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Super ugly car when I started. Everyone almost lost this 356 for its sunroof clip, but saved by my brother and dad. Close to primer, and paint in the spring. Matching numbers trans and engine...

Looks great, Kevin! It's been a long road, eh?

Richard Colella wrote:Looks great, Kevin! It's been a long road, eh?

Thanks, Richard. Long road indeed. Will be worth it though.

When I first took the car off the road and stripped all of the paint and bondo off, my first thought was "Dear God, what have I done. Put it back, put it back!!!" This car was so bad under the paint and bondo. I have missed the therapy of driving this old car whenever I want for years. Dad had a quadruple bypass, stupid day job got in the way of progress. I thought I might actually die before this old wreck was ever presentable again.

So what is a man to do? Metal was cut out, and more metal...and more metal. Egregious repairs were undone. Metal was put back in. My Dad was on the mend and committed to helping me restore a 55 year old car much like the first one he bought in the 80's that me and my brother rode home in. That night coming home, we ran out of gas, and a kind woman watched me and Eric in their home and watched "A-Team" while my Dad and a generous man found a gas can in the shed and got us on our way. And so starts the genetic illness of 356 devotion. We cut that metal out and put new metal in. It isn't done yet, but it is close. The car is so much better than I ever thought it could be after the first bare metal glimpse. I'll be 41 this year and when I am 42, I'll see all of you on the road. The car is back at my house now to finish up the bottom side. Keep the 356 faith. These cars are magic and sooth the soul. Can't wait to hear that motor pushing me down the road when we are all done. Color is up in the air. I will preserve the original color on the top of the dash, but pretty sure it won't be ivory in the end.

Huge, huge thank you to my Dad and my brother Eric for all of your help. You may not fully understand what your efforts mean to me, but I can assure you they are absolutely monumental. Check out those gaps!

Great milestone. You're almost there

Good job Wills family!

Thank you Richard and Cliff. Getting there...

After life getting in the way for far too long, finally gaining steam to push this project to completion. Car is now in color (color being relative with Ivory ). Hopefully begin some assembly work over Thanksgiving weekend.

This will be the fun part. Is that ivory or light ivory?

Per CoA, Ivory. T6-B's are in the middle of the spectrum being lighter than A's and darker than C's.

A couple more after color sand and buff. All the work to get it straight in metal and countless hours of blocking have paid off. I should have the car back from the painter next week.

Mike

Thanks, Mike!

Kevin,

Very nice job you’re doing. I have the proper factory type Headliner for your S/R coupe. Correct by material, light grey color, and perforation hole pattern. This link will take you to the discussion here. Let me know if interested.

viewtopic.php?t=49436

Michael Doyle

Looks wonderful with its fresh coat of paint

Antoine