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Tue Dec 29, 2009 8:35 am

I've got a 64 356 (top chopped off ) and I want to make an outlaw out of it. Without spending a ton of money on an original transaxle I would like to install a low cost vw transaxle and hang a vw engine. I've got a wire feed welder and pre-64 vw donor but I am unsure how to install the vw hanger trans mount. Got any ideas? thanks, jim

Tue Dec 29, 2009 9:56 am

Does your 356 not have its tranny?

Try these links for advice:

http://356registry.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5061&highlight=transaxle

http://356registry.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1013&highlight=transaxle

http://356registry.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10274&highlight=transaxle

Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:08 am

If you are actually serious about this, it can be done. And for a fabricator, easily done. For a 356 owner, it's evidently the most difficult thing in the world.

If you have the original hoop/engine hanger from the 356, you can use it as it sits. You can also make use of the stock 356 mounts OR use the stock VW mounts and fabricate small tabs (cut from the VW rear trans mount) welded to the 356 hoop. If you don't have the stock 356 trans mount/hoop, you can use a heavy duty after-market VW rear trans mount and fabricate upwards support pieces that will connect that mount to the upper bolt holes in the 356 body originally used to mount the trans hoop.

The forward trans mount will end up being the stock piece cut from a VW pan. Old or new style, no matter. The rubber or urethane mounts are all VW or aftermarket and cheep/easy to obtain.

The Porsche axles and tubes will mount right up to the VW swing axle trans. You can also use the VW components if you fabricate a bottom shock mount adapter piece. NOT difficult. Just make a card board mock-up and translate that into plate steel and tubing.

The VW transaxle is a little fatter/taller through the mid section and will hit the rear seat/floor/bulkhead. You'll need to raise this somewhat to clear the trans. Best and cleanest way is to cut it in the center, add some metal strapping around the edge of the cut section and drop it back in place witn some beed welds and seam sealer. You could also fabricate a fiberglass cover is you like. Hell, pull a child's toy wheel barrow out of the dump, turn it over and screw it down over the hole. easy peasy.

The shifter can be a stock VW set-up raised out just above the tunnel area, or replace the VW sedan transaxle nose cone with one from a split window bus and keep the whole assembly in the tunnel if you like.

Those are the basics. This shit isn't hard, but the 356 guys don't like to hear about it either and will make it seem like you're contemplating pulling the Earth off of it's axis by comparison. It's ALL just measuring, cutting, and welding. The 356 is just a car, you can enjoy working on your car, or opt for becoming the curator of a 356 Porsche museum with a single exhibit. Most seem to consider themselves as custodians, keepers of the flame. I don't.

Luck,

TC

Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:31 pm

Jim,

It just so happens that I am right now fabbing up some bits to fit a type 1 gearbox into my '65 SC. My plan is to make a bolt on bracket that will ridgedly attach to the two bolt flange on the front of the V-Dub tranny and then will bolt to the original Porsche "hockey puck" mounts. To do this I made a plywood jig to locate the mounting plates relative to the gearbox.

Here's some pics --

the 741 in the jig:

the flange locators:

here's the VW box in the jig with a trial fit of the bracket:

the bracket welded up:

and in place:

As TC said, this does take some doing, but it's not rocket science either. I'm using the standard Porsche loop rear mount, and I'm running the shifter tube straight through above the tunnel to a high mounted VW sand rail shifter. I never really liked the original shifter position (too far forward) and my original shift lever is all nasty-rusty anyway. It will also make a dandy place to mount my "13" (dreizehn) pool ball shift knob!

Yours sounds like a great project! Don't let the investment bankers get you down, I think an all VW driveline is the only way to go from a bang-4-the-buck perspective. Remember, these cars were always just VW hotrods anyway :wink:

Wed Dec 30, 2009 4:55 pm

" I think an all VW driveline is the only way to go from a bang-4-the-buck perspective. "

That's what I have in my '55.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGG8wHcVd-c&feature=fvw

Wed Dec 30, 2009 8:21 pm

TC/TeamEvil wrote: " I think an all VW driveline is the only way to go from a bang-4-the-buck perspective. "

That's what I have in my '55.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGG8wHcVd-c&feature=fvw

TC: Does my heart good to see ya sportin' that Registry decal -- Keep Da Funking Faith komraden!

My '65 is all VW mechanicals now too, but mine's plus radiator and sans sparkplugs --

Fri Jan 01, 2010 4:18 pm

OK, did a trial fit today, and as Ace Ventura would say --- "LIKE A GLOV-E"

Odd thing is that contrary to everything I've heard, mine did not foul the existing sheet metal over the gearbox, the closest it comes is about 3/8". The shifter rod casting is very close (maybe 1/16") to the top of the torsion bar tube, so that will need a little clearancing, but not bad!

Wed Feb 03, 2010 2:52 am

moTthediesel wrote: OK, did a trial fit today, and as Ace Ventura would say --- "LIKE A GLOV-E"

I like your front support!! Seems like a nice bolt-on solution.
Did you had to modify this rear hook for the tranny? Seems like you are still using the original loop and rubber mounts, does that fit?
I have seen some mods where they welded on support for beetle rubbers…

Do you have some more pics of this rear setup?

I was more thinking of installing an IRS gearbox and using the Porsche 944 trailing arms with disks. Would there still be another solution to support the nose of the gearbox with the IRS pivoting supports being where the original mounts are? Mine is a 62 Bmodel

Thanks,
Peter

Wed Feb 03, 2010 5:33 pm

Peter,

I don't know anything about IRS conversions, but if you want to see some more pictures of the swap and especially of the rear mounts, here's a link to my thread on the 356 Registry site.

http://www.356registry.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16534&start=30

It really fits very well, no other issues except for the shifter. I'm running a new shift rod above the torsion bar tube and the tunnel to a sand rail type shifter box mounted just behind where the original one was.

Good luck with your project!

Tue Sep 18, 2012 2:37 am

moTthediesel wrote: Jim,

It just so happens that I am right now fabbing up some bits to fit a type 1 gearbox into my '65 SC. My plan is to make a bolt on bracket that will ridgedly attach to the two bolt flange on the front of the V-Dub tranny and then will bolt to the original Porsche "hockey puck" mounts. To do this I made a plywood jig to locate the mounting plates relative to the gearbox.

Here's some pics --

the 741 in the jig:

[image removed]

the flange locators:

here's the VW box in the jig with a trial fit of the bracket:

[images removed]

As TC said, this does take some doing, but it's not rocket science either. I'm using the standard Porsche loop rear mount, and I'm running the shifter tube straight through above the tunnel to a high mounted VW sand rail shifter. I never really liked the original shifter position (too far forward) and my original shift lever is all nasty-rusty anyway. It will also make a dandy place to mount my "13" (dreizehn) pool ball shift knob!

Yours sounds like a great project! Don't let the investment bankers get you down, I think an all VW driveline is the only way to go from a bang-4-the-buck perspective. Remember, these cars were always just VW hotrods anyway :wink:

This thread has been so useful. My 356 t1 transmission died. It has a 62sc engine and needed a bit of modifications to already get that fit in there. Long story short getting the 56 transmission fixed is not an option. Too expensive and also in time to come I want my next uPgrade to be a higher performance vw engine (I have been looking at Chico performance engines so if you have any feedback that would be appreciated) so keeping the Porsche one will just be a wasted expense when it comes time to do that.

The scariest thing is the fabricating of the bits for the gearbox. There is a person advertising the brace for 450$
at: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1252988

Will this be a easy solution for me? Or could any of you that have done the work be able to send me the templates.

The other thing is brakes and axels. It is a 56 do it has drum brakes. Is there anything I should keep an eye on? When it comes time for the higher performance engine i know i will need discs but for now i want to avoid that expense. Is there also consideration for wheel sizes (lugs)? Also for any of you that are familiar with Chico engines I would love your feedback. http://steelbugin.com/

Also thanks to all of you guys for keeping these forums running with quality info. It is so much easier and cheaper telling mechanics what you want done (or what they should do) than letting them work it out for themselves.

Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:14 am

Unless you are good at figuring & fabbing up stuff I would buy it. $350/$450 seems like a lot for a few brackets but the engineering/fabricating has been done. How much is your time worth? If you have extra time then build it yourself. I've seen many pics of his work & it looks very good.

Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:26 am

MMW wrote: Unless you are good at figuring & fabbing up stuff I would buy it. $350/$450 seems like a lot for a few brackets but the engineering/fabricating has been done. How much is your time worth? If you have extra time then build it yourself. I've seen many pics of his work & it looks very good.

I think it might be the way to go. Thanks

Any tips on transmission type I should go for or issues with wheels etc

Fri Aug 15, 2014 1:07 pm

TC/TeamEvil wrote: If you are actually serious about this, it can be done. And for a fabricator, easily done. For a 356 owner, it's evidently the most difficult thing in the world.

If you have the original hoop/engine hanger from the 356, you can use it as it sits. You can also make use of the stock 356 mounts OR use the stock VW mounts and fabricate small tabs (cut from the VW rear trans mount) welded to the 356 hoop. If you don't have the stock 356 trans mount/hoop, you can use a heavy duty after-market VW rear trans mount and fabricate upwards support pieces that will connect that mount to the upper bolt holes in the 356 body originally used to mount the trans hoop.

The forward trans mount will end up being the stock piece cut from a VW pan. Old or new style, no matter. The rubber or urethane mounts are all VW or aftermarket and cheep/easy to obtain.

The Porsche axles and tubes will mount right up to the VW swing axle trans. You can also use the VW components if you fabricate a bottom shock mount adapter piece. NOT difficult. Just make a card board mock-up and translate that into plate steel and tubing.

The VW transaxle is a little fatter/taller through the mid section and will hit the rear seat/floor/bulkhead. You'll need to raise this somewhat to clear the trans. Best and cleanest way is to cut it in the center, add some metal strapping around the edge of the cut section and drop it back in place witn some beed welds and seam sealer. You could also fabricate a fiberglass cover is you like. Hell, pull a child's toy wheel barrow out of the dump, turn it over and screw it down over the hole. easy peasy.

The shifter can be a stock VW set-up raised out just above the tunnel area, or replace the VW sedan transaxle nose cone with one from a split window bus and keep the whole assembly in the tunnel if you like.

Those are the basics. This shit isn't hard, but the 356 guys don't like to hear about it either and will make it seem like you're contemplating pulling the Earth off of it's axis by comparison. It's ALL just measuring, cutting, and welding. The 356 is just a car, you can enjoy working on your car, or opt for becoming the curator of a 356 Porsche museum with a single exhibit. Most seem to consider themselves as custodians, keepers of the flame. I don't.

Luck,

TC

Has anyone actually done the split screen nosecone conversion mentioned above? I want to do a VW trans mission but want the shift rod in the tunnel!!

Wed Dec 03, 2014 5:44 am

Nope.. the splitscreen nose cone did not work for me (BT6) since it did not position the gearbox well enough to my liking...

I used the standard beetle, but with teh shiftrod above the tunnel
see:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=430774

Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:44 pm

One thing I understand about the split bus nose cone adaptaion,you must use pre 1959 from a split case bus trans.Full synchro trans 1959-1967 will not work. I am about to put this theory to the test.

Sat Dec 06, 2014 7:40 pm

To fit a a VW trans in a C 356 without modifying the tunnel will be very tricky indeed. The problem is that the selector shaft will be above the torsion bar housing, rather than below. PreA cars can receive a split case VW trans without modification. It MAY be possible to fit a full synchro VW trans (or split trans, but why bother) to fit the linkage in the tunnel. It would require installation of the preA/A mouse trap, swinging gate linkage where the selector shaft enters the interior to lower the linkage in to the tunnel. A taller, largerA style linkage cover would also need to be fitted. Since the motion of the shifter is now reversed, a gear shift lever from a later 914 would be needed with mods to the tunnel where it bolts on. A custom shaft would have to be fabricated. I have not done this mod, nor seen it done, but think it could be made to work. :roll:

Wed Feb 18, 2015 6:47 pm

Gotta chime in, Anibale Chico is a grand fellow and THIS former pro builder cannot reccomend him too highly...

Thu Feb 19, 2015 1:54 am

I'm also thinking about doing this conversion, but don't want to cut the body in any way. It's an original RHD SC, so quite rare.
Has anyone any experience of cable controlled shifter. I understand these are used on the 550 replicas.
There looks to be just enough room under the rear seat bases. I also want a stock tunnel inside the car.

Sat Feb 21, 2015 11:29 am

Ok I to a'm thinking about a trans swap in my 60 356 .I have 2 good working original 356 boxes, I also rebuild my own vw boxes so a smart street performer is attractive,Or I go ape shit and put in a nice early 911 5 speed I have. How many Hp can a 356 box take. A'm I just makeing myself a lot of work?

Sun Jan 20, 2019 6:28 pm

hate to revive this, but I too would like to know just how much horse power can a 356 trans handle?

and whats avail out there to upgrade/strengthen it?