The Official 356Talk Forum

Restoration is looking really good Curtis!

Thanks James....

... by Roy D. Query

new to me 53728 1955 Pre-A originally delivered to Spain. Imported to Australia from Arizona in 2011.
Garaged since. 4000km round trip to bring her home to Melbourne, Australia.
Now the fun begins.......

Looks fantastic as is, John! What does she need?

Wash it, polish the chrome, and replace the window rubber. It looks great.

Jules Dielen wrote:Looks fantastic as is, John! What does she need?

She is a non runner as found. Will need the box rebuilt, and debating putting anything in to get her up and running, before looking for a 546/2 motor close to original 35141.

Outlaw Continental in London street

Bent window 7/52, but Body Bumper

Andy

Hello, here vin 53768. unrestored solide driver with some patches here and there. Wheel arches have been slightly modified maybe to take the 15 inch wheels. Looking to update with correct parts and restore in the future.

My folks in Southern California sold my light blue 54 preA 356 Cabriolet in 1969 while I was in Vietnam (for $150). I would love to know where it ended up. Let me know if you have history or info. Tom Howe tomehowe@aol.com

Its registered by engine number which could complicste finding it. Or it may still be registered that way.

Hi Thomas,

That engine serial number looks familiar but I cannot be sure. I had a 54 cab in 1984-1992 I had two motors for it and one of them might have been this number. Mine was originally Turkish Red with tan interior but had been repainted several times one of the times was light blue by the time I got it was various shades of primer. The interior had been changed to black. I found it at a rental yard in Pomona CA the owner had dissembled the car completely and I picked it up in pieces. It had one engine case (2 piece type) no engine internals and 6 heads. I started looking for an engine I could use and a few weeks later I found another engine just 2 blocks away from where the car was that was complete and nice. It was something like 20 numbers off of the one that came with the car. I was always amazed of all the types of 356 motors I could have found I found the exact type that went to my car. I can't be sure but it might be the same car or it could have been your cars engine. I was a teenager while I had the car and could never restore the way I wanted to. I sold it to someone in Milan Italy around 1992. Do you know if yours was red originally. I do not remember the engine serial numbers but the car chassis number was 60659. You can find a contact in the db of the guy I sold it to but he sold it on about 1996 so I don't think he know where it is now.
Identifying marks, mine was definitely taken a hit to the front and rear by the time I got it. Nothing serious just typical bondo everywhere. It was pretty rust free with just a few spots under the battery and in the side panels by the convertible top.

The picture below is the car after the guy I sold it to did a full restoration on it.

‘55 Speedster

Craig’s 55 (Speedy) on Ortega Highway.