Progress

Rocky’s ’64 SC Coupe is done. He has been by twice and seems pleased. He has owned the 356 for thirty years and did some of the previous repairs in his Dad’s bodyshop. I told him that while the repairs may have been up to the standard of the day, they gave me problems getting it right.

We tried to reuse as many pieces as possible to keep Rocky’s 356 original. This means we may reuse a less than perfect original part rather than using a reproduction part which may look ok but isn’t just right. I mentioned before how the passenger door had a lockpost pushed back and the seams messed up plus the lower door skin was way out from the rocker. Well, even though I redid the metal, it still took a day and a half to make the door fit with the new rubber and original panel. The driver side door took an hour and a half! This is why some restoration shops go out of business. Twelve hours to fit a door! At $35-$50 an hour nobody would pay $450-$600 just to fit a door. But sometimes that is what it takes. Fortunately I’m in this for the enjoyment of working on great cars not to just make a buck. (Editor’s note-and he would not let the door best him!)

We picked up the shop ’52 Coupe from Blast Tech. As I hoped, there will be very little metal work. I will be able to save all the original metal. Floor pans, rockers, longitudinals, jack spurs and closing panels only need minimal repair. If this 356 had come with all the original parts it would have been a terrific restoration. But without parts it will become a racecar. Somebody had this idea before because the ’52 has a 741 transmission and B brakes

Since I have the engine and even disc brakes from the ’64 Cab I parted out I can build a neat race car.