356Talk

[Chris Cushing]

Hey, I'm a new 356er with a 1960 356 B that was formerly my grandmother's car. I'm at the lower end of the spectrum for 356 people(I can imagine the 20 and under club is rather small here!) so I really have a lot of learning to do before I undertake this project.

Like I said before the car is a 1960 356 B. The car was stored in a small barn partially exposed to the elements from about 1977 till 2005 when it was moved to a slightly better storage situation with my uncle in Connecticut.

Given the storage situation the car for sure needs floors, an engine rebuild, and everything needs to be sandblasted. There is very little rust through on the body other than the floors, and only one major dent just ahead of the passenger side door.

Here are some pictures to give you an idea of how the car looks, the pictures are from 2007, but not much has changed since then:

Yours truly trying to look cool with the car


Stripped, as it has been for several years now

The engine coming out. It can be cranked by hand but not started or turned over.

A small idea of the poor state of the floors

One Chris-power!

For all its issues the panel gaps on this car are still tighter and more consistent than those on my 1998 VW. So time for a few questions:

1. Where is the best place to get floor pans?
2. Brakes: Upgrade to discs or are the drums adequate for normal driving, and some more aggressive driving? If not, what is the most cost effective/performace effective option for an upgrade?
3. HELP. I need to know where to start!!!

edited to correct for family-folklore inaccuracies!
_________________
They tell me I should write a book.

[Alex Mestas]

Chris:
First; Congratulations on a great looking project. Welcome to the 356 Talk forum. Don’t be overwhelmed, some of us have been playing with these wonderful cars for 30 years +

You’ll find the forum to be a great resource like no other and with so many great ideas and troubleshooting hints. Where do you start? I would first join the 356 Registry if you have not already done so. Then I would start reading as much resource material as you can get our hands on. A great point to start is by clicking on to: http://www.356registry.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=166&sid=172f9f7c3751fd6586adc7ad11c876a0
Good luck and keep us informed on your progress. It not only motivates others, you’ll be surprised at the help you will get from our fellow 356 enthusiast.
_________________
Alex D. Mestas
Registry Member #15018
356 Club of So.CA member
1963 356 B T-6 S Coupe.

[Ron LaDow]

Chris,

"Hey, I'm a new 356er with a 1962 356 B that is formerly my
grandmother's car. I'm at the lower end of the spectrum for 356
people(I can imagine the 20 and under club is rather small here!)
so I really have a lot of learning to do before I undertake this
project."

Welcome! Two drink mini... ooops...
Seriously, first, don't toss anything in the trash. I mean *anything*; parts are not available as they were when most of us tossed about half what we took off.
Regarding brakes, 356 drums are huge for the car weight. But more importantly, I think you'll have a better idea of what you want to do if you put it back together as it 'was' and find out what 356s of that vintage are supposed to drive like. Then you can pick and choose 'improvements' as you please.
There'll be plenty more comments; the car looks to be in very good shape. Good luck.
Thanks,
Ron LaDow

Post generated using Mail2Forum via email.

[Christian Guthrie]

Hi Chris-
Welcome to the club. If you are on the East Coast, The Hershey Swap meet is this Saturday in Hershey, PA (See the events section). This would be the best place to start. You'll get to meet some of the vendors first hand and also get an idea of prices on various items. This may help your decision on which way to go and provide some motivation for the project. I live in NJ and have restored my 63 B Coupe on my own. If you have any questions, feel free to drop me an e-mail.
Christian
_________________
I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day- Frank Sinatra

[roy mawbey]

Chris,

It looks like you have the basis for a nice car there. How nice for a grandson to appreciate what he has received from his grandmother. I was left a small amount of money from mine which with some I saved, helped me buy my "A" 40 years ago. I still have it and very often think of my grandparents for without that "help," I would not have had all this enjoyment!

So, just one point, you mention sandblasting. Please don't get some guy round to blast the bodywork you will not be a happy afterwards!! Sandblasting might be okay for heavy lumps of steel but not anything fragile or thin. ( Bead blasting is a better proposition for some parts but bodywork do it by hand you have the time years and years!!! hopefully!!

Best of luck and keep us informed.( do each job correctly the first time around even if its taking you a long time to do it.)

Roy ( from across the pond )

RHD356Asuper75 1069554
_________________
ROY ALAN MAWBEY

[kurt hoelter]

chris, ola, looks like you are well on your way to a lifetime of agony and ecstasy. the registry magazine and vendors listed previously will cover most of the commonly needed items for your rebuild. might suggest you invest in a good set of metric tools and taps. these buggies can only be bodged up by well meaning wrenches using the wrong tools. no fun replacing good parts damaged by improper tools. (dont ask) you might post your general location to find other addicts in your area. a good source for the extra hand or tool often required. gird yourself for the long haul. would focus on priorities as safety, (brakes, tires, etc.) first, pans and panels second, and cosmetics last. once the car is totally dismantled for rehab it often takes many years and several owners to see completion. drive the car. best of luck and a tip of the hat to your grandma. must have been an interesting lady. regards..
_________________
kurt hoelter
1953 coupe #50748
1960 roadster #87689

[Mark Pribanic]

Chris,

Welcome to the Forums. Like stated above, make sure you sign up & join the Registry. The Magazine is the best club publication I have seen published by any club.

Where are you located? I saw your uncle is in Conneticut. I'd also recommend hooking up with the local 356 club in your area maybe Typ356NE (http://www.typ356ne.org/). Having other 356er's locally helps a ton!

I replaced my floors in 2007. I bought them from Restoration Design (www.restoration-design.com) I bought package B:



Look forward to you posting your questions and progress of getting the family 356 back on the road.
_________________
Drive 'Em!

Mark Pribanic
1958 Coupe
Neptune Beach, Florida
Registry# 13617
Florida Owners Group - Trustee/Webmeister
www.356FOG.com

[Sterling Vaden]

If I were in your position....

Ha! As some have posted previously, it is easy to get overwhelmed.

Priorities:

1. Get the brakes fully operational. Remove the backing plates, clean and paint. Replace the wheel cylinders. (this costs a little more, you will be happy you did this) Make sure the adjusters work easily. Grease the wheel bearings and replace if pitted or worn. Replace the bearing seals. Replace the rubber brake hoses. You will probably also have to replace the master cylinder. Bleed and adjust. The brakes are really great on these cars when working properly.

2. Rebuild the king and link pins on the front spindles. You can do everything yourself except the king pins, the bushings need to be honed to fit the pins. This is the most important thing for safe driving and handling next to the brakes.

3. Of course do a complete tune-up on the engine, including carb rebuilds and adjusting the valves. Also change the transmission fluid. Clean out the gas tank.

4. Comfort issues. Put some seat covers on those seats, or replace them. Proper re-upholstering is expensive because foam inside is not an option. Some type of replica sport seats, like GTS will be more comfortable and more fun. Make sure you have NEW seat belts.

5. you notice I have not mentioned rust or pans. These are major projects. To do them right requires time, patience, and knowledge. It looks like some previous rust repairs have been done on your pans. Concentrate on making the car safe. Look at the suspension points, and the frame rails from the front axle to the body. If possible clean the rust, apply rust preventative sealer, and keep it out of the water. If areas are rusted through and have to be replaced, consult first before applying patches. The point here is to do the least amount so you can drive and safely enjoy the car. Save all the major stuff for later. Clean and preserve the rusty spots so they don't get worse, and forget about the looks. That is "patina". Painting the car is a major project. Avoid this step until you are really ready.

6. Replace the front and rear window seals. This will go a long way towards keeping the inside of the car dry.
_________________
SV

[Mark Todorovich]

Chris , if I was your age . I would do it as a rat rod. Completely redo
the brakes and suspension to stock . Rebuild the carbs and fuel pump.
Clean all the electrical connections. Get it running and drive it as
soon as possible. Back in the day ,as we call it, we pop rivetted
patches on the floors and put the rubber mats back on to cover it. If
down the road you want to take it back apart to do metal work and
chroming and all of the hundreds of things you'll start to feel like you
have to since you've gone this far, you will be fortified by the joy
you've had driving it. I would spend all of your time on safety , then
reliability and last appearance.
The most fun I've ever had in 356's are going sideways through a
corner on a gravel country road. Climbing up mountain passes with the
car full of ski gear and camping equipment. A truism is often that the
amount of time a 356 gets driven by it's owner is inverse to it's
condition. You are very lucky to get such a car, have a ball with it!

Mark Todorovich #4243
52 Coupe
56 Speedster
63 Cab?
69 911T




-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Cushing [mailto:chris.beckola@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009 9:26 PM
To: 356talk@356registry.com
Subject: [356Talk] Hi- New 356 owner here trying learn where to start

Hey, I'm a new 356er with a 1962 356 B that is formerly my grandmother's
car. I'm at the lower end of the spectrum for 356 people(I can imagine
the 20 and under club is rather small here!) so I really have a lot of
learning to do before I undertake this project.

Like I said before the car is a 1962 356 B. The car was stored in a
small barn partially exposed to the elements from about 1984 till 2005
when it was moved to a slightly better storage situation with my uncle
in Connecticut.

Given the storage situation the car for sure needs floors, an engine
rebuild, and everything needs to be sandblasted. There is very little
rust through on the body other than the floors, and only one major dent
just ahead of the passenger side door.

Here are some pictures to give you an idea of how the car looks, the
pictures are from 2007, but not much has changed since then:
Yours truly trying to look cool with the car
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/BattleRabbitBand/me/Porscherestorationday1002.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/BattleRabbitBand/me/Porscherestorationday1020.jpg Stripped, as it has been for several years now
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/BattleRabbitBand/me/Porscherestorationday1034.jpg The engine coming out. It can be cranked by hand but
not started or turned over.
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/BattleRabbitBand/me/Porscherestorationday100521.jpg A small idea of the poor state of the floors
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb45/BattleRabbitBand/me/Porscherestorationday10371.jpg One Chris-power!

For all its issues the panel gaps on this car are still tighter and more
consistent than those on my 1998 VW. So time for a few questions:

1. Where is the best place to get floor pans? This site has said
temporarily unavailable for some time now.
2. Brakes: Upgrade to discs or are the drums adequate for normal
driving, and some more aggressive driving? If not, what is the most cost
effective/performace effective option for an upgrade?
3. HELP. I need to know where to start!!!

------------------------
You know those times when you have no idea where to begin? I'm like that
all the time.




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_________________
Mark Todorovich #4243
52 Coupe
56 Speedster
63 Cab?
69 911T

[Bill Sampson]

Chris:

No advice from me, just congratulations to you. I REALLY wanted one of these cars when I was about your age. It took me 40 years to obtain one meaning there is a massive gap in my automotive education. So, you're already smarter than and way ahead of at least one of us. Rosemary and I are lucky enough to own a pretty nice driver - we plan only to keep it safe and operable with emphasis on safe. We have had LOTS of fun driving it and meeting lots of great people, including Mark Todorovich who posted just before me - he's been an email "friend" for quite a while but we met in person a couple of weeks ago in St. Louis; also including Ron LaDow who has also responded to you and whose advice is always meritorious. There are many more. Well - one piece of advice, sort of. You will find the vast majority of the folks here or in your local club patient and helpful and friendly, regardless of your age or theirs - so join the Registry if you haven't and join your local 356 group and even consider your local PCA. Some of us are (much) more knowledgeable than others. For example, I know precious little about the cars even after owning one for 7 1/2 years, BUT, I have learned the correct people to ask if I need to know something. Figuring out the right teachers from whom to take classes is something you might be facing regularly - the process is similar - ask the other students. Enjoy.

Bill - on his way to surf driving his 48 Mercury Woodie :>)
_________________
Da Malibu Mooner
64 Coupe 130047
Malibu
Hall Monitor (Ret.)
Once referred to as a "Commie" then a "Socialist" then a "Terrorist Sympathizer" and now proud to be 356 Registry Trustee certified as a "Liberal Twit."

[Ned Hamlin]

Chris,

Congratulations on your new car! You've gotten lots of good advice already from some of the more knowledgeable forum contributors. It looks like you have a '60 or '61 B T5 coupe rather than a '62 T6, although some T5 cars have been known to be registered as '62.
My advice is to stand back and assess what you have, how much you want to spend, how much time you have to spend on the car, and then decide what to do. Inventory all the parts you have, throw absolutely nothing away, and start by cleaning and polishing parts to see what you want to put back on the car. You would be amazed what a little 'Never Dull' will do.

Is it a numbers matching car? You can find out about engine and chassis numbers in the tech section of the registry site, or get a hold of Brett Johnson's Restorer's Guide to Authenticity. A Certificate of Authenticity from PCNA is pricey but worth it in my opinion. Did you get things like jack, tool kit, or a driver's manual with the car?

It looks like you have a good car to start with. Have fun with it, since I feel that bringing one of these machines back is half the fun. Join the 356 Registry and don't hesitate to ask questions along the way.

Good luck.

Ned Hamlin
Reg # 8504
'64 Bali Blue coupe (almost done)
_________________
Ned in Idaho
____________________________

If you don't know where you're going, any road'll take you there

[Tom Farnam]

Chris, the advice from Mark Todorovich and others to get the car running safely and drive it is the best you have gotten. Even if it has some patina, the key is to drive it. Restore it later when you get older, but while you are young, get it safe and drive it.

Did I suggest you should drive it? Right after you get it safe? Get acquainted with some of the folks in your part of the world who can help you determine if it's safe, then drive it.

Tom
_________________
Tom Farnam C356C Reg. #450
D'Ieteren Roadster 89639
62Roadster at comcast.net
http://www.356registry.org/Members/Farnam/ Racewalking - www.walkingtom.blogspot.com

[Chris Cushing]

Thanks for all the kind words guys. While I really like the “rat rod/patina” idea I do feel that replacing the interior floors is totally a necessity. I have two uncles who are excellent welders and I am slowly learning, so installing them shouldn’t be a huge problem. Restoration-designs looks like a great resource and they have very reasonable prices (within my current budget even!) for the parts it looks like I will definitely need.

Knowing that the brakes on the car are adequate is certainly a good thing, I always forget that unlike American “sports cars” of the same era this one only weighs 1800 pounds soaking wet, and those drums are HUGE.

I didn’t realize it but the place where I work is actually a retailer of Porsche 356 parts. They deal almost entirely in VW/Audi parts but looking through the website I found that things like window seals and such I will be able to get right through my employer. It’s probably a good thing my boss is a Porsche-guy and 911 owner; otherwise these contacts probably would not exist.

As far as the extent of work that the car needs, I think I covered most of it, but really the best part is that it truly is ALL there. Very little of what the car came with is actually physically absent, off hand I can really only remember that the dash clock is physically missing. Everything else is there but in some state of disrepair.

Just so you guys don’t feel deprived of the knowledge, but www.germanautoparts.com stocks 356 bits. While they aren’t in our regular warehouse we are very capable of getting anything on out site in a timely manner, and the prices seem very reasonable based on the shopping around I have done, which isn’t much as I really don’t know where to look.

Oh and don't worry, I want to drive it. My buddy just bought an MGB, my grandfather has some Studebakers and another of my friends has an old chevy truck. I don't want to be left out of that.

Someone above commented on the year of the car, it is registered as a 1962, but I'll run the VIN when I get a chance.
_________________
They tell me I should write a book.

[Tom Farnam]

Chris, one other thing - if your Grandmother (the original owner) is still alive, sit down and talk with her about the car. Get a video camera, and just get her to tell you all the stories she can about the car "back in the day".

If she is not alive, talk to her kids or her husband about the car and what they remember about it. With video or at least audio recording of their memories. They will be treasures!

Tom (who like many on this list is old enough to be your grandfather)
_________________
Tom Farnam C356C Reg. #450
D'Ieteren Roadster 89639
62Roadster at comcast.net
http://www.356registry.org/Members/Farnam/ Racewalking - www.walkingtom.blogspot.com

[Chris Cushing]

Sadly my grandmother passed away the year I was born and I never met her.

She and my grandfather were multiple 356 owners, I believe between 1954 and 1970 they had four of them, including a Speedster America(with the low cut doors, I believe that is the correct name), another Pre-A speedster and two B-coupes. This is the only one that remains with the family. There are very few pictures that survive to this day that feature them and their cars, I think before they had kids they weren’t huge fans of cameras.

My grandfather is nearly ninety today so his memory isn’t as good as it once was, but I’ll be sure to get whatever I can from him. He’s the one that kept the car alive as my grandmother’s daily driver until the mid seventies(she was an English teacher with 4 kids and drove a 356, sometimes with 3 or 4 of the kids with her!), so just documenting some of the repairs he did to the car will be as much of an interesting story as any told about a 356!
_________________
They tell me I should write a book.