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i love 356's but they are way older than me so i know little about them. RJT (sp?) just bought a beautiful "outlaw". can someone explain what "outlaw" is? is it a specific type of 356 or is it a hybrid of some kind (356 tub with another porsche motor?)... thanks.
Hi John,
My understanding of the term is; an outlaw is one that is not stock, may or may not look stock (usually doesn't), and is built to a performance standard, usually far above the average state of tune, for an individual's personal taste. It may still use a four cylinder engine (usually the case), or a flat six. I believe the exercise is to achieve superior speed, handling, and performance.
what brett said.. its not the type of car.. its a state of mind!
also its good to know what a purist is -someone who feels it was best as it was when it came out of the factory, no upgrades, mods, or anything that wasnt on there when it was born. a purist goes for an all orgininal car.
an outlaw is the exact oposite... sup up everything, upgrade things, make it more performance driven. an outlaw can utilize any engine, whether its the same exact one it came with, or not.. but its beefed up, and ready to roar. an outlaw can be a number of things.. body, engine etc...
think of it this way.. the difference between a stock original circa 1950's harley/indian meuseum piece... same model bike, that is a chopper and owned by a hard core biker. the museum piece is pristene, original...
the chopper, has been beefed up, stripped, modified, changed, given lots of testosterone, and taylored to the personality of the owner.
check out parts obsolite, they practically invented the vintage porshe outlaw... http://partsobsolete.com/
san franciso is a good place to be to learn about 356s (lots there). locate your local 356 registry club members and hang out wth them at their gatherings. you can learn alot by talking and listening to these guys.
EDIT:
if you dont know who to contact, you can ask the guys on the bay 912 message board as im sure they can tell you who you should speak with
Mooty.....This summer, actually June 25-27, there will be the largest gathering of 356s ever assembled in one place.......Monterey. Only an hour or two down the coast from you. It's the 50th anniversary of the 356 Speedster and close to, or now probably over 400 Speedsters will be there. Along with the Speedsters, will be hundreds of other "regular" 356s parked in their own corral. It will truly be a once in a lifetime experience!
If you can arrange a getaway that weekend, I promise it will be an incredible sight to see.
I agree with the others about what an outlaw is. Harry pretty much nailed it with the traditional Harley vs Chopper comparison. Outlawism can really start with just one change, like putting 911 Fuchs wheels on a 356. There....you now have yourself an Outlaw! Then it's hard not to keep going with other mods. Removing the bumpers, adding louvers to the rear lid, changing the interior, etc. There are NO rules once you have an Outlaw, except maybe some unwritten rules of good taste. But then even that is subjective.
Right now, we have both examples in the garage. A 65 356 Euro C Coupe, eveything as factory original, with the exception of slightly wider wheels. And our new boy, a 55 Continental Coupe Outlaw.
The Bay Area group is called: 356Car you can find out more about them at www.356registry.org look under 356 clubs US.....
great pics robert! (btw, i tried to send you a pm earlier today but your box was full).
my 912 outlaw is well under way of its 2nd incarnation...
gone forever is the bumper update, and 80's style euro mirrors...
say hello to stock rear bumper, talbot bullet mirrors, front horn grill mounted ralley lights and early style headlights with euro headlight grills..
do you notice where my inspiration is coming from, with my new avatar?
by the way.. what do you think of one of these decals goin in my rear window?
by the way im finishing my newest project tonight (ok most likey before friday)..
front valence fog light hole covers/caps.
stripped em, sanded em, primed em, sanded em and primed and sanded over and over, and now ive got my single stage burgundy red (exact color match too!) paint from paintscratch.com, and im ready to roll!!!!
just need to start shooting the actual paint now, give it about 6 or 7 real good coats, color sand, cut and polish, buff, and im golden baby!
rjt993, thanks. your "new boy" is the outlaw i mentioned in the first post. what a beaut. i will be at monterey for the gathering for sure... can't wait.
Mooty,
My 356 is older than I am. I started just as RJT 993 suggested. I joined the 356 registry (www.356registry.org) and I started learning. Check out the books on the registry web site that are available to start your 356 library. I started with Brett Johnson's, Jim Shrager's, and Duane Spencer's books. I would make sure you get to the speedster function out your way. All of us 356's are more than happy to talk cars. Many of the East Coast guys are much older than I am and have been very helpful. Best of luck and feel free to contact me if you have any questions. tony356@comcast.net
I recently came across a set of 7x15 - 8x15 fuch wheels off a 911. I'm looking for someone who can tell me if these would fit a 356b. If so, what steps would it take to get a proper fit. I would love to shod my car with these wheels. Thanks...
It all sort of started with this car when Dean Jeffries got his hands on a 1956 Carrera Coupe and decided to modify it. He was working in George Barris' shop in Lynwood, California at the time.
A couple of years later it was seen by Gary Emory at a car show in California and it inspired him to start modifying 356 Porsches and making them different - he originated the "Outlaw" designation.
He and his son Rod have built many spectacular cars over the years.
The best outlaw is the one that flies under the radar tastefully. A good GT replica is my cup of tea. They've been done as much as a '73 RS clone but they aren't always done with attention to detail.
02-25-2004, 05:21 PM
newbie question
