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| There
are a few things to look at this month, but first an update on the cosmetic
surgery being performed on the Speedster. Last month we were hauling a
new set of 30-year-old rims off to the machine shop to enlarge the boltholes
so that the lug nuts would fit. That was an easy job and while the lug
nuts don't really spin on by hand (very close tolerance's), they do fit
snug and should do the job nicely.
While I was looking for additional ways to make the car look period correct for a '50's racer it occurred to me that what I really needed was a stinger or straight pipe out the back. Actually several years ago it was discovered that 356 engines really need some exhaust backpressure to develop maximum horsepower. A single 90 degree turn on the stinger gives just the right amount of resistance to the flow to do the trick, but it looks so much better if it goes straight out the back. Think 550 Spyder or RSK. I went through a box of old parts (one of many) and pulled out a nice chrome straight pipe that I got a few years ago at a Hershey swap meet. A few minutes with some oil and some fine steel wool and it looked great. The trouble was that the way the flange came off the exhaust collector the pipe pointed down and to the right, not out straight as it should. That didn't look like a really big job as spacer that was thicker on one side that the other would change the angle just enough to make it look right. While I was at it, maybe I could raise the bottom flange out a little (meaning make the plate a different thickness there too) so to make the pipe point up a little more. I did scrape it on a couple driveways, how embarrassing. Of course I was the only one who knew it scraped since the noise from the exhaust was so loud that even the horn was over powered. So what I needed from the machine shop was a piece of metal with a large whole in the middle, three small holes on the outside to bolt between the collector and the straight pipe, and a different thickness at each bolt hole. Additionally both sides of the plate had to be flat. I got the correct thickness that I need by bolting the pipe to the collector with a large quantity of Play-Doh in between. Then I unbolted the pipe and measured the thickness of the Play-Doh in three places. That's a great idea that I got from one of my "car freak buddies" as my wife would say. The machinist is still scratching his head but I think that he'll come through. In the mean time I've been driving with just the straight pipe out the back. If I was ever a believer of the bikers motto of "loud pipes save lives" that has really been proven lately. It's not as loud (or as painful) as Rob's 911 was, but then it's also not a closed car where the sound seems to get trapped inside and makes your bones rattle. At least my bones that is. The pipe seems to send a wave of noise in front of me at any speed that keep little kids from stepping off the curb, dogs from running out between cars, and makes drivers look in their rearview mirrors. It looks like some drivers have trouble locating their mirrors, as they seem to scan the top of their windshields first. Or maybe they're looking for planes overhead, I don't know, but the noise sure wakes people up!! I'm waiting to get pulled over so that I can explain that that's how cars were built in the '50's. It is on an antique plate after all. Since most the police that you see nowadays weren't even born back then (they do seem to be getting younger every year don't they?) maybe that approach will work. So far no takers, they just wave like everyone else and keep going. The other major change is to replace the present roll bar with something more modern. The rollbar was home made in the '50's out of what looks like plumbers pipe. And it is very heavy. I expect to use the existing bolt holes and support points but with a hoop behind the drivers head that will go over the headrest built into the tonneau cover. I'll keep you posted. With the driving season before us lets all hope for warm dry weather to enjoy our Tubs to the maximum. The 356's were never known for good heat or good ventilation for that matter. The heat was always great when the temperature was over 50 degrees and the engine had some heat to spare but the fresh air systems left a lot to be desired. In coupes we had rear side windows that when opened would pull air out of a moving car rather nicely. Notice I said moving car. I don't think that the good Doctor ever considered traffic. Why should he since 50 years ago there really wasn't any traffic to slow cars down? Except for an optional fan available in '64-'65 the 356 never had any way to push air into the car when it was sitting still. Except for heat of course. In all the cars that I've come across over the years I have never seen a fresh air fan installed. Now they are popular items on Ebay but years ago nobody ordered a fan in the car, that was what windows were for! It's hard to imagine, in this day of automatic climate control (some cars with dual climate control), buying a car, an expensive sports car, without any fan at all. Boy has times changed in the automotive world. But if you're driving one of the Doctor's early bathtubs may your summer be warm not hot and may the traffic be moving not stopped. As a last note remember that July 15th is German Car Day at Lars Anderson Museum of Transportation in Brookline, MA. The 356 Registry crowd tends to overpower the marques shown, so if you want to see a lot of four speed and drum brake Porsches in one place, come on Sunday. Besides it's Fathers Day so if you're ever going to be entitled to a car day that's the day. It only lasts until about 2:00 PM then we all go out to play!! Come join us and Keep the Faith ! |
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