356Registry.com
If you own a 356 you should be monitoring the 356Registry website. We check it everyday; primarily to gain knowledge from 356Talk but also to keep track of market conditions.
As most know, there has been almost no 356 sales information in the printed media since the growth of the internet. The 356Registry web site has a classified section with 356, 356 Parts, 356 Literature/Memorabilia and all other Porsches for sale. There are more 356’s listed for sale on the web site than on Ebay. Plus the website is self policing, 356 Registry members are knowledgeable and the classifieds are honest (unlike Ebay). By monitoring the classifieds you can determine value based on condition. Of course, the values are asking prices but this is also replacement value.

The website also notes 356 related events. Besides the 356 Holidays, there are two other big Porsche events this year. Rennsport IV will be held at Lagua Seca racetrack October 14-16. This will be a huge gathering of Porsche racecars with lots of 356s. BJ and I attended Rennsport I at Lime Rock racetrack and Rennsport II and III at Daytona. With Rennsport IV in California there should be even more Porsches.

Also that same weekend is the Porsche Race Car Classic featuring Porsche race cars from 1950-1965 along with many of the drivers from that era. It will be held at the Quail Resort where the Speedsterfest was held. It is a charity event to benefit Lung Cancer Research. We have made our travel plans.

Another feature of the 356Registry web site is the vendor list. Vendors are listed by Restoration/Repairs, Parts, Services, Literature and Accessories. If you need something for your 356, you will find it there. You click on the Vendor and it takes you to their website.

Another feature is the Member Car Gallery. A neat place to check out members 356s and their color combinations.

Progress
The Shop ‘58 Cabriolet has gone to the painter. Since BJ did almost all the extensive repairs to this 356, he gets to pick the color. He is thinking of green, probably Fjord Green with a tan interior and a tan top.

The Texas ‘60 Coupe has been hung up at the mechanics. We expect it back soon and the owner will pick it up after some instructions from us as they are first time owners.
BJ usually names the 356s he works on. There has been Frankenstein, Dracula, Goat Car and others. This usually describes the condition of the rust bucket that he gets to start on. For the Illinois ‘60 Cabriolet I decided to name it Mr. Rivets. We found the hood seal secured by rivets. Of course this means all the holes for the hood seal are too large for the correct screws and will have to be welded and relocated.

I also found rivets when I sat on the door sill to work on the door. Rivets were used to secure the 1950 color carpet and one was sticking up on the sill. Ouch!

When the ‘60 Cab came back from Blast Tech, we found more rivets securing aluminum panels to the rusted areas of the battery box, closing panels, longitudinal and floor.
BJ has already started on the metal work which will be extensive but nothing we have not seen before.

After a short break to work on my gardens, I got back on the assembly of the Shop ’64 Signal Red Coupe. Compared to the Oklahoma Twin Grill Roadster and the Texas ’60 Coupe, this this 356 was assembled in three weeks; the Roadster and ‘60 Coupe took months. The big issue with the Shop ‘64 Coupe will be an engine rebuild as it had a broken crank and case damage. We think we have enough parts from spares to build a replacement engine.

Once the Illinois ‘60 Cabriolet is done, we will shut down customer work for a while to finish and sell the
Shop 356’s;
‘60 Cabriolet Silver/Red
‘64 Coupe Dolphin Grey/ Black
‘58 Cabriolet Green/Tan (maybe)
‘64 Coupe Signal Red/Black

And we have two ‘60 coupes as projects plus both Barb’s Twin Grille Roadster and my ‘60 Sunroof Coupe need refreshing.

356Restore
We started 356Restore in October 1992. This means we will have been restoring Porsche 356s as a business for twenty years and as a hobby for nine years prior. We have worked on over 120 Porsche 356s, not all full restorations, some just repairs. Will we keep going? Yes, we still enjoy the satisfaction of problem solving on these well designed cars. When we were a “suit” our job was to minimize problems. We would plan, anticipate, have status meetings, progress reports all geared to avoiding problems and meeting schedule and revenue goals.

Working on Porsche 356 you solve problems daily. You finish your work day with satisfaction. Often you will come up with a new solution to a problem like our headliner trick (leaving the screws for attachments under the headliner to find the location quickly). So, as we get older we think should we have another retirement? Why? Our health is good, There is daily satisfaction, working with your son is a pleasure, working at home allows breaks to do gardening and home chores. So we will continue with 356Restore.

Grandpa News
Barb and Alex found Grandpa’s change jar and were playing a store game. Barb said Alex could have all the pennies she could count. Alex said she would rather have the quarters!