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Wed Jun 04, 2008 7:55 pm

hey all, first off gotta say i'm a bug guy and don't know a thing about 356's.

I have a guy I work with that owns a steel 1962 356, He wants me to help him make 140hp in it. I told him the best way would be to build a moderate type 1 stroker for it.
Plans are to remove the original motor/trans and shove them under the bench to be able to return to stock one day. Don't want to hack this car up!!!!
Is this a common retrofit? couple questions.........

1: will it fit? are you restricted to narrow combos like an early bug?
2: will a T1 swingaxle bolt in? shift rod mods?
3: what do guys run for cooling systems for these?
4: will dual 44 webers fit with aircleaners?

Anyone point me in the direction of some web reading and pictures?

thanks a bunch Josh

Wed Jun 04, 2008 8:57 pm

oh,there will be some hacking my friend

Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:25 pm

ohno......what,where,how much?? can you elaborate?

Wed Jun 04, 2008 9:57 pm

the tranny will be a hack up front and out back,people have done it before,often i just shake my head and go "what a shame" but i also dont judge,its not my car so its not my opinion that matters,the porsche trans is a tight fit,the vw trans is much tighter and you will need a hammer and possibly counseling before and after

Wed Jun 04, 2008 10:09 pm

this plan will be squashed if there is smashing and bashing of the body involved. so is it just the trans that is a problem? the motor will fit?
If that's the case what kind of track record does a 356 tranny have with some power behind it?

Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:18 am

the only vw trans installations i have seen are complete butchery. porsche transmissions are reliable and strong. in the 60's, when few aftermarket racing parts were available, some drag racers installed 356 trannys in their bugs! pictures can be seen in "how to hotrod vw engines" published in 1970. vw engine swap is a no brainer.

Thu Jun 05, 2008 7:57 am

....what he said

Thu Jun 05, 2008 8:17 am

When I first bought my '58 coupe it had a VW stroker motor in it. The engine was around 2 liters, had a roller crank and a single weber progressive. It really needed 2 carbs. Not sure of hp, but I drove it for 3-4 years at 90+ mph. The stock 356 tranny held up great. I found a 912 engine, put it in the 356, took the stroker out & put it in my deluxe bus.

Looking back, the stroker was only faster at the high end. The stock 1600 912 engine drives awesome.

With that being said...you can put the stroker in & keep the 356 tranny

Thu Jun 05, 2008 10:22 am

I built a 2110 for my Dad's 59 Coupe. It has dual Dell's and a doghouse cooler and fits like a dream. The only real custom things we had to do were, order a 200mm flywheel with 6 volt ring gear from Berg, convert the throw out and mate a Bursche 356 exhaust system with VW flanges.

We know the stock trans is the weak link even with the better diff (Don't remember the bolt count on the better diff...8 bolt???). Anyway, Dad just makes sure he dosen't dump the clutch and doesn't speed shift and every thing has been fine for the last 4 years.

Thu Jun 05, 2008 12:06 pm

PhotoAaron wrote: I built a 2110 for my Dad's 59 Coupe. It has dual Dell's and a doghouse cooler and fits like a dream. The only real custom things we had to do were, order a 200mm flywheel with 6 volt ring gear from Berg, convert the throw out and mate a Bursche 356 exhaust system with VW flanges.

We know the stock trans is the weak link even with the better diff (Don't remember the bolt count on the better diff...8 bolt???). Anyway, Dad just makes sure he dosen't dump the clutch and doesn't speed shift and every thing has been fine for the last 4 years.

The guy just wants power 8) he could care less about speed shifting and hard launches.
Did you need to clearance the inside of the bellhousing when using the berg flywheel?

Thu Jun 05, 2008 5:12 pm

Now your taxing my memory.......If I remember correctly we did some grinding, but there wasn't anymore to remove than you would normally on a Bug.

Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:30 pm

6 volt ring gears are a direct fit to 356 trans. UNLESS you put the "third bolt" on the trans mounts facing in. The nut should be on the OUTSIDE of the bellhousing.

Fri Jun 06, 2008 4:40 pm

I had a 200 mm flywheel machined to a 6V ring gear by Rimco. 8-dowel, lightened, it was under $200.00 and it was a work of art, and it had a new hardened 6V ring gear. Did it with the same idea of a 2 ltr in my 58 A.

Fri Jun 06, 2008 6:16 pm

Anyone got any pics...........I like pics 8)

Fri Jun 06, 2008 8:31 pm

joshbuchan wrote: Anyone got any pics...........I like pics 8)

How bout Sunday night or Monday morning? I'm out of town till then, heading down to Tucson to see X tomorrow night.

Aaron

Fri Jun 06, 2008 9:36 pm

exellent mucho thanks

Sat Jun 07, 2008 2:01 am

I had a 2276 in my 63B.... trans rebuild cost me $2800. Now I have a 1776 and a 912-1720 on the way. BTW the 741 trans in the later Porsche is a biatch to get the clutch/throwout bearing to work nice together with the sleeved shaft type bearing. Will the early cross shaft fit a later trans??? and thus a VW bearing????

Mon Jun 09, 2008 8:40 pm

Ran over to Dad's tonight and got a pic.

Tue Jun 10, 2008 11:58 am

nice one, thanks man 8)

Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:17 pm

I'm in the midst of putting a built VW trans and stroked turbo engine in the back of my '65 SC. I ended up just cutting the rear floor/seating section out of the car entirely. I have a new 2x2 frame made up which is being welded in place with ribbed aluminum panels fastened to it for the rear flooring.

The diagonals from the cage will be welded to this frame and interior side panels.

As far as I know, this kind of thing won't keep me from entering Heaven, it'll just make it hard to get into the Parts Obsolete Cookout.

Some misguided souls consider it one in the same.