Q

Has anybody here restored their 356 ?
any pics ?
any horror stories ?

I am about to take the plunge with my A

<img src="http://www.qplanet.org/q/356/side.JPG" alt=" - " />

RJT

Q.....Your A looks beautiful! What exactly are you going to restore? I just finished full leather interior, all new brakes and the engine will be done in about 3 weeks.

Just a coincidence, but check my # of posts!!!
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hoffman912

great looking tub. i always loved that color on early porsches. good luck on your resto! show pleanty of pics when youre done. anytime you do somthing like that to one of these old beauties is truly a momentous occasion!

Robert, nice work my friend! 356.. always a great number. caint wait til i get to the 900's. almost every post will be a special one.

Keep the Faith
Harry

Greg D.

Did it with a Karmann ghia cab a few years back. Took forever, cost a lot, and in the end I dared not drive the car anymore for fear of getting a ding. It's impossible for a resto to be financially sound unless your car is super rare or you got it for free!

I swore it would not do it with my 356. I enjoy driving it too much. Unless you plan on concours, why spend the $$$$$ (yeah, 5 digits)... your A looks gorgeous as is !

<img src="http://members.rennlist.com/greg/ghia_end.jpg" alt=" - " />

Q

RJT 993

Talk to me about your interior...
where did you source your leather ?
did you buy the interior as a kit ?
did you have a trimmer make it ?
cost ?
photos ?

the A is is reasonable shape.
It received a bare metal rebuild 25 years ago.
The paint has started to blow in several areas.
The interior, is for the most part original,and a little tatty.

Mechanically, she is new

A refurbish of paint, interior and chrome will freshen her nicely.
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hoffman912
how is the photography coming along ?
yes, I will be taking lots of pics along the way
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GregD
I relate to not wanting to damage it <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />
Up close she is a little tatty
....besides, she wants to be silver again

Steve Jensen

For interiors, Autos International has a great reputation on the 356talk listserv. No affiliation, etc...

RJT

Q, We got our leather interior kit from Autos International <a href="http://www.autosintl.com" target="_blank">www.autosintl.com</a> ours ran a little over $2,000.00 it is a very precise fit. As you can see from the pics we just finished installing all new brakes. Will be getting the engine back from Competition Engineering any day now. We have to get it rolling before Septemeber and the 356 Holiday in Asheville NC at the Biltmore Estate.
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/helgarebuild002.jpg" alt=" - " />
<img src="http://boards.rennlist.com/upload/helgain1.jpg" alt=" - " />

hoffman912

Greg,

Great looking Ghia! (come from a big vee-dub house.. so ive always drooled at the ghias). id like a type 34 ghia one of these days if i could afford one, and find it in decent shape.

Q, they are coming along alot better. have been getting alot closer. took some pics at mid ohio when they had their vintage races a few weeks ago. i havent gotten that roll developed yet. hopfully they turn out better.

Robert, she is lookin good! so... you gonna do the dragons tail? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> after all.. if i can do this crazed cross country trip, you can do the dragons tail! (ok ok.. im done egging you on).

oh btw.. your interior looks spotless! are those coco mats? i didnt realize 356ers used em too?

RJT

Harry...If I can get the engine back in the car and put at least a couple hundred shakedown miles on her before we go to Asheville, we WILL do the Dragon's Tail!!
To me a 356 just doesn't look lived in if it hasn't got coco mats. I had them in my first 911, and the quality of the mats now is much much better.

Q

Steve
thankyou, I will look at that

RJT 993
thankyou for that Nice !
did they install the kit ? ...or did you have a trimmer do it ?
How long ago was the kit purchased ?

RJT

Q....The leather kit was bought about 3 years ago, and a friend installed it for me a few months ago. I don't think it was that big of a job, but he had done one before. If you didn't want leather, a vinyl kit is really nice and much much less expensive!

Mike Kast

RJT? That is the most beautiful garage I have ever seen!Its almost prettier than the cars! Well.... they compliment each other well...

RJT

Thank You Mike!
I see you are in Raleigh...September 3-7 the 356 Registry will have their annual 'Holiday' in Asheville. Over 300 356s will be on the lawn of the Biltmore Estate. If you have a free day for a little road trip on Saturday come by and say hi!
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Q

thanks RJT

RJT

Q....NOT a problem!
Be sure and post some more pics of your resto and keep us up to date.
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