1964 t6 restoration/build help

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Alex Marquez
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1964 t6 restoration/build help

#1 Post by Alex Marquez »

Hello to all!

I want to thank you all for your patience ahead of time as I am learning the ropes and I welcome Advise from all.

Also I hope I am posting in the right area as I want it to be an outlaw build

I recently received a 1964 356 as a gift from my parents. Sounds like I come from a wealthy family, Ha, well we are far from that! A little back story, I love riding motorcycles, and my parents being parents hated even the idea of that. I jokingly said a while ago that if I ever got my dream car I would Stop riding. Well a few weeks ago I was helping me family gather stuff to take to the scrap yard and when my dad made his first run he came back with some cool information. At the scrap yard was a 356, I couldn’t believe him. So when we made the next run out to the yard I wanted to tag along. When I saw it I fell in love, I said to my pops that it would be the ultimate project. We tried asking about it and didn’t get anywhere unfortunately. So I kinda left it at that because these cars seem to be big money and I didn’t think I would ever have a chance of owning one.

Two weeks later I get a picture from my dad with the car on my dads trailer. I was in disbelief, I asked how he got it and he said the owner of the scrap yard lived down the street from us and he got a hold of him and gave my dad a killer deal. Granted I asked and he didn’t tell me the price but he said he practically gave it to us. So then my dad said looks like you are gonna stop looking a motorcycles huh? Hahaha

So here are some pictures.
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Last edited by Alex Marquez on Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:32 am, edited 1 time in total.

Alex Marquez
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration help

#2 Post by Alex Marquez »

I figure the first order of business would be to get the body straight. I found a roof cut on craigslist for 1000 and since it came with a windshield I figured it was worth it.

first pictures are from the ad then the lat is in the truck when we picked it up.
IMG_3622.JPG
IMG_3623.JPG
20181011_121934.jpg
Before I go hacking stuff I want to make sure I have everything possible to make sure the body is repaired straight and that everything will line up, that being said I think the next thing ill have to buy is the door window frames.

My first question; will a 356-A door window frame fit the t6 door? I like the look of the straight window rather than the vent window and it seems to be a cheaper option too.

I found this option on eBay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/PORSCHE-356-Do ... :rk:5:pf:0

I used the search tool and found a lot of information but nothing that answered it specifically.

Kevin Wills
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#3 Post by Kevin Wills »

"My first question; will a 356-A door window frame fit the t6 door? I like the look of the straight window rather than the vent window and it seems to be a cheaper option too."

Yes, it will fit. You just need to cut the support out at top of the door. I did this modification on my 62.

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Eric McKinley
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#4 Post by Eric McKinley »

The doors appear to be advertised as reproduction.

I would avoid this option if at all possible.
I began a restoration about 5 years back on a C car, started buying reproduction at the beginning stages to get ahead and have spent the last couple of years replacing as original parts pop up for sale.

Alex Marquez
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#5 Post by Alex Marquez »

Awesome,ok, thank you guys! I’ll be looking for some originals then.

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John Brooks
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#6 Post by John Brooks »

you are going to need a frame jig. That is beyond rotisserie work. That looks burned in addition to the roll over. Its going to be a pretzel to get straight. Some of the sheet metal is going to be hard for the fire hoses, other parts will be soft from the heat.
I would start by removing all the mechanical parts, then blast it and put it on a frame jig and check it for straight. Then after the suspension points are correct, measure off that for the rest of the car. That is going to be allot of work. Go get an good Everlast Welder and some good body hammers.
You now have a second job. You are about to enter the "recreation zone".
John Brooks

62 Roadster
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getting pushed around in porsches since 1965

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Bill Sargent
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#7 Post by Bill Sargent »

Alex,

Welcome to the Registry! You have a real job on your hands, but not impossible. Have a look at this thread that starts back in 2008. Many thought Rusty could not do it, but it was an epic build. By the middle of it many folks were sending him parts for free to help him complete it. viewtopic.php?f=14&t=4080.

Best of luck with the project!
Regards,

Bill Sargent
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904 clone in the works

Justin Rio
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#8 Post by Justin Rio »

Hi Alex,

Its a really great story so far and I do hope for a successful ending with the final fulfillment of your dream car however I just wanted to make you aware of what you are really dealing with here. Unfortunately this donor car your father found and purchased is toast quite literally as the structural integrity of every single component of what remains has just been zapped from the fire. With full burndowns like this all the tensile strength in the steel is just gone leaving it all too malleable and soft to rebuild especially concerning the chassis sections. Its not just this sheet metal either all thicker metal parts like the torsion bars collapsed from the heat which also means the torsion tubes themselves are no longer what they once where. The front and rear tubes are the bedrock base of these cars and if they are weak and annealed from fire (which these would have to be) then you're building a dream on a foundation of clay at this point. For a better perspective what is and what should be take two identical tin cans and place one in a small camp fire for a good 15-20 minutes and let it soak into the embers etc. Your car was obviously in a structural fire as the roof collapsed onto it and it burned for quite some time before it was put out. Hose the can off and once cool compare the two. Take a hammer and smack the fresh one. You'll get a nice ring with some slight damage before it Springs away from you. The burned can by contrast will give off a dead "thud" and will just cave in with no rebound. The metal is now annealed with very little tensile strength remaining becoming almost like butter. This is what now comprises the make up of your donor and the only realistic way to get the strength back is to recycle it at the smelter unfortunately. I see Bill's link to Rusty's old build ; certainly do not agree with Miami Air as rusted and wrecked is doable as portions survive intact to build off from but fire leaves you nothing but a rough and soft shape of what was once a 356. Alex, if you can find a 62-65 unburned T6 donor in similar condition to the A- car that Rusty started with to use that beautiful donor roof on then you're really on the road to your dream car. I hope your Dad didn't pay too much... :(
Justin

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Martin Benade
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#9 Post by Martin Benade »

Can you tell if it got so hot that the torsion bars were annealed and sagged? It doesn't look absolutely burned to a crisp- there is still part of one carb and signs of paint and bondo and wires left. Possibly there is still a car in there. If the torsion bars did sag, then I would be more concerned that it is weakened everywhere.
Cleveland Ohio
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Alex Marquez
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#10 Post by Alex Marquez »

My attack plan would be to strip it down and inspect accordingly, i downloaded the workshop manual thanks to a member on this forum who graciously uploaded a pdf copy. So once I pull measurements i can asses to see where to go from there. Maybe this is my blissful ignorance, but since the metal was compromised, I was planning on installing a roll cage for safety and rigidity. Then for the torsion tubes, hopefully they are good, if they are not, it’s gonna be an outlaw! So I’ll cut out the tubes and do a tube swap with 911 or if it gets too expensive vw IRS? Does that seem crazy?

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Martin Benade
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#11 Post by Martin Benade »

If you don't mind lots of work anything can be done. I imagine the torsion tubes are fine, I was questioning the torsion bars themselves. Beware of the dangers of a roll cage to an un-helmeted head on the street.
Cleveland Ohio
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Alex Marquez
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#12 Post by Alex Marquez »

Oh gotcha, ok. To test torsions, should I just slap some tires on it and see how it sits. I would assume it shows obviously.

Also thank you for the heads up on the roll cage, I have read sections on the registry explaining the dangers of a cage being placed in a street car. I’m yet to come up with a design but I’d prefer to make it where I don’t have to have a helmet at all times Driving the car. But I’m always from that step.

Martin Bruechle
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#13 Post by Martin Bruechle »

Economy Outlaw is the way to go.

I have some parts for you in So Cal.
Have a couple rear bumpers too, wiring loom. Cheap. PM sent

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/p ... 64387.html

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/p ... 36177.html

Dan Epperly
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Re: 1964 t6 restoration/build help

#14 Post by Dan Epperly »

Martin Bruechle wrote:Economy Outlaw is the way to go.

I have some parts for you in So Cal.
Have a couple rear bumpers too, wiring loom. Cheap. PM sent

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/p ... 64387.html

https://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/p ... 36177.html

Hi Martin,
I'll take the full interior. email sent. I have an equally bombed out hulk missing the interior.
Dan

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