DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

It was on 1st July 2018 when this aged blind woman drove into the front of my freshly restored 356. Since then it has been tucked away in Classic Fabrications workshop in Devon being firstly repaired then secondly modified to have a 911 engine and gearbox fitted within its tiny body. I have absolutely no problem with Classic Fabs, they have done and are doing a great job and I'm more than pleased with all their work but OMG do I ever miss my little car. It has been two long years and it may be next year until I get the car back. I shouldn't be too happy about that because I still won't be able to drive it anywhere, anyway it just sucks.

Keep the faith - will be worth the wait

My commiserations. I did without an engine in my 356 for five long year but if it's any consolation, once the car was up and running again, those fallow years faded into insignificance and now it's like they never happened.

Yes the time does seem to go slowly sometimes its like watching a clock. BUT..if you have kept a diary for some years look back at one for say 3 years ago and it seems impossible that time has passed. I am interested in how its all going on your 356. It will be nice when you report back on your first drive in it!

Roy

Yes the time does seem to go slowly sometimes its like watching a clock. BUT..if you have kept a diary for some years look back at one for say 3 years ago and it seems impossible that time has passed. I am interested in how its all going on your 356. It will be nice when you report back on your first drive in it!

Roy

But you still have your 911 and all your bikes Graham

I feel your pain.
I’ve tucked my 356 away, I need to investigate the hot running and noisy bottom end.
It has however allowed me to slowly amass parts to rebuild the brakes and the suspension ( Thank You Mycar).
With all the events cancelled this year it’s hardly been felt.
Roll on 2021!

Hey, if it were easy, then everyone would be doing this for a hobby. Don't forget that it should be a fun thing to do! Take some time out, and try to not let it be the main thing that is bugging you. That's what I always try and do, and after a few weeks of barely even looking at my car, the need to tinker with it slowly returns, and before you know it, you are getting stuck in again.

I've presently got my 356 engine out (again!) because, on dropping the sump magnet on the last oil change, it looked rather furry, which is never a good thing, I did also have a new cast sump plate to fit, so while I was under there, I decided to wind out all the little studs from the bottom of the case that hold the sump plate on. Typically, one snapped, so that was that, the engine had to come out.

Now on balance, this isn't a terrible outcome, because I had a newly re welded set of 912 heads, with lovely new hardware, and of course, needed to replace the piston and cylinder set also, because the heads on my existing engine were 22° angle jobbers. I had had everything ready to go, but you know how it is, while things seem to be working fine, why meddle?

Right now, I have the engine on the bench, stripped of all tinware and ancillaries, and I am summoning up the brave pills to lift the heads and see what's what. I think that the premature engine wear might be because of a failed carb float, causing the oil to be contaminated with petrol, and the level on the dipstick to rise (it had begun to leak oil too, which was out of character, bar the odd drip or two) There might have been some detonation due to a sticky distributor before I fitted the 123... Who knows till you attack things with a spanner in your hand?

If I am unlucky, then everything inside the cases might be scrap... Lets not think about that one for a moment or two.

Its a veritable roller coaster this hobby of ours innit?

I have some share slump stubs if you need any.

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neilbardsley wrote:I have some share slump stubs if you need any.

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Thanks for the kind offer Neil, but I'm good for those. The sump plate I bought from Ollie came with a set of new, longer studs.

I plan to be back in the garage on Wednesday when I have got over these pesky nightshifts. Then I need to summon up the energy to chase that black dog out of here.