TITLE Complete Porsche 912 Guide ed 3
AUTHOR SPENCER
ENGLISH
ISBN 10 No ISBN 10
ISBN 13 9780979904806
OUT OF PRINT -- NO LONGER AVAILABLE @ BLOCKS BOOKS
Rather than just reissuing the late Duane Spencer’s Complete 912 Guide Gordon Maltby has reorganized the book. There is a new spotter’s guide. The most important chapter: More Power is minimally updated -- SCAT cranks cost more and for some reason the LN Engineering connecting rods have been dropped and the joining of NLA into SIC has not been acknowledged. All in all not much change, but the price has not been increased. Unfortunately, the addition of text page references to captions are no longer correct.
TITLE Complete Porsche 912 Guide ed 2
AUTHOR SPENCER
ENGLISH
ISBN 10 096317262X
ISBN 13 9780979904806
OUT OF PRINT -- NO LONGER AVAILABLE @ BLOCKS BOOKS
FROM MY REVIEW IN THE 356 REGISTRY OF THE 2nd EDITION:
Duane Spencer has reissued his Complete Porsche 912 Guide. The book itself is important for two reasons: many 912 owners seem to flock with 356 owners (912s are not just for parting anymore) and the 912 motor is the basis for the high performance 356 – for the most horsepower start with the last and strongest case. Given our rampant inflation (no matter what the government says about core rate) a bump of $5.00, from $24.95 to $29.95 is nominal. Especially impressive is the fact that RPM Publishing (Gordon Maltby) has managed to not only print the book in the US but the pictures are superbly reproduced.
Duane has addressed all of the significant issues since the initial publication date of 2002; including LN Engineering’s Nickie cylinders/JE pistons and rods as well as Duane’s Shasta new steel Durabar cylinders. Also mentioned are the new Benton Engineering distributors, both single and twin plug – which looks suspiciously like the one on the Willhoit twin plug motors. I say mentioned because this is an area I would have appreciated a little more depth. Duane does touch on the Zinc/phosphorus issues in modern oils.
Almost nothing in the book has been rewritten – this creates some problems as Duane refers to Brazilian cranks available at Performance Products for $849 and factory cranks for $1850. Performance Products still has them but they are now $1200. The factory cranks are no longer available. Similarly, Ron LaDow’s oil pump cover with integral full flow oil filter is no longer still in testing stages. I am puzzled by the repeated caption to the picture of the Norris valve retainer, where it is claimed that the aluminum valve retainer is considerably lighter than the titanium.
There was no need to rewrite the book and I am delighted that Duane gave us updates with a minimal increase in price. Of 167 pages, over 100 pages are devoted to the motor, brakes, tires and wheels – all of which are directly applicable to 356 upgrades.
TITLE Complete Porsche 912 Guide, ed 1
AUTHOR SPENCER
ENGLISH
1st Edition
ISBN 10 0963972654
ISBN 13 9780963172655
OUT OF PRINT -- NOT AVAILABLE @ BLOCKS BOOKS
From my reviews in the 356 Registry:
After Duane Spencer’s PORSCHE 356 PERFORMANCE HANDBOOK, I wondered exactly what he could say about the 912. I had anticipated a modestly changed engine section and a chapter or so on suspension and transmission. You need to understand that I consider the 912’s major function to be a donor: a motor for my 356C cabriolet to save wearing out my original C motor and various removable parts for my ’66 911.
THE COMPLETE PORSCHE 912 GUIDE is organized identically the 356 Performance Handbook, with a chapter on the history and evolution of the car; immediately followed by More Power from the 912, which is a combination chapter on the motor and parts that may be used to update it. Some of the photographs, graphs and occasional paragraphs are identical to those in 356 Performance, but there is substantive new information – enough to make the motor section of the book useful to 356 owners who have already purchased 356 Performance. And the book is absolutely up to date; Ron LaDow’s full flow oil filter cum self-contained oil pump cover is pictured as well as the not new, but delectable aluminum oil coolers from NLA, and an in depth discussion of the lower priced big bore kits.
The next chapter, High Performance Engine Assembly, includes new information on proper assembly of the 616 motor – information not in 356 Performance. Obviously this is not a workshop manual, but it does provide various suggestions and errors to avoid. I think that when rebuilding a 616 motor, one would be very wise to use Harry Pellow’s Secrets of the Inner Circle with reference to 912 Porsche with each operation. Incidentally, Secrets of the Inner Circle is probably unavailable in paper by the time you read this. However, Harry does have a CD version. I can think of no mechanical part you can place (replace) on a 616 motor that he has not covered. Again, the motor section isn’t just a repeat of that in 356 Performance but warrants purchase on its own.
At chapter 4, we are about half way through the book. And chapter 8, General Maintenance & Troubleshooting, is applicable to the 356 and is not found in 356 Performance. So figure for half the price of a remarkably inexpensive book, you are getting much expanded information on the 616 motor that is applicable to the 356. Further, if you have an early 912 or 911, the remainder of the book is about the only place you will find information on performance enhancements. Even Bruce Anderson, in his superb Porsche 911 Performance Guide, concentrates on later cars.
Every book that our editor, Gordon Maltby, brings out has better black and white photographs than the previous one. Complete 912 is not just better than 356 Performance, but is actually superb. There are a few inconsequential (except to me) historical errors. In describing the evolution of the 911/912 it is claimed that the prototype used a McPherson strut suspension and recirculating-ball steering system from a Mercedes-Benz. I am unaware that Mercedes has ever used a McPherson strut suspension, while surely all are aware of Porsche type 522 of 1952 or the 675 of 1959, which were designs for VW including a strut front suspension. I don’t think the Swepco 203 for your Porsche transmission exists, unless it’s just better than the Swepco 201 I use. Proof reading is somewhere between extraordinarily difficult and impossible. I consider myself a good proof reader, but Al Zim recently zinged me on a book on which I helped.
Duane has almost convinced me that a 912 is a real Porsche. But I still remember when my ex-soon-wife-to-be wanted to buy a Porsche, I suggested that the RS 60 Bill Randle had for sale would be perfect, and she bought a 912 – something about a top, windows and a heater for a daily driver.
return to 356 books
TITLE Porsche 356 Performance Guide
AUTHOR Spencer, Duane
ENGLISH
Second Edition
ISBN 10 0963172646
ISBN 13 9780963172648
OUT OF PRINT --
NO LONGER AVAILABLE @ BLOCKS BOOKS
FROM MY REVIEWS IN THE 356 REGISTRY
Following the recent second edition of his Complete Guide to the Porsche 912, Duane Spencer has brought out the second edition to his Porsche 356 Performance Guide – actually the third edition if counting the initial Porsche 356 Performance Handbook. Duane states that the change from handbook to guide reflects the de-emphasis of vintage racing and more emphasis on street modifications. However the chapters on “Safety, bodywork and Driver Qualifications” and “Vintage Racing” remain absolutely unchanged, other than substituting the photograph of Vic Skirmants in his Speedster with a shot of several 356s approaching the bridge at Road America – the only car I definitely recognize is Dave Burton’s coupe – with an unchanged caption. The last chapter “Epilogue: A Restoration Story: A Tale of Two Porsche” is gone, shortening the new edition by seven pages (unusual in a new edition). As you might expect, given the starting point, of improving the performance of an at least 40-year-old car, the book is essentially unchanged. New, and this is important enough to justify buying the new edition, is revision of Chapter 2 Performance Engine Components – although you need get about 10 pages in. Finally, we get to a new and extensive treatise on full flow/external oil coolers. Duane is a firm proponent of taking the bypass filter out of the oil circulation, claiming the motor funs cooler. I should have thought that even with the radian heat from the filter entering into the engine compartment, the motor would run cooler and more importantly, the bypass filter can filter more finely than a full flow filter. New is the addition of aluminum oil coolers. The crankshaft and connecting rod discussions are tightened. Peculiarly, the Magnum 356 rod extensively described in the previous edition seems to have disappeared. Revised and expanded is the list of camshafts, including their duration and lift. Unchanged, but key, is the discussion of degrees versus use and car weight. Expanded and most changed of all is the section on pistons and cylinders. Although Duane developed and sells his forged Shasta pistons, understandably and correctly considers them the best, he gives a very even handed review of the less costly cast – particularly the new hyper-eutectic – pistons. New are the considerations of the NL Engineering Nikasil and Shasta Durabar cylinders. Unfortunately the tire section is unchanged and out of date; not only is my much loved Yokahoma A-008 tire gone, but it is hard to even find high performance tires in the sizes recommended. Updating here is critical.
For a list price of $29.95 you get a book covering the basics of the 356 and how to improve it. For the nominal $5.00 over the previous edition, you get 7 fewer written pages, slightly but definitely improved reproduction (Gordon Maltby with both RPM publishing and the 356 Registry just keeps getting better) and up to date parts information. One quibble is that the cover is identical among the three editions. This makes it difficult for a prospective purchaser to believe the edition is a new one. Incidentally, as I was writing this, someone on 356TALK noted the new edition was now available but he could get the original for $90.00! Amazingly, he wondered which to get. Get the new edition – it is a standard.
TITLE Porsche 356 Performance Guide (1st Edition)
AUTHOR Spencer
ENGLISH
First Edition
ISBN 10 0963172646
ISBN 13 9780963172648
OUT OF PRINT -
NO LONGER AVAILABLE @ BLOCKS BOOKS
FROM MY REVIEW OF THE 1st EDITION IN THE 356 REGISTRY
Once we had Craig Richter’s How to Make an Old Porsche Fly and Duane Spencer’s Porsche 356 Performance Handbook. But for the last couple of years neither has been available. While 356 Performance Handbook evolved from an initial plan to write a preparation book for vintage racing, Porsche 356 Performance Guide represents a new paradigm and is a substantially new book. The Guide is more attuned to street modifications. Duane considers the current one or two weekend,180 hp torqueless wonders not to be in the spirit of vintage racing, and that it would be good for vintage racing in the long run to ban special gasoline and limit Solex venturies to 32 mm,
I think it is more informative to review the Guide chapter by chapter, which will illustrate to those of you with Duane’s pervious book how extensively rewritten the Spencer’s Porsche 356 Performance Handbook is.
Chapter 1 356 Performance History, an examination of the relative performance strengths of the various models (old but light vs. late, strong & powerful). Improvements in each new generation of motor are listed. For serious horsepower, you need a minimum of the big oil pump and the shuffle pins introduced with the ’62 S-90 and the later .62” (larger) oil pick-up tube – but that can be added – and of course the ‘C reinforcements are desirable. Unlike many other books the photographs are excellent and really illustrate the differences.
Some observations were very interesting: Porsche aluminum cases seldom need line boring and they hardly ever need helicoils and a full set is a waste of money.
“A full-flow oil system will do more to keep your engine healthy then will any other thing available for street use or competition.”
Chapter 2, Performance Engine Components list what may be done, including ceramic coatings and Molybdenum-disulfide on the skirts. Guide is the only book listing with Solex 40Pii serial numbers and their changes.
Chapter 3, Street Performance Upgrades (Recommended performance improvements for 356A, B and C engines) are keyed to the starting motor. An example are the recommendations for a 356A motor: rev limits <5500 & lower the better for early A; use 616 rods not 502 rods and steel cam not iron cam followers; steel push rods; big bore (SHASTA by preference naturally, but others are discussed), which require 30 degree head modification; late valve springs; Zeniths with 28mm venturies; 28 blade fan; alloy rocker stand. In that I am going to rebuild my ’59 normal, I found this to extremely useful information.
Chapter 3, High Performance Engine Assembly is not a substitution for a shop manual but lists specific steps for optimizing and parts substitutions
Chapter 4, Converting a 912 Engine to a 356 Car -- Duane points out that Harry Pellow has a section in his book on converting a 912 motor, but that Harry assumes that you will have a mortally wounded 356 motor. This is no longer necessarily true, particularly if you are building race engines. I was astounded at the possible cost of $4000, if your were to start with a 912 motor and buy all the pieces and have someone else do it.
Chapter 5, Converting a 6 v to 12 is fairly straightforward, but again the cost is amazing. Who would have thought that narrow diameter 912 generators would be so hard to find?
Chapter 6, Gearbox and Ratios is an extremely useful chapter, not the least because it is the one single place where you can find all of the transmissions and their gear sets. Speedster gears (BBAB) are ideal for a “built” street motor, but significantly different gearing is needed for competition. Cogently explained is the theory, with formulae, for gearing a give track.
Chapter 7, How to Make Your 356 Handle covers tires and wheels, including legality considerations for the various vintage clubs, and brakes, including twin master cylinders. In his previous Performance Handbook, Duane was enthusiastic about the promise of Ray Litz’s upcoming graphite push rods, but they didn’t work out. Now Duane is enthusiastic about the German front disc brake conversion but has no direct experience with them. One can’t help but wonder if these will pan out. Chassis trueness and suspension optimization, including camber compensators, H&H and Vic’s Z-bars are there, along with the explanation that there is no way to set a 356 up for high and slow speeds.
Porsche 356 Performance Guide ends with chapter 8 on Vintage racing and chapter 9 Buying a 356. Not being a vintage racer I have no idea if chapter 8 is helpful, but it does cover safety equipment and the sanctioning bodies. Jim Schrager’s Buying, Driving and Enjoying the Porsche 356 is still far and away the best book to use when buying a used 356.
Porsche 356 Performance Guide is a necessary book for any 356 enthusiast and does an excellent job of providing the basis for performance modifications, ranging from rebuilding a motor with the current good stuff to a vintage racer.
TITLE Porsche 356 Performance Handbook
AUTHOR Spencer
ENGLISH
ISBN 10 0879384174
ISBN 13 9780879384173
OUT OF PRINT --
NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE @ BLOCKS BOOKS
FROM MY REVIEWS IN THE 356 REGISTRY:
In spite of it's being about 911s I have in the past recommended Bruce Anderson's PORSCHE 911 PERFORMANCE HANDBOOK just because it was such a spectacularly good book about Porsches,
albeit not 356s. As part of the same series Duane Spencer has just finished the PORSCHE 356 PERFORMANCE HANDBOOK. The writing isn't as smooth as Bruce's and the history isn't both pithy
and useful but in about 160 pages every aspect of a 356 engine is covered. The pictures are uniformly excellent -- details are actually illustrated. In that points are not illustrated by parables with only tangential application, the book is reasonably compact. Yet it is extremely complete. Appropriate mention is made of specific companies or persons. After stating that for the most part S-90 and C/SC heads don't need modification, Vic Skirmants is mentioned as the one to whom to send yours for an ultimate engine. Where else are you going to know about Shasta pistons or carbon fiber push rods? As with Bruce Anderson's book there is a stratification of mild and hot street proceeding into the various vintage car classes. There are even chapters on buying a 356 and not just from the point of buying an old car but
from the point of view of going vintage racing.
Once we had Craig Richter’s How to Make an Old Porsche Fly and Duane Spencer’s Porsche 356 Performance Handbook. But for the last couple of years neither has been available. While 356 Performance Handbook evolved from an initial plan to write a preparation book for vintage racing, Porsche 356 Performance Guide represents a new paradigm and is a substantially new book. The Guide is more attuned to street modifications. Duane considers the current one or two weekend, 180hp torqueless wonders not to be in the spirit of vintage racing, and that it would be good for vintage racing in the long run to ban special gasoline and limit Solex venturies to 32mm,
I think it is more informative to review the Guide chapter by chapter, which will illustrate to those of you with Duane’s pervious book how extensively rewritten the Spencer’s Porsche 356 Performance Handbook is.
Chapter 1 356 Performance History, an examination of the relative performance strengths of the various models (old but light vs. late, strong & powerful). Improvements in each new generation of motor are listed. For serious horsepower, you need a minimum of the big oil pump and the shuffle pins introduced with the ’62 S-90 and the later .62” (larger) oil pick-up tube – but that can be added – and of course the ‘C reinforcements are desirable. Unlike many other books the photographs are excellent and really illustrate the differences.
Some observations were very interesting: Porsche aluminum cases seldom need line boring and they hardly ever need helicoils and a full set is a waste of money. “A full-flow oil system will do more to keep your engine healthy then will any other thing available for street use or competition.”
Chapter 2, Performance Engine Components list what may be done, including ceramic coatings and Molybdenum-disulfide on the skirts. Guide is the only book listing with Solex 40Pii serial numbers and their changes.
Chapter 3, Street Performance Upgrades (Recommended performance improvements for 356A, B and C engines) are keyed to the starting motor. An example are the recommendations for a 356A motor: rev limits <5500 & lower the better for early A; use 616 rods not 502 rods and steel cam not iron cam followers; steel push rods; big bore (SHASTA by preference naturally, but others are discussed), which require 30 degree head modification; late valve springs; Zeniths with 28mm venturies; 28 blade fan; alloy rocker stand. In that I am going to rebuild my ’59 normal, I found this to extremely useful information.
Chapter 3, High Performance Engine Assembly is not a substitution for a shop manual but lists specific steps for optimizing and parts substitutions
Chapter 4, Converting a 912 Engine to a 356 Car -- Duane points out that Harry Pellow has a section in his book on converting a 912 motor, but that Harry assumes that you will have a mortally wounded 356 motor. This is no longer necessarily true, particularly if you are building race engines. I was astounded at the possible cost of $4000, if your were to start with a 912 motor and buy all the pieces and have someone else do it.
Chapter 5, Converting a 6 v to 12 is fairly straightforward, but again the cost is amazing. Who would have thought that narrow diameter 912 generators would be so hard to find?
Chapter 6, Gearbox and Ratios is an extremely useful chapter, not the least because it is the one single place where you can find all of the transmissions and their gear sets. Speedster gears (BBAB) are ideal for a “built” street motor, but significantly different gearing is needed for competition. Cogently explained is the theory, with formulae, for gearing a give track.
Chapter 7, How to Make Your 356 Handle covers tires and wheels, including legality considerations for the various vintage clubs, and brakes, including twin master cylinders. In his previous Performance Handbook, Duane was enthusiastic about the promise of Ray Litz’s upcoming graphite push rods, but they didn’t work out. Now Duane is enthusiastic about the German front disc brake conversion but has no direct experience with them. One can’t help but wonder if these will pan out. Chassis trueness and suspension optimization, including camber compensators, H&H and Vic’s Z-bars are there, along with the explanation that there is no way to set a 356 up for high and slow speeds.
Porsche 356 Performance Guide ends with chapter 8 on Vintage racing and chapter 9 Buying a 356. Not being a vintage racer I have no idea if chapter 8 is helpful, but it does cover safety equipment and the sanctioning bodies. Jim Schrager’s Buying, Driving and Enjoying the Porsche 356 is still far and away the best book to use when buying a used 356.
Porsche 356 Performance Guide is a necessary book for any 356 enthusiast and does an excellent job of providing the basis for performance modifications, ranging from rebuilding a motor with the current good stuff to a vintage racer.