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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
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