Progress

The Shop ’56 Speedster metal work is almost done. My son, BJ, has a good eye for the 356 curves and has pulled the right rear collision damage back to the original shape. All that is left is the longitudinals, fender brackets and rear closing panels. Then it is off to the painters.

We picked up the Shop ’64 Cabriolet from Balst Tech. This 356 had a lot of rust damage hidden under bondo. It is close to one of the most challaging (worst!) 356’s I’ve restored. It looks like two or three previous repairs due to the brazing, welding and fiverglass. Somebody even used the expanding foam to for the upper fender contour. Then they bonded over it with of course the rust underneath. The extensive rust damage is on the right front fender top. But I happened to have an OEM piece on my partds shelf. I also have a left front middle finder piece on the shelf. Usually if I need a right piece, I have a left. Or if I need an A piece I have a B!

Cal’s Speedster got hung up at the upholstery shop due to some minor problems but should be back next week. We got the front sway bar welded on Norm’s ’54 Race car and it will be off to the painter for touch up to some damage when rolled off a trailer at the roll case fabrication. So it is finish the Shop ’56 Speedster, do the final work on Cal’s ’55 Speedster, start the metal work on the Shop ’64 Cabriolet, start reassembly on the New Jersey ’56 Seedster and start disassembly on the Aspen ’64 Coup.

Time Change

One of the things BJ does is clean up the shop a couple of times a day. As a result I don’t have to spend Saturday mornings cleaning the shop. So I’m going to cancel Saturday afternoon Open Shop until Winter. I am enjoying my Saturdays without 356 activities.