I don't have a lot of new pictures right now but the engine is at the machine shop and parts are being ordered. The machine shop we're using is Kelly's Block Welding in Culver City. They were recommended to me by John Benton, a top 356/912 engine builder here in Southern CA. Oddly enough, I used them for my last engine rebuild which was a diesel truck. They did the heads and I was extremely pleased with the work but did not know that they were big in air-cooled stuff. Turns out that they are.
The P/Cs in the motor were old NPR "big bores" which are 86mm. (Dave B.--you called that right).
They basically stopped selling them ~20 years ago so that gives an idea of when this was last rebuilt. They are serviceable pistons, (crap/heavy/cast), but good iron jugs. The jugs are not worn and are totally re-usable. We are buying new forged 86mm pistons from Shasta Engineering, a company started many years ago by famous 356 racer/guru/engine builder Duanne Spencer. He wrote "The 356 Performance Handbook", a staple of any 356 library. When he was in SoCal years ago, Kelly's was the shop that did all of his motors. He's up in Northern California now.
The crank has been turned but is in good shape, just needed polishing. Measures-out fine. The cam in the motor is an old "Racer Brown" grind from the '60s. It was never a great choice even back then, according to Benton and Spencer. It will be schit-canned for either a new SC cam or a very similar grind. Still sorting that one as we speak. The last guy who put this engine together was a strange bird. He used Loctite on rod bolts, case bolts, the flywheel gland nut, you name it. He put in a cam that is not well-matched to the stock Zenith carbs which are still present.
The heads were replaced sometime recently and they are 912 heads in perfect condition. Yay!
These are the best ones to have with their bigger valves and factory 30deg. combustion chambers. The bottom line is that with Duanne's excellent forged pistons and the SC cam, this motor will sing! I'm a pretty good chef once I have the recipe and I have the best guys in the world looking over my shoulders. John Benton says that the new combo of parts will make this engine "butter". Duanne's Shasta forged pistons are
2 ounces lighter per piston than the crap NPRs and one hell of a lot stronger! Not to mention balanced. I want to have the flywheel lightened to ~14 lbs. which is what the Super 90 was from factory. This finished motor will produce about 90+hp.
The transaxle is coming out and going to Dave B. @ TRE Motorsports for a once-over this week if I can ever get the axle nuts off. I think that the same guy who did the engine last used a 10-foot breaker bar and a whole tube of Loctite on them. Might have to load the car on a trailer or flatbed and take it up the street to a shop with a stronger Impact/compressor. Aaarghh....
Anywhoo, pictures: