I own a 63 S90 Coupe and would like to buy a good user friendly maintaince manual for it. Most that I have seen cover the engines well but devote little to the general service or the car.

I need to remove the door panel to service the window winders and locks but haven't been able to find any information as to how to remove the handles to gain access. Simple tasks can become frustrating without the proper information!

What do you folks recommned? Are the factory reprints worth the price? I have found the factory manuals for my 928 to be difficult to use, hoping that the 356 version is user friendly. Clymer, Drake,???

 

I don't have it yet but I think the Elfrink manual is supposed to be a good all around reference.

I do have the Factory Workshop and Parts manuals, and they are helpful especially for diagrams, and maybe for things like door hardware as opposed to routine maintenance. (Buy a reprint of the workshop manual from Charlie White (see link of 356 Registry website); the parts manual can now be downloaded free from the Porsche website.)

The two 356 Registry technical manuals, which are compilations of articles from the Registry magazine, also contain LOTS of very practical and useful advice. In addition, there is a growing list of technical information on the Registry website.

 

I'm at work now but I have 4 or 5. One in particular is a compilation of articles I think that were originally published in the 356 registry. It has everything you could ever wish to know or do with your car. I'll give you the name when I get home.

 

I'll second, as always, Jim's advice and I'd add the Stoddard parts catalog...it's also a good reference...I also love Jim Schrager's book "Buying, Driving and Enjoying the Porsche 356"...not a maintenance manual but full of precious tips and advice...

PS. If you want the Elfrink manual, get the original one from the 60s (you can find on eBay) as the reprint is terrible and the pictures are impossible to see/understand.

Take care...

 

And if you are a complete mechanical idiot like me, get a copy of John Muir's "How to keep your VW aliver for forever". Between that and Ken Ball's "Porsche 356 A B C" I've been able to do my maintainence, change my TO bearing/clutch/etc. and change a dead alternator^Wgenerator. One other reference you'll want eventually is Joe Leoni's electrical diagrams. And don't forget the PETs at PDFs - they've been posted to rennlist a few times.

 

Steve is right in regard to Joe Leoni's electric schematics...it did save me two times...and you can also count on Joe's advice through the 356Talk list!!!

Check his web site...his relays work like magic too...

http://www.356electrics.com/

 

Technical and Restoration Guide. Over 400 pages. It was put together by the 356 Registry. You may be able to go to their site and order one. My was printed in 1994.

 

+1

 

Factory manuals are hard to beat....

 

These are all good suggestions. There is no one "best" manual. Some, like Steve's suggestion of the John Muir book, are very basic and assume you know nothing (these are good for me). Some assume you've already pulled a few engines and rebuilt a transmission or two, but need some specific 356 info. I like Elfrink's, and the factory manuals. (The reprints are good, but the pictures aren't) Leoni's book is great, and the Muir book is wonderful for basics. Start your collection. If I could only have two it would be the Muir and the Elfrink.
Tom
'59 Convertible D
'64 SC Coupe
'97 C4s

 

As Pedro said, Jim Schrager's book "Buying, Driving and Enjoying the Porsche 356" has been very helpful to me being a relative 356 newbie. Very basic and usefull knowledge. For instance, I did not know that you should never start a cold car and turn it off immediately, you should warm it up before turning off to avoid fouling a plug??? Wow, nice to know! Anyway, his writing is very good and down to earth. I got mine online at Books a Million for $19.

 

Factory manuals are not the best. As an example, replaced a restored gas tank in my C coupe last month. The manual from the factory basically stated (paraphrase) Step 1, Remove tank.
On replacing the tank the instructions say, Step 1, the reverse of Step 1 removal. My point? The factory manuals are written for not you average DIY Sunday mechanic (which I pride myself at being) the tank came out in about 30 minutes... 5 hour reinstall. Mike

 

I just got a 1968 edition of Elfrink's Porsche Technical Manual. It has lots of very detailed diagrams - and I can see how later reproductions would not print these diagrams well if just copied. Out of curiousity given Michael's post, I looked up the Fuel Tank removal procedure - its short, sweet and helpful; "The front-mounted fuel tank is held in place by two metal straps. To remove the tank, proceed as follows: shut fuel ****, disconnect flexible fuel line, remove fuel **** linkage cotter pin, remove bleeder line, fur guage lead. Loosen straps and remove tank."

 

You need the Factory Workshop Manuals + the Factory Parts books + Upfixin der Porsche from PCA - especially "Upfixin" - it is amazing what those guys talk about in the first four or five volumes
Katalog