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Wed Sep 07, 2005 7:06 am

My project car is a '56. PO's were building a race car and installed a '61 transmission with what looks like Porsche 356 C disc brakes all around. The bottom rear shock support goes out to the rear of the axle instead of the front and I can't visualize how to get a shock on there. Anyone here have any ideas or seen this setup ?

Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:29 am

Swap axle tubes from one side to the other . The 356 either has a different upper shock location , or they are installed backwards . If you haven't bent the metal brake lines you might switch the brakes to the other side as well (put the caliper to the rear of wheel , not front as it is now) TROY

Wed Sep 07, 2005 9:24 am

Hi Troy ! Thanx for your interest in my problem. Swapping the tubes was my first inclination. I haven't taken them apart yet, but just visualizing it, it seems that the trio of bolts at the spring plates would no longer line up ?
I too thought the calipers should be at the rear. I hope I can find a way to use this setup. Do you think I should use a dual circuit master cylinder ? Do you know which application ?

Wed Sep 07, 2005 11:55 am

PM camerod perhaps he can help you?

Camrod's pic from the gallery,
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=73827

Wed Sep 07, 2005 12:35 pm

Tee Dubber wrote: Hi Troy ! Thanx for your interest in my problem. Swapping the tubes was my first inclination. I haven't taken them apart yet, but just visualizing it, it seems that the trio of bolts at the spring plates would no longer line up ?

Aren't the trio bolts symetrical? I mean it looks like if you just take the bolts out and rotate the whole assembly you should be able to get it to line up... Could be wrong, never put one in wrong just to see if it would line up. :shock:

Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:42 pm

I dunno '74...... seems to me if I reverse the tubes, that third bolt would be hanging way out the rear alone non ?

Thanx for the lead Meanirish !

Wed Sep 07, 2005 3:58 pm

Tee Dubber wrote: I dunno '74...... seems to me if I reverse the tubes, that third bolt would be hanging way out the rear alone non ?

Thanx for the lead Meanirish !

I didn't say reverse them, I think that was what Teeroy was talking about doing. I said rotate them, take the bolts out, and just rotate the mount towards the front of the pan. The holes should still line up.

Maybe I'm looking at the picture wrong, but that's what it looks like to me. Also, you should be able to rotate the caliper mounts to the rear the same way. Those holes are symetrical also.

Wed Sep 07, 2005 4:03 pm

Thanx for sticking with me on this '74, I'll take a closer looksee.....

Wed Sep 07, 2005 4:36 pm

Anyone know a guy named Donny Reade ? I hear he used to work for Ralph Meaney VW Repair Shop in Framingham, MA around 1980.

I just got word he is the guy who put this rear end together........ sure would like to hear from him what he had planned. His workmanship is excellent !

Thu Sep 08, 2005 1:22 am

you are correct that those are 356C rear brakes and axle tubes, YES the porsche parts are a direct "bolt on" to a swing axle beetle! since 356's have the shock mounted to the rear of the axle you cannot "bolt"
shocks directly in a beetle when using this setup...BUT you can fabricate brackets to replicate the stock type beetle shock mounts then sandwich/bolt them in place using the 3 12mm springplate bolts ! .. you can cut off the un-needed porsche hangers ..or just leave them in place as they wont really be in the way. just remember, IF you decide to cut the no longer needed 356 shock hangers off of your axle tubes you will be making them useless to any potential 356 owner ..IF you ever decide to sell them! 356C brakes are pretty desireable and valuble(porsche guys often use them to "upgrade" earlier drum brake 356 cars)

Thu Sep 08, 2005 9:47 am

Looking at the pics again and reading everones posts , the holes won't line up swaping sides or twisting the tubes (sorry brain fart). If the brake brackets will bolt to beetle tubes fine , you could go that route or build some upper shock mounts like Cameron said . TROY

Thu Sep 08, 2005 10:54 am

Hi Teeroy....... I agree that swapping and twisting won't work, but what I got from reading Camerod's post is the fabbed bracket would be the Bottom mount, not the top :?: ....... ie: Use the top stock VW mount that's there and Fab a new bottom mount that goes out towards the front like stock, to replicate what's missing. This would allow you to cut off the 356 bottom mount going to the rear if you had a mind ( or no mind ) to do so. ( NOT recommended )

Thu Sep 08, 2005 11:35 am

Tee Dubber wrote: Hi Teeroy....... I agree that swapping and twisting won't work, but what I got from reading Camerod's post is the fabbed bracket would be the Bottom mount, not the top :?: ....... ie: Use the top stock VW mount that's there and Fab a new bottom mount that goes out towards the front like stock, to replicate what's missing. This would allow you to cut off the 356 bottom mount going to the rear if you had a mind ( or no mind ) to do so. ( NOT recommended )

..you got it!

troy, the caliper brackets are cast into the bearing housing so you unfortunatelly cannot bolt them to the beetle tubes..

Thu Sep 08, 2005 3:21 pm

Wasn't sure , the only 356 tubes I have had were drum brake . TROY

Thu Sep 08, 2005 4:40 pm

Camerod, thanx for coming to the rescue with the right answers ! At the risk of of asking too much of your time, what have you got for ideas for said fabrication with support and asthetics in mind ? I don't have the skills for the job, but would like to bring some ideas to the welder....... I do have a stock rear end at hand, can some of that be used ?

For those interested, from another site, here's what a stock 356 C set up looks like.

Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:01 pm

Hey....... Just a note to tell everyone THANK YOU for your help and ideas, before this thread dies and is forgotten