand the kind of media to use, the
task is much easier. I have done a lot of research to
find the right mixture.
Particles that arc round in shape, no mailer
howsoft, do notworkverywell because they tendto
compress the metal. Onaluminum such hammering
action is tantamount to warping because you can't
applyuniform pressure allover the panel. Moreover,
instead of removing surface coatings and other contaminants, bombardment by a round medium tends
to impregnate impurities directly into the aluminum.
Clearly, this is the opposite of what is desired. As you
"...bombardment by a round
medium tends to impregnate
impurities diredly into the aluminum. Clearly, this is the opposite of what is desired:'
can sec, even though a material may be soft, it may
be the wrong shape and not necessarilysafe for aluminum.
I have found that for alloypanels like those on
a GT, a subangular medium works best. The angles
on the particles arc abrasive when they hit the metal
and help with cleaning, The process is two step
(cleaningand then etching) just like weuse on steel.
I am a big fall of separating the paint removal from
the metal etching step, as you probably can tell.
Thereis no other way to do the jobsafely. Unlessyou
can clearlysee the bare metal you are trying to etch,
the chancesfor distortion are very high. Admilledly,
the media blasting process takes longer, butyou can
savea ton of money down the line.
Paintand coatingremoval are done with a Type
5 aircraft acrylic product. This is a soft and veryfi ne
grain material, equivalent to 30-40 grit on sandpaper. Theair pressure at the nozzle is 25-30 psi, barely enough to inflate your beach hall or car tire, The
next step, corrosion removal and etching, utilize
media that was used extensivelyon steel. The material, however, has been "worn out" and is no longer
effective. These "spent" particles now are fatigued,
somewhat dull with no sharp edges and smaller in
size. In essence,what is no longer useful for steel is
perfect on the softer aluminum.
For most aluminum panels, I have found thata
mixture of 50% DuPont Starblast acrylic and 50%
aluminum oxide work best. The combination has
about a 420 grit, which is equivalent to a very fine
grade sandpaper, However, it is strong enough to
clean the residue and create a nice anchor pattern
for paint. It should be mentioned that this procedure
works best when the particle to air mixtu re is very
rich. This means that comparativelylarger quantities
July/Augu st 2001
29
of the material are striking the aluminum and effectively softeningthe blow.
O.K. I have seen some of your work with aluminum and have to admit this process really works
very well. Now thatyou describe how you approach
this metal, it makes so much sense.
T.K. There are many ways to get into trouble
with aluminum because it is so soft. But, if you get
starts out spherical but cracks during use and
becomes sharp afteronlya short time. Glass beadis
just small glass particles. With this typical one step
process, the pores ofthe casting mayget opened but
are never completelyclosedagain. Ina shortamount
of time the open pores will attract dirt and the part
will look worse than ever. Glass is just too fragile a
product to both clean and peen. Consequently, it
you, weusefresh glass bead in a very rich mixture at
moderate pressure (45 psi). Under these conditions
the glass lasts maybe five cycles andthen needs to be
thrown away. The disintegration occurs not only
from pounding the aluminum, but also during the
reboundwhenparticles crash into each other. Ithappens really fast so you have to be careful not to use
this media for toolong. That's whywe use glass only
for the finishing stepand divide the process into two
parts. It's much safer this way.
O.K. I know several people whofound out the
hard way about the one-step glass bead approach.
Sadly, I amone of them. But, with your good advice I
hope we will do betterin the futu re.
Now that you've outlined your process for the
various metals on thecar, I would like to ask ifthere
are any difficult areas, or ones you find especially
challenging? It sounds like you've solved manyof the
issues the local sandblaster never even thought to
ask. What are the trouble spots weshould be aware
of!
T.K. I'm not sure I like the word "trouble
spots". I'm not one to give up easily. But there are
some areas that require more time and finesse than
others. Of course,you need to be careful allthe time.
Some confined areas pose a problem with visibility duringthe blasting process, resolved onlythrough
cautious and slowwork. Thestages of workin an area likethe door pocket shown are (clockwise from
top left) disassembly, including removal of tarpaper under which rust has developed; then blast
removal of paint and adhesives; and rust removal.Leaded areas can be clearly seen after cleaning.
the right mediaand use a two-step process, it can be
done. But you have to be careful.
O.K. Could we talkabout aluminum castings?
Do you use thesame procedure on them?
T.K. Yes, inthe sensethatthe process ismultistep. But no, because your ultimate goal, after cleaning the metal, is different. With the body panels we
want to create a surface texture and open the pores
slightlytoimprove adhesion ofthe paint, which we've
called dryetching. If wedidthe samething with castings, grease and dirt would accumulate more than
ever. So, the final step for castings is to close the
pores and seal them, creating a barrier against the
entryofnew contaminants. Forthis final step weuse
a round materialthat pounds or hammers against the
casting, a process known as "peening". Remember
that I told you earlier that round particles were not
any good for bodypanels?Well, it's just the opposite
for castings. However, the procedure starts out the
same with cleaning the metal.
Many people shoot their castings with glass
bead in a one-step shoot-out. This is a familiar scenario. What they don't understand is that the glass
30
Volume 2 5. Number 2
yields uneven and uncertain results.
We prefer to use separate materials for cleaning and finishing. For most parts, including cases,
distributor housings and brake drums, westart with
a Starblast subangular particle of intermediate hardness. On those areas where we want to regain the
sheen offreshly cast aluminum,we needto penetrate
the outer skin to a depth of about .00I inch while
"What they don't understand
is that the glass starts out
spherical but cracks during
use and becomes sharp after
only a short time:'
dislodging all the contaminants. This procedure
uncovers fresh unoxidized aluminum. It is possible
to be a little aggressive where "white rust" corrosion
or contamination have formed, but you need to be
very careful around the machined surfaces, such as
wherethe case halves mate.
For the peeningprocess, and this maysurprise
Media Tech has developed a technique to clean
insulation and the surrounding areas without
removing or damaging the tarpaper.
Even on a wide, broad span area like a hood or a
roof, you can warp the metal if you do notpayattention.
There are some sections of the car where the
air and media cannot flow through and exit. As a
consequence, they bounce back offthe panel. Soon
there is a big haze and visibility drops to zero. The
only solution is to blast a little, wait until the air
clears, blast somemore, and so on. Areasaround the
door jambs, especially the back sidesand the battery
box are good examples of boxed corners. These
areas are not difficult perse, but it'sa matter ofplanning so that you are not just standing there waiting
fo r the air to clear.
Some people have trouble with sections you
can seebut cannot quite reach. Typically, such places
weren't even painted by the factory. I am thinking
about the area in the trunk just behind the nose
panel - call it the lock post. Also there is the inner
frame of the doors. You can see these places and
touch them, hut how do you clean them? The solution is simple with two special tools. One is a 45°
angle nozzle and the other is called a "whip". The
whip has a flexible hose that is much smaller in
diameter thanthe huge hose used formost ofthe car.
You would be surprised what the "sandblaster" can
reach these days. Of course, once you have cleaned
the metal, you will want to paint it. You will need to
tell your painter to get a wand set up for his spray
gun.
O.K. The bottom line seems to be "if you can
see it and touch it, wecan clean it." I like that.
T.K. Righton. There's one more trick, butnot
trouble area, I should mention. It is the tarpaper
insulation. Restorers have told me they have great
difficulty replacing this material and making it look
authentic. I have been asked ifI could remove the tar
and paintfromaround the perimeter of the tarpaper
withoutdamaging the tarpaper itself. I have hadgood
results doing so.
I solved this problem by thinking about the
times I accidentally blasted my skin. Those of you
"People are really surprised
about how well we can preserve
the tarpaper while cleaning the
surrounding metal:'
who have worked with any tools or machines know
that now and then you whack yourself. Anyway, I
noticed that coarse,angular media, even at low pressure, have the capability of producing a welt on your
skill. On the other hand, very fine grade media (400
grit) and a rich mixture, even at higher pressure, will
onlystinga little: it won't break the skin and causea
welt.Sothis was mysource of inspiration.
The finer the concentration of media (both grit
and mixture) , the gentler it is. However, this mixture
Description of Media and Use
-
Meta l
Purpose
Medium
Type
Paint and
Coating Acrylic
Removal
>-
'0
0
!Xl
Qj
Compos ition
Shape
Size
Hardness '
Blast
Pressure
12 -16 grl
Plaslic
Angular
or
3.0
30 -50 psi
6.5-7.0
45 -55 psi
9.2
25 ·35 psi
3.0
25-30 psi
16·20 gri
Surface
Etch
DuPont
Starblast
Staurolite
Mineral and
Titanium
Sub·
AngUlar
Rust
Removal
Aluminum
Oxide
Aluminum
Oxide
AngUlar
Plastic
AngUlar
240 grit
to
320 grit
$
en
Paint and
Coating
Removal
>-
'0
0
!Xl
Surface
Etch and
Rust
Removal
E
::J
c
'f:
::J
<i:
Acrylic
50%
Starblast
50%
Aluminum
Oxide
Cleaning
DuPont
and
Corrosion Starbla st
Removal
Ol
c
ti
400
grit
30 -40
grit
Staurolite
Mineral,
TItanium,
Aluminum
Oxide
Very
SubUsed
Angular
320 -420
and
grit
AngUlar
(approx)
Staurolite
Mineral
and
Tltinium
SubAngular
240 to
400 grit
8 .0
average
blend
40 -50 psi
6 .5 - 7 .0
35 -50 psi
o'"
E
::J
c
Surface
Peening
'E
::J
<i:
70% Black
en
c:
~'C
8
~ Q;
Q)
CD
~
CD
::J
al
"ga en
::>
Glass
BeadFreshinew
Coaling
Removal
Walnut
Shell
30% urea
Glass
Agricult ural
Product
Plastic
Spherical AC grade
100 grit
only
w/new (approx)
5.5
35 -45 psi
3.25
40-60 psi
AngUlar 16-20 grl
AngUlar 12 -16 grl
average
blend
will remove paint or tar, but it takes a longer time.
The beautyof the process is that there is no effect on
the tarpaper, We havegotten so confident that wedo
not even mask the insulation. People are reallysurprised about how
well weC:Ul preserve
the tarpaper while
cleaning the surrounding metal.
O.K. Most of
our cars have accumulated some bondo
over the years. Could
you talk a little more
about how you deal
with it? On your finished jobs it's all
gone and the metal is
uniformly etched.
T.K. Bondo is
Tom Kaniff
not any problem. First you have to locate it, which
occurs when the surface paintcoatingsare removed.
Then, you determine how thick it is. The only thing
to be careful about is the thin layer just touching the
surface of the metal. You cannot be too aggressive
wtth this level or the metal willbecome distorted. So,
remove the thick buildup anyway you like - grinder,
chisel or even the blaster. When the thinskim level is
reached, just resume the normal blasting procedure
for dryetching that particular metal. I W:Ult to mention thaton most older cars I have found rust under
the bondo. It used to be that hondo would not adhere
to primer. Noll', there arc surfacing materials which
seal the metal against rust and theyarc worth it.
O.K. I would like to ask one last question. It
has to do with sterilization of your booth. I have
heard that it is really important to completely purge
your booth of one kind of media before changing to
another. I know that this could be time consuming
and expensive. What do you do?
T.K. There is a grain of truthin all of this, but
you have to take it with a grain of salt too. The big
problem occurs when you mix a medium which is
non-invasive with one that is. Inother words, the soft
media designed to remove surface coatings cannot
be mixed with those that etch the surface or remove
rust. Otherwise, you lose control over what you are
doing and might as well return to using sand for
everything. That's what it boils dOlI11 to.
110 11' we solved this problem at Media Tech is
by constructing two booths, one for invasive and the
other for non-invasive media. That way wedon't have
to completely sterilize the booth after each job.
Somewherearound90%clean has been satisfactory,
butwe do sterilize the pressure vessel - which takes
just a few minutes.
O.K. Thanks very much, Sandman. This discussion has been both informative and encouraging.
No longer do we have to settle for warps or rust in
secluded areas. Life is good at the Sandcastle!
NOTE: If you have other questions or comments, you may contact Tom at Media Tech
Corporation in Naperville, Illinois. The phone number is 630-978-1230.
~
Jul y/Aug ust 20 01
31
Jim Perrin
·3 5 6 r e g is t r y
v e t, 7 n o . 5
lune / Ju ly 1 S 81
n the Registry' of20 years ago,JerryKeyser
announced that most of the Harrah's Auto
Collection had been sold to Holiday Inns,
alongwith most of the rest of the Harrah empire following Bill Harrah's death. (Although Bill Harrah
had made statements during his life that plans were
in place to continue the collection after his death,
such was notthe case. I hadthe memorable privilege
ofbeing given a VIP tourofthecollection along with
a few others byDean Batchelor, who at thetime was
employed by Harrah.)
Denny Frick sent in a news item that he had
found. It was the announcement from Stuttgart that
Eberspracher Pock, prominent engineer and distinguished inventor, had just retired this month from
the test facility at Weissach. Professor Pock achieve
lasting fame for his invention of an easily castmetal
with almost unlimited number of uses. The metal
received its name, "pock metal", from its distinguished inventor. Because of its great promise, it
found use in a number of 356 parts applications. It
apparently was considered a precious metal during
the period it was used for 356 parts, as few of the
remaining original pock metal pieces can be found
on 356s today; they have almost all been replaced by
less valuable reproduction pieces.
BrettJohnsonissued another one ofhis famous
questionnaires in this month's column, and
addressedthe subject of oilfillers, showing both the
Porsche 1500 Normal andSuper two-piece case versions. The latter is larger, and is retained by a
breather retainer clip on a spring. The breather
retainer clip is like a battery retainer clip. (Anyone
know where I can get 1500 two-piece case Super
filler?I have an engine that needs one.)
I
This issue oftheRegistry announced thefourth
version of the annual 1\veeks Swap Meet in
Indianapolis. This event is still being held, but is now
in Illinois at the new home of1\veeks.
Dave Seeland's Four-Cam Forum column is,
once again, a valuable reference. In the column
Dave discusses GT brakes and GT gas tanks. Dave
also gaverestoration tips for these parts.
This issue also had an announcement of the
1981 East Coast Holiday VII. This is the holiday
where Jack Magrane led the technical session on
howto maintain your 356. (lackhadextensiveexperience with both Porsches and VWs and told one of
myfavorite stories: While working at a VW dealer, he
was the first one in one morning and threw on the
main power switch. That in turn turned on thecompressor, which set about pressurizing its tank and
the lift caught one corner of the
van, and lifted it up into air until
the van finally fell over onto its
side with all its Porsche parts and
replacement windshields inside:'
It• • •
lines. Including theline that led to a leaky valve that
controlled one of the lifts. Unbeknownst to Jack,
while he was starting to work in the parts department, the lift in question was s-l-o-w-l-ymoving upup-up-up. Jack became aware of this when he suddenly hearda giant CRASH BAJ'\G SMASH, accompanied by the sound ofmuch breaking glass.
Jack ran around the cornerand into the service area. What he discovered was that someonehad
parked the dealer VW microbus near the lift late the
previous eveningfollowing a parts run to the distributor. Unfortunately the lift caught one corner of the
van, and lifted it up into air until the van finally fell
over onto its side with all its Porsche parts and
replacement windshields inside.)
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32
Volume 25 . Number 2
(858) 586- 7771 • Fax (858) 586 -1669
8645 Comm erc e Ave.
San Diego , California 92121
Llew Kinst presented a photo essayofa beautiful 356A 1600 coupe with Rudge knock off wheels.
This appears to be thecar that Gene Gilpin restored,
andwhich now resides in the factorymuseum.
The final article in theissueis an article on the
Gmund piece of sales literature. This is the first
multi-color sales brochure by Porsche, andis just as
elusive today as it was 20 years ago.
The Registry' of ten years ago announced that
the Porsche factory would no longer be processing
requestsforvehicle information about our 356s. The
new official source was named as being PCNA in
Reno, andinthefuture proofofownership was to be
submitted along with the request.
A new name appeared in the magazine this
issue. On the cover was a photo of Hank
Godfredsen's Carrera coupe by Gordon Maltby, the
same photo that appeared on the cover of his new
book, "Porsche 356 and RS Spyders." Gordon also
contributed a letter about a B coupe that was
installed via crane into the lobby of Fallon McEiligot
advertisingagencyinMinneapolis, on the32nd floor!
(Editor'snote: we rana story abouttheremoval of
this car-by cutting it up-s-and the subsequent
rebuilding in a later issue.)
Vic Skirmants talked about Solex40-PII float
levels in his column, and gave tips on how to properly set them. He also gave highlights of his recent
racingactivities in G-production and E-production.
Brett Johnson's column was a treatise on how
to wax your 356. Brett also mentioned that Tom
Niedernhofer had sent him a copyof the bill of sale
from 1973 for his 1951 cabriolet; the amount was
$125! Finally, Brett included an updated list of
Porsche chassis number with corresponding technical details.
Mark Iurczyn continued to write about early
356s. In this issue he discussed bumpers at length.
This writer presented an article about the
Abarth Carrera with technical specifications as
issued in a factory data sheet. I also reported on car
which appearedto bea 356B roadster with Cbrakes,
except it also had a Speedster windshield and a
Speedster top.
Ron Roland discussed several topics in hisNuts
and Bolts column. One topic was restoration costs,
including suggestions on a written agreement about
work to be done by the restorer.
Q~
changed the points and plugs but still
have a high speed miss in third. Can
you help?"
Personally, I'd sayyou probably
have more than ignition problems,
George. Better check the carburetors.
Maybe you need a set ofWebers! GAl
he Speedster pictured in a recent issue
has been rescued fromthe brinydeep by
George Maybee, King Clemons (pictured
at right) and friends. Theyfloated the hulk to a nearhylanding where itwas taken ashore. Sowhat do you
do with a rusted out Speedster?Nohody's reallysure,
butthe car will beon displayat George's open house
in July (see upcoming events). Perhaps it can be
used to demonstrate "How not to store your car for
longperiods."
George sent the engine compartment photo at
right to lIarry Pellow with the question, "I've
T
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34
Volume 25. Number 2
25th AII-Porsche Swap Meet
By Steve Baun
he 25th Annual event for the Central Pa.
Region presented a number of challenges, with the most challenging being
the location. HersheyPark is buildinga new stadium,
and alongwith the newstadium comemanychanges
in parking, entry and exit zones and general layout.
With over $100 million dollars being spent, the
entire area is under some type of construction.
Duringthe lasttwo weeks priorto the swap meet the
CentralPa. Region's biggest event was moved several
times. In fact, the Friday evening prior to the event
therewas still paving being completed for the parking.
Theswap volunteers had their work cut outfor
them. A completely new layout with less then 24
hoursto pull it all together and work stillin progress
on-site. Of course, like most Porschevolunteers, the
response was, "What can wedo?" Aplan was put to
paperFridaymorning, lots were separated with safety tape and vendor spaces numbered. The weather
forecast looked promising and now we'd wait and
see. Anumber ofthe largevendors loaded in Friday
afternoon and made preparations for an exciting
Saturday.
The first shift of volunteers arrived on time,
5:30 am, and yes, it's still dark at that hour. With
flashlights in hand, a check was performed to make
sure all the barriers were still in place. At 6:20 am,
the main gates were opened and in poured the long
line ofvendors and early shoppers. The line of vendors finished around 8:00 am, by which time many
vendors had alreadydone some serious business.
The Porsches started rollingin at 7:00 am and
continued through 12:00 noon. The new/temporary
location was large, but not large enough to handle
the increase of Porsche owners. By 10:00 am the
entire location was maxed out. On-site we had over
500 vendor spaces filled, over 75 Porsches in the
corral and Porsche-Only Parking chock-full, so we
parked the overflow out with the lIersheyPark
patrons. A PCA member counted over 700 Porsche
cars on the grounds of Hershey by 11 :30 am.
The People's Choice Concourse had over 65
cars entered, with the Best ofShow beingawarded to
Gary Wolfgang with his 1956 356 Speedster. The
$10.00 entry fee was donated to the Children's
Cancer ward at HersheyMedicalCenter.
The early part of the day brought record
crowds with warm temperatures and sunshine.
Vendors were busy handling the buyers while the
Porsche folks checked outallthe heavy iron. By mid
afternoon the sun disappeared and light showers
arrived. The day ran extremelysmoothlywith only a
glitchin the exit route, which was soon resolved.
Looking forward to year 2002, the swap locationwill be largerwith more entries and more exits,
T
lending itselfto more growth, Each year this annual
event grows and draws Porsche people from allover
the world- yes, theworld. It's amazing to think this
event started in a dealer parking lot and has grown
into the largest gathering of Porsches anywhere.
WOW!
AHUGE THANK YOUto all the volunteers and
Swap Sponsors and Swap Partners! The swap is only
a great success because of all the energy and effort
from all ofyou.
We look forward to seeing you in year 2002...
and bring good weather!
~
Parking was available for Porsche ownerswho
came to shop, with additional spaceavailable for
a car for sale corral, a people's choice car show
and new model displays. There were Porsches
for as far as you could see. Theblacktop was
onlya few hours old in some places, and vendors were relieved they had no mud to deal with
as in some years past.
Below: 356 parts seemedfairly numerous and
vendorsreported doinga briskbusiness. Most of
the itemswere for later cars, with 996 parts
even beginning to appear.
Steve Balm is a memberofCentral Pennsylvania Region
PCA and has headedtheorganizationoftheswap meetfor I
last severalyears.
Clockwise from top left: The plaid brigade
at Dennis Frick's open house. Dennis made
a valiant effort with the ugliestcowboy
shirt anyone had seen, but the pen protector award for 2001 goes to the lovely
Arlene Bardsley (fourth from left) whose
plaid jacketwas actually tasteful. Normally,
that would mean disqualification, but it
was just loud enough to makethe grade.
Jim Perrinand his trademarkstraw hat.
Four who missed the offical plaid photo:
from left,Vic Rivera, Don Fowler, Freeman
Thomas, Uwe Biegner. Swappin' at
HersheyPark on Saturday.
Right: There were a few 924/944s in the parking
lot with for sale signs, priced below$1000. One
enterprisingvendor was selling parts "on the
hoof" with a custom pullingservice. It's an efficient wayto transport parts, and if you don't sell
the wheels, you can roll the hulk to a wrecking
yard on the way home.
Above: An extremely clean installation of 911
running gear in a 356 was admired by manyin
the parkinglot. At the Skirmants/356 Registry
tables, Barbara signed up new and renewing
members during the day. Shown from left are
Vic Skirmants, Dennis Frick and Bruce Baker.
Dennis organized the first Central PA Region allPorsche Swap Meet at a local dealership in 1977.
It grew to the point where a changeof venue
was needed. Forseveralyears it was held at Ski
Roundtop near Harrisburg, and moved to
Hershey three years ago. Bruce Baker has been
involved in events in Eastern Pennsylvania for
manyyears
July/August 2001
35
hose of you who are regular readers
already knowmy answer to the question
at right: Who knows? But for manypeople in the old car hobby, results of the BarrettJackson collector car auction each January in
Phoenix are one of the best ways to guess what the
year will bring. This year, there was plenty of nervousness, as the stock market and the economy in
general are showing warning signs. Conventional
wisdomholds that when theeconomy is down, prices
of collectibles will soon follow. I heard of several
folks with cars for sale at "no reserve" who considered pulling their entries for fear of receiving just a
fraction ofwhat they had hoped.
Well, a funnything happened at B-J this year: It
broke just about every record in the book, including
a private record I have noted foryears: For the first
time in modern history, every Porsche taken to B-J
sold, all 14 of them (5 356s, 5 911s, 2 914s, a 944
and a 930). Virtually everyyear at B-J, and at other
good auctions, a few dogs slip in the show at silly
reserves that are really quite sale-proof. This year,
even they sold. So if the market results of B-J mean
anything (and remember, they may notl), prices are
holding up well even as the dot-com sector craters
andinterest ratesand the stock marketindices drop
in tandem.
Starting with the newest first, a perfectly
delightful 1964 SC Coupe, in LightIvory/black was
presented at the small butupper-crust RM auction in
Phoenix, January 2001. This car was from
mechanically, in partbecause theyare so rarelydriven. I was outspoken that this was a market correct
price for such a special car, although many in the
crowd gasped at the price. Rumor on the auction
block was that thecar sold immediatelypost auction
for $10,000 more than the strike price to a buyer
whowas presentbutmissed the car cross the auction
T
Which WilYare
prices headlngz
was claimed to be numbers matching, but I didn't
seethe Kardex. The steeringwheel was correct, but
had no horn ring; no radio, but a blank out plate;
p
Anice ACabriolet, though not strictly original,
broughtalmost $40,000 at the Barrett-Jackson
2002 season kick-offsale in January.
low bumper guards front and rear but no USA overrider tubes. The interior was freshly done in black
leather and correct gray squareweave carpets. The
replacement leather on this car wasn't as sturdy or
thick feeling as the original type. Door fits were
good, thehood a bitless so butnotthat bad. The car
wore California black plates and sold for $38,800.
-.. ..... ' :;' C
"'"
-
h
t
Cool paint,mildoutlaw look, updated mechanlcals madethis Acoupea lookerand a driver.
Add the panache of a famous owner and $65.000
seems realistic.
block. Maybe it was somethingin the desert air...
The other Seinfeldcar was another knock-out,
this time a 1957 Carrera Coupe, in Silver Metallic
with a saddle tanGT interior. The car didnothave a
four cam, butwas equipped with a very fresh andhot
Celebrity Cars
Oklahoma, and had veryprettybody and shut lines.
Options included European tail and turnsignal lenses, headrests, an improper radio, and chrome
wheels. Air conditioning was fitted, although I can't
imagine that it worked. The car was sold for
$24,200, which strikes me as a good purchase for
such a nice SC Coupe.
A 1959 356A Super Cabriolet, painted a
mysterycolor, somewhere in between khakiand pea
green soup, was the youngest 356at B-]. The engine
36
Volume 2 5. Num ber 2
Jerry Seinfeld brought two wonderful 356s to
BarrettJackson this year. First upwas an exceptional1958 356ASpeedster. To me, this was a top-ofthe-world car, with sharp body lines, a superbly
detailed red interior, fully rebuilt original 1600
Normal engine, and correct overrider tubes front
and rear. The original color was Aquamarine Blue
metallic, a stunning medium dark blue-gray. But this
car was repainted several shades lighter than stock,
and ended up being a medium metallic silver-blue.
Yes, originality was broken, but what a fantastic
color! But wait, there's more, as the car was loaded
with chrome Rudge knock-off wheels, a vintage
Nardi steering wheel, wire mesh headlight covers,
and ofcourse, Seinfeld celebrity heritage. It went for
big money, $92,880 to be exact. I questioned the
seller's representative about how well the car ranand
was assured that it ran exactly as it should have, with
the big torque of a Normal and theexcellent brakes,
supple suspension and light steering that every 356
had as standard equipment when new.
In myanalysis, this carwas a value because the
seller is that unusual person who insists on having
his cars not just look pretty, but run well. So many
times the prettiest concours cars are neglected
looking pushrod engine, disc brakes, painted steel
wheels sans hub caps, a louvered engine cover, and
a Nardi wood steering wheel. The interiorofthis car
was immaculate, you could trulyeatoff thefloor, and
the engine compartment looked the same way. The
bumpers were removed and the body holes closed
for a mild outlaw look. The new owner, who owns
multiple 911and356 Porsches, reports that it is one
of the best 356s he has ever driven. It sold for
$64,800 and could not possibly be duplicated for
that price.
Early Speedsters
The final two cars that sold at B-J were two
1955 pre-ASpeedsters. Thefirst was a very pretty
car in Speedster Blue with a tan interior anda beige
top. I was delighted to find correct 16" wheels,
painted body color, which was on this car a color
vel)' close to Sky Blue, a light, clear non-metallic
blue, Body lines and door fits looked quite good.
The bumpers were fined with low bumper guards
and no overriders. The car was fullyrestored in 1992
and showed some signs of use which 1 like to see.
The car origi nallyhad a 1;00 Super engine, butwas
sold with a 1600 Normal instead. The engine swap
clearly hurt the value here, as the car sold for
$42,660. But what a fun and strikingcar to have for
that price.
The final car at B-J was another top-of-the
world Speedster, but this time a 19; ; , in Black with
a red interior and blacktop. Once again, correct 16"
wheels, this time painted silver/gray. This car had a
cost-no-object complete restoration, and was
claimed to be completely accurate to the Kardex.
Theengine baywas superb, the interior was spotless,
the body and paint were wonderful. Unusual for a
car at auction, a complete tool kit was included. 1
have no idea how the car ran, but it was ready for a
concours field somewhere and rated by several
observers as a number I. It sold for $86,400 and is
an interesting contrast to the Seinfeld Speedster.
Both made bigmoney, yet they were different variations on the same immaculateSpeedster theme.
Questions, comments at criticism always welcome at: ; 4722 Little Flower Trail, Mishawaka, I ~
46; 4; . For fastest response, my e-mail is jimschrager@compuserve.com
~
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July/Augu st 2001
37
356 Collectibles:
YJoFsche :JaC/OFY
ear/V YJos/cards
J
1950 - 1956
by Prescott Kelly
Y
~sche
postcards are an entertaining
art of the collectibles arena. They
are picturesque, store easily, are
sometimes way fun ky, and typically are not expensive.
In the general market of ephemera collectibles, postcards are broadly collected and have
beenfor manyyears. Postcarddealers andcollectors
are found at every antique mart, show, and flea market. In Porschedom, they are not as big a deal. On
the scale of Porsche collectormania, postcards fall
below toys, models, posters, and even sales literature. Most collectors ofsales literature, however, do
activelyseek out postcards as a subset of their collections.
Four types of postcards are collectible. First
and foremost are the factory-issued postcards; followed by dealer-issued postcards; then postcards
issued to promote a location/town/area which just
happen to show Porsches; and, lastly, postcards
printed just to appealto Porsche owners as mailable
items or as collectibles (which they almost always
are not).
This first article will keyon just theearly factory-issued postcards. Later articles willfollow-up and
discuss later factory cards and dealer-issued varieties. The earliest card I know of shows a Gmlindbuilt aluminum prototype coupe in front of a major
fountain and castle-like public building - which is
probably easily recognizable to everyone except this
author. (Any helpout there?) Inthe 356era, Porsche
frequently used impressive castle-like buildings as
' UI
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This early factory postcard shows a green coupe
in a public square. The reverse has specifications for the 11OOC.c. and 1300c.c. engines, plus
a handwritten message conveying a favorable
reaction to the new Porsche car.
38
Volume 25 , Number 2
JL:l 1 4 m 2
The factory issued this wonderful "Student
Schedule'; probably as publicity piece. It may
have also been issued to apprentices in the
factory "school:'The front cover shows the
first factory-issued poster, depicting a red
Gmund coupe as a racecar. The backcover has
a photograph of three early steel-bodied cars.
The inside spread is the daily schedule that
the studentswere to fill in.
backdrops to their photo shoots; this was just the
firstof many. Like manylater cards the reverse ofthis
postcard gives some few minimal specifications, in
this casefor the 1100cc and 1300cc engines, identifies thefactoryas thesource, and- in order to be a
real postcard - provides an identifiable areaforthe
intended recipient's name and address. This card
carries a message to a Helga Schmidt in Mannheim,
but it is missing a stamp - so it perhaps was hand
delivered.
The second item is not really a postcard but
collectors like to sort it into this category. It is officially called a "stundenplan" onto which students
(maybe to include factoryapprentices?) could write
in their weekly class schedules. The front cover
shows the stunning number one factory-issued
poster (a subject, which will follow in this series of
articles) created by Erich Strenger. The back cover
These three postcards depictearlyStuttgart-built
steel-bodied cars. The photographs were taken
about the same time as the ones used in the
"three photocard" sales brochure from the same
era. The light green coupe shown in the second
postcard was used in that sales brochure.
shows three body bumper early cars which were the
subjects of the "three photocard" sales literature
piece andsome postcards - plus specifications, now
toinclude the 1500ccengine. ItsAmerican recipient
dated this one with the date]uly 14,1 952. This rare
piece is highlysought after. It is the one of onlytwo
really expensive pieces covered in this article, and
could bring $500 - $1,000 today.
The next three cards use those three cars on
the back of the "stundenplan." They are a blue
coupe, a light green metallic coupe, and a red cabriolet with a white top. Only one of these cards has
specifications on its reverse side, that being the blue
coupe-anditshows onlythe early 1OOcc and 1300cc
engines, datingit earlyinthe 1950s. There are probably more variations of these cards since we know
there were three additional photographs made for
the "three photocard" sales brochure piece: a red
coupe, a silver cabwith black top, andblue cab with
top down and red interior. (We'll cover the threephotocard piece in a future column on earlysales literature.) These cards are available, although not
readily, andtypicallysell for $100 +/- $50.
The next postcards shown come from 1956
Julius Weitmann - who later would become well
known to Porsche aficionados through his most collectible book, Porsche Story.
If you know of additional images from the
1950s on postcards, or have interesting Porsche collectible stories, please contact me or send me a photocopy. Inthe nextinstallment on postcards, I'llstart
a listing for us all to use as reference. Thanks in
,~
advance.
Prescott Kelly can be reached byemail at:
pamandprescott@cs.comor
PVKelly@Thelnstitutelnc.com
Phone: 203-227-7770 (home, Eastern time)
By mail: 16 Silver Ridge, Weston, CT 06883
" California" Used 356 Parts
EASY
European Auto Salvage Yard
4060 Harlan Street
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 653-EASY
This set was issued in 1956as a promotional
mailer. Thegray vellumfolder, embossed
with a red "Porsche" on the lower left front
corner, contained four postcards. Three show
cars, two pre-A's, then an A, plus a card
depicting a poster design for 1956. This set is
quite rare.
This is one of the favorite collector pieces, a
1956postcard that features three 356As. Its
primary attractiveness is the shot of the factory with the terrificlogotype "PORSCHE" sign
across the top.
when the factoryissued a set offour in a grayvellum
envelope. The envelope carries a small red
"Porsche" on its lower left front comer. The fo ur
postcards inside are a mixed lot; they show two preA's, anA, and a 1956 poster. The first of the pre-As is
Fax (510) 653-3178
email : easypor@aol.com
a blue coupe in frontof what appears to be a cathedral. The second pre-Ais a red coupe at the seaside
behind a white boat, against which is posed a
brunette woman. The A postcard is a well known
image, also seen in black and white publicityphotos
of the era; it shows a charcoal gray coupe beside an
office building and in fro nt a of a verdant hillside.
The cardwith the poster depicts a heavily interpreted bow and arrow, the significance of which has so
far eluded this collector. My German collector
friends have not been terribly helpful so far. This set
is rare and brings a premium price on the collector
market. They seldom sell, but I would estimate pricing between $500 and $1,000.
The last postcard we'll look at here is also
circa 1956. It shows three cars: a white cab front
view on the rightedge, a red cab in side view parked
in fro nt of the factory, and a dark blue or perhaps
black coupe in the left fo reground. The real attraction on the postcard is the handsome shot of the
"new" factory built in 1953, which its large red
"PORSCHE" spelled out in logotype across the top.
This card has two interesting variations on the
reverse. First, it has a Porsche shield in the upper
left-handcomer where the stamp should go. And the
data line identifies that the photograph was taken by
1964 356 SC Coupe $32,000
1963 356 Carrera 2 $125,000
1958 356A Speedster $68,000
1960 Roadster, Silver/Blue $48,000
Plus many others to choose from
We also offer Mechanical and
Body Repair facilities
Foreign Coachworks, Inc.
811 S. Elm St., Greensboro , NC 27406
Contact Randall Yow
Phone 336.272 .6336 Fax 336.275.9116
July/August 2001
39
he Maestro's toldyou manyStories about
Terrible Overhauls, somefrom L.A. Some
from allover the Country. Some from
OTHERCountries! And some from his own neck of
the woods.
There was one local "Fly-By-Night" operation
he dubbed "Nocturnal Aviation," now mercifully out
of business, that consistently produced some of the
WORST overhauls of all Time. The Maestro hadn't
seen a Nocturnal Aviation Engine in a coon's age, so
he figured they were finally extinct, thankfully, the
lastone having broken down years ago.
But he was wrong! There was a Survivor. And
it was housed in a nice-looking (untilyou got close)
Redl963 Cabriolet, in Dire Need of BOTH an engine
and a Transmission overhaul.
To tackle this required a Traumatic Sacrifice
on the Maestro's part, because the only free spot in
the Maestro's Shop was already taken byan engineless TrustyRusty, whose engine transplant to the '65
SC Near Virgin in Off-White was VERY successful. But
Trustydied.
Trusty's Transntission (with BBAA Carrera
gears), was being sold to a guy back East for a race
car, and the Body the Maestro advertised to the
World on theInternet.And gotNO serious offers. So,
the Maestro donated Trusty RUsty's Body to Science;
he gave it to the Wolfman, his Transmission
Subsidiary, to conduct Experiments on during Full
Moons. GruesomeV\Vexperiments.
The Wolfman, desperatelywanting to get back
into 356s, promised to pick Trusty Rusty up within
Three Days. But that damn Full Moonintervened, so
five days later, the Maestro had Trusty Flat-bedded
down to theWolfman's Cave anddropped off.
The Owner of the Cabriolet Desperately
SeekingOverhaulcame down IMMEDIATELYto claim
Trusty's Space. (The Maestro had barely finished
sweeping the stall and sortingall the little parts that
had hidden underneath.) Close inspection of the '63
Cabrioletshowed it to be previously hit in the front
and "sectioned." And that it wasn't Red Originally,
but White. And that the Red paint was now peeling
and in need of repair in manyplaces.
After the Owner left, the Maestro thought he'd
take a test drive to see what this Beastie was like
"Before." Afterwards, it will be much different and
Vastly Improved. It fired up OK, since it had a new
.050 Distributor, a new Bosch Blue Coil and new
OEM plug wires on it, all putthere bythe Maestro at
the last tune up. But on the Ai rport Test Track, the
engine proved particularlypowerless. And what little
Power the engine did produce also produced a
Banshee-like wail from the Transmission when
under "load." Thankfully, the engine was way down
on Power or it would have ripped the guts out of the
Transmission.
The Owner said that NocturnalAviation set up
the Ring And Pinion with a "Special Preload." Right.
That "Special Preload" came back to haunt the
Owner. Yep, this Customerwas Absolutely Correct! If
Nocturnal Aviation had rebuilt both, then this car
surely NEEDS both an Engine and Transmission
Overhaul!
T
40
Volume 25. Numbe r 2
Nocturnal Aviation
Strikes Again
So, the nextSaturday, the Maestro grabbed his
boy Andrew, stuffed him into the Blue Beast and
zipped offto the Shop to pull the Red Cab's engine.
NocturnalAviation struck early.
To remove the Engine you first must remove
the Rear Plate (After disconnecting the Battery
ground Strap and turning offthe gas) . The Rear Plate
held the carbonized remains of a very badly burnt
Rubber Seal. The Rubber Seal had been fried by the
VERY Hot Muffler. The VERY Hot Muffler had been
Very Hot because the Engine ran Very lIot. And the
Engine ran Very Hot because...
The Maestro, eyeballing the Terminal
Moraines left by the many, many oil leaks coating
most everysquare inch of sheet metal in sight with a
ever-thickening Glacier of Goo, asked the Customer,
"I bet it runs hot in the Summer. Does it?"
"Why that's Amazing, Maestro," said the
Customer. "It DOES run lIot when it's warm out!
How'd you know that?"
Alimentarymydear Customer. ByMurphy, ANY
oil leak ANYWHERE on a 356/912 engine results in
oilenteringthe air stream, being sucked into thefan,
and deposited on the oilcooler where it acts like an
oil-bath Air Filter, filtering the inconting cooling air
ofdirtand quite quickly blocking half the outside of
the Cooler, and eventually, ALL oftheCooler.
Needless to say, this causes Overheating.
Q.E.D.
Anyhow, the Rear Plate's carbonized rubber
was now made entirely of Diamond-Centered
Buckeyballs, impossible to bend, stretch or tear. It
took much of the Maestro's knowledge of a
Thousand Tire Installation/Removals at the Old
Man'sJunkYard (he got pretty good at it) to "work"
the Rear Plate "Rubber" up and outof the hole.
Score I for Nocturnal Aviation.
Of course the Maestro noticed NO "Lifting
Lug" on the engine, butthat goes withoutsaying. And
of course, there were self-tapping cheese head
screws stuck into the Vertical surfaces of the Fan
Shroud to attach the Sheet Metal wherethere should
be 6mm BOLTS. But this is The Standard Expectation
on a Turkey Engine.
Unexpected was another Turkey Innovation:
Sheet Rock Screws drilled THROUGH the Fan Shroud
to hold the Side Vertical Sheet metal on! Why the
Sheet Rock Screws?Because the weld nutin the Fan
Shroud had failed, probably from overtightening,
and rather than fix it right they kludged it.Standard
Operating Procedure in the Turkey world.
Chalk up another onefor Nocturnal.
Ofcourse the engine had Dellorto Carbson it,
rather than Webers or Original Solexes or Zeniths,
andthese Dellortos had the GrosslyOversizeDellorto
Manifold that requires the Side Vertical Sheet Metal
to be badly BUTCHERED!
That wasn't a terrible loss. The Engine was a
1963 Super, and had the one-piece Zenith Side
Vertical Pieces found on both Supers and Normals,
and there are a bunch of them out there still. But
what Nocturnal Aviation did to the Side Vertical
Pieces was Unpardonable Debauchery! They had
chopped a big chunk out - right through the spark
plug holes. Much MORE than was needed, andleavinga VERYLARGE, UNCOVERED "Hole" in the sheet
metal through which Vast Quantities of Cooling Air
leaked. Addingto the Overheating problem!
The RIGHT way: You canuse one-piece Zenith
Side Vertical Pieces with the Solex Manifolds IF you
trim the sheet metal a bit. Usingthe Solex Manifolds
with Dellortos or Webers (with an Adaptoplate)
makes spark plug removal as easy (?) as Stock
Solexes. Or you can replace the Side VerticalPieces
with the 2-Piecetype designed to be usedwith SOLEX
Manifolds. Either way, the Sheet Metal FITS, and the
Spark Plugs can be removed with no more difficulty
than normal.
Nocturnal had done quite a number on the
heater cablestoo. One broke and rather than replace
it, they clamped on another cable and then clamped
on a THIRD piece that eventuallywent to the Heater
Box. Not the neatest "quick fix" that. Takes about
three times as long to do itthat waythan to fix it right
byreplacing the cable.
Instead of the Rubber Grommet used for the
fuel line penetration through the Front Plate,
Nocturnal used a chunk of 'Merican fuel line- all on
one side so the metal line still rubbed on the naked
hole in the loose, vibrating FrontPlate.
Ofcoursethere was no "brush cover" over the
Generator and both the D+ and OF wires were the
same Red. The Ground wire had a touch ofBrown.
While checking out theweirdly wired regulator, the Maestro noticed somethingamissin the front
of the Fan Shroud. The Fuel Line! Which was NOT
tied down to the Fan Shroud viathe Bolt that holds
the Oil Filter Can. Instead, the Fuel Line was a-flapping in the Fan-induced air stream going TO the Fan
Blades. After theGasoline-Cooled EngineExperience,
this reallygavetheMaestro theWillies.
Filethat Flapping Fuel Line under "Fire".
The Maestro and Andrew struggled with the
Demons of the Night Flight but eventually got the
engine out. Ofcourse it had a 180mm Clutch andof
course the Clutch "fingers" were badly worn by the
El-cheapo throw outbearing. And theTach Cable was
the cheap rubber-covered kind, not the nice Braided
Steel Original.
Since rebuilding a Nocturnal Aviation engine
would require Heap Big Magic, the Maestro waited
until Monday before he tackled the teardown.
Besides he wanted to document all the boo-boos.
Yes, the Dellortos had BOTH 12 rnm and 13
mm ATF (Across The Flats) nuts on them, but the
Maestro was Prepared with all manner of wrenches.
And of course there were nohose clamps on manyof
the fabric fuel lines feeding the Dellortos. And of
course everythingwas a dirty, oily MESS!
But the Maestro persevered, and got the disgusting sheet metal off, exposing an Oil Cooler
ALMOST COMPll.iELY BLOCKED on the outsidefrom
MANY layers ofoil/dirt/oil/dirt. Ad Infini tum.
The Maestro tackled the overlyobese Dellorto
Manifolds first, and noticed something Interesting.
The Obese Dellorto Manifolds narrowed to a tight
"V" in the middle, sooooooo tight that the Middle
ManifoldBoltwith the 14mm Headleftlittle room fo r
a wrench to fit on. Too little for Nocturnal Aviation,
for the Middle Intake Manifold Bolt on 3/4 side was
LOOSE. And yes, so was the Manifold! Loose. Could
this a1Tectthe engine's performance?
You Betcha!
The Maestro popped off a Valve Cover, and
found that Nocturnal hadrun outoftheSpecial halfthickness 13mm ATF nuts used to tie the
Super/C/SC/912 Rockers down to the Aluminum
Rocker Stand. So Nocturnal used "regular" 8mm
nuts on most of the Rockers. The Maestro removed
the rockersand pulled out the pushrods. Or actually, he pulled out 7 of the eight push rods, And one
end of the eighth. The 3" long steel section had separated from the Aluminum center section which
stayed inside the Case.
No matter, he'd get it later.
The Maestro popped offthe Heads to find the
usualcouple ofleaks at the intake valve side of both
Heads, andan NPRBig Bore kit with its raised arrow
"It was almost completely clogged
and not working as a Cooler, but
even with only two of the three
studs holding it, it hadn't leaked.
Amazing:'
staring at him. With the Heads andCylinders off, the
Maestro tackled the Oil Cooler. As he undid another
of the ubiquitous Nylock nuts, the stud fell off. The
STUD from the Oil Cooler fellom Meaning, one ofthe
two Oil Cooler Studs had BROKEN- either upon
installation or sometimeafterward!
But the Cooler wasn't leaking. It was almost
completelyclogged and notworking as a Cooler, but
even with only two of the three studs holding it, it
hadn't leaked, Amazing. Sometimes even Nocturnal
Aviation gets Lucky.
The Maestromight ever be so lucky. He tackled the Case Perimeter Bolts next and found a mixture of 13mm and 14mm Bolts always with those
damn self-locking 13mn ATF nuts. The Case
Perimeter was Staggered with the bolt head put in
first from one side, then from the other side, etc.
The Maestro took offthe Pulley Nut to get the
Pulley Shroud off and noticed that: A. The Pulley
Shroud was held byonlyONE6mm bolt. And: B. The
6mm Boltwas TIlE WRONG SIZE! The PulleyShroud
takes a Special SHORT 6mm Bolt, because ifin you
use "regular size" 6m bolts here, these are TOO
LONG FOR TIlE HOLES and will either strip the
threads or drill a hole through the Third Piece.
Nocturnal didneither-his overly-long6m Boltwasn't
tightened enough andcameloose!
The Pulleyhadbeen leakingoilout allover the
engine (and into the air stream) , and after the
Maestro got it offhe realized why. Clearly, this Pulley
Seal had NOT been installed with a "Pulley Seal
Installer!" In fact if hadn't been installed with anything FLAT either, because one half of the seal was
inside the Seal Housing and the other halfwas OUTSIDEthe housing! This makes an "oval-shaped" seal
that doesn't sealwell! As vividly demonstrated here.
The Crank looked to be a Stock 356B 50mm
Main Normal/Super, not a big surprise since that's
what the engine was. The Rods were the later "0I"
C/9 12 type, that's Good, but they had never been
Balanced. The Middle Main Case Bore showed the
dreaded multi-faceted patina, meaning it was likely
that the Case was now too big and needed an Align
Bore. And Align Bore Bearings for Bs arc like Hen's
Teeth! The Camshaft had every lobe pitted badly,
probablyfrom oldage.
As the Maestro was taking the Rods off the
Crank, he noticed yet another Characteristic of The
Iurkey Rebuilder!) - two of the Rod Nuts were VW!
And they were on DIFFERENT rods! (You'd think
he'd putthemon the sameRod, butnooooooo.) The
Crank was ground, ofcourse, to First Under. But the
Rod Throws were down two Thou andwouldhave to
be ground to SECOND Under, right during a
World\\ide Shortage ofSecond Under Rod Bearings!
(EVERY Importer used to have Second Under Rod
Bearings. Now, NOONEhas any!)
Yes, thought the Maestro, rebuilding a
Classically Thrkeyized Engine requires Heap Big
Medicine. I'd better have another Beer. For there be
miles of Rebuilding to go before we sleep.
Next day, thecontinuingsaga played outthusly:
One Rod Bearing hadsignificant wear; it was one of
the two fed bythe Middle Main whose Bore wasoverly Big and the Journal overly small, which may
explain theworn Rod Bearing. The Rod Bearings had
many embedded particles in them too, debris from
somewhere.
One possible source: Like most Turkey
Rebuilders Nocturnal Aviation didn't measure the
diameter of the Oil Pump Tach Drive Gear, for it was
worn down over ten Thou from its normal 0.707"
diameter. When the Oil Pump Tach Drive Bearing
gets that badlyworn, the Gears get Katywhompus, go
crazy, have a "Donner Party" and start to eat each
other, forming a noticeable "line" ofwear along the
gear. That's the "Dinner Line."
Nocturnal's Tach Gear had one of the best
(worst), well-defined wear "line" he's ever seen,
explainingsomeofthe crud in the Rod Bearings!
Speaking of Bearings, the Maestro's told you
howthe#3MainBearing for a 356AIB NormallSuper
(the completelycircular one that goes on in front of
the Crank Gears and that you gotta take theGears off
to Remove or Replace the Bearing) is NOT
Symmetrical and onlygoeson ONE WAY!
The Oil Holes in #3 Main Bearing are, in fact,
Asymmetrical, and must be installed so that the Oil
Hole at the Bottomis in theRightHandCase Half, so
that it feeds Oil to the Crankshaft correctly. That Oil
Hole should NOT be in the Left Hand Case Half.
Randomly, there's a 50-50chanceof doing it Wrong,
so byMurphy, #3 Mainwill be installed WRONG90%
of the time! Nocturnal Aviation was in the 90%
crowd!
Butthe BigBugaboo didn't comeuntilthe Next
Daywhen the Maestro cleaned the Crankshaft in the
Safety Kleen tankandset itoutsideto dryin the Warm
California Sun. Acouple of hours later, he wandered
back to inspect the Crank. Taking offhis OpticalAids
so his naked eyeball could get a closer look, the
Maestro hoisted the Crank upand presented it to the
California Sun god. The California Sun god shined its
Always-Warm Light on the Crank as the Maestro
inspected the Rod Journal Radius of#3 Rod Journal
(the most likely place for a crack), and he FOUND
one! ACrack that is!
ABig Bad noticeable-by-the-naked-eye Crack
that went half way around the Journal, then took off
on a tangent (literally) through the widest, thickest
section of the crank. The Crack was already more
than half waythrough the Crank! Must be Nocturnal
Aviation'sTurkeyCrank Grinder thoughtthe Maestro.
Crankfusius says: Grinder who put too small Radius
intoJournal suffer Premature Crank Failure!
With just that one crack, the Crank was toast,
butthe Maestro was Curious. So, he checked another RodJournal. It TOO had a Crack, an IDENTICAL
Crack! Sothe Maestro checked a Third RodJournal.
What did he find?
ATHIRD Identical Crack!
And the Fourth Rod Journal? Was it cracked
too?You Betcha!All FOUR RodJournals had Big Bad
Cracks in them! Cracks that went almost ALLLLLLL
the waythrough! Like theywere having a RACEtosee
which one would crack the Crank in half FIRST!
Think of the Insidious Skill Nocturnal A\iation's
Crank Grinder must have had; to be able to grind
such incorrect Radii into the Crank that all the Rod
Throws crackquickly, badlyandat the samerate! In
a fewthousandmiles or less, this Crank would have
been Two-Piece! A short time thereafter, THREE
piece, then FOUR piece and finally-True Turkey
Perfection-The Ultimate: a FIVE PIECE Crankshaft!
Really, the Owner is Lucky he tore the engine
down NOWrather than AFTER the Crank broke and
REALLY took things out, like the Case! And sincethe
'63 Super Case is late enough that it has the "tangs"
in the Middle Main Bearing Bores to take AJ\'Y
35619 12 Crank, wouldn't it be nice to stick a "C"
crank into it, to take the Power of the Big Bore kit?
Yes, it'll take a little Magic and a lot of TLC,
plus some Balancing and Blueprinting (and a few
bucks of course) to exorcise Nocturnal Aviation's
Demons, but the Maestro likes Problem-Solving
Challenges! Especiallywhen he gets paid to fix 'em.
And Nocturnal Aviation always provides those!
But you canavoid such "challenges" ifyou:
Keep the 356 Faith!
~
July/August 2001
41
Service inaller Weft
Serv!zio assistenza ovunque nel mondo
ServIce thmughout the world
Service au monde entier
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Service
Posters
ByEverett Anton Singer
PhotographybySteve Geraci
n the 356 Bera, thePorsche Factory issuedtwo different series ofservice-related posters. The pair above on the faci ng page were done in
1963, in the vertical format as other "showroom" posters and would
have been displayed as such. The interesting interplay of International icons,
photo-realistic illustrations oftheT-6 bodied B, andoverprintingoflargeareas of
color created quite a striking graphic image fortheirday. The leftposter with its
camel image seems to imply dependahilty (even though it says "pleasure") and
perhaps the idea that water is not needed. This one and its companion piece at
right showexoticlocales andemphasizethe message that service is available anywhere.
The pieces shown opposite below andon this page, done in 1960 andcomprising seven color pieces, would have been more of a true service area poster
instead ofthe display variety; allwere done intheunusual horizontalformal.They
showvarious important functions ofthe Porsche such as electrical, oiling, lubrication, as well as cross-sections of the engine, transmission and front axle, Like
theposters above, these fall intothe largest size madeduring the356 era (33" x
46"), andare quite rare to find in thecompleteset.
The fifth installment will be a variety ofFactory, event, andsponsor posters,
but without a central themeother than our beloved Porsche. Please feel free to
addressanycomments, questions, etc. to me at:Singer356@aol.com
~
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July/August 2001
43
*'56 Speedster #82077, eng#60385, Redlblack int.
Have Kardex. Resto complete in March. Perfect body,
paint, gaps, rubber, cbrome. Fullydetailed & re-built
engine. All new interiors, side curtains, rag top,
windshield, wheels, tires, more! Show quality, drive
daily. $42 ,500/0BO. Carl F. Watson, 2383 Henderson
Mill Ct. Atlanta, GA 30345. 770-493-9467.
*'62 356B Karmann Hardtop, 201699, Polyantha
Red (maroon)/beige, rare restored car (l of699in
2nd yr), long PCA concours history 1990-99, Pebble
Beach in 1998, historyand records, wheels/tires for
concours and street, solid, stunning fo r show or
drive, $24,900 offer/trade. C.C. Ling, 2815 Polo Rd.,
Bloomington, IL 61704. 309-663-7472.
*'58 Speedster #84388, w/orig. eng. #P68273.
Green w/oatmeal int. All drivetrain & suspension
componentsas new-10K on engine, 50 mi. on rebuilt
BBAB trans, shifter & linkage reworked, new link
pins, kingpins, trailingarmbushings, allwheel bearings, steeringdampener, allshocks, wheel cyls, master, lines, shoes arced, painted rims & new tires, car
lowered both ends. Rest of car as orig. w/perfect
body-no hits, no rust, even in battery box. Long in
storage. $52,500/obo. No reasonable offer refused.
Rob Steinway 303-443-3538.
*'62 356B CabrioletSuper #156108, eng. #604371,
Ivory/red leather, black cloth top & ivory hardtop.
Body, top, eng. & int. in gd cond., minor front floor
rust. 2nd owner-Dallas car. Radio, full tonneau, car
cover, Hazet spare tire tool kit. Jim Gould, 913-7226373. Fairway, KS. jimgould@sound.net. $23,000.
*'59 356A Cabriolet. YIN #151104. Bare metal up
paintFjord Green/tan top & leather interior. No rust
or bubbles. Beautiful!912 engine w/1750cc. Bolt in
roll-bar, full-flow oil filter & external cooler, breakerless ignition. Proudly drive it anywhere. $29,000.
Charlielloyd. 109 WMinnehaha Pkwy, Minneapolis,
~L~ 55419. 612-825-9647. chaslloyd1@prodigy.net
*'59 A Coupe. Orig. Ruby w/tan. All matching #s,
Kardex Certificate of Authenticity. One correct
restoration in '89. Showroom condition. No accidents or rust ever. Orig. fitted luggage. $40,000.
Contact Gunde 858-581-0033.
*'60 356B Coupe Racer. Fully prepared and maintained by Ecurie Engineering. Ruby Red w/ yellow
nose. Fresh engine. Virtually all the racing extras.
Fast. 1/2second behind Vic Skinnants on his home
track CalVemail for picture & specsheet. $37,000.
Ken Birchard, 847-945-2 514. ktbirchard@aol.com.
Deerfield, 1L.
*'62 356B coupe, vintage racer, llSR, SVRA log
books, '67 912 fresh engine with 0 hrs., race ready,
close ratio trans, limited slip, disc brakes, Carillo
rods, newbillet crankshaft, fire system, fullrollcage,
sway bars, Z bar, MSD ignition, $29,500. Andy
Anderson, GA. hwajr@bellsouth.net. 404-264-1985.
*.51 Splitwindow coupe. Not registered since '61!
Has NEVER BEENAPART! Orig. parts: all large logo
"Sekurit" glass, full "crash" transaxel, Banjo steering
wheel, cotton wiring (not cutl) , dashboard w/ small
heater vents, Telefu nken radio wl"vibrator" power
pack, front/rear seats, fluted headlits, wooden sill &
door caps, glovebox, date coded rims, correct "flat"
gastank, inside rear view mirror, interior light, sunvisor, knobs, headliner, door panels, doors, hood,
decklid, etc. Car needs usual rust repair. Joe Ruiz,
714-926-7004, 714-49 1-7574, mrokrasa@cnmnetwork com. 1 can email photos to serious interested
parties. Price $18K1obo.
44
Volu m e 25. Number 2
*'62 356B Super 90 Hardtop-Cabriolet. Solid, rustfree northern Alabama-Georgia car, un-restored.
Originally slate grey, repainted blue 30 yrs ago.
Needs new paint& minordent repair. Orig. Super 90
engine rebuilt 15,000 mi. ago. Solex carbs rebuilt
2000. Runs flawlessly. Rebuilt speedo, tach, & clock
New brakes. Hardtop has rare pop-out rear windows. Elongated backseat side panels. European
delivery to Lt. Col. in Air Force. Chrome wheels,
deluxe hom ring, luggage rack, tool bag (missing
about half of correct tools). Car is ready for crosscountrytrips. Very fast & dependable. No apologies.
$37,000 or nearest offer. Ohio. West Peterson, 937435-3816 eves; westpeterson@ mindspring.com.
*'63 B Cabriolet Normal #158681, eng.#0600578.
Ivory/black leather. 2nd owner CA car. 111 ,000 mi.
Kardex, matching numbers, much orig. paint, orig.
interior, working clock, new top, split master cylinder, full brakes incl. powder-coated backing plates,
Michelins, Optima, halogens, cover. Powder coated
& chromeengine, date-stamped chromewheels, tool
kit, owners & shop manuals. A beautiful car, wonderful to drive. Must sell. $36,500/0BO. Jim Fraser,
jfraser@gvawilliiams.com, days 973-299-3021, eves
908-439-3670, Califon, NJ.
*'63 356B, T6 Super Coupe. Black/red. #2I3042.
86,000 mi. Miraculouslywell-preserved original car
from Porsche collection. Never taken apart. Repaint
and engine overhaul at 76,000. Recent service. All
service records back to '63, including window sticker. "Street concours" condition. $28,000. Alex
Dearborn, 978-887-6644, MA. slralex@aol.com.
*'64 356c Coupe, #128077. Red w/black interior.
912 engine w/Webers. Solid, complete, very original.
Older restoration. 1owner last 15 yrs. Excellent driver. Photos avail. $I3,000. Extra parts & manuals also
avail. Bob Newman 850-907-0840. Tallahassee, FL.
bnewmanl 3@aol.com
*'64 Ccoupe #215683, original engine#710733, silverw/ yellowracing stripe & taninterior. Restoredin
a vintage racer style but not raced. Professional
engine rebuild, new Webers, distributer, coil,
Lowered, Bilsteins. Won Peoples' Choice award
Porsche Concours Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix. A
beautiful, fun 356. $25,000 firm. Ed Kriscunas, 1623
Holly Hill Dr., Bethel Park, PA. 15102. 412-6550955. edkriscunas@aol.com
*'64 356sc Coupe. Slate Gray/black interior.
Excellent condition. All original body and undercarriage sheet metal (except battery box) rust-free.
Restored. Keptin storage. Receiptsof$8,000+ oflast
restoration, mostly mechanical upgrades. Complete
overhaul, new clutch assembly master cylinder,
brakes, new rubber & more. $19,500. Gabrielli
Villagran. 210-861-0930. San Antonio, TX.
*'64 356C/2000 GS Carrera Coupe #127994. Light
1vory/black interior. Engine & transmission Kardex
documented, other numbers also match. Engine fac-
tory-rebuilt in late '70s, less than 20Kmls since. Car
underwent resto yrs ago, has no rust whatsoever.
Well-maintained. Owner's manual. $130,000.
Bertram Pawlak, Newport Beach, CA. 949-6;0 -8100.
'64 C Coupe #218786 (Karmann Body), original
engine P*714166 &transmission 79931.Irish Green
wi tan interior. Never damaged. Not restored, just
well-maintained. 88,7; 0 miles. Same owner since
'66. 3,000 miles on totallyrebuilt engine&transmission. $1;, 000. Thorn Kyle. 727-360-466; , FL.
*'64 SC/"GT' #217369. Built when new wi factory
original parts byConnecticut dealer. Alloy doors, GT
seats, plexi windows, NARDI wheel, limited slip
close-ratio gearbox. Vel)' good orig. condition.
Asking$; 0,000. David A. Duerr, P.O. Box 3;6 , North
River, NY 128;6. ;18-2;1-4296.
*'64 CCoupe. #21; 332, Engine #710343. Rubyred
w/black vinyl interior. CA car in excellent unaltered,
original condition. All receipts since '72. Never rusted, never wrecked, all matching numbers. Everything
works, 3rd meticulous O\\11er. Bare metal re-spray
24 yrs ago (photosavail). Properly rebuilt engine by
Porsche mechanics using Porsche parts 13,000 mi.
ago. Priced to sell at $19,; 00. Thomas A. Latta, P.O.
Box ; 4, Rockport, ME 048;6 . 207-236-3063.
*'6; 3;6sc coupe 221141, White/red, Outlaw, best
of everything! 17;Occ '67 912engine wi state-of-theart street mods. Full performance supension, polished Fuchs wi 20; I;Ox l; BFG Comp T/A's. 904
gauges, '94 911 Speedster scats, 10/10 appearance,
incl. 4-6xI; chromewheelsw/sarne tires, orig, front
SC'Jts.$22';00. '0 place to keepthis beauty?Buyher
"garage"- '99 Aeroflow 17-h. encl. trailer, 1400#
fi berglass watertight cocoon wi internal winch, lighting, tic-down rings, articulating diamond plate
ramps, 4-wheel electric brakes, self-contained battel)'&HD tie-down straps. Custom Porsche Vintage
graphics. $10,; 00. Trailer NOT sold separately!
Mark A. Laszlo, 116 Cypress Landing, jacksonville,
FL 322;9 . 904-287-;642 eves/wknds,
*'6; 3;6C Coupe #220796, Eng. #717234 Karman,
Redlblack. Orig. engine, chrome wheels, excellent
condition, $19,; 00. Brij Mangat, Cincinnati, OH.
; 13-23 1-8140, ;1 3-247-9100.
*'6; Porsche Special Vintage Race Car. Tube frame
chassis made byCrusader, 3;6 front end&transaxle,
911 brakes, fuel cell, VDO instruments, new scat
belts, fiberglass body, race history, RMVR log book.
$2;,000. Scott Visniewski, 4709 B Excalibur Drive,
El Paso, IX 79902. 91; -;4 ; -4742.
*'6; sc Cab. Signal Red/pearl grey. Survivor/timewarp w/original: paint, leather, engine, transmission,
window stickers, dated chromes, manuals, key fob,
headrest, radio, etc. ; 3,26; real, 2-0\\11er miles. EA
Singer (0) ; 16-367-1616. singer3; 6@aol.com
*For Sale: C Sunroof Coupe. Needs restoration. A
solid, complete,no accident car. David A. Duerr, P.O.
Box 3;6 , North River, NY 128;6. ;18-2;1-4296.
*For Sale: Pre-A Banjo steeringwheel. Great original
condition, $1000. john Amoroso. 480-994-1064.
Scottsdale, AZ.
*';6 1300 engine for sale, #22417. Completely
rebuilt, clutch, carbs & exhaust, Powdercoated and
in drop-in condition, $;OOO/obo. Buyer pays shipping. Skip Kost, P.O. Box 1296, Stratford, CT 0661;.
M-F7 a.rn-S p.m. 203-380-;644.
*Panos, Challenge, 356 Registry & Excellence.
1981 to Date. $100. OBO. FOB or P.U. Andrew
Forenchak 860-434-7492 or Forenchak@AOL.com
*For Sale: Panos: 1976july, Sept, plus 1977 to 2000
-288 issues for $300. Shipping extra. Inquire about
classic, vintage andracingcar coffee table books and
models. Duplicate Panos '77 to '92. Shep Adkins,
170I Los Osos Valley Road, Box 60, Los Osos, CA
93402. 80;-;28-7043,
*Custom built Speedster fiberglass &metal hardtop,
white wi white perforated head liner. Karman lookwi
flip out side windows, full view plexiglass side curtains & glass rear window in metal frame ('38 Chevy
Coupe). Top has sufficient headroom to accommodate 6'4" driver without removing wood seat rails.
Withside curtains removed, no wind buffetingto 100
miles plus. Standard Speedster mounting hardware.
Does need new bottom seal. $199;/o bo. AU - shipping &crating. 3;6A 71610 transaxle wlmounts and
cradle, no axle tubes #2; 08;, $7;O/obo. 3;6A 6v.
starter, $8;/obo. Ruediger von Prittwitz, 2817
Greenfield Dr., Merced, CA 9; 340. 209-722-193;.
*Poster. "PorscheSeig: Le Mans '81" showing a 936
#II driven by leks & Bell. Still in the original factory
mailing tube. $40.lncl.shipping. R.Bitterman, 773743-3330. Email: rbitt3;6@aol.com.Chicago
*Factol)' Calendars ';9-'79, Bosica 3;6 metal kit,
Sport Erfolge '; 7, Aspen Parade '60 license plate,
3;6 B Workshop supplements. Factory Super 90
engine poster, PCA cloth banner '; osr 60s, much
more/inquire. Douglas Palm, 4243 S. Clarkson
Street., Englewood, CO 80110.303-973-6; 09.
*Sunrooflhardtop for 3;6 B/C; Factory original,
beyond rare! European repro crest sign; PatIO orig.
issues: '; 8 #12, ';9 #7, 9, II , 12. Factory & event
posters from 3;6 era; vintage postcards & models.
32-pg. list avail. EA Singer (0) ;1 6-367-1616.
singer3;6@aol.com
*lIazet "Tourist" 3;6 spare tire tool kit, $800.
Speedometer from '; 6 1600s Speedster, $12; .
Tachometer from '60 1600S Coupe, $12; . AU stored
since '60. E. Ferreira, Knoxville, TN. 86;-67; -6071.
*H&1I rear Z bar, new $200. Master cyI drum brake
wlo res, new $; 0. B-T6 dash control w/cables, used
$10. Gas tank door B-T6 w/hinge, used $10. Factory
spare partscatalog T; $90. Others list, all plus shipping, insurance. US only. Ed Statkus, 2630 W. 84tIJ
St., Chicago, IL 606;2 . 773-778-;699.
*For Sale: Hirth roller bearing crank in excellent
condition, 912 crankstd. std., S-90 crank, flywheel
& main bearings, unstarnped '63 late-style engine
case, 912 engine case-both perfect Iinebore,
Speedster 3A, 4B gearsets, 6:31 ring & pinion, 741
complete coupe gear cluster, 32 PBlC carbs and
manifolds, "A" and T-6 front hoods, T-6 gas tank,
NOS T-6 coupe tail, complete T-6 coupe tail, NOS
partial nose sections for "A", B & C, "A" model
removable Cabriolet hardtop. David A. Duerr, PO
Box 3; 6, North River, NY128;6. ;18-2;1-4296.
*For Sale: ; lbs. of fuel pump parts, ; Ibs. of oil
pumps &parts, 2; lbs. of misc. pistons and barrels.
You may find ihe one you've been looking for! Best
offers. larry & Kathy Chmura, 29;0 Nettleton Gulch
Rd., Coeur D' Alene, ID 83814. 208-76; -9230.
*Ideal trailer for 3;6s: Unique, enclosed Trailex. 4
yrs. old. AU aluminum w/heavysailcloth enclosure. 4
zippered openings (2 front, I door-side, I full rear),
full floor, 8' ramps (store below on rollers), 4 D
rings (recessed), surgebrakes, sparetire andwheel,
full exteriorrunning lights, 13;0 Ibs., towable wlV-6.
Dimensions: exterior L20', W8' 4", H 6' 7", interior L 13' 9"+V, W6' 3". $;, 900. Cy Ling, 281; Polo
Rd., Bloomington, IL 61704. 309-663-7472.
*For Sale: Two 3;6 engines, rebuilt & guaranteed.
Shasta 86mm x 9.2; c.r. pistons, full flowoil filter,
powder painted, 120 h.p. Run on stand for I hr.
Ready to bolt in. Outright or exchange. Call for
details. ZFlimited slip differential, 741 12 bolt, perfect condition, $1; OO/OBO. 4 wheels, 4.; j x I; ,
dated 111;6, powder painted silver, $;00. Duane
Spencer, Lakehead, CA 960; 1. ; 30-238-21 98. Fax
; 30-238-2846.
*For Sale: Large supply of 3;6 , 912, and 4-cam
parts. Please send list ofneeds andwants with SASE.
AI Cadrobbi, ATTN: Marc, 8311 Sophia, North Hills,
CA 91343-6221. mr4cam@carthlink.net
*912 engine, complete, excellent running condo
w/12 volt alternator. Transmission also avail. Collin
King, Alexandria, VA. 703-338-48; 1 days, 703-7211860 nights.
*3;6 BRoadster wanted, '60-'62. Excellent condition
only, any engine, modified okay. Alex Dearborn,
Topsfield, MA. 978-887-6644. slralex@aol.com.
*Roadster hardtop. No repro. john Amoroso. 480994-1064. Scottsdale, AZ.
*Photos of 60KIO Berlin-to-Rome Rally VW built in
'38, seen at ; Oth Porsche Meet, Gmund or elsewhere. Will pay for 4x6, ; x7 or 8xl0 in B&W or
July/August 2001
45
color incl. exterior sides/frontlrear/opentrunk/open
engine/interior shots. Close-ups best. David Clement,
david-annette@mindspring.com, 919-542-2474
*Christophorus issue #14 (English) to complete a
collection. Pete Ritter, 8 Halsey Drive, Old
Greenwich, CT 06870. 203/637-951 9. ritter@concentric.net.
*Want to correspond with persons involvedwith Bob
Holbert racing activities in late '50s/early '60s. Also,
period photos of Bob Holbert race cars at various
events. David A. Duerr, PO Box 356, North River, NY
12856.518-251-4296.
*Need rebuildable core 356/912 engines, complete
as removed. 1 will pay top dollar for good core
engines! Duane Spencer, Lakehead, CA 96051. 530238-2198. Fax 530-238-2846.
*1amin search of: Registry v. 1, #2, 3, 4; v. 2, #1, 2;
v. 5, #1. Door mounted Wind Wings and an 8-day
clock fora 356A. navigator@wanadoo.nlor fax 0031
23 525 9369. The Netherlands.
*Need Drauz "bodybook" forConvertible D; posters
featuring 356 or Spyders...only vintage images from
Factory, events or suppliers. CASH or trade! EA Singer
(0) 516-367-1616. singer356@aol.com
*Wanted: 4-cam Carrera 212000 car for restoration.
The worse the better! That's all I can afford. 1964
356sc (see "For Sale") for possible trade. Gabrielli,
SA, TX. 210-861-0930 vrn.
~'(1ER BODy..
~ 356-911 Restoration ..J'
We offer completerestorations from metal fabrication
to collision repair.
Ourquality work speaksfor itself,more than 20 years
experience combinedwith meticulousGermancraftsmanship.
References availablefrom many satisfiedcustomers.
MAlT FROEHLICH,
Owner
706 D West Park Avenue Edgewater, FL 32132
Phone: (904) 428-BODY (2639)
email @:betterbodys@aol.com
NEVER
CHANGE
POINTS
AGAIN!
DISTRIBUTOR CONTAINED
ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM
See My Classified Ad For Pricing
SAM SIPKINS
510-632-8232
46
Volume 25. Number 2
EUROPEAN VINTAGE AUTO RADIO REPAIR.
1940s to 1970. The only shop catering to these
specialized radios exclusively. Blaupunkt, Becker,
Telefunken, etc. Tube or transistor. Covering all
356s. Visa/MC. WILFORD WILKES, PO Box 103
or 101 Swoope St., Brisbin, PA. Ph. 814-378-8526.
Fax 814-378-6149.
SAM SIPKINS, 356 MECHANIC. Mechanical/electrical repairs. Custom engine rebuilding. Extensive
parts stock. Never change points again, install a
PERTRONIX IGNITOR. Fully contained in distributor. Special pricing, mention the Registry. Bosch
applications: VJ4R, 002, 022; 6v. - $95, 12v. - $85.
031 ; 6v.-$115, 12v.-$105. 009, 050; 6v. - $75, 12v.$65. Complete 050 distributor with PERTRONIX
installed: 6v. - $159, 12v. - $149. All above include
shipping. PARTS SPECIALS: Mann PF915n Oil
'Filters; favored replacement since the 50s - 3 for
$15. KYB Nitrogen Shocks give a beautiful ride;
front $45 pr., rear - $60 proOrganic Rear Pads for
C. - $12.95. Stop engine oil leaks with Viton HiTemp Seals and Speedi-Sleeves; Flywheel Seal $16.50, Sleeve $38.25, Pulley Seal- $9.75, Sleeve
$32. Bosch WR7BP Platinum Plugs - 4 for $8.80.
Conti Fan Belt - $4. Oil Strainer Kit w/nuts $2.50. I
now accept AMEX, Visa, MasterCard. CA residents
add 8% tax. SAM SIPKINS, 950 77th Ave. #6,
Oakland, CA 94621 . 510-632-8232.
OPTIMA BATTERIES Corrosion free/true zero
maintenance battery for your Porsche. Totally
sealed, no gas or acid can escape. 800 CCA,
retains charge in storage. 72-month warranty.
Extremely rugged! $135-12vt/$124-6vt, includes
UPS. Add $5 west of Miss., "chipped" battery tenders 6 or 12-$40. Master cutoff switch $10.
CHATHAM MOTORSPORTS, 225 N. Maple,
Vinton, VA 24179. Chathamms@aol.com.540-9810356 (cute number, eh?)
NEW BOOKS: HOW TO? HOW COME?! CD-ROM
$30; Porsche Racing Milestones, Thoms $32;
Buying, Driving and Enjoying the Porsche 356 $20;
Porsche in Motorsport, Morgan $40; Porsche
Racing Cars, Oursler $32; Porsche 917, Morgan
$40;Porsche 911 SC or 911 Carrera Shop Manual,
Bentley $100; Automobile Year #48 (2000-2001)
$45; My Life Full of Cars, Frere $32; Bosch
Automotive Handbook, ed. 5 $40; STOCKED: 356
Porsche: Driving in its Purest Form $45; Porsche
Speedster, Thiriar $45; 356 Registry Por~che Tec.~
/ Restoration Guide $18; 356 Authenticity, rev III
$20; Porsche 356 Defined, Johnson $25; Huschke
von Hanstein The Racing Baran $20; Porsche
Legends (soft$20; Porsche 356, Long $28; Porsche
356 and RS Spyders (soft) $20; Porsche 356A or
356B-T5 or356B-T5 or356B-T6/C Electrics (2 volumes) $70; Starter relay SSr $40; Head lamp relay
HLr (specify T1/T2 or T5/T6) $95; Porsche 911:
Forever Young $55. Please include $3;1shipment.
BLOCKS BOOKS - THE FANATICS CHOICE
423 Hawk High Hill, Metamora, MI 48455 USA
810/678-3017, e-mail: blocklab@aol.com
FROM THE MAESTRO'S COLLECTION Engines;
Super 90s, Supers, 356s, 912s, Military Industrials,
2-pc case engines. MaestroMaster Supranormals!
Transmissions, too. 356NB/C, including 644 and
741 Carrera with ZF lim. slip. Weber, Solex and
Zenith carbs, NEW 356B cranks. Used
NB/C/912/Super 90 cranks. New 200mm flywheels. New mufflers, valves , gasket sets.
Piston/cylinder sets. Engine assembly videos - 5
tape set, 10 hours, $75.1set. An~ aSpeedster t~ans.
(BBAB gears) with a741 nose piece, new beanngs,
synchros, complete! Is the Maestro RETIRING?
Call HCP Research 408-727-1864, fax 727-0951
email:
maestro @well.com
Website :
hcpresearch.com
WOODEN STEERING WHEEL RESTORATION
AND REPAIR. Complete &correct re-wooding , polishing, machine turning (L.L.), and plating availabl~.
Many exotic woods for custom orders. VDM, Nardi,
Les Leston, Derrington , Moto-Lita and others. Also
B/C type Carrera wheels. AUTOMOTIVE SCULp·
TURE by Bruce Crawford. 805-528-6240. CA.
BRAKES sleeved and rebuilt: masters, wheels,
clutch, slave, calipers, boosters and shoes relined,
better than new; quick service; lifetime written warranty. WHITE POST RESTORATIONS, One Old
Car Drive, PO Drawer D, White Post, VA 22663.
540-837-1140 www.whitepost.com
TECH INFO: Exploded-View Part Diagram setsshow all parts. Pre-A 51 pgs-$14, 356-A 74 pgs$17, 356-B T-5/T-6 118 pgs-$23, 356B/C 114 pgs$23. Factory workshop manuals: Pre-A 250 pgs$45, 356-A 500 pgs-$65, 356B/C 900 pgs-$85..AII
in 3-ring binders. Postage paid in USA. WebSite:
http://hometown.aol.com/derwhite/Derwhites356Lit
eraturePage. CHARLIE WHITE, 8639 E. Via de los
Libras, Scottsdale, AZ. 85258 Ph: 480-367-8097
eves, Email: derwhite @aol.com
JUST RELEASED! 3rd Edition of THE DIRECTO·
RY (Resource book for parts, services & accessories for PORSCHES) MORE: CATEGORIES,
SPECIAL PRODUCTS, PERFORMANCE ITEMS,
DON'T WAIT 'TIL YOU NEED SOMETHING!
ORDER NOW AND SAVE ON YOUR NEXT PURCHASES. Boxster to356s, easy touse, almost 300
pages, Web addresses, $26.95 & S&H, DRIVEN
BY DESIGN at 800-366-1393 or email: drbydesign @earthlink.net.
LOCKSMITH SERVICES Offering a full line offactory, non-factory and high security keys aswell as
location services for hard-to-find blanks; keys cut
by code; key chart available. Perform ten-point
quality restoration of locks and door handles.
Electrical repair ofignition switches performed. Key
accessories available, i.e. bulbs and batteries for
light keys, fobs and pouches, etc. For info call:
Tony Euganeo 610-461-0519. 501 Folcroft Ave.
Sharon Hill, PA 19079
HONEST ENGINE Experience since 1965 in all
areas of the 356. Specializing in street/high performance, concourse, vintage race engine a~sem­
bly and parts. From full concourse to vintage
race/high performance street car restoration and
preparation. Ask for Steve Schmidt 714-832-3128,
FAX 714-832-3198 orwebsite / email atwww.honesteng.com.
PREVIOUSLY UNAVAILABLE PARTS: Acrylic
green replacement sunvisors for '51-'57356. Rivets
and directions included. $60/$5 S&H. TOM
KINKAID, 262-249-0577. N-1545 Linn Pier Rd.,
Lake Geneva, WI 53147.
r:
69 Ken Kamstra
Editors Note:
Ken Kamstra's book "It 's OK to t ote YOllr
Car " is based on the findings of Professor
Erhart von Geernoggin, who discovered the
"Auto Erotic Gene." Certain individuals have
been found to carry the gene, a syndrome
called Auto Erotic Dependency, or AED.
"Carriers of the gene could be expected to
spend inordinate amounts of time and energy- not to mention money-bestowing affection on their favorite vehicle or even several
vehicles," states the book's first chapter.
Ken, whose AEDhad been evident since
childhood, writes here about his first sports
car-a B Roadster-and the adventures of
acquiringand driving it everyday.
As a special deal for356 RegistT)' readers, this book canbe orderedforonly $24.9;
with FREE shipping from mf:.A SHELF: Call
Toll-Free 877-283-3379.
ancine was convinced; certain that
God took a dim view of man's inclination to indulge his baser desires.
Desires like strong drink, frivolous sex and self
indulgent worldlygoods.
"That Porsche has to go!" she proclaimed with
an air of authority that only wives can voice. Even
young, newlywed wives. Francine and Bernard had
been married onlya few weeks. Still, there was no
question about who wouldbe wearingthe pants in
this family.
Not cleansed of all impure thoughtsmyself,
the image of Francine wearing-or not wearing- pants conjured up some shameful lust in
mymind.
Francine stood at the kitchen stove in
their immaculate trailer house. She was brewing coffee for me and her obviouslyobedient
hubby. Her tight-jeans-cladderriere suggested
to my prurient mind that Bernard would not
be foregoing all worldly pleasures.
But the Porsche was not to be one of
those pleasures. Forthis couple, life would be
dictated bystrict, born-againChristian principles. Wherever there was wall space in their
compact trailer house, another portrait of
Jesus looked benignly down on us. 1tried to
discipline my mind to only the purest, most
pious thoughts.
Bernard, a shy, gangly youth, said very
little as we sat at the cozy table filling out
papers that would transfer his once proud
possession to me. As he filled in the information-in what must have been agonizing
moments-I thought back to the tiny want ad
that hadcaughtmyeye just the day before. The
ad read:
For Sale: Near new Porsche
3568 convert ible. 2300 actual
miles. Must sell. Please call
987-6543 after 5.
To me the ad screamed:
ATIENTION,
KEN KAMSTRAI
YOUR PORSCHE HAS
JUST COME INI
Bernard wrote. 1drooled. The Jesus-taunting,
orange-red Porsche convertible sat just outside,
framed in the picture windowthat is standard equipment on everytrailer house ever built. 1knewabout
trailer houses, later to becalled "mobilehomes." My
newlywed years had been spent in one; 18 feet long
and well used. There were another ;0 or so nondescript trailer homesin the trailer park. Bernard's was
the onlyone with a brand new 3;6 Porsche parked
next to it. Bernard-trying to prove he had balls even
though he was about to surrender his
Porsche-demanded something close to new list
price: $3,600. No problem. 1had already worked it
out with the bank; Bernard got my check. Sin was
cheaper in 1961.Class-envy-batingpoliticians hadn't
yet invented the "luxury tax,' gas guzzler tax or
license plate fees based on how much you paid for
your wheels.
My state of mind was nearing irrational, babbling euphoria. I could only imagine what Bernard's
state of mind must have been. Poor
Bernard-Francine called him "my Bernie"-had only
driven the Porsche from the Port of Entry in New
Jerseyto St. Paul's east side. America was not dotted
with Porsche dealers in 1961; buyers had to order
them imported. For Bernard's sake, I hoped every
mile he drove from NewJersey had been pure ecstasy.
Bernard was, after all, a fellowAEDaddict.
Now the Porsche was mine. My first real
sportscar ever.Afitting "companycar" for the fledgling, flamboyant Kamstra Communications ad
agency; albeit an agencystill sharing space with the
basement laundry room.
Kicking and screaming on the inside perhaps,
Bernard was nonetheless divesting himself of hedonistic, worldly possessions. I, on the other hand, was
-belatedly at 3; -j ust entering an era where some
serious automotive hedonism was within reach. It
was a classic example of being in the right place at
the right time. Bernardwas renouncing; Ken Kamstra
was indulging and accumulating.
Let Saint Peter judge me harshly in the Great
Beyond, this beautiful fall day, 1was going to OVVl1 a
real Porsche.
Bernard followed me in the Porsche. I drove
the Kamstra "family car," actually my "pretend
sportscar," a Studebaker coupe, back to our home.
This was a milestoneevent in mylife. I would, as the
years of AED addiction unfolded, own other, more
exotic, more expensive cars, but the thrill wouldn't
quite measure up to this fi rst prize. When wearrived
at my home, I considered parking the PorscheJewel
in mydriveway, thentaking Bernard back to his trailer park in the old Studebaker. 1\'0. That would have
been inhumane. Something one Auto Erotic does not
do to another.
"You drive me back. Maybe you can give me a
few tips on how to handle her," I said with as much
compassion as 1could muster.
Bernard retained command of the magnificent
red machine. 1 took the navigator's seat. He didn't
offer any driving tips. In fact, neither of us spoke.
Still, I thinkwe bonded somewhat.
July/August 2001
47
Meanwhile, as I knew it would, the little
Porsche would change my life forever. It would put
an end to any chance that I might outgrow my AED
aftliction. Fine with me; I didn't want it to end.Mimi,
my ever tolerant Wife, might have hoped I would
cometo accept a sensible station wagon like myAuto
Immune neighbors, but she didn't push it. We did
havesome rules: (I) mortgage payments, groceries
and other necessities took priority over sportscar
payments, (2) the Studebaker "family car" got the
one garage stall.
Rain, snow or sleet-standard fare for
Minnesota - the356 would make its home on a strip
of land besideour driveway. Reading this, new generation auto buffs might consider this sacrilege. I
rationalized it as pragmatism; knowing how to live
with an Auto Immune spouse. Not incidentally, a
spouse who was also pretty, sexy and one helluva
good cook. Even a seriously addicted AED has to
keep some sense ofperspective. Besides, how was I
to know the 356would onedaybea sought after collector's car. This was an era when new gullwing
Mercedes sportscars or new Ferraris could be
bought for under $20,000.
Who knew-or cared-which cars would some
day become classics. In truth, I was probably more
Philistine than Porschephile at this stage in my life.
"This was a milestone event
in my life. Iwould, as the years
of AED addiction unfolded,
own other, more exotic, more
expensive cars, butthe thrill
wouldn't quite measure up
to this first prize:'
Just having car fun; compensating for decades of
poverty. I got a late start. Later still because I was
born at the wrong time "warwise"; Navy hitches in
World War II andKorea before theage of30. My self
pity for this life interruption was cut short when I
realized that oldDoktor Ferdinand Porschefared far
worse. He spent years in a French prisondungeonas
part ofhis penalty forWorld War II.
Nonetheless, hewas ableto create thefirst 356
Porsche and mastermind some of its evolution
before his death in 195 I. Surely Ferdinand Porsche
and his son, Ferry, were living examples of the positive good that cancome ofAED affliction. Surely, too,
God couldn't have been totally displeasedwith their
life long crusadeto bring so much auto eroticpleasure to so many.
Now. Now, no matter how theserious Christians
might scorn mybehavior, I was on a roll. And this littlePorscheragtopwas going to help meroll instyle.
Smash thepedal; soothe thesoul!
As the 356 daily fulfilled my AED cravings, I
thought once more of Bernard and Francine. I genuinely hoped that someday Francine might relent.
Maybe she would ask God to rethink his policy on
Porsches.
48
Volume 2 5. Number 2
~
e "morning after" brought nary a
pang of conscienceor buyer's regret.
The child within me tugged us to the
front window of our modest home. There it was! It
was nota dream! It was real! Myveryfirst sportscar!
The little red "inverted bath tub," officially the
Porsche 356BCabriolet.
A momentary flash from somewhere in the
memorybankofmybrain tookme back tooneofthe
many "renter farms" of my childhood. My family's
cashless existence meant that Christmas morning
gifts often consisted ofa new pairoflong john winter
underwear or other country living necessities. This
Christmas morning was going to be different, filled
with anticipation for me. When I was supposed to be
sound asleep, 1hadsneaked to thehead ofthestairs
and watched as my older brothers gleefully
assembled a big red open touring car. The toymaybe 18 inches long and sporting rubber tiresseemed tofascinate them as much asitdidme. It was
a wind up machine with tiny, battery powered bulbs
in front for headlights. Lord knows where they came
up with the money.
It had to be for me; I was the only male
Kamstra not present at the Christmas 'Eve assembly
session. I knew it wasn't for my sisters; their tough
luck. Mysix-year-old heartwas pounding. Could this
have been an early symptom of AED? The next
morning's unveiling-we didn't waste funds on
holiday wrapping-was only slightly less rapturous
than last night's anticipation. Long-john-clad family
members-we didn't waste money on pajamas or
bathrobes either-were gathered around the big, pot
bellied "parlor furnace." I headed straight forthebig
red car, bursting with joyous anticipation.
Both headlights were broken and thegrill was
smashed!
Seems the car had been "drive tested" too
thoroughly bytheKamstra assemblycrew. Too young
fortact, I criedopenly andaccusinglyas I looked up
at my older brothers. I wanted tosay, "you bastards!"
They, too, had known few real toys in their
childhood; and they were undoubtedly reliving their
own childhoods as they "tested" the car last night.
The car must have gotten away from them on one
run. And, ofcourse, theymust have sacrificed or sold
something to buy this one toy for skinny little
"Kenny." That kind of compassion and
understanding is foreign to a six-year-old. In
minutes, however, I was enthralled with this my first
toy car notfashioned outofcast off farm machinery.
Myimagination hadalreadyconcocted death-defying
crashepisodes that explained thefront enddamage.
Now I was looking out the window at the real
thing; and there was no former owner damage
inflicted by Bernard.
"Orange-red is a great color for catching the
morning sun," I said to myself. And this was one
Porsche that would be one with the sun. And with the
wind and the rain and the first frost and theice and
theinevitable snow. Home forthis Porsche-I dubbed
it "Little Red" - would be a skinny strip oflandthat
separated my driveway from thenext doorneighbor.
He was an Auto Immune who drove a big, sensible
Buick station wagon. Bought a new one everyother
year. Had a high paying engineer's job and looked
with scarcely concealed scorn on the outlandish
promotional schemes I was creating for my clients.
We became next-door-neighbor-friends. He was
probably looking out his window about now and
thinking "more damn foolishness."
No matter how anyone viewed Little Red, a
"'Dad; she said, continuing to
tug at my robe until I putmy
arm around her and we both
gazed out at the gleaming new
Porsche. She didn't have to say
more. She knew about toys and
the joys they bring:'
garage-less outdoors would beitsoperational world.
I suspected that oldFerdinand Porsche designed this
car- itwas his first sportscar too- forunpampered,
drive-'em-like-hell duty. As he master minded the
evolution of the 356, he wasted precious little time
engineering a heater that would actually keep the
driverfrom freezingatthewheel. The good "Doktor"
thought heaters were for wimps.
Sun-baked California wimps might have given
Little Red a less punishing existence. Sowould rich
collectors who could pickand choose just the right
kind ofdayto exercise a prizePorsche like mine. My
Porsche was to bea companycar; a "work everyday
no matter what" car. Economics dictated this
philosophy for the present, but I would never
rellnquish it. My "pizza case", art-carrying hallmark
of any adman worth his salt, could be shoe-horned
into the front cargo space, resting on the spare tire.
This would be a car to inspire many a "Golden Ox"
idea.
Company caror whatever, I couldn't wait tofire
it up. This was going to be sustained auto eroticism.
Dr. Geernoggin would be pleased.
A tug at my bathrobe snapped me out of my
euphoria. This time, it wasn't my inner child. It was
my real child. Eight-year-old Angela Dawn. We
named her that because she was born at dawn and
wejust knewshewasgoing to beanangel.One ofthe
manyinjustices oflife is that kids must go through it
with names conjured up by parental whim. At least
we didn't call her "Chastity" or "Latrina."
Angela loved early morning as much as I did.
Her favorite toy was an "Etch-A-Sketch" we bought
her for her third birthday; two dials and a screen on
which to drawstuff. No computer wizardry; just twohanded talent. Every morning, she'd tippy toe out of
bed to simultaneously watch cartoons and
create ever more credible sketches on her magic art
machine. So engrossed was she that she was
oblivious to my entering the room. When I could, I
would watch TV withher. "DudleyDo-Right" was our
favorite. Angela never lost her inventive wonder as
she matured to womanhood and ultimately her own
studio, turning out books, games andart for kids.
"Dad," she said, continuing to tugat my robe
untilI putmyann around her and we bothgazed out
at the gleaming newPorsche. She didn't have to say
more. She knewabout toys andthe joys theybring.
Daughter, Linda, at 13 was more inclined to
stay in bed as long as possible before it was off to
school. She was the more analytical one but
nonetheless thrilled to have a Porsche in thefamily.
Both girls had to find a way to squeeze into the
laughable rear seats of Little Red. It was part of the
price children pay when dad's AED affliction enters
more advanced stages. Later in life, as a
psychologist, she has been known to question
whether AED is a legitimate disease or merely a
manifestation of arrested adolescence. I say who is
she to question the legendaryDr. Geernoggin.
Little Red and I became inseparable. Not a
surprising statement when you consider we went
everywhere together. Hustling, I had long ago
learned, is the key to business success and an
absolute necessity to supportinga family. Little Red
made hustling a lot more fun .
The sun was just peeking over the rolling hills
ofsouthern Minnesotaas RedandIwere making our
way to \isitthe Maytag folksin Newton,Iowa. Maytag,
ofcourse, was a big, famous, international company.
Still, I found them to be just folks in a small town.
Dependable products that would never let you down
was their thing. You could sense it as you walked
through the plants and chatted in the unpretentious
offices of the marketing, sales and advertising
people.
Their way of portraying this dependability to
the worldwasand is one of the most simply brilliant
communications concepts of all time. Who hasn't
sympathized with the "lonely repairman" bored to
tears waiting in vain for the service call that never
comes. Who among the world's advertising great
would not secretly admit that - faced with the same
opportunity - theymight have opted to try to explain
the superior inner mechanics ofMaytag machines.
"Wish I hadthought oftheMaytag repairman!"
I shouted into the wind rushing over my top-down
chariot.
Nonetheless, I had convinced Ma}tag to hire
me for some oftheir sales promotion projects. Less
glamorous and high profile than worldwide ad
campaigns, buta pleasing and profitable addition to
the Kamstra Communications clientlist.Just because
my headquarters were of the home basement variety,
was no reason not to seek out the biggest and best
clients.
I was determined not to become one of the
nameless, faceless free lancers frittering away their
lives on no-name, no-challenge clients.
Red and I were going places. We would take
the back roads but never the lowroads. Truth is, out
of town clients always received an extra measure of
attention from me. Simple AED logic. These were
Porsche-intensive clients. The road to Newton, for
instance- depending on which of my specialroutes
I chose- was a bit under or just over 300 miles of
Porsche paradise. Roller coaster hills, "S" curves,
fun roads. Roads whereyou could stake outthe best
home made pecan rolls andcoffee. One hadto start
out well before breakfast to reach Newton "the
creative way" andstill be on time fo r a late morning
meeting. Little Red topped out at a mere I00 mph,
butit got the job done.
We had just mounted one of the more gut
satisfying hills when it hit me.
"The Prairie Rambler! Yee Haaaal"
Red stayed glued to the blacktop, asking from
me only an occasional flick of the steering wheel.
Gave me time to think. Had I reincarnated the
"Prairie Rambler" concept; the one abandoned at
birth in Huron, South Dakota?Could it be that ideas
continue to germinate and evolve in the recesses of
the mind without conscious involvement of the
mind's O\\1Ier? True, I was no longer a journalist
"Millions of miles of
soul-satisfying back roads
beckon the AED's among us.
This addict was rapidly learning
how these roads can lead to
both fun and profit:'
roaming the Dakota prairies in search of human
intereststories. But, damnedifIwasn't rollingacross
Minnesota/Iowa prairies seeking out potential
business success stories. "Humaninterest" storiesof
humans who were trying their best to beat the hell
outofcompetition. And I was trying to help them do
just that.
For me, it was far more rewarding to involve
myself in the outcome of stories than to merely
observe and report them. Most important to my
struggle to live with AED, I held onto "my space."
Found a way to make a living - a darn good living without surrendering to corporate confinement. I
had escaped the employee regimentation that is an
essential part of operating a business or any other
kind of institution.
I was doing my 0\\11 thing. Doing it my way.
Administering to my AED aIDiction. I could go
anywhere, anytime so long as I brought home the
baconand a fewextra bucksfor the bills. Millions of
miles of soul-satisfyingback roads beckon the AED's
amongus. This addict was rapidly learninghowthese
roads can leadto bothfun andprofit.
It's not always easy fun . You satisfy-hopefully
enthuse-clients or else. "Else" being a return to
more conventional, payroll-dependent work and
maybe week-ends-onlycar buffery. I was building an
impressive roster of clients who liked my
unconventional-but-profit-logical approach. With
each successful project, it seemed more certain that
this maverick could roam free andstill be accepted,
even welcomed, as a source of valuable business
counsel andservice, The folks atMaytagusuallyliked
my ideas. They even put me on the coveted mailing
list for blue cheese from Maytag Farms. My day had
started at 5; the drive back would be long butfun but
deciphering my client notes wouldn't. It would be
another one of those I6-hour days; maybe 17. Not
easy, butright then Iwouldn't trade jobs with anyone.
Not even Maytag's CEO in thebig corner office.
Little Red, the weight of its hefty little engine
bearing down on its rear wheels, turned out to be a
pretty good snow car. Even after the indignity of a
night parked in oil-congealingcold, it would usually
start with a couple of gruntingturns ofthe starter.
One day, December 3I, 1963 to be exact, Red
and I were up and off early, making our rounds of
client calls. December was always a panic month.
Not holiday parties; pressure. Through summer and
fall, many clients couldn't or wouldn't get serious
about the comingnewyear.
"I wake up New Year's Day and I am already
"behind fo recast," as one of mymanysales manager
friends remarked.
Nonetheless, December was always the month
whenclientsandtheir service agencies paid the price
for earlier procrastination. What's more, many
clients were sweating out the loss of promotional
budgetsifthey lapsedinto thenew year unspent. The
major year-end challenge for most was the
traditional January sales meeting. The ritual that
brings together regional, national and even
international sales fo rces. Much conviviality, too
much booze, too many dull speeches, grandiose
"new/improved" product introductions and more.
Often, these meetings would take place in warm
places, even cruise ships. It was management's way
of simultaneously expressing appreciation for last
year's efforts anddemonstratinghow good life canbe
forthesuccessful salesman.
These events were my specialty; a specialty
most conventional ad agencies were happy to
relinquish as one big painin the butt that was better
done by someone else. I enjoyed the work. Liked
tying it all together under one theme. "We need a
mission not just a motto," I would implore them.
More and more, motivation intrigued me. It was the
"X Factor" in human performance which in turn
became the "X Factor" driving some companies to
leave their bewildered competitors in the dust. I
liked to think my interest in the subject was
intensified by my personal battles to overcome
poverty and a self-inflicted lack ofeducation.
Sales-related programs were thebackbone and
the bread and butter of fledgling Kamstra
Communications in those early years. Two of my
favorite prejudices were (I) that every copywriter
should begin his career as a what-in-the-hell-is-thestory journalist and (2) every aspiringagencyshould
have first hand knowledge of the real world selling
process.
"Nothing happens until somebody sells
something!" Whoever first said that nailed it.Because
most client management understands this principle,
they always have money tucked awayfor stimulating
sales. "Agencies of record" never got their hands on
these bucks, but I did. Ah, the life of a sales
motivation maverick.
Funding, yes. TIme, no. Fromstrategy meetings
to finished product was a torturous ordeal.
Everything needed to be done: speech writing, audio
visual blockbusters, pre-and-post-meeting mailers,
sales literature, sales aids and on and on. Little Red
and I criss-crossed the Minneapolis/St. Paul "Twin
July/August 2001
49
Cities" urging artists and myriad graphic arts
craftsmen to workfaster.Chastising, pleading, paying
overtime. Whatever it took to meet deadlines.
And then it was the final dayof the final month
of December. As always, there were some programs
and pieces yet to be put in the hands of waiting
clients. Clients anxious for their programs and for
departing flight schedules that would give them a
break from Minnesota frigid to golfcountrywarm.
New Year's Eve was only hours away.
Forecasterswere predicting temperatures that might
plummet to 30 belowthis night. Windchills could hit
50 below!Theseare thetemperatures that canfreeze
human flesh in under five minutes. Minnesota Rule
One: don't get caught outin this stuff.
Little Red had performed magnificently every
day that I owned her; and today was no exception.
The 356 "healer" didn't affectfreezing temperatures
inside the car. It did clear a grapefruit-sized arc in
the frosted windshield, permitting cautious forward
navigation. Winter days like this triggered in me a
grudging envy of Auto Immune motorists who sailed
by in their over-sized, toastywarm Detroit iron. The
envy was onlyaggravatedbythe stark awareness that
onlyan idiot or an AEDaddict would tryto maintain
a sports car enthusiast's lifestyle through Minnesota
winters, I would, of course, never reveal these
thoughts to anyone. Neither would I confess to any
client that I might covet their expense-accountfunded escape. Sometimes, I was Invited to come
along butusuallythat privilege was reserved fortheir
"real agency" whose head honcho would give a
speech intimatingthat he had someidea ofwhat was
goingon.
I wasn't going to Florida butI was goi ngto the
bank. It had been a good year for my little, onemaverickshop. These thoughts warmed my brain but
did nothing for my shivering body as I trudged back
to Little Red, waiting for me in the client parking lot.
It was late; coming on 6 p.m. Employees and
"vendors"- I hated being called a "vendor"- had
mostlyvanished. Little Red looked forlorn and out of
place sittingalone as powderysnowwhipped around
it. Soon, though, its little four-cylinder heart would
be doing its "plugga, plugga" beat again and we
would be heading to a warm house, even warmer
hugs from Mimi and the girls and maybe a cool
Scotch-or two-b efore dinner. And who knows what
other delights of domesticity before this New Year's
Eve was over.
The Porsche door creaked and cracked as I
opened it. In this temperature, everything turns
brittle; even people. I shut the door against the cold.
Atwist of the key and wewould be on our way. The
client-to-client marathonwould be over for this year.
Atwist of the keyand. ..nothing! Nothingbut a sickly
"errump.errump" followed by an all too familiar
"click, click" of a frozen battery telling me "I just
ain't gonna' takeit anymore!"
These are the sounds that strike terror in the
heart of even the most hardened and dedicated
Minnesotan. Now what?Would mycareer and mylife
end in this ignoble manner? Car phones didn't exist
then at least for me. From a nearby pay phone I
50
Volume 25. Number 2
relearned what I already knew: when temperatures
head for 20 or 30 below, every towing service, cab
company or other source of rescue is swamped.
Help, if any, is hours away. Time enough for
flesh-and bone-to freeze quite solid.
Just then, a lumbering tow truck drove into
view, heading right for me and Little Red. A
thoughtful, life saving-an d free-service provided by
my client for employees and vendors alike. I was
towed to a nearbyservice station. Help at last! I was
saved! Soon the two teenagers manning the station
would compassionately push Little Red into one of
their warm service bays. Red would be thawed outin
no time and we'd be offfor home.
"No way!" said the teenager without a hint of
empathy for a fellow human in need. It was pointed
out in compassion-less terms that manyother fro zen
cars- cars owned by regular customers-would be
thawed out ahead of mine.
"But they're not here. They're already home
enjoying their New Year's Eve! I have to get home.
Please!" I was whimperingand begging now. I hated
people who do that. Besides, I was being ignored.
young driver didn't know that, of course. Alook of
sheer terror crossed his face as I slid into the seat
beside him.
"If you can't take me home, at least take me to
someplacewarm," I said trying to explain my plight
but making it clear bymytone ofvoice that I had no
intention of taking no for an answer. I wasn't leaving
his car until my chances for survival had vastly
improved.
Fear obvious in his voice, he mumbled
something about having a New Year's date. Then we
were off. Ten minutes later, we pulled up in fro nt of
what he said was his girlfriend's house, insisting he
must explain to her whytheir date would be delayed.
Seemed a reasonable request to me, especially since
it was, after all, his car.
Still, I wondered. Would he come chargingout
with a bunch of his full-back sized buddies? Would
they beat me up and throw me in a snow bank to
freeze after all? Or mighthe call thecops and tell'em
he's holding a "car jacker." It seemed an eternity
until the young man returned. Alone. He asked for
more completedirections to myhome and you could
"We close at eight and that's just 20 minutes
from now," the teen-in-charge said, annoyed by my
presence and my persistence. "You'd better call a
cab." These young men bore no resemblance to the
crisply uniformed, always smiling, always helpful
attendants portrayed in oil company ads. Theywere
closing; theyhad New Year's parties coming up. This
was my problem, not theirs. Cab companies had
ceased to answer their phones, even to tell you there
was no waythey could help.
Fear and panic set in. I could freeze to death
huddled next to my beloved Porsche and nobody in
this station would reallygive a damn. AutoImmunes!
Just then a well dressed young man pulled up
to the pumps forgas. He was alone, slight ofstature.
And he had a nice warm car that was running and
had plenty of room for a passenger. I decided it
would be me.
Opening his passenger door, I stood there; all
6 feet, 200 pounds of me. My oversized mustache
hung with ice and so did my attitude. No longer the
skinny guy of my youth, I looked like I could hurt
somebody if I chose to. I never have hurt anyone
even in myshort lived stint at boxing in the Navy. The
have heard my sigh of relief across town.
Afew miles later, we pulled into my driveway.
Never had my home looked so sweet. I thanked him
profusely and apologized for intruding on his
evening. Then I handed him all the money I had in
my wallet, twenty two dollars. 1\venty bucks was
more serious spending money in 1963. 1 hoped he
would spend it on his girlfriend. She probably
dissuaded him fromcallingthe cops.
I sometimes wonder how many times he has
retold andembellished the story ofthehulking, halffrozen brute who took command of his car.
As the warmth of my home thawed body and
brain, while the Scotch warmed my insides, I feltan
extra appreciation that I would live to see another
year.
During the night's ordeal, visions of my clients
winging their way south, rehearsing the words of
speechesI had written whileI froze to deathin some
crummy service station did stir some resentment.
Totally unfai r and irrational resentment, since they
paidme well, but resentment justthe same.
Sip by sip, the Scotch washed the resentment
t: - ~- . -.
away. Happy NewYear!
~
•
Zimcre__ eDeaz
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• ONLINE CATALOG
• SECURE ORDERING
• SPECIALS
ENGIN E PARTS
F ILTERS
Air. 356. wi Zenith 32 NDIX carbs
7.99
31.75
Air. K&N 356. wi Zenith 32 NDIX carbs
Air. K&N assembly 356. wi Zenith 32 NDIX 49.95
59.95
Air. K&N assembly 356. wi Solex 40 PII
Oil. 356. 912 all. MAHLE wlgoo d gasket
3.99
Fuel , 356, 912 all, 5 & 7mm universal
.89
Fuel, 356. 912, K&N.5 & 7mm universal
3.49
PERTRONIX
IGNITOR
ELECTRONIC BREAKERLESS IGNITION
"Never change points again!"
NOW IN 6 VOLT MODELS
CALL FOR CUSTOM KIT PRICES
MISC E LLAN E O U S
2.99
Rod Nut. 356, 912 all
25.50
Flywheel Gland Nut. 356. 9 12 all
11.50
Engine to body Seal. 356
from 49.95
Ring Set. 356 most models
25.95
Pushrods. 356. 912
Pushrod Tubes. 356. 912
set of 8 $79.20
Cam, 356, 912 all. stock. new hardened 264.95
9.50
Oil Lme, 356. 912 all. inlet or outlet line
Generator Pulley Half. 356, 912 all
8.95
3.00
Generator Belt. 356, 912 all
59.95
Oil Cooler, 356, 9 12 all
Fuel Pump Rebuild Kit. all 356 to 9 12 from 25.95
from 9.95
Carb Rebuild Kit. 356. 912
COLL E CTI B L E S
356 TUB CLUB CAR BADGE
356 "THE POSTER"
35.00
5.00
ENGIN E ELE C T R I C A L
Bosch Spark Plug W6BC OR W7BC
1.75
Bosch SPark Plug WR7BP
2.95
Tune Up Kit. 050 Dist. cap. rtr, pts, cond
22.00
Tune Up Kit, cast iron Dist.cap. rtr, pts, cond 29.75
Tune Up Kit. alum Dist. cap. rtr, pts, cond 27.25
Coil. 6 volt
29.95
Spark Plug Wire Set. 356. 912 all
28.95
Bosch 6 volt Starter. remanufactured ex 140.50
Bosch 6 volt Generator. remanf
ex 178.95
8mm Co lor ed Ignition Cable Sets
Cu st o m Made • High performance
A NY COLOR SET $32.00
12 VOLT CONVERSION PARTS
356B thr u C T-6 12v Convers ion Wiper Motor
ex 246.95
Transistorized Voltage Reducer 12v to 6v (wipers)
39.95
Transistorized Voltage Reducer 12v to 6v (gauges) 59.95
Resistors for Relays
6.95
12 volt Hella Horn s, dual horns , original style
pair 69.00
12 volt Coil, Bosch Blue
23.50
12 volt Optima BaUery, Newest Spiral Cell Design 149.95
ZIMS TOOL BOX
Carb Synchrometer
Mity Vac Brake Bleeder
Pressure Type Brake Bleeder
End play measu ring tool
Flywheel main seal installer
Flywheel lock, fits 6 or 12 volt
36mm Rear axle nut buster
39.95
34.95
41.95
19.50
41.95
19.25
14.95
NEW! MUST HAVE!
MECHANIX GLOVES
WORN BY PROFESSIONAL
PIT CREWS EVERYWHERE
• PROTECT YOUR HANDS
• MAINTAIN DEXTERITY
CALL US TOLL FREE
'·800·356·2·964
NOW OPEN SATURDAYS 9-1 C.T.
HIGHEST QUALITY PARTS
FAX# 8 17 5 4 5-2 0 02
email: zimips@allzim.com
o Kendall
MOTOROIL
POUR IN rNEPRMECTION
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B~~H
~
Bosch
Auth~ri zed
Servic e
S U S P E N S I O N P ARTS
Front Axle Unk Pin Rebuild Kit
26.00
German Unk Pin Rebuild Kit
59.95
King Pin Rebuild Kit
14.00
German King Pin Rebuild Kit
39.95
Tie Rod Ends. inner or outer
8.95
Shock. 356 56-65 . set of 4
105.00
Steering Dampner. 356 all
19.95
Steering Box. ZF. rebuilt 4 stud version ex499.95
BRAKES
Brake Shoes. 356 all drums. rebuilt
ex 24.95
Master Cylinder. wl drum brakes
94.50
German Wheel Cylinder Kit
9.95
105.00
Front Wheel Cylinder. drum brakes
56.95
Rear Wheel Cylinder. drum brakes
Brake Pads. disc brakes. Frt or Rr
from 19.95
NEWEST Competition "C-Tech" Pads
55.95
Caliper Kit. 356 C. Frt or Rr
11.95
Front Rotor. 356C
41.95
Rear Rotor. 356C
64.95
30.95
Master Cylinder Kit. 356 wi disc brakes
Master Cylinder. wldis c brakes
69.95
E N G I N E REBUILD KITS
Our Standard Rebuild Kits contain standard main and rodbearings.
complete gasket set, rod nuts, valve guides, and rings,
STANDARD KIT fr om 5360
• EVENTS CALENDAR
CLUT CH KITS
Ki ts in clude Disc , Pres sure Plat e an d T.O Bearing
356 A. 180 rnrn, not O.E.
356 A. 180 rnm, German
356 A. 180 rnrn, Spring Disc
356 A. 180 rnrn, heavy duty
356 A. 180 rnrn, German Spring Disc
356 B. 180 mm
356 B or C. 200 mm
70.00
123.00
82.00
175.00
137.00
279.00
375.00
BRAKE HOSE KITS
356A. Braided Stainless
42.50
356A. Braided Stainless. DOT Approved 62.95
356B or C. Rubber
39.80
356B or C. Braided Stainless
42.50
356B or C. Braided Stainless. DOT Approved 55.50
CHEMICALS I CAR CARE
ATE Blue or Gold Brake Fluid. 1 liter
9.50
Swepco 201 GL5 Gear lube. 1 gallon
35.04
Lexol Leather Cleaner or Conditloner.t /Z liter 8.49
Lexol Vinylex vinyl and rubber care. 1/2 liter 8.49
P21S Wheel cleaner. 1 liter
18.50
Klasse German All in One Polishl Wax
24.95
Klasse German SealanVGlaze
18.95
Klasse German Wheel Cleaner
13.95
Zymol Carbon. "Ultimate Car Wax"
35.95
Zymol HD Cleanse. Pre wax prep
15.95
Zymol Clear Auto Bathe
15.95
Zymol Field Glaze
16.35
Stoner Tire Shine
5.99
Stoner Speed Bead Introductory Price 10.99
DUETOCURRENCYFlUCTUATlONS PRICESMAYCHANGEWITHOUT NOTICE
MINIMUM ORDER 520
AUTOTECHNIK
PORSCH E SPECIA LISTS
NO CREDIT CARD SURCHARGE
SAME DAY SHIPPING
iia. IZ' :II~
1804 RELIANCE PARKWAY • BEDFORD, T EXAS 76021 • (817) 267-4451
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® Registered Trademark of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche A.G.