The Official 356Talk Forum

I actually would agree with Martin and George except that the question was what to do for resale. I don't mind the flares but they will make it harder to sell.

Steve, I vote option #2. Emil, I can name one exception to the below from personal experience.

Emil Wojcik wrote:I've never had a problem with a shop matching paint well enough to blend. Computers do a great job matching even faded colors. Maybe not perfect, but close enough that when it's blended into the old paint you can't really notice. I'm sure there are exceptions.

Matching 50+ year old silver metallic paint (factory original--special order in 1964) with the accompanying patina. It didn't turn out so well but I'll have to get the car restored some day anyway.

I bet that years down the road when it comes time to sell you will have no problem finding a buyer. Even if the flares scare off some of the buyers I think you need to ask yourself if you care who owns the car next? If the flares break the sale then maybe it's not the right buyer anyway? Someone who is scared by the flares will also be taking the car back to the original color and going the full 9 yards. I don't have a vote, but do what makes you happy now and let the next guy figure out what makes him happy. For me, I am a young guy, so would be happy to have a Speedster even if it was two-toned, no top, wrong color, non-matching, blah blah blah.

Thanks for chiming in everyone.
At a minimum, I will have the flares brought down. Perhaps a repaint at some point in time.
Should any competent body man be able to bring rear flares to original while retaining the thin metal bead that runs inside bottom of wheel well for originality?
Regards,
Steve

I would say that you need someone who has done 356 work before. Bad body work would scare me more than the flares.

Steve make sure that you research the body man you pick to make sure they know what to do also find out how the flares were added to the body and if it will take a reconstruction of the rear fender area. There is several way to adding flares so be ware and good luck.

George Walling wrote: There is several way to adding flares so be ware and good luck.

My favorite was the method my uncle used so he could run wider tires on his Spyder: Roll a baseball bat between the tires and the aluminum fenders. Mind you, this was back in the early '60's when 550's weren't quite worth what they are today.

I know of a respected body and paint craftsman local to me. He says it's best to cut out the flared metal area and replace it with proper panel piece. Two used panels are about $2500,new it can push upwards of $5K,labor and paint is extra. Can anyone suggest any other local 356 body men between say San Francisco and San Jose, CA as I reside between these two points?
Just want a second or third opinion etc.
Thank you,
Steve

Your car in its current state may appeal to more buyers who would rather save some money up front and then restore the car to their own personal taste. You could also have it appraised as-is and also what it may be worth if the fenders were restored to original spec and correct color paint. The appraisals may even help you sell the car as an added value to the buyer. They will have an idea of how much the vehicle's value would increase after restoration.

Yes Roman,
I had car appraised about 1.5 years ago for X$, as an Outlaw Speedster.
Since then more $ has been spent bringing it back to decent show car away from outlaw.
I feel confident if I spend say $25-30K on body work and repaint to original, I could get back most if not all that cost and perhaps more.
Steve

It's a great looking car but I would get a well experienced 356 body guru to reshape the flares to stock and blend the old paint.Future owners will wanted to bare metal it anyway!

Thanks for all of your insight and opinions.
Can anyone confirm what year (s), model A I assume rear quarter panel I might use to graft over the cut out flares?
I know panels are made just want all options available as I know it will be hard to find Speedster panels.
Any help is appreciated. Also any body people want to chime in in regard to best method to do repair of flares?
Maybe a phone number or email sent my way to follow up myself with experienced 356 body man.
No way to save the stretched original metal flares? With grafted in proper metal from the inside would one feel the repair?
Thank you,
Steve

I would be very careful who you select to do the metal work - as stated above, a poorly executed re-do of the fenders would be worse than what you have now ...
my 2 pfennigs

Somebody who is a real artist can make the graft pretty much invisible inside and out, but it will be very expensive to do at that level. Most people cannot do that. I am a reasonably talented bodyman with years of experience, and I couldn't do what you are talking about.

I would get rid of the flares and save the paint.
You have a chrome strip to help with the paint blending plus being low on the body will help.