Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

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Steve Harrison
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#706 Post by Steve Harrison »

Justin, what's the measurement down from the hood lip to that center hole for the emblem?

Justin Rio
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#707 Post by Justin Rio »

Here ya go Steve. Keep in mind the lip has been leaded and gapped to the hood so this maybe off by a few MM's. Justin
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356 2323.JPG

John Parker
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#708 Post by John Parker »

Man I wish my hood fit half as good as that. Your progress is amazing and your car is looking awesome.

Justin Rio
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#709 Post by Justin Rio »

Hey John, thank you so much its been a ton of work that has really tested my patience. You have been here since I began this thread a few years ago and I have really appreciated your posts of support. I hope your at least driving and enjoying your coupe on occasion. Thanks once again! Justin

Front and right side of the car are just about to my liking. It can always be better of course but I am shooting for final color this fall so I've got to keep it moving. Here are a few shots and details of last months progress. More photos and details can be found on my other build thread on ABCGT.com Thanks for looking! Justin
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Cowl, hood and nose area are finally complete.
Cowl, hood and nose area are finally complete.
Right side of the car is all but complete and ready for final color. Working my way up the sail panel to the roof to make sure all those small details around the gutter etc are okay. Then around to the back.
Right side of the car is all but complete and ready for final color. Working my way up the sail panel to the roof to make sure all those small details around the gutter etc are okay. Then around to the back.
found one of my factory fitted original decklid hinges (with correct locating holes) for the car and it immdiately helped with some old elevation issues I was having.
found one of my factory fitted original decklid hinges (with correct locating holes) for the car and it immdiately helped with some old elevation issues I was having.
Back tracking a little. Stripped the left rear quater back down to metal to correct contour defect from old accident damage from the late 60's
Back tracking a little. Stripped the left rear quater back down to metal to correct contour defect from old accident damage from the late 60's

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Shane Balkowitsch
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Keep it Up

#710 Post by Shane Balkowitsch »

Dear Justin, you inspire us all. Know it has been said before, just had to say it again,

Thanks,
Shane
Shane Balkowitsch
1965 Porsche 356C Outlaw
Don't Hate Me for My Outlaw Tendencies
356 Registry Member #: 31354
http://www.btinet.net/~sharoncol/porsche356.htm
http://356registry.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=72623#72623

Justin Rio
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#711 Post by Justin Rio »

Thank you Shane! I appreciate all the support on this very long road. I'm hoping to reach your destination of a finished car here one day soon. Thanks again! Justin

Entire right side of the car is now ready for final paint. A ton of time spent A-B pillars, gutter details but I can finally live with it. A few photos below. More details and photos here: http://abcgt.com/forum/14-356-Restorati ... =372#10631 ABCGT.com
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undisturbed reflections across the door gaps was my most detail of concern.
undisturbed reflections across the door gaps was my most detail of concern.
Tough areas to get right without causing secondary damage from sanding ridges on opposing surfaces.
Tough areas to get right without causing secondary damage from sanding ridges on opposing surfaces.
Roof, sail panel, and this side of the body are finally at a level that I can live with. Thanks for reading this! Justin
Roof, sail panel, and this side of the body are finally at a level that I can live with. Thanks for reading this! Justin
Last edited by Justin Rio on Sat Sep 28, 2013 2:49 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Andrew Serdich
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#712 Post by Andrew Serdich »

Justin I wish I had your skills. The car is looking wonderful.
1962 356b T-6 Coupe

Justin Rio
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#713 Post by Justin Rio »

Hi Andrew, Thank you very much I appreciate you saying so! This car has been ALL up hill and any improvements being made are all in the course of doing it wrong at least once and sometimes for a third go-round :( but in the process I get a little smarter. I hope... :? Thanks again! Justin

Working on gapping and leveling the old deck lid in with its opening. Some trial and error but its at least headed in the right direction as of this evening. Below are a few pics. for additional photos and details please stop by: ABCGT.COM Link: http://abcgt.com/forum/14-356-Restorati ... =384#11195
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First tracer coat to see what I had after the initial upper gap was set.
First tracer coat to see what I had after the initial upper gap was set.
Like the doors and trunk lid before to keep the filler thickness down on the edges of the engine lid some light taps both up and down were needed to achieve a smooth transition with the rear cowl.
Like the doors and trunk lid before to keep the filler thickness down on the edges of the engine lid some light taps both up and down were needed to achieve a smooth transition with the rear cowl.
After some rethink and fine adjustment the engaged lid finally transitions to the body like I wanted.
After some rethink and fine adjustment the engaged lid finally transitions to the body like I wanted.
Had to bring the car out into the sun to get a tracer coat to harden. Its only been outside of my shop  twice maybe three times over the last several years. It was so weird to see it in direct sunlight and back more than 4 feet that I had to take a photo. Thanks for stopping by! Justin
Had to bring the car out into the sun to get a tracer coat to harden. Its only been outside of my shop twice maybe three times over the last several years. It was so weird to see it in direct sunlight and back more than 4 feet that I had to take a photo. Thanks for stopping by! Justin

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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#714 Post by Justin Rio »

Beginning my crash course in shrinking metal with a disc on that left rear fender. Very much on the learning curve but the fender is ever so slowly drawing back up and headed in the right direction A few progress shots are below. More photos and details here: ABCGT.com or http://www.abcgt.com/forum/14-356-Resto ... =396#12668
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Deluxe kit from Wolfes metal fab.
Deluxe kit from Wolfes metal fab.
very initial handbrake bending to both push in and roll the lip back under.
very initial handbrake bending to both push in and roll the lip back under.
Wire positioning struts were added to both hold the correct distance from the frame and stabilize the fender while the rest of the surface is messaged.
Wire positioning struts were added to both hold the correct distance from the frame and stabilize the fender while the rest of the surface is messaged.
Crown is softening and fender taking on the correct contour. Only very basic here; still have along way to go! Thanks for stopping by! Justin
Crown is softening and fender taking on the correct contour. Only very basic here; still have along way to go! Thanks for stopping by! Justin

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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#715 Post by Justin Rio »

Left rear fender shrinking and shaping taken about as far as I can go. What remains will only require a skim coat. The shrinking disc is an absolute keeper. More photos and details at: http://www.abcgt.com/forum/14-356-Resto ... =402#13018 orABCGT.com Thanks for looking! Justin
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The disc really turned the trick in helping to iron out this badly worked area.
The disc really turned the trick in helping to iron out this badly worked area.
First sealer coat.
First sealer coat.
Straight paint to assess what still needs to be done.
Straight paint to assess what still needs to be done.

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DaveCooper
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#716 Post by DaveCooper »

What a great thread...gives me some hope if I decide to go this route with my '55.

Justin Rio
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#717 Post by Justin Rio »

Hey Dave, Thank you very much! Wishing you the best of luck with your project should you decide to take it on come spring. You'll have more than enough help and guidance from this group of guys here. Thanks again! Justin

Into the left side run of this car and with that puts me down the home stretch of the body work phase. Only taken me 25 years to get here. :( Below are some recent progress shots. More pics and details can be found here: http://www.abcgt.com/forum/14-356-Resto ... =414#13852 or ABCGT.com
Thanks for stopping by!
Justin
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Rear apron, decklid and most the rear fender now all but set. With this out of the way it was time to fix all the little problems down the left side of the body which mainly centered around the door.
Rear apron, decklid and most the rear fender now all but set. With this out of the way it was time to fix all the little problems down the left side of the body which mainly centered around the door.
Disc shrinking several bad high spots and troubled areas on the door which was wreaking havoc on the overall contour down the body.
Disc shrinking several bad high spots and troubled areas on the door which was wreaking havoc on the overall contour down the body.
Now happy with the basic panel fitment and contoured shape across the door gaps.
Now happy with the basic panel fitment and contoured shape across the door gaps.
Test coat applied. Only mild, subtle waves and irregularities remain. Another swatch of filler and stiff metal long-boarding block sand passes should take me the rest of the way in. Thanks again for reading this! Justin
Test coat applied. Only mild, subtle waves and irregularities remain. Another swatch of filler and stiff metal long-boarding block sand passes should take me the rest of the way in. Thanks again for reading this! Justin

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Will Scheidegger
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#718 Post by Will Scheidegger »

Justin Rio wrote:Only taken me 25 years to get here. :(
Well, maybe 25 years ago your skills would not have been at level to do such a great job. Haste makes waste :wink:
I'm currently schooling my skills on 4 different projects with high hopes that by the time I get to my 356 I can do a job at least half way as good as you are doing. Although I do also hope that it won't take me 25...

Technical question though: What are the pros about using a shrinking disc instead of a gas torch and wet sponge?

-will
'59 T2 Coupe project
'63 VW Type 1 sunroof 
'64 VW Type 2 "Samba" (21 window) project
'67 Jaguar S-Type
'79 VW Type 2 Westfalia camper project
'91 VW Type 2 Doka (double cab) syncro project
'04 VW T5 Multivan
Looking for engine 600 604

Justin Rio
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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#719 Post by Justin Rio »

Hey Will,
Thank you! Yeah, that's true its taken this long to make my mistakes and hopefully learn from them. As far as the disc versus the torch for shrinking each has its place during a specific phase. The torch is great for the initial metal bumping phase. When your in the fine finishing stage as I am in now the Disc is what you want to be using. The disc works so slowly and gradually which is perfect for control if you only need a small section to come down a few thousandths of an inch. If I put a torch on the same spot I showed earlier it would have made more work than it was there to correct. After cooling It would have sucked down 3-4 times the area That I needed and then I'd be back to hammer and dolly work to try and get it back close again. I've been down that road. With the disc I just heat and quench and gradually shrink it with no hammer needed unless of course I take it too far but the beauty is that its so controllable it hasn't really happened. Hope this made sense. Thanks again! Justin
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Long even strokes with my metal bar to chase all the subtle waves and irregularities down the side. More details and photos of this at ABCGT.com Thanks for looking! Justin
Long even strokes with my metal bar to chase all the subtle waves and irregularities down the side. More details and photos of this at ABCGT.com Thanks for looking! Justin

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Re: Trying to finish Carrera coupe 58367 before I die!

#720 Post by Justin Rio »

Another detour/redo before this is over. :(
Unhappy with the forward section contour of the rear quarter panel and door joint/junction I ended up going back down to metal again to reduce the need for both my plastic filler and the factory lead thickness due to poor panel alignment from the Reutter factory. A few pics of this latest disaster are below and a full detailed description of the process can be seen here: http://www.abcgt.com/forum/14-356-Resto ... =420#14477
Or ABCGT.com Thanks for looking! Justin
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I not only had to redo my earlier metal finishing attempt but I also had to address the excessive amount of lead filler used by the factory for this very poor panel to panel alignment
I not only had to redo my earlier metal finishing attempt but I also had to address the excessive amount of lead filler used by the factory for this very poor panel to panel alignment
I ended up cutting this troubled section free to save it first or replace if necessary.
I ended up cutting this troubled section free to save it first or replace if necessary.
Ironing out this section on my buddies English wheel.
Ironing out this section on my buddies English wheel.
Tacked back in. Only once its fully welded will I know if I can live with it or not. I still may end up replacing the entire fender. Thanks for stopping by! Justin
Tacked back in. Only once its fully welded will I know if I can live with it or not. I still may end up replacing the entire fender. Thanks for stopping by! Justin

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