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As it happens, I'm playing with the crest a bit now. I DO think we should keep as much of the original PCA design as possible, else the whole effect is lost.

Carlos, some resolution seemed to be lost in your rendering - or at least in what ended up on screen here on the SOC website, but your text was higher resolution than my original, so I've applied your text to my original, and that seems to be working. Will let you know if I need the eps. Thanks.

 

It's really Solrac the red to you mortals.

CorelDraw 11 to be exact.  Yes it's old, but I know it, and it does everything I want it to do. Every time they would come up with something new, it took forever to relearn it. Similar to Windows.

That's why I still have a flip phone and I'm getting a new motor put in my 93 4 runner instead of scrapping it because the head gasket just blew.

BTW, the PCA logo is so lame. They can't even use the real Porsche crest. So sad.

 

Carlos G posted:

It's really Solrac the red to you mortals.

CorelDraw 11 to be exact.  Yes it's old, but I know it, and it does everything I want it to do. Every time they would come up with something new, it took forever to relearn it. Similar to Windows.

That's why I still have a flip phone and I'm getting a new motor put in my 93 4 runner instead of scrapping it because the head gasket just blew.

BTW, the PCA logo is so lame. They can't even use the real Porsche crest. So sad.

 

What?! Porsche won't even allow a club designed to promote the brand can't use the crest because it's not authorized?  

Someone should find out if the crest the PCA uses is copyrighted or not. If it isn't we should copyright it for our PCCA badge and tell them to stop using it.

Last edited by Robert M

Steering-shaft-endSteering-Shaft-SplinesSteering-Shaft

Above are photos of the VW steering column and shaft that came with my project.  It seems that in order to purchase the correct hub adapter for a steering wheel, I need to know what year my steering column is.  It is 37 inches long.  The outside diameter of the splines is 21.5 mm.  The outside diameter of the threaded area is 18 mm.  The outside diameter of the column is 40 mm.  Anybody know what year it might be?

What just struck me as odd is the length of the bare shaft at wheel end of the column.  Maybe the inside bearing has been pushed too far towards the steering wheel?

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Last edited by Todd M
Michael McKelvey posted:

There should be no bearing at the bottom end of the tube.  It looks like the bearing at the top end of the tube is there.

The top bearing is about 1/4" from the top of the tube.

This column question post was also my first post on, "The Samba."  The info I received is that the column is from a 1966 or 1967 bug.  To make it fit my project, it will have to be cut, and maybe even cut and welded.  The dotted line drawing of the steering hub makes clear why the shaft extends so far past the end of the column.  Thanks all.

Last edited by Todd M

If things are aligned correctly the column shaft will be centered in the column tube and when supported on the foot well bulkhead.  If you want to add a bottom inner support spacer, ( do this out of the car ) you can use a hard rubber caster wheel a donor. You grind off the "axle rivet" grind down the outer circumference so that it fits snugly into the column tube. The center of the rubber wheel gets bored to just over the diameter of the column shaft this  gets a coating of chassis grease. The rubber itself is anchored to the column with three short screws spaced 1/3 apart.   NOTE :  When you install a column, do not to put any forced upward pressure on the dash end of the column especially if your column has the crush cage, over time rotating the column left and right the crush cage weld WILL CRACK and become separated. This happened years ago when I ran Auto Shop program for At Risk Youth, it took some digging but I found that one of the kids had tightened the two column bolts under the dash with an air ratchet and unknowingly forced the misaligned column against the underside of the dash.  When I removed the two column to dash bolts I found that they had forced the column upward slightly hence the crush collar failed as described. Lucky for me the column weld snapped loading the speedster onto a trailer. 

 

And seats?  There are two types that I am considering; the speedster type and the original 356 coupe type.  The replica speedster type seat is less expensive, but I have concerns about comfort, especially for my wife.  There aren't any replica 356 coupe seats and the originals are cost prohibitive, but there are some seats that are fairly close.  And they would still be more expensive than the speedster type.  Opinions?

1657183Porsche-356-Front-Seat-Cover-Red-21-600x600

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WOLFGANG posted:

With a VW pan, VW steering box, and std bug H torsion leaf front end - the std steering column should fit as is.  Your's is a custom SS frame with coupe body so???

The rack and pinion is from a Geo Tracker, and I really like the installation, but the steering box shaft is no where close to a VW's.  A lot of normal column length is taken up by a couple of U joints and the rubber coupler, so the shaft and the column will have to be shortened to whatever is comfortable.  What is an SS frame?

@Todd M

The seats on my previous VS were the standard size and the side bolsters were too snug for my preference (translation; my fat a$$).

On my current 2015 VS I opted for the wider Speedster seats that VS had as an option. This car is a daily driver plus my wife & I frequently go on extended trips (200-250 miles). The side bolsters still provide side support without compromising on comfort.

Here is a pic for visual reference. click on pic to enlarge. Hope you find this info useful. 

IMG_0404

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Last edited by MusbJim
Todd M posted:
WOLFGANG posted:

With a VW pan, VW steering box, and std bug H torsion leaf front end - the std steering column should fit as is.  Your's is a custom SS frame with coupe body so???

The rack and pinion is from a Geo Tracker, and I really like the installation, but the steering box shaft is no where close to a VW's.  A lot of normal column length is taken up by a couple of U joints and the rubber coupler, so the shaft and the column will have to be shortened to whatever is comfortable.  What is an SS frame?

SS = Stainless Steel

Alan Merklin posted:

If things are aligned correctly the column shaft will be centered in the column tube and when supported on the foot well bulkhead.  If you want to add a bottom inner support spacer, ( do this out of the car ) you can use a hard rubber caster wheel a donor. You grind off the "axle rivet" grind down the outer circumference so that it fits snugly into the column tube. The center of the rubber wheel gets bored to just over the diameter of the column shaft this  gets a coating of chassis grease. The rubber itself is anchored to the column with three short screws spaced 1/3 apart.   NOTE :  When you install a column, do not to put any forced upward pressure on the dash end of the column especially if your column has the crush cage, over time rotating the column left and right the crush cage weld WILL CRACK and become separated. This happened years ago when I ran Auto Shop program for At Risk Youth, it took some digging but I found that one of the kids had tightened the two column bolts under the dash with an air ratchet and unknowingly forced the misaligned column against the underside of the dash.  When I removed the two column to dash bolts I found that they had forced the column upward slightly hence the crush collar failed as described. Lucky for me the column weld snapped loading the speedster onto a trailer. 

 

image_18174

Where I am planning the second support bearing, the shaft is a bit over 5/8" in diameter, so I am thinking that the center hub of the caster has to be larger than the shaft diameter because greased rubber would not make a good bearing surface.  What do you think?

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Dropping in from a trip to the Western Caribbean so, Hello! from the Cozumel, Mexico  Starbucks WiFi hotspot! (just down the street from Señor Frog's tequila bar).  A cool Argentinian couple from the cruise ship lent me a bluetooth keyboard - I gotta GET one of these!!!

I have a couple of quick comments:

Quickjack:  I have a 3,500 pound version.  Love it.  Their quick-release hydraulic connections can sometimes leak, so keep them super-clean and protect them when disconnected.  My Quickjack fits my Speedster, my Nissan Rogue and my wife's Subaru Outback but it is too short for my son's Porsche 996 to fit his jack points.  I can get the Speedster up almost 30" (on rubber blocks on top of the lift) so it's fine for oil changes/valve adjustments and general crawling around under there.  I also carved a small channel into my rubber support blocks to accept the seam on the bottom of my VW pan so everything fits nicely without damaging the underpan.  If you want more rubber support blocks, buy them from Harbor Freight for 1/4'th the cost of additional ones from  Quickjack.

Seats:  I had a pair of Porsche 914 seats, which are very much like the typical Speedster seats, meaning that they were good for about 2 hours of butt in the seat, tops.  After that the aches would set in.  I traded them for a pair of salvage yard seats from a 1992 Chrysler LeBaron GTS (they happened to be the same color) that are a LOT like 356 roadster seats (but not exact).  Those are good for 4-5 hours in the seat without aches.  I happened to have a photo on my phone so here you go and if you search for seats and my username on here there is a whole tutorial on how I modified them to fit:

new no-flash

So that's it.  Our pneumonia of past weeks is long forgotten, Kathy's finished her tea and Gustavo wants his keyboard back so gotta run.  85ºF outside, and we were here a few days ago for their Carnevale parade which was awesome (wow....Italics are really a PITA on a phone) - Much better than temple tromping!  And doing all this from a phone really sucks!

See ya real soon! (unless they offer me a job on a Disney Cruise ship - I keep asking, but nothing yet......Ya nevah know!)

Us and Minnie 

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Lift

Todd:  The wipers could be driven by something like a Specialty Power Windows kit, similar to what I'm running.  My drive motor is up over the passengers right knee and drives the wipers with a coiled cable inside of a metal tube.  No reason you couldn't put the drive motor anywhere under the dash and drive wiper arms up over the windshield by running the tube up the pillars and hidden behind the headliner.  It would be a reasonably easy install.

http://www.specialtypowerwindows.com/products/2/13

Kit number WWKXLWD-2    Gets the "extra-long drive kit.

They offer a few "extra long drive" kits - one of them should work, plus they are self-parking AND 2-speed with an integral washer switch (push the wiper knob).  No more wipers creeping at the speed of death, either - these are more like the speed of modern cars.  Wipers are fully adjustable:  Both going the same way, each going opposite way, park left, park right, adjustable swing, you name it.  I used the original knob on mine (minor adapting) and nothing is visible.  Loved 'em for 20 years.

1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A 'Emory Special' Coupe - Lot 263 - Sold For $258,500

RM Sotheby's

137 bhp, 1,507 cc SOHC horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine with two Weber 48 IDA downdraft carburetors, five-speed manual transaxle, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 82.7 in.

The Porsche 356 has become an icon, and today, almost every example is deemed a candidate for salvation. Many are rebuilt as pleasurable drivers, while others are exactingly reconstructed and contend in international concours. However, more than a few owners dismiss the idea of a just-like-it-left-the-factory restoration. They enjoy customizing their Porsches in ways that Zuffenhausen could and would never have conceived. Their non-conformist ideas have roots in the true hot-rod and custom shops that had emerged in Southern California.

Gary Emory’s father, Neil, owned Valley Custom Shop, one of the best-known, but Gary’s interests carried him to those strange little German cars. For years, he ran the parts department of a major dealership, immersing himself in all the nuances of the marque. He liked to add small custom touches to his own cars, as well as customers’, and he even created a small badge with a Maltese cross to replace the 356’s stock rear torsion bar cover. He called his cars “Outlaws.”

His own son, Rod, also had the Porsche bug. Together, they began creating a pair of highly modified 356s. The first was a stunning cabriolet built for Rod’s use and the other was a 1955 coupe that was intended to be Gary’s personal ride. The cabriolet was finished in time for Monterey’s tribute to Porsche in 1998, but the coupe was put aside, that is until a Florida airline pilot named Jeff Hathorn called. He’d seen Rod’s cab featured in Excellence magazine and wanted something just like it. He bought the Emorys’ coupe and financed its completion. The car was fitted with a full roll cage and sub-frame, and the body was cleaned up to minimize drag, which included adding a removable roof panel. The suspension was modified and lowered to enhance handling and performance. Four-wheel disc brakes with Brembo calipers from an early Boxster were installed, along with distinctive 16x7 “Special” wheels.

The new drivetrain employs one of Dean Polopolous’ ingeniously engineered four-cylinder SOHC “Polo” engines. The powerplant was based on a sectioned 901/911 five-main-bearing six-cylinder that had the central pair of cylinders removed, and it is fitted with a Velasco billet steel crankshaft, J&E pistons in Mahle cylinders, Elgin camshafts, and twin plug heads. It breathes through a pair of Weber 48 IDA downdraft carburetors and a custom Bursch exhaust, creating 137 brake horsepower. The five-speed 901 gearbox has a 904 mainshaft and custom gear ratios.

The “Emory Special” project was a success, as the little coupe set a new unofficial one-way E/GT class speed record of 151.52 mph. Afterwards, the engine was completely rebuilt, the body was stripped and repainted, and the chassis was set up by Heritage Motorcar Restorations in St. Petersburg, Florida.

This unique Porsche 356, the epitome of the “Outlaw,” was featured in Excellence in November 2003, won First Place in the Concours at Brumos Porsche Octoberfest in 2004, and participated in the Daytona Rennsport Reunion in 2004.

This unique Porsche 356 was acquired by the current owner from Mr. Hathorn in 2007, and it is being offered here today to the next rebellious driver who is willing to take this Outlaw on the run.

I am fairly sure that the bearing is worn, (too loose), in the 1967 bug steering column that I am cutting to size and installing.  Before I take a screwdriver and pliers to the old bearing to remove it from the column, is there a more elegant and non-destructive way to remove it that I should know?  Anything I should know about installing the new one, other than looking at the exploded parts diagram?Steering column bearing

 

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Screwdriver and pliers should work, unless you want to pull the column and use a bearing puller on it.  Do you have a grease seal removal tool?  That'll work OK, too.

https://shop.advanceautoparts....kCScMGBoCZNUQAvD_BwE

Unless the grease is petrified and gluing it in, it should pop right out.  New one gets installed with your fingers or a piece of PLASTIC PIPE to tap it gently in.  The bearing might be copper clad and will be soft-ish.  Push it in til it bottoms against the collar internal to the column.  It should be a semi-sealed bearing and pre-lubed.

Look up the one you want (there are four different ones, depending on year of column) at bugcity.com

https://www.bugcity.com/shop/s...eering+shaft+bearing

Last edited by Gordon Nichols
Gordon Nichols posted:

Screwdriver and pliers should work, unless you want to pull the column and use a bearing puller on it.  Do you have a grease seal removal tool?  That'll work OK, too.

https://shop.advanceautoparts....kCScMGBoCZNUQAvD_BwE

Unless the grease is petrified and gluing it in, it should pop right out.  New one gets installed with your fingers or a piece of PLASTIC PIPE to tap it gently in.  The bearing might be copper clad and will be soft-ish.  Push it in til it bottoms against the collar internal to the column.  It should be a semi-sealed bearing and pre-lubed.

Look up the one you want (there are four different ones, depending on year of column) at bugcity.com

https://www.bugcity.com/shop/s...eering+shaft+bearing

The column is not in the car, but did like you said and it started popping off with no problem.  The new bearing will probably get here tomorrow, or the next day, and hopefully the shaft will fit better, (not loosely).

Thanks.

Just realized that the post above implies that the column in the photo is mine.  It isn't.  I just included of a random photo of the same year column as mine so folks would know what part I was talking about.  My column, besides being fitted with a new bearing, is in the midst of being test sprayed for different ivory colored spray paints to help me find one that looks like the ivory colored parts going in the car, specifically the steering wheel.  If anyone knows a shoo-in ivory colored spray paint that matches VW ivory, please let me know.  Maybe I could just buy one can rather than 5 or 6 different ivories and almonds.  The steering wheel is VW ivory.

Last edited by Todd M
Alan Merklin posted:

I just purchased this column bearing kit it also come with two tapered on one end nylon sleeves not shown in the photo  I was able to use one of the two to fix the minor lateral movement the column shaft to bearing. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/STEER...p2057872.m2749.l2649

P1020103

@Alan Merklin - Are you referring to the the two white plastic thingys in the photo above?

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I had a need for the tapered spacer but didn't need the column bearing and spring so I talked the manufacturer into selling me the spacer only.  I had to buy 1000 pcs however, so if anyone needs just this little spacer and doesn't;t want to waste off the whole kit, let me know.  I have a lifetime supply and then some...

chines1 posted:

I had a need for the tapered spacer but didn't need the column bearing and spring so I talked the manufacturer into selling me the spacer only.  I had to buy 1000 pcs however, so if anyone needs just this little spacer and doesn't;t want to waste off the whole kit, let me know.  I have a lifetime supply and then some...

NOW you tell me ! I only needed the 55 cent  taper  piece and bought the whole kit. In the future  l'll consult you first

chines1 posted:

I had a need for the tapered spacer but didn't need the column bearing and spring so I talked the manufacturer into selling me the spacer only.  I had to buy 1000 pcs however, so if anyone needs just this little spacer and doesn't;t want to waste off the whole kit, let me know.  I have a lifetime supply and then some...

My bearing kit arrives today, (USPS tracking shows 'Out For Delivery), so I don't know yet what all it includes, but after reading @Alan Merklin, I started wondering how I was going to order the tapered spacer without buying the whole kit again if my kit did not include the spacers.

Robert M posted:

Do you have any idea just how much one can learn by reading the forum posts?  It is mind boggling; literally.

If you sign up as a premium member there are some areas of the website not available for those who opt for the free membership. Use the magnifying glass in the upper right corner, two boxes left of the blue avatar box. Enter your question and, yes, wade through all of the responses.

HELP!!  I am just starting to consider acquiring a Speedster Replica.  Trying to sort through which of the two companies, JPS or Vintage are a better option.  I want more power and modern convenience, but also decent looks in terms of historical accuracy.  As I am a Newbie, any and all advice is welcome

j1248 posted:
Robert M posted:

Do you have any idea just how much one can learn by reading the forum posts?  It is mind boggling; literally.

If you sign up as a premium member there are some areas of the website not available for those who opt for the free membership. Use the magnifying glass in the upper right corner, two boxes left of the blue avatar box. Enter your question and, yes, wade through all of the responses.

HELP!!  I am just starting to consider acquiring a Speedster Replica.  Trying to sort through which of the two companies, JPS or Vintage are a better option.  I want more power and modern convenience, but also decent looks in terms of historical accuracy.  As I am a Newbie, any and all advice is welcome

You’re in Los Angeles so there’s no need to look any further than Greg Leach @VSpyder at Vintage Motorcars https://www.vintagemotorcarsinc.com

Greg will handle all your needs better than anyone. 

j1248 posted:
Robert M posted:

Do you have any idea just how much one can learn by reading the forum posts?  It is mind boggling; literally.

If you sign up as a premium member there are some areas of the website not available for those who opt for the free membership. Use the magnifying glass in the upper right corner, two boxes left of the blue avatar box. Enter your question and, yes, wade through all of the responses.

HELP!!  I am just starting to consider acquiring a Speedster Replica.  Trying to sort through which of the two companies, JPS or Vintage are a better option.  I want more power and modern convenience, but also decent looks in terms of historical accuracy.  As I am a Newbie, any and all advice is welcome

http://www.beckspeedster.com/ has been very helpful for me, and I did not even buy my project/car from him.

Alan Merklin posted:
chines1 posted:

I had a need for the tapered spacer but didn't need the column bearing and spring so I talked the manufacturer into selling me the spacer only.  I had to buy 1000 pcs however, so if anyone needs just this little spacer and doesn't;t want to waste off the whole kit, let me know.  I have a lifetime supply and then some...

NOW you tell me ! I only needed the 55 cent  taper  piece and bought the whole kit. In the future  l'll consult you first

Got the new bearing and it is not a snug fit.  It is loose by a couple hundredths.  What say you?

Alan Merklin posted:

Did it come with a nylon tapered bushing? If so slide it over the column add a bit of grease and into the center of the bearing this takes up the gap between them.

Nope, no nylon tapered bushing.  Even if it did, are the sides of the tapered bearing thin enough to fit in 1 hundredth on each side?  I have some UHMW and am thinking I can make a bushing that is snug on the shaft and the column and sits just on the other side of the manufacturer's bearing.  If you think the nylon tapered bushing is thin enough, I will ask Chines for one.

Last edited by Todd M

Still working on the steering column, and I have a question, or questions?

column-shaft

That is my steering column and shaft as they presently sit, but I am thinking I need to shorten the column more. 113415585A

Beside just the bearing, the Wolfsburg bearing kit came with a spring and a little circular ring.  When looking at the diagram below, ...

031048000

, it would appear that the little circular ring inserts into the bearing, and the spring goes on top of the little circular ring.  Or is that little circular ring actually part # 20 in the diagram which would put it on top of the spring?  And it would seem that I am missing two parts; either #19 and #6, or #20 and #6?

The Wolfsburg West diagram, which I can not seem to load, https://www.wolfsburgwest.com/...1966_1977.cfm?type=1 ,

doesn't appear to show the little circular ring, and shows a spring washer, which I think I have, and a circlip, which I think I do have.  So, what goes where?

And does anybody know the distance from the top of the steering column to the top of the steering shaft on a 1966/67 bug so that I can shorten the column to the correct size?

And last, what is that spring on top of the column bearing for?

The last photo shows the old bearing that came out of the old column which is why I think the column and shaft are from a 66/67.  Anybody want to confirm, or point out my ignorance?

column-shaft-bearing

 

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Drumagination posted:

You are on the right track, but you are missing some critical parts, such as the clip and washer that I have and you don’t. I will post a picture that I hope will help. The clip (just below  the splines) is barely visible in the top photo; I can take more tomorrow if you would like.

Mark

@Drumagination

I have the washer, which I neglected to mention in my post, cuz I didn't know what it was, and I ordered the circlip, but am unsure of whether or not I will receive it, cuz everybody seems to be out of it.  Now that I know what it is and for, maybe I can find it in the box of parts that came with the project.  Yes, I can see the circlip in the photo.  The photos are really helpful.  It is great to see how compressed the spring is.

I need to cut the column to size, so the dimension I need is from the the top of the column, (where the 16 is in the photo), to the end of the shaft.  I see the top of the shaft in the first photo, but it is covered by the steering wheel in the photo with the scale.

Also, what is that piece between the spring washer and the steering wheel?  Is that a spacer specifically made for your steering wheel?

I just realized something.  Please tell me if I have this next part right.  The distance from the top of the column to the circlip is 15/16" and that dimension tells me where the top of the column should be?  In other words, I measure 15/16" down from the groove for the circlip and that is where the top of my column should be?

Last edited by Todd M

@Drumagination - Thanks again.  Here is a photo of my almost complete steering column.  Almost, because this photo was taken before I sliced off another 5/8" to account for a set screw collar that I need at the rear of the tube.

shortened-steering-column

I included the tape so you could see just how short it has to be.  The steering box is located just on the trunk side of the firewall, so that shortened the steering column by a couple feet, and then I had to install an intermediate steering shaft, (a short shaft connecting two u-joints), which took out another foot, and then the coupler that isolates the shaft.  Now, if I can figure out how to install the two rubber grommets without messing up the ivory paint on the column.  My wife says to wait a day or two for the paint to dry.  She is probably right, but like I can really wait one or two days.

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