Rebuilding a 1958 356A

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Mon May 31, 2010 8:18 pm

Oil cooler (Maestro says to fill oil passages first before attaching - only took 10minutes

)

And the eagle eyed will have noticed this case is not an original A case – it is a later replacement industrial case, hence more strengthening ribbing behind flywheel, bigger oil pump gears and able to take a better later style cooler with 8mm studs

Next was the new Mahle pistons and cylinder set – these have also been balanced like the rods, this time to within 0.1g of each other and matched up to corresponding rods to ensure even rotating mass

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Mon May 31, 2010 8:20 pm

Freshly rebuilt heads...(guides, seats, valves, cc’d to even volumes and cylinder sealing faces recut)

... attached and deck height checked, all ok, so heads off again and then oil tubes in

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Mon May 31, 2010 8:21 pm

And head could be attached

Dizzy has also gone in at this stage to stop the drive gear falling out when rotating engine on stand

Anyways, onwards and upwards...hope to have it done next weekend

myatt1972 · Post by **myatt1972** » Mon May 31, 2010 10:51 pm

Just spent the last couple of hours reading this thread, I'm blown away with the amount of work you have done. The car is stunning, I hope to see it some day.
I didnt know I was talking to a restoration expert the other day !

Keith...

Dakota · Post by **Dakota** » Tue Jun 01, 2010 12:04 am

Hi just a little thing , I note you have had your cylinder faces recut but not the face of the head , the area where the volume is stamped, did you make sure there was adequate stand off between the shoulder of the cylinder top and the outer face of the head , that is to say make sure the cylinder top spigot length is longer than the cylinder pocket in the head is deep, I am very impressed with your progress to date the car looks fab, I had a south African A a few years back and that had seen quite a bit of action too, including bullet holes .....

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 7:04 pm

myatt1972 wrote:I didnt know I was talking to a restoration expert the other day !Keith...

Err I'd say enthusiastic, willing amateur more like

Thanks for following the thread Keith

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Fri Jun 04, 2010 7:08 pm

Dakota wrote:Hi just a little thing , I note you have had your cylinder faces recut but not the face of the head , the area where the volume is stamped, did you make sure there was adequate stand off between the shoulder of the cylinder top and the outer face of the head , that is to say make sure the cylinder top spigot length is longer than the cylinder pocket in the head is deep, I am very impressed with your progress to date the car looks fab, I had a south African A a few years back and that had seen quite a bit of action too, including bullet holes .....

Hi Bill, the cut was only 0.1mm into the head, just to clean it up really - head depth 9.8ishmm, cylinder top 10.3ishmm - loads o' room

Also, I should have mentioned that I lapped a cylinder onto the heads as well before fitting, just forgot to show the pic

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:26 pm

Forgot to show the rig up I made for checking the flywheel backlash

Unfortunately for me I had to source a larger shim to obtain the correct measurement – 0.1mm out with the existing 0.9mm shim, had to go to a 1.0mm, thankfully still available from OPC but how much for a shim

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:27 pm

Anyway, managed to get the next head on and torque the nuts up on opposing sides alternately (Also started to attach the tinwear)

In went the pushrods and then the rocker gear

And adjusted the tappets (a bit larger initially until broken in)

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:28 pm

Got the rest of it all together whilst on the stand

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:29 pm

And then into its rightful place – first time in 4 years!

Onwards and upwards...

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:33 pm

Oh go on. Have another couple.

58A - 71E · Post by **58A - 71E** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:38 pm

Thanks Gary (and for continuing to follow the thread) have to say I am a lot more hopeful to make it to CLM in it now - has been a bit touch and go - still quite a lot to do but a major psychological milestone achieved

(my turn again)!

Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:41 pm

Just loving it! The quality of build is second to none.

You have to take me out for a run at CLM.

hot66 · Post by **hot66** » Sat Jun 05, 2010 10:11 pm

Gary71 wrote:Just loving it! The quality of build is second to none.

You have to take me out for a run at CLM.

of course you meant to say ... " Tracy must take me out for a run at CLM "