DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

First of all a very big thank you to everyone on this forum for the initial help with inspection advice, colour choice (Black vs Red! Black : Good choice!), etc for a 356. Its taken a while to get to this point but my 356 is finally in my workshop waiting for me to get started!

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Ive started this thread so you can follow my progress on the build up. Ive literally got a 356 shell and boxes and boxes of bits (it was a total basket case) so i am going to have a lot of questions on the build. I apologise in advance for dominating the forum with questions while i get it on the road!

Im giving myself about 8 weeks working about 20 hours a week to get it on the road, and registered (mot, etc). Im not too worried about a restoration at this pont, i just want to get it on the road as fast as possiable so I can have some fun in it over the summer (and go to some DDK events!), and from then on can decide if I want to do a proper restoration sometime next year.

Here are the first pics. It was a 900 mile trailer round trip to pick it up done over the last two days! Phew - Glad thats over!

Feel free to post any comments, to keep me motivated, etc!

Luke

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Hi Luke,

Just wishing you all the best in getting it running. When something just doesn't seem to go right and you have been hours trying to resolve it, walk away from the problem and come back to it the next day. It was surprising how often for me, "the next day" usually solved the mess I was in!

There are no doubt a lot of bits in the boxes hope you have all the right books to know how the parts go back on!

Cheers and waiting to see the next stage photo's!!!

Roy

Good luck, will watch with interest

thanks boyz, looking forward to gettin stuck in! Difficult deciding best startin point, but im gettin there, i allready have more questions than i can think write, so im going to hit the books and do what i can in the meantime till i get to better grips!

Good luck with the rebuild Luke.....great color choice will look fab when the shiny bits go back on!! looking forward to seeing it progress, plenty of pics please

Luke,

Speak nicely to me and I will copy the exploded Views out of the Parts Books for you - just pay the postage

These are much more useful than Workshop Manuals

If you want real manuals I have 1 x set spare (3 x Books) - covering your model

Charlie White sells re-prints of the complete parts manuals but I do NOT know what the quality is like

I have a copy of the whites exploded parts, covering the b/c model .
Its sent in a white ring binder, and all labelled out. Its a definate purchase for anyone going down the resto route- or who fancies a 'tincker' to repair something.
Quality is ok, just basic a4 photocopy pages, B+W with colour cards for indexing the sections.Took a while to arrive !

A bulk of it is, if I remember, available on the Stoddard website in some way- I think they had a section on just that, at one point?

I have the factory manual although my copy has pretty poor quality compared to my 912 engine manual, so I think its a copy ;-(

http://www.pelicanparts.com/356/356parts.htm
are they the same ones as on the pelican parts site here

HI Jason !
Yes from the look of it thats them.
If you have the time to print them all off yourself its basically what you would buy off Whites......

Hows yours going?
You know mine is painted now ?
ha!


D

3 years in and at this rate another 3 to go. You should pop in to the workshop next time you are passing.

Yeh I know, Im surprised you havent posted pics of yours on here, as when I did drop in yonks ago, your work so far was top notch compared to mine

rustbucket, and uul442, ive sent you both a message about those manuals...

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I should have some photos of the front and rear end when assembeled, been ALOT of head scratching so far, as i realise that i havent got all the right bolts, gaskets etc, nevermind i'll get there

Heres the build up plan

Stage 1 - Fit Rear Bumper, Lights, Grills, Nourish Paint (show car glaze 7)
Stage 2 - Fit Front Bumper, Lights, Grills, Bonnet Adjustment
Stage 3 - Get Engine running, and petrol tank cleaned
Stage 4 - Check Electricals, and fix as necessary
Stage 5 - Check Brakes, Suspension, and go for Test Drive
Stage 6 - Get Headlining & Roof and Windows Fitted
Stage 7 - Book in for MOT, Mot work
Stage 8 - Start Registration (DVLA) and Start working on Interior
Stage 9 - Underseal underneath
Stage 10 - Polish, and Drive with big grin!

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I'm hoping to allocate a week per stage, but i think thats a bit optimistic, still im going to try.

The overall idea is to get it looking good, to keep me motivated, then just push to get it driving as soon as i can. The interior will probally take me the whole summer to re-trim, but at least I can drive it (even if one seat!)

Some pics to follow as i pass each stage above!

L

is it just me or is this car smiling

so it does! almost as big as mine when im sitting in the sun polishing the chrome bits ready for attaching - tis such a hard life

Taking a lot longer than i expected! Especially as work keeps gettin in the way. (pesky work) luckily ive got a full day I can dedicate to it tomoro (as its saturday).

Heres a pic for now (stage 1), more to come when the front end is put together...

L

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