Driving a friend's borrowed 72 Lotus Elan for the odd weekend, is the pinnacle of my personal driving enjoyment scale. There are times when light, nimble and precise handling beat luxury, sophistication and horsepower.
Mr Tyrell, thank you for your Videos! As a shop Owner myself in Austria (a normal one 20/80 Classics ) your videos is a timeout a deep breath on a busy not so good day at the office. I after day of mystery electrical malfunctions your videos let me know why I love working cars. A big thank you to you an your Really skilled Team have a nice weekend and hope to see you soon! Greetings from Austria Gregor Seehofer
i have a subaru and it has a flat four and it sounds like total garbage - more like a sewing machine. What makes these older flat 4s sound so much better? Carbeuration? Exhaust? Lack of cats?
@@buffalobilly6046actually the reason for the difference in sound is largely due to unequal length in header pipes of the exhaust. New naturally aspirated Subarus have equal length headers and that takes away the roughness these engines have.
Bloody hell. That went from sounding like Herbie the love bug, to a complete beast when you had finished working on the carburettors and open the throttle. What a lovely example of the purity of engineering.
While you were pumping the accelerator to start the car, a smell of gasoline invaded my living room...😮 I swear I smelled it! Real magic!!! Thanks again Iain!!!
My Dad had several VWs ("beetles") and even though they weren't sporty, the start-up procedure (ignition on, pump the throttle, throttle off start) is nearly identical. Of course the idle on this is a bit throaty in comparison, and of course it revs much quicker when you tickle it (Dad's 1302S, 1584cc and 54BHP would've paled). Once you got the 356 on the road, the VW thrum was there and so was the gear whine (albeit a different pitch, anyone who's ever done any miles in a VW can hear the tunes 2nd and 3rd gear make): when you got up it a bit, then it became something else - a Porsche. Thank you Iain, I've finally got what the 356 is all about.
My parents and grandparents owned air-cooled VW's from new, Hence I grew up around them and I thought exactly the same as you when I saw & heard the start-up and revving.
What a spectacular example of a 356. 100% agree you don't need a very expensive car to have fun, I own a 986 and it never ceases to put a smile on my face.
Now you're in my wheel house! Sebring exhaust sounds good. I do vintage Porsches in California with the occasional Ferrari. My preference is the MFI 911s but most 356s in the area find their way to me. I always encourage the owners to be hands on on the 356 as they are so simple and one gets a great feeling of accomplishment by getting the carbs just right and while its not really that hard it just takes time and care.
These are so lovable and cheerful treasures, especially in magnificent condition such as this example. The vibrant red of this particular 356 Speedster does make her an exceptional stunning peach. Thank you for taking us along virtually. It does provide for a well good impression driving her. Of course, I personally do hope to be able experiencing a drive in one of these for real, however their rarity slim down any chance of such occurrence. However we can daydream a bit, and perhaps one day... 💓
Love the honest crackle on the overrun - not programmed into an ECU to create an illusion, but the real deal. Quite an impressive carburettor backfire captured on video at 14:06 too, btw.
The one on the street was a post-war production car for the newly emerging Bundeswehr. The black and white photo shows the war-model, a VW Type 82 (1940-1945)
What a fun little car that sounds and now behaves properly. Way back these were out of reach for me so I started with 944s and went from there. Now, these are rare and way out of reach for me. Heck even a nice 944 or 968 is up there now. I used to see the odd 914, 924 and even 928 driving around in the summer. Even 911s! Now it's just Macans, Cayennes, maybe a newer Boxter or 992. I'm glad I got to see and hear them back in the day. It's videos like these that remind me of my misspent youth. Thanks for these!
Hat off sir. You're such a gifted and eloquent carwhisperer. When I hear those boxers my heartbeat goes up. (I had VW T2 camper.) Could never afford a 356. Love the shape.
Being the owner of a 1962 VW Beetle, with some engine modifications, (certainly can't afford a Porsche 356) I found these episodes on the 356 very interesting.
can´t remember geting so jealous just by seeing mr tyrells eyes shining from sheer joy. plus, of course, the wunderfull sound of the engine in the garage. and, in the end it´s just a beetle...
Hello Tyrell, Did i understand correctly that the owner of this GEM swapped out the original engine to ensure originality (e.g. when offered for sale) for the current engine? That would actually be quite smart...Own a 356 speedster (hallaluyah), drive it as much as you want, have all the fun, with an engine that you donot have to worry about much. Sooo few YT channels actually getting knee-deep into the most amazing classics ever produced.....You are a true added value to us classic car nutcases. Cheers
Many Abarth owners with unobtainium castings opt for a Fiat engine swap, and warm up the Fiat engine. Then they sell the Abarth engine with the car. Generally the Fiat 850 or 1 litre engine is slightly larger in terms of CCs, so you get some more torque with the Fiat replacement. Both rev nearly the same- over 7000RPM! This way, if a piston goes sideways, you're in it for a few hundred Pounds, not thousands.
In America it’s called “self energizing” drum brakes. Normal drum brakes have a single hydraulic cylinder pressing both shoes outward. Both shoes pivot around a single point, therefore one shoe is leading, and one is trailing. Only the leading shoe is self energizing. For high performance drum brakes, two separate hydraulic cylinders push one shoe each. The shoes do not share a single pivot point. Both are self-energized.
Funnily enough, my old Mini 1000 had drums all 'round with twin-leading shoes up front, and no one's going to accuse it of being "high performance" - LOL That said, I'd hate to have driven it with only one show operating to slow it down at speed - those tiny drums barely do more than suggest the car slow down eventually as it is. (Of course, this meant there were effectively no front brakes when reversing, but you couldn't go all that fast backwards anyway.)
I have a 1968 Porsche 912 Right Hand Drive which I bought when I was 25. I turn 60 this year and still have the car. Looking forward to my retirement to pull it out and use it as much as possible, The 912 has disk brakes all round and no servo. Mine also has a dynamo but the Solex Carbs had to be retired due to a blow back up the carb back in the day and a fire that wrecked the atomizers on one bank. So changed to a set of second hand Twin 40 Webbers off an Alfa Sud. When you have no money, as I didn't back in the day you did what you had to do to keep it running. I still have the Solex carbs in storage. Love these Porsche flat four engines. The car is great to drive and handle on our Lincolnshire Wolds back roads. When I bought the car it had a bent exhaust valve. The exhaust valve at the time to replace was super expensive, Fifty pounds for one. An inlet valve was from memory 9 pounds. Note I was earning about 700 pounds a month and had a mortgage so money was tight! What I was not expecting when I rebuilt the engine was to find out the crank turned out to be steel. German engineering, no wonder they last forever. My mates thought I was nuts when I was 25, they don't think so now. Who knew ?
@@iain_tyrrell Thank you Iain. The 912 will come back to life. Most parts are available as we know through Porsche or through specialists. My 1972 De Tomaso Pantera, Right Hand Drive will be a tougher task. Given I have to sort the body work out first, which is not my area of capability. I bought it fully stripped back in 1995 and have had it in storage in my centrally heated garage. I put a space frame roll cage in it to keep the body square and had it powder coated before storage. Will address everything when I have the time. Boy is my retirement going to be busy but not boring !
What little gem especially in that colour.This is arguably the best car related youtube channel & featuring a lot of cars that one would commit murder to own! I liked Iain's "turnin & burnin" comment;it reminded me of how American airmen used to describe the giant Boeing B36 bomber of the 50,s.........."six turnin & four burnin"! Thanks Iain.
I'm a fan of all different types of cars and I change my mind as to what is my fav most weeks. However, the 356 is ever present in my mind. Its just stunning.
Wonderful to you see putting your care and attention into a humble Porsche 4 pot and to see how much fun you had with it. It’s all about smiles per gallons rather than HP with those engines. I’m about to put a slightly up rated version of that engine back in my 912. I think I need to be coming to you for final set up!
The 4 1/2 Thsd. red line gives it away, this car started life with a 60 hp "Dame" engine the last of which were built as the BT5 model was wound down in 1963 as the factory went on summer holiday. The ensuing C-Type was ever only offered with the 75 and 90 hp engines as you mentioned, which red-lined at 5000 and 5500 RPM respectively. Loved rebuilding my 912 engine in the 1970s with a Japanese big bore kit to 1788 cc! Unboxing was like Christmas!
Brings all back to when i used to work on these back in the eighties and i miss them terribly ,so much so that i am attending a interview today to go back in time when job satisfaction was just as important as making a shilling or two !
Actually, that was not a kit-car "Kübelwagen", but a factory built car, made by VW and sold as the 181 or the Thing (!). Check out Doug deMuro's testdrive of Volkswagen the Thing for more info!
"I'll get my trusty spanners!" To alter the tune of the carburettors on a 356! Then once that was complete you say "my trusty hosepipe and screwdriver ..." But it seemed to be you using your skilled fingers to alter the carbs. Awesome Good heavens sir you are beyond a legendary classic car repairer. What is in your head?! Love your full face smile as you test drive and feel through the car the little changes you made too.
I bought a front disc conversion kit for my 65 Mustang. The kit also contained a dual circuit master cylinder, to improve safety, a proportioning valve that reduces brake pressure to the rear brakes and a servo. The proportioning valve is important to stop the rear wheels locking before the front on heavy braking. This said I had a devil of a job stopping the rear brakes locking before the front and in the end I had to have the rear brake cylinder piston diameter reduced from just under an inch diameter to 5/8 inch diameter. This reduces the force on the brake shoe for a given hydraulic pressure. I think after many months messing around I have got where I want to be with the brakes. Its not always as simple as just bolting a kit onto the car.
What a lovely car. I've always liked them as they are back to basics and a pure driving experience without going to jail for the thrills. Thanks again Iain.
Not a huge Porsche fan but I have to admit the Speedster styling is undeniably timelessly classic and that motor sure did sound happy! Thanks for taking the time to do these great videos Ian🙂
Superb episode Ian. I'm going to claim pedant of the week award though .. when that vehicle came the opposite direction and you said it was a "Kit car Kubelwagen" ... it wasn't a kit, it was a factory VW Type 181 / 182, sold as "VW Trekker" in the UK and "VW Thing" in the US.
What a sweet little car. Actually one of the most appealing cars that you’ve had on you channel - to me anyway. It ticks just about all of my classic car boxes, particularly with the original engine safely tucked away. You could actually drive that car worry free all summer …
Just amazing to see what a bit of good tuning and of cource good hearing can do to this engine. Wunderbar thank you very much i enjoyed this. What a beautiful car.
Love the book "A passion for Porsches" by Denis Jenkinson. He describes his love for early 356 Porsches and how he drove them all across Europe in his role as a motoring journalist.
In our shop in Canada we referred to the drum brakes as having "self-energizing". The leading shoe is smaller than the trailing shoe and getting these mixed up was a common error for DIY jobs. The effect is terrific for driving feel. The inverse however is that it makes the brakes less effective in reverse. Think of reversing into your garage and inadvertantly slamming into the waste bins at the back of the garage...
Lovely video, Lovely car...thankyou. My old 911 had Solex p40 triple choke carbs, bit of a bstard to tune so i could only set them up mechanically the same....wish I'd had Iain's expertise 👍✌️🇬🇧
I love this Iain, finetuning a basically simple but original Speedster. What a beautiful plopping of the exhaust! Really nice, thanks for making this video!😍👍
What a beauty. I do agree with your feelings about not having to spend a fortune for something enjoyable. I have his and her toy cars in our steading ,mine a very inexpensive MGTF and hers a Citroen 2CV. Very enjoyable summer motoring on relatively deserted Scottish roads. Love the videos and dream of the exotica. Note to self, win the Lottery!!
@5:22 - Totally agree. My 2001 M5 has good brake modulation. When I get in my 2017 440i, I end up throwing passengers forward the first time I go to slow down to a stop, forgetting how stupidly high the servo amplification is in that car.
That was a Volkswagen 181 on the opposite lane, not a kit car. Developed for the german army in the Sixties, a successful civil car in rough areas, and a great fun multi-purpose beetle, based on the T1 buses. He will love to swap engines wth you, i bet. 😊 Thank you for the great video!
Love the Speedster and what wonderful interior design you have in the workshop Iain, ever changing exotic beauties to work on and wander around, very high maintenance beauties I might add.
That's a very nice example of the 356 in beautiful condition. Thank you for the tutorial on setting the carbs, aside from the complaints about the 5 screws holding the air cleaner/s on. May be why German machines stay well put together for a long time.
Man, I can smell that car at idle all the way from the other side of the pond in Canada, ha. Reminds me of helping a friend tune his 1600 VW bug hot rod back in the day.
Fabulous stuff. Interesting what you say about drum brakes. Back in the 70's I was running a '66 850 mini. We transplanted a 1340 into it eventually and the brakes just weren't up to it! A friend had a 998 Cooper which i occasionally drove and the little discs on that were awful, so that was no answer. So down the local happy hunting ground, ie the local scrapyard to seek out a sevo. After a bit of hunting, I found a remote Lockheed servo off a Hillman Hunter estate. Well, after fitting that the brakes were fantastic, though it woire standard linings out in about a month. Fitted some Ferodo VG95 shoes all round and that car braked better than a Cooper S! Keep the fasinating content coming.
Ian, @23:20 it's a VW Trekker or here in the USA was a VW Thing, in Mexico it was a VW Safari; not a kit car. The next time you're in Texas feel free to stop by and have a drive.
The Kubelwagen kit car was a VW Type 181 or Trekker here in the UK and was originally for military use but was made for civilian use. Thanks for the video. 👍🏼
What a great example of form following function! One suggestion I have is you wash out the carb mesh covers to improve air flow and remove any debris or dust. It can build up on the outside. They did look a tad oily. When you’re using the pipe ( which i noticed is fuel rated!) on the carb bodies, presumably your listening to air flow only and comparing each four so they are even and reducing or increasing airflow if not. Is that right as Im going to do mine in a few weeks too. Thanks
great video and lovely to see a real one. Totally different subject, as a watch nerd would love to hear the story behind your Sub and it's current state - it must wear a few dents and scuffs from some amazing cars!
I have always learned something from just about every video you have presented Thank you! That throttle linkage and ball joints looks identical to Mercedes up through the 80s I always popped them with an 11 mm spanner and put a drop or two of ATF inside Thanks again for the nice video and I've often wondered while your "garden hose method" looks so simple tuning the Weber carburetors I wonder how long it took to master the proper sounds? As far as your remark about fun cars versus value I had a first generation Toyota MR 2 for 27 years. Always thought it would achieve a collector status but it was worth next to nothing when I finally sold it. I always felt like it was a "Japanese Lotus" and I've heard conflicting things about its engineering origin. Toyota did own part of Lotus at the time but that car never failed to put a smile on my face. it was like driving a big go kart. And I always remember a quote Peter Egan made years ago in Road and track magazine "It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow". I think I could have fun all day in that little speedster on the roads but driving an F 40 on public roads would be a bit frustrating like trying to ride a thoroughbred that wants to go and you have to keep pulling in the reins.
Delightful! The recreation cars are a wonderful way for "Everyman" to gain access to a similar experience. Kudos to Porsche for not being the Troll that Ferrari is regarding such practices.
I expect that you have had feedback, I cant read it all, but the VW you saw was not a kit car but a light military vehicle produced post war which became known as a VW Thing. Not sure if the German military adopted it but it was soon on the civilian market, especially the US. Keep up the great videos!
Thank you, so much, for your "nerdy" and "geeky" explanations of things from vacuum boosted brakes to tangential tips on the fuel injection linkage on a Ferrari 355. They only seem "nerdy" or "geeky" to people who have no interest in automotive things and those people never visit this channel! 🙂
Here in the UK seatbelts are a legal requirement in cars built from 1965 onwards. Hence this car built in the 1950s does not need to have them fitted, although some classic car owners do choose to fit seatbelts to old cars - if they frequently carry passengers or children for example.
Thank you Ian ! I love the way you break things down and explained in clear terms. Quick question , flame coming out of the exhaust while you were reeving it up in the garage. Does it mean the timing is too advanced maybe ? regards, Pierre
I'd say 120mph top speed is a little optimistic, lots of old cars with 4 speed gearboxes and relatively low gearing, and with this car's fairly low redline of 4500rpm, I'd be surprised if it does more than 100mph, but that doesn't matter with these kind of cars, it's how much fun you can have upto 70 ish mph, I'm a big believer that 100bhp/tonne is a key figure, between a car feeling a little dull and sluggish, to one feeling sprightly, fun, not hugely fast, but a car to have lots of smiles, anyway thank you for the great video
The early 912 could apparently reach over 115mph on its 90hp 356 derived engine. I'm not sure how the aerodynamics compare. The motor in this 356 sounded fantastic.
A car with a 4,500 rpm redline and a 4 speed gearbox, to do a top speed of 117 mph it would have to have gearing of 26mph per 1,000rpm, which in this age an type of car is extraordinarily high, something I'd doubt, I'd say the gearing would more likely be 20 - 22mph per 1,000 rpm giving a top speed of between 90mph and 99mph at 4,500rpm, that's providing it actually revs to it's redline in top gear, some cars don't, and even if the gearing is as high as 25mph per 1,000 rpm that equates to 112 - 113mph
"it depends"... that tach is for the (original?) 1600N engine (60 DIN hp). the 1600S of the period (75hp) redlines @ 5200. a well-tuned one can hit 110 mph... if good-as-new & "all day long". the last evo of the "616" series 1600 engine for the C model in "normal" tune yields about like the A's 1600S in rev limit, hp & top speed. there was also a S90 (guess the hp) engine. the final hi-power flavor of the standard production 356 line is in the 356SC : 95DIN (107 SAE) w/ 5800rpm limit & good for 115+mph. (my '65 touches 120 on occasion... god knows what the engine size really is... only had it for 20 yrs & haven't opened it up, but it's at least partly a 912 flavored version of the 1600). beyond all that, there were some & now even more crafted 616s : 1720 to 2100cc. 356s were hot-rodded extensively in-period & more so today too. {356 gurus; fire away! & I've not considered the 4 cams (130hp / 125mph via the 587 engine) 'cause only Iain's most exclusive clientele can afford 'em.} great series, great sounds - thx!
I can’t believe that 25 minutes went that fast! Another belter of a car and another belter of a video! Many thanks Iain.
Thank you too!
I love the 356 Speedster. With so many replicas around, cool to see a genuine Speedster. Thanks for featuring the car.
Just came in to say the same, love porsche to make a modern version
Yes, thank you!
With all the safety and emissions regulations for new cars, that would be difficult. "Emulation" might be the best you could do.
Driving a friend's borrowed 72 Lotus Elan for the odd weekend, is the pinnacle of my personal driving enjoyment scale. There are times when light, nimble and precise handling beat luxury, sophistication and horsepower.
You have it
The man who makes engines sing. Greeting from Italy.
Thank you! Greetings to you too!
Mr Tyrell, thank you for your Videos! As a shop Owner myself in Austria (a normal one 20/80 Classics ) your videos is a timeout a deep breath on a busy not so good day at the office. I after day of mystery electrical malfunctions your videos let me know why I love working cars. A big thank you to you an your Really skilled Team have a nice weekend and hope to see you soon! Greetings from Austria Gregor Seehofer
Thanks Gregor!
Keep up the good work, and greetings to you too!
Sounds absolutely vicious at WOT, another great video. Tyrrells and Harrys make the sundays great.
Glad you enjoyed it - thanks for watching
i have a subaru and it has a flat four and it sounds like total garbage - more like a sewing machine. What makes these older flat 4s sound so much better? Carbeuration? Exhaust? Lack of cats?
@@buffalobilly6046 all of the above would be my best guess.
@@buffalobilly6046actually the reason for the difference in sound is largely due to unequal length in header pipes of the exhaust.
New naturally aspirated Subarus have equal length headers and that takes away the roughness these engines have.
Bloody hell. That went from sounding like Herbie the love bug, to a complete beast when you had finished working on the carburettors and open the throttle. What a lovely example of the purity of engineering.
Yes, it does sound “spirited”!
Let’s mic the hose and hear what you hear. Great work, as always.
An interesting suggestion. Thanks!
@@iain_tyrrell hsssssssssssssssssss lol
Yes, that would be great!
Third that 👍
I've tried to tune my 356 by ear with a hose pipe but I'm not clever enough. I have to use air meters and rpm counter
While you were pumping the accelerator to start the car, a smell of gasoline invaded my living room...😮
I swear I smelled it!
Real magic!!!
Thanks again Iain!!!
Great to hear….. it’s our latest AI!!!!
Thanks
Your expression when that tiny flat 4 came into life shows your passion in spades! If it burns and turns, it is equally well loved.
Thank you- exactly!
My Dad had several VWs ("beetles") and even though they weren't sporty, the start-up procedure (ignition on, pump the throttle, throttle off start) is nearly identical. Of course the idle on this is a bit throaty in comparison, and of course it revs much quicker when you tickle it (Dad's 1302S, 1584cc and 54BHP would've paled). Once you got the 356 on the road, the VW thrum was there and so was the gear whine (albeit a different pitch, anyone who's ever done any miles in a VW can hear the tunes 2nd and 3rd gear make): when you got up it a bit, then it became something else - a Porsche. Thank you Iain, I've finally got what the 356 is all about.
My parents and grandparents owned air-cooled VW's from new, Hence I grew up around them and I thought exactly the same as you when I saw & heard the start-up and revving.
Thank you- happy to be of service!
What a spectacular example of a 356. 100% agree you don't need a very expensive car to have fun, I own a 986 and it never ceases to put a smile on my face.
Exactly!
Now you're in my wheel house! Sebring exhaust sounds good. I do vintage Porsches in California with the occasional Ferrari. My preference is the MFI 911s but most 356s in the area find their way to me. I always encourage the owners to be hands on on the 356 as they are so simple and one gets a great feeling of accomplishment by getting the carbs just right and while its not really that hard it just takes time and care.
Great- keep up the good work!
These are so lovable and cheerful treasures, especially in magnificent condition such as this example. The vibrant red of this particular 356 Speedster does make her an exceptional stunning peach. Thank you for taking us along virtually. It does provide for a well good impression driving her. Of course, I personally do hope to be able experiencing a drive in one of these for real, however their rarity slim down any chance of such occurrence. However we can daydream a bit, and perhaps one day... 💓
So glad you enjoyed it. I hope you get the chance Linda.
Pleasure. They are indeed rather special
Lovely old school mechanical work - adjusting locking nuts on a steel bar joining two carbs. I miss those days!
As a Porsche owner I say thank you for showing us the beautiful 356. Cheers from Canada.
Thank you, and greetings to you in Canada
Love the honest crackle on the overrun - not programmed into an ECU to create an illusion, but the real deal. Quite an impressive carburettor backfire captured on video at 14:06 too, btw.
Agreed
Another fantastic vid from a car fanatic and expert! These are the best automotive videos ever. Many thanks, Mr. Tyrell.
Thank you!
Your enjoyment of this wonderful car brings a smile to my face. What a delightful channel. 👍
Thank you very much!
The one on the street was a post-war production car for the newly emerging Bundeswehr. The black and white photo shows the war-model, a VW Type 82 (1940-1945)
Sorry, wrong button clicked...
What a fun little car that sounds and now behaves properly. Way back these were out of reach for me so I started with 944s and went from there. Now, these are rare and way out of reach for me. Heck even a nice 944 or 968 is up there now. I used to see the odd 914, 924 and even 928 driving around in the summer. Even 911s! Now it's just Macans, Cayennes, maybe a newer Boxter or 992. I'm glad I got to see and hear them back in the day. It's videos like these that remind me of my misspent youth. Thanks for these!
Thanks, and thank you for your reminiscing too!
Hat off sir. You're such a gifted and eloquent carwhisperer. When I hear those boxers my heartbeat goes up. (I had VW T2 camper.) Could never afford a 356. Love the shape.
Thank you!
Wow! With the turn of the screwdriver the engine roars at the end of the revs. Glorious, eargasm.
That was perfect for us fans who enjoy the older PORSCHE models. 💯
Great to hear!
Wow. How smooth is that engine! Even from dead cold there was hardly any obvious movement from the engine within the engine bay. Lovely.
Being the owner of a 1962 VW Beetle, with some engine modifications, (certainly can't afford a Porsche 356) I found these episodes on the 356 very interesting.
Glad to hear it
The sound from the motor is sublime. A quartet of harmonic beauty. Sing me away.
can´t remember geting so jealous just by seeing mr tyrells eyes shining from sheer joy. plus, of course, the wunderfull sound of the engine in the garage. and, in the end it´s just a beetle...
Hello Tyrell,
Did i understand correctly that the owner of this GEM swapped out the original engine to ensure originality (e.g. when offered for sale) for the current engine?
That would actually be quite smart...Own a 356 speedster (hallaluyah), drive it as much as you want, have all the fun, with an engine that you donot have to worry about much.
Sooo few YT channels actually getting knee-deep into the most amazing classics ever produced.....You are a true added value to us classic car nutcases.
Cheers
You have it. And thanks for the great comments
Many Abarth owners with unobtainium castings opt for a Fiat engine swap, and warm up the Fiat engine. Then they sell the Abarth engine with the car. Generally the Fiat 850 or 1 litre engine is slightly larger in terms of CCs, so you get some more torque with the Fiat replacement. Both rev nearly the same- over 7000RPM! This way, if a piston goes sideways, you're in it for a few hundred Pounds, not thousands.
@@ThomasMulhall Thx! Never knew about this but it makes perfect sense actually.
@@iain_tyrrell Thank YOU!
In America it’s called “self energizing” drum brakes. Normal drum brakes have a single hydraulic cylinder pressing both shoes outward. Both shoes pivot around a single point, therefore one shoe is leading, and one is trailing. Only the leading shoe is self energizing. For high performance drum brakes, two separate hydraulic cylinders push one shoe each. The shoes do not share a single pivot point. Both are self-energized.
Funnily enough, my old Mini 1000 had drums all 'round with twin-leading shoes up front, and no one's going to accuse it of being "high performance" - LOL That said, I'd hate to have driven it with only one show operating to slow it down at speed - those tiny drums barely do more than suggest the car slow down eventually as it is. (Of course, this meant there were effectively no front brakes when reversing, but you couldn't go all that fast backwards anyway.)
I have a 1968 Porsche 912 Right Hand Drive which I bought when I was 25. I turn 60 this year and still have the car. Looking forward to my retirement to pull it out and use it as much as possible, The 912 has disk brakes all round and no servo. Mine also has a dynamo but the Solex Carbs had to be retired due to a blow back up the carb back in the day and a fire that wrecked the atomizers on one bank. So changed to a set of second hand Twin 40 Webbers off an Alfa Sud. When you have no money, as I didn't back in the day you did what you had to do to keep it running. I still have the Solex carbs in storage. Love these Porsche flat four engines. The car is great to drive and handle on our Lincolnshire Wolds back roads. When I bought the car it had a bent exhaust valve. The exhaust valve at the time to replace was super expensive, Fifty pounds for one. An inlet valve was from memory 9 pounds. Note I was earning about 700 pounds a month and had a mortgage so money was tight! What I was not expecting when I rebuilt the engine was to find out the crank turned out to be steel. German engineering, no wonder they last forever. My mates thought I was nuts when I was 25, they don't think so now. Who knew ?
Lovely story. I wish you fruitful and satisfying hours spent lovingly bring it back to life
@@iain_tyrrell Thank you Iain. The 912 will come back to life. Most parts are available as we know through Porsche or through specialists. My 1972 De Tomaso Pantera, Right Hand Drive will be a tougher task. Given I have to sort the body work out first, which is not my area of capability. I bought it fully stripped back in 1995 and have had it in storage in my centrally heated garage. I put a space frame roll cage in it to keep the body square and had it powder coated before storage. Will address everything when I have the time. Boy is my retirement going to be busy but not boring !
What little gem especially in that colour.This is arguably the best car related youtube channel & featuring a lot of cars that one would commit murder to own! I liked Iain's "turnin & burnin" comment;it reminded me of how American airmen used to describe the giant Boeing B36 bomber of the 50,s.........."six turnin & four burnin"! Thanks Iain.
Thanks to you too!
I'm a fan of all different types of cars and I change my mind as to what is my fav most weeks. However, the 356 is ever present in my mind. Its just stunning.
Yes indeed
Wonderful to you see putting your care and attention into a humble Porsche 4 pot and to see how much fun you had with it. It’s all about smiles per gallons rather than HP with those engines. I’m about to put a slightly up rated version of that engine back in my 912. I think I need to be coming to you for final set up!
Smiles per mile…..exactly
The 4 1/2 Thsd. red line gives it away, this car started life with a 60 hp "Dame" engine the last of which were built as the BT5 model was wound down in 1963 as the factory went on summer holiday. The ensuing C-Type was ever only offered with the 75 and 90 hp engines as you mentioned, which red-lined at 5000 and 5500 RPM respectively. Loved rebuilding my 912 engine in the 1970s with a Japanese big bore kit to 1788 cc! Unboxing was like Christmas!
Thanks for that- very interesting!
The Normal 60 HP continued into the last 1963 T6B. The T5B ended in 1961.
The simplicity and great body lines of the Speedster make it a pleasure to look at - Thank you for taking us along for the rid!e!
Agreed. An absolute pleasure!
Brings all back to when i used to work on these back in the eighties and i miss them terribly ,so much so that i am attending a interview today to go back in time when job satisfaction was just as important as making a shilling or two !
Actually, that was not a kit-car "Kübelwagen", but a factory built car, made by VW and sold as the 181 or the Thing (!). Check out Doug deMuro's testdrive of Volkswagen the Thing for more info!
Thanks for the correction!
Thanks!
Also known as a Trekker in the UK.
Gorgeous car Iain and very informative.
In Italian "Pescaccia", dialing in together both Pesca and Caccia, Fishing and Hunting.
Love peering over your shoulder when you are working. No need for the driving commentary the smile says it all.
Good to hear!
"I'll get my trusty spanners!"
To alter the tune of the carburettors on a 356!
Then once that was complete you say "my trusty hosepipe and screwdriver ..."
But it seemed to be you using your skilled fingers to alter the carbs. Awesome
Good heavens sir you are beyond a legendary classic car repairer.
What is in your head?!
Love your full face smile as you test drive and feel through the car the little changes you made too.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it
I bought a front disc conversion kit for my 65 Mustang. The kit also contained a dual circuit master cylinder, to improve safety, a proportioning valve that reduces brake pressure to the rear brakes and a servo. The proportioning valve is important to stop the rear wheels locking before the front on heavy braking. This said I had a devil of a job stopping the rear brakes locking before the front and in the end I had to have the rear brake cylinder piston diameter reduced from just under an inch diameter to 5/8 inch diameter. This reduces the force on the brake shoe for a given hydraulic pressure. I think after many months messing around I have got where I want to be with the brakes. Its not always as simple as just bolting a kit onto the car.
Quite the journey. Sounds like your efforts have paid off
What a lovely car. I've always liked them as they are back to basics and a pure driving experience without going to jail for the thrills. Thanks again Iain.
Pleasure. Thanks for that
I loved my 356. I never should have sold that car. They are just wonderful.
My nephew has one of these with a racing history in Australia. beautiful car.
Great!
That tip about the 355 Ferrari carb linkage is going to be so useful someday. I can just feel it
Not a huge Porsche fan but I have to admit the Speedster styling is undeniably timelessly classic and that motor sure did sound happy! Thanks for taking the time to do these great videos Ian🙂
Thanks for appreciating- comments like yours make it all worthwhile
Superb episode Ian. I'm going to claim pedant of the week award though .. when that vehicle came the opposite direction and you said it was a "Kit car Kubelwagen" ... it wasn't a kit, it was a factory VW Type 181 / 182, sold as "VW Trekker" in the UK and "VW Thing" in the US.
Thanks!
What a sweet little car. Actually one of the most appealing cars that you’ve had on you channel - to me anyway. It ticks just about all of my classic car boxes, particularly with the original engine safely tucked away. You could actually drive that car worry free all summer …
We are in agreement!
I found myself grinning and enjoying your ride with the old Porsche - thanks a lot for sharing this!
Pleasure- thanks for appreciating!
Wow! Flame came out of the left rear choke when 1st starting!
Just amazing to see what a bit of good tuning and of cource good hearing can do to this engine. Wunderbar thank you very much i enjoyed this. What a beautiful car.
Thank you!
Never knew these little 4 cylinders sounded so great!
Quite the little beast
Love the book "A passion for Porsches" by Denis Jenkinson. He describes his love for early 356 Porsches and how he drove them all across Europe in his role as a motoring journalist.
Thanks. Jenks was a legend
In our shop in Canada we referred to the drum brakes as having "self-energizing". The leading shoe is smaller than the trailing shoe and getting these mixed up was a common error for DIY jobs. The effect is terrific for driving feel. The inverse however is that it makes the brakes less effective in reverse. Think of reversing into your garage and inadvertantly slamming into the waste bins at the back of the garage...
Exactly!
You make adjusting twin Solexes look easy! I’m a 912 owner and find them fiddly but sweet once they’re right.
Lovely video, Lovely car...thankyou.
My old 911 had Solex p40 triple choke carbs, bit of a bstard to tune so i could only set them up mechanically the same....wish I'd had Iain's expertise 👍✌️🇬🇧
Ah! What a pleasure Sir! I was WAITING for this continuation episode, with the fever of anticipation of one addicted to this wonderful content!
Great- glad to hear it! Thanks
Wow what a car, i love Porsches! And watching you Iain working on one what a sunday treat 😁
Thanks!
I love this Iain, finetuning a basically simple but original Speedster. What a beautiful plopping of the exhaust! Really nice, thanks for making this video!😍👍
Great- thank you also!
absolutely adore nerdy content! keep it comming, Ian, and thank you!
Great- thank you too!
Spitting flames from the exhaust .. wow. If only 718's sounded this good.
Yes indeed
That sounds so beutiful, great job once again Mr Tyrrell.
Thanks!
What a beautiful car!
I appreciate you taking us along for the drive, Iain.
Hoping your weekend is winding down nicely.
Thanks! Same for you
My VW T2
New 1700cc original German crate engine
With twin carb upgrade
Never sounded this good
Thanks for this story 🙏
Pleasure- thank you
What a beauty. I do agree with your feelings about not having to spend a fortune for something enjoyable. I have his and her toy cars in our steading ,mine a very inexpensive MGTF and hers a Citroen 2CV. Very enjoyable summer motoring on relatively deserted Scottish roads. Love the videos and dream of the exotica. Note to self, win the Lottery!!
Enjoy them, and good luck!
I look forward to your weekly episodes especially when tuning or rebuilding of engines feature, thank you
Thank you too!
@5:22 - Totally agree. My 2001 M5 has good brake modulation. When I get in my 2017 440i, I end up throwing passengers forward the first time I go to slow down to a stop, forgetting how stupidly high the servo amplification is in that car.
That was a Volkswagen 181 on the opposite lane, not a kit car. Developed for the german army in the Sixties, a successful civil car in rough areas, and a great fun multi-purpose beetle, based on the T1 buses. He will love to swap engines wth you, i bet. 😊
Thank you for the great video!
Thanks- duly corrected
VW Thing in the US
14:06 You need to slomo that backfire flash from the inlets!!
Love the Speedster and what wonderful interior design you have in the workshop Iain, ever changing exotic beauties to work on and wander around, very high maintenance beauties I might add.
That's a very nice example of the 356 in beautiful condition. Thank you for the tutorial on setting the carbs, aside from the complaints about the 5 screws holding the air cleaner/s on. May be why German machines stay well put together for a long time.
They weren’t complaints
It was more a comment about superior German build quality …or more likely inferior British build quality
Thank you, My Tyrrell....thank you so much for an absolutely wonderful Porsche Speedster experience! gah (Australia)
Thank you Gah!
Man, I can smell that car at idle all the way from the other side of the pond in Canada, ha. Reminds me of helping a friend tune his 1600 VW bug hot rod back in the day.
Great to hear!
Fabulous stuff.
Interesting what you say about drum brakes. Back in the 70's I was running a '66 850 mini. We transplanted a 1340 into it eventually and the brakes just weren't up to it! A friend had a 998 Cooper which i occasionally drove and the little discs on that were awful, so that was no answer.
So down the local happy hunting ground, ie the local scrapyard to seek out a sevo. After a bit of hunting, I found a remote Lockheed servo off a Hillman Hunter estate. Well, after fitting that the brakes were fantastic, though it woire standard linings out in about a month. Fitted some Ferodo VG95 shoes all round and that car braked better than a Cooper S!
Keep the fasinating content coming.
Those were the days….. and thank you!
Ian,
@23:20 it's a VW Trekker or here in the USA was a VW Thing, in Mexico it was a VW Safari; not a kit car. The next time you're in Texas feel free to stop by and have a drive.
Thank you- quite the surprise to me that one
Great piece, plus a few TTTs (Tyrrell Top Tips) and especially the TTTTs (Tyrrell Top Tuning Tips).
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well TTTTThank you!!!!!
Porsche Speedster ,must be perfect driving ...........best transported by Iain.
that is more than 100hp, sounds like 130+ the way it pulls up top. lovely!
That is one nice finale of the Porsche 356 video series!
Also, I really enjoyed watching you tune the engine and take the car for a drive, sir.^^
Thanks very much- glad you enjoyed it
@@iain_tyrrell You're welcome and I'm definitely looking forward to the next video/series.^^
The Kubelwagen kit car was a VW Type 181 or Trekker here in the UK and was originally for military use but was made for civilian use.
Thanks for the video. 👍🏼
Thank you for the information!
What an absolute mechanical genius 👏👏👍👍
What a great example of form following function! One suggestion I have is you wash out the carb mesh covers to improve air flow and remove any debris or dust. It can build up on the outside. They did look a tad oily. When you’re using the pipe ( which i noticed is fuel rated!) on the carb bodies, presumably your listening to air flow only and comparing each four so they are even and reducing or increasing airflow if not. Is that right as Im going to do mine in a few weeks too. Thanks
What a fun profession you have!
the guts it takes to wear a Rolex when you do mechanic's work. You're a pro's pro!
Worn it every day for 36 years
If that's his 'beater' what does he wear when he's out for a night?
Thank you so much Mr. Tyrell. Always never a disappointment.
Thank you too!
great video and lovely to see a real one. Totally different subject, as a watch nerd would love to hear the story behind your Sub and it's current state - it must wear a few dents and scuffs from some amazing cars!
Thanks. Yes, the watch has been with me a long time. I will get round to doing a vid on it some time……. Oops, pun alert!!
I have always learned something from just about every video you have presented
Thank you!
That throttle linkage and ball joints looks identical to Mercedes up through the 80s
I always popped them with an 11 mm spanner and put a drop or two of ATF inside
Thanks again for the nice video and I've often wondered while your "garden hose method" looks so simple tuning the Weber carburetors I wonder how long it took to master the proper sounds?
As far as your remark about fun cars versus value I had a first generation Toyota MR 2 for 27 years. Always thought it would achieve a collector status but it was worth next to nothing when I finally sold it.
I always felt like it was a "Japanese Lotus" and I've heard conflicting things about its engineering origin. Toyota did own part of Lotus at the time but that car never failed to put a smile on my face. it was like driving a big go kart.
And I always remember a quote Peter Egan made years ago in Road and track magazine
"It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow".
I think I could have fun all day in that little speedster on the roads but driving an F 40 on public roads would be a bit frustrating like trying to ride a thoroughbred that wants to go and you have to keep pulling in the reins.
Yes- agreed on all fronts! Thanks for your comments
Delightful! The recreation cars are a wonderful way for "Everyman" to gain access to a similar experience. Kudos to Porsche for not being the Troll that Ferrari is regarding such practices.
I expect that you have had feedback, I cant read it all, but the VW you saw was not a kit car but a light military vehicle produced post war which became known as a VW Thing. Not sure if the German military adopted it but it was soon on the civilian market, especially the US. Keep up the great videos!
Thanks- now learned that!
Thank you, so much, for your "nerdy" and "geeky" explanations of things from vacuum boosted brakes to tangential tips on the fuel injection linkage on a Ferrari 355. They only seem "nerdy" or "geeky" to people who have no interest in automotive things and those people never visit this channel! 🙂
Thank you too!
Thankful that Mr. Tyrrell remembered to wear a belt during this presentation :)
No belts fitted- not required on a car of this age
Here in the UK seatbelts are a legal requirement in cars built from 1965 onwards. Hence this car built in the 1950s does not need to have them fitted, although some classic car owners do choose to fit seatbelts to old cars - if they frequently carry passengers or children for example.
Iain should and sell the trusty hose pipe, great gift idea for a petrol head.
What a great job your workshop does restoring all the great cars that come into your business, a great video.👍👍,
Thank you!
Appreciate those tuning skills. Thanks for sharing them 😊
Thank you
Thanks. The 356 was quite a shock to US club racers, I've been told. Nothing could touch it, everyone bought one. Àll the best
Love those 356’s❤️ I see a couple here in Miami, Fl. Thanks for another great video.
Glad you like it. Thanks for watching.
A friend has a 356 SC convertible. Very nice.
Thank you Ian ! I love the way you break things down and explained in clear terms. Quick question , flame coming out of the exhaust while you were reeving it up in the garage. Does it mean the timing is too advanced maybe ? regards, Pierre
Thanks Pierre,
Unburnt fuel in the exhaust. Quite normal
I'd say 120mph top speed is a little optimistic, lots of old cars with 4 speed gearboxes and relatively low gearing, and with this car's fairly low redline of 4500rpm, I'd be surprised if it does more than 100mph, but that doesn't matter with these kind of cars, it's how much fun you can have upto 70 ish mph, I'm a big believer that 100bhp/tonne is a key figure, between a car feeling a little dull and sluggish, to one feeling sprightly, fun, not hugely fast, but a car to have lots of smiles, anyway thank you for the great video
Perhaps, and I wasn't going to find out. It is sprightly and definitely lots of fun, so who cares about the top speed?
The early 912 could apparently reach over 115mph on its 90hp 356 derived engine. I'm not sure how the aerodynamics compare.
The motor in this 356 sounded fantastic.
You may well be right. Your maxim is a good one!
A car with a 4,500 rpm redline and a 4 speed gearbox, to do a top speed of 117 mph it would have to have gearing of 26mph per 1,000rpm, which in this age an type of car is extraordinarily high, something I'd doubt, I'd say the gearing would more likely be 20 - 22mph per 1,000 rpm giving a top speed of between 90mph and 99mph at 4,500rpm, that's providing it actually revs to it's redline in top gear, some cars don't, and even if the gearing is as high as 25mph per 1,000 rpm that equates to 112 - 113mph
"it depends"... that tach is for the (original?) 1600N engine (60 DIN hp). the 1600S of the period (75hp) redlines @ 5200. a well-tuned one can hit 110 mph... if good-as-new & "all day long". the last evo of the "616" series 1600 engine for the C model in "normal" tune yields about like the A's 1600S in rev limit, hp & top speed. there was also a S90 (guess the hp) engine. the final hi-power flavor of the standard production 356 line is in the 356SC : 95DIN (107 SAE) w/ 5800rpm limit & good for 115+mph. (my '65 touches 120 on occasion... god knows what the engine size really is... only had it for 20 yrs & haven't opened it up, but it's at least partly a 912 flavored version of the 1600). beyond all that, there were some & now even more crafted 616s : 1720 to 2100cc. 356s were hot-rodded extensively in-period & more so today too. {356 gurus; fire away! & I've not considered the 4 cams (130hp / 125mph via the 587 engine) 'cause only Iain's most exclusive clientele can afford 'em.}
great series, great sounds - thx!
fantastic as always
Thank you. Looks like a lot of fun.
Thank you too!