My "new" 1955 Pre-A Speedster
08-31-2010 | 06:54 PM
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My "new" 1955 Pre-A Speedster
I've been eyeing this car for many months... I was racing at Road America 2 weeks ago and found time to meet Randy (the previous owner) on the way home. The photos do not do this magnificent automobile any justice!! I was always worried about grabbing a car that was not restored properly or had stories that I would never know about... this baby came with all the documentation I needed to feel great about buying her... 2 owners and a great life story behind her, even driven by Paul Newman while filming "Winning" at Elkart Lake in the 60's. Although the motor and clutch are not original (upgraded for more power) and a few odds/ends, everything else matches including body panels, I will enjoy this car on the road and in the garage...
It's on a InterCity truck as I write this to be delivered this week.!!
It's on a InterCity truck as I write this to be delivered this week.!!
Last edited by Polar Peter; 08-31-2010 at 07:31 PM.
09-01-2010 | 10:50 AM
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09-02-2010 | 02:47 PM
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Pre- A Speedster
Congratulations!
If Auto Associates did your car, you can be assured a quality job was done.
ps-I see one of my cars in the background of one of your photos (sliver SonAuto 911)
ds
Last edited by rstrahota; 09-02-2010 at 02:59 PM. Reason: miss spell
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09-02-2010 | 04:27 PM
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I appreciate the input! The car arrives tommrow at noon 9-3-10. Just in time to get over to Lime Rock for the Historic's weekend...
09-02-2010 | 06:08 PM
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09-22-2011 | 05:37 PM
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She is going in for the first service this week and hopefully minor repairs... 500 miles since restoration
Brakes
- Started with a long pedal braking during last drive
- 10 miles later I heard a “Thump” front left and also notice the car had vibration and pulled to the left.
- Seems the front left brake caliper is dragging, identified by feeling the outter housing and that it got extremely hot within a short distance while the other 3 do not. Car was easy to roll by hand in the past and now I feel the “binding”
Clutch
- When the car gets warmer during driving I begin to hear a squealing sound unless the clutch is depressed, does not make this sound upon initial start-up
- I believe there is some cable stretch or something that needs adjustment
Starting
- Car is challenged to start 9 of 10 times, seems either the starter is too weak for the amount of compression or the battery is too weak to turn the starter. Something tells me it is not the battery.... Would love this thing to start every time flawlessly
- I have it on a constant 6V trickle charge
Brakes
- Started with a long pedal braking during last drive
- 10 miles later I heard a “Thump” front left and also notice the car had vibration and pulled to the left.
- Seems the front left brake caliper is dragging, identified by feeling the outter housing and that it got extremely hot within a short distance while the other 3 do not. Car was easy to roll by hand in the past and now I feel the “binding”
Clutch
- When the car gets warmer during driving I begin to hear a squealing sound unless the clutch is depressed, does not make this sound upon initial start-up
- I believe there is some cable stretch or something that needs adjustment
Starting
- Car is challenged to start 9 of 10 times, seems either the starter is too weak for the amount of compression or the battery is too weak to turn the starter. Something tells me it is not the battery.... Would love this thing to start every time flawlessly
- I have it on a constant 6V trickle charge
09-23-2011 | 10:55 AM
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From: Landenberg PA
slow starting - http://porsche356registry.org/images...tarterFlow.pdf
The Right Solution
The better approach is to go through the entire car and thoroughly clean all the grounds (see this article by Tom Farnam that provides a helpful guide to that process). Also ensure that the starter motor is in good working order. That means possibly replacing the starter bushing. Finally, consider installing Joe Leoni's Starter Saving relay kit. It safely delivers a higher voltage to the ignition coil while reducing the voltage that passes through the ignition switch when starting by driving the starter solenoid directly from the battery. This modification is invisible unless you crawl underneath the car with a flashlight, and it prolongs the life of your increasingly rare original ignition switch while improving starting performance.
When new, 6V Porsches started right up, and with proper maintenance they should still do that 50 years later!
I have a 55 Speedster - optima battery and joe's relay kit = no problems now !!
The Right Solution
The better approach is to go through the entire car and thoroughly clean all the grounds (see this article by Tom Farnam that provides a helpful guide to that process). Also ensure that the starter motor is in good working order. That means possibly replacing the starter bushing. Finally, consider installing Joe Leoni's Starter Saving relay kit. It safely delivers a higher voltage to the ignition coil while reducing the voltage that passes through the ignition switch when starting by driving the starter solenoid directly from the battery. This modification is invisible unless you crawl underneath the car with a flashlight, and it prolongs the life of your increasingly rare original ignition switch while improving starting performance.
When new, 6V Porsches started right up, and with proper maintenance they should still do that 50 years later!
I have a 55 Speedster - optima battery and joe's relay kit = no problems now !!
09-24-2011 | 01:08 PM
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09-25-2011 | 05:50 PM
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From: Bothell, WA
A 356 Speedster is actually my ultimate dream Porsche, and the only open Porsche I really crave.
I remember as a kid my Dad gave me a Porsche magazine advertisement which had a fictional story about a guy finding a perfect Speedster in a barn. Even now whenever I see a big barn I wonder if a Speedster is in it.
Enjoy!
--Joe
I remember as a kid my Dad gave me a Porsche magazine advertisement which had a fictional story about a guy finding a perfect Speedster in a barn. Even now whenever I see a big barn I wonder if a Speedster is in it.
Enjoy!
--Joe