Chesapeake Region
Article: And So It Began...356 Pt 2. Steven Groh Restoring a 356, Part 2 “Avoid throwing good money after bad” is a worthwhile restoration warning. The first and most important decision in undertaking a restoration is setting realistic goals at the outset. Is this car going to Pebble Beach? Or is the goal a reliable daily driver, perhaps a local show winner? Do you have the funding, patience, expertise, time, attitude, confidence, helpful assistance and subject matter experts in place? Even if you think all these are in place, it would be very wise not to commit to any goal until you determine the integrity of the chassis itself. Once that is known, the path to a successful and worthwhile restoration can be designed. This proved invaluable in the case of Porsche 356C #161933.
When I first set eyes on my newly acquired 356, my heart sang. Then, approaching closer, I realized I was looking at a freshly and thickly painted lumpy body about as smooth as an Idaho potato. The interior was largely bare as the floor pans had recently been replaced. “This car would float in Lake Erie” the painter said, obviously proud of the pan replacement. But how exactly was the pan replaced? Although I learned that there was X-bracing welded to the front and rear top cowls to stabilize the chassis during the replacement, there was no indication that the chassis was “square” beforehand. And what demons might be lurking below the paint? A week after it arrived in Maryland, finding answers to those questions required that the body be stripped to bare metal - and it told a story that ultimately set the restoration path. Picture Below: May 19, 2014: The first step
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