1958 Porsche 356a coupe RHD.

[sng45]

I've had a few 356's and 911's restored -

The best advice I can give is buy yourself a spade, dig a BIG hole and throw your money into it and just keep going for at least a couple of years !

My last 356 restoration cost about ( I gave up counting ) £76,000 ( not including car purchase price) and took nearly two and a half years !

I think I've now learnt that it's far better and far less stressful to buy a completed car ! ( which is of course why I'm having my Fiat 500 and Datsun 240Z done now - I never learn !)

Good Luck, whatever you decide

Steve

[Hendrik Moulds]

As with Steve above and many others here, I have also restored or had bodywork done to 356s.
My current one (a BT5 notchback) is nearly 7 years in, has cost somewhere around £40k (plus purchase cost) so far and it isn't even painted!
Oh, and I'm certainly going to make a loss on it if I sell it at the end.

I don't want to put you off restoring it but you have to love the vehicle (or have some sort of disease) to do this properly.

And yes there are big differences in body dimensions and componentry between A, B and C models and even differences within the As (T1, T1/2, T2) and Bs (T5, T6) as well as the notchback. Like I said earlier, a show like Hedingham in September would be a great start to learn about these cars.

[Ashley James]

I had a friend with a body shop do my Bristol 400, my TR3A and my Healey each of which I'd say were more complicated bodywise than a 356 and I think in a worse state than this one (photos to prove it). Typically they were 400-500 hours work and materials and on top of that was replacement or rebuild of all the mechanicals which I did, but not boring and grinding etc. I think it was worth it in each case and I at least got my money back or lost not more than £5k.

My little 356 is a breath of fresh air in comparison because it's simple, nothing weighs much and everything seems easy to do in comparison.

All I'm repeating really is go for it, you'll have lots of fun doing it and rather a special car at the end.

[Kenyon]

"The other thing is could you live with yourself for having dismantled a car for financial reasons? I'm sure you wouldn't win many friends on here....."

I often feel like selling my 356 for parts. But then we get going again and its all worth it.

Looks like a long project. But ultimately would be worth it in the end and an extremely rewarding car to own.

Good luck!

Phil

[Mike Smith]

Where can I get some drawings for dimensions? I have some major works to do re the front end and chassis, so some key dimensions would be needed for sure.

ALL the dimensions you need are in the Workshop Manuals
Happy to copy them for you, if you decide to move on

[porscheman]

Phil

If you would like a taste(!) of what is involved, take a look at the work Sportwagen carried out for me on my previous car.

http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/1mise ... t=3&page=1

The very best of luck.....

[Winston Teague]

All the above is valid but you really don't have to go to Brays or Sportwagon. They are great, don't get me wrong but plenty of what they would do is simple enough to do yourself or to be done by someone neared and cheaper. However, for parts and advice PRS and Roger Bray have both been essential in my life with my 356. Both highly recommended. W

[430phil]

Thanks again,
One thing confuses me, which I seem to hear a lot is the huge costs associated with bodywork, I don't get that.
I will be getting some sheets of mild steel and putting my mig to use, but how can this be so expensive?
Am I missing something here?
I maybe a little fortunate as I have most of the replacement panels included, but even if I had to fab them it wouldn't be that expensive surely?
I once made a complete floor, including a very complicated curved piece which went behind the seats (admittedly for a 1962 Fiat 500 ), and it took me about 3 days and about £70 worth of materials. I appreciate maybe it wasn't exact as per dimensions (but probably better than factory).
Just a bit confused on this.
Thanks.
Phil.
By the way, I'm leaning more and more towards doing this baby myself now, thanks to this great forum

[Bootsy]

Am I missing something here?

Hourly rate

[430phil]

Thanks Bootsy, but is the hourly rate more expensive for 356 cars?! Seems a bit racist to me

[Kenyon]

Do hourly rates for restorations tend to be the same as general servicing / garage work?

No reason why not, but could see how these crank up. Appreciate it might vary between shops.

Phil

[Bootsy]

Not at all but experienced body shops who know what they're doing with a 356 will be charging an hourly rate in line with their experience and things aren't quick if you do a 356 correctly.

[hot66]

in your example 3 days to make a panel ... thats 24 hrs of chargable work ? ... lets say £45 + Vat / hour ? ( going rate for a proiffesional outfit with all associated overheads & costs .. there is £1300 proffesional labour just for that one panel

what do Porsche dealers charge these days .. £90 / hr + VAT ?

[Bootsy]

Some OPCs are over £200 an hour now

[hot66]

Some OPCs are over £200 an hour now

.. thats more than the 'madam' down the road , and she supplies free lube .. probabally the same lube OPCs use when they ask you to bend over