Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

Share progress on your 356 related project or full restoration with others!
Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
Stephen Masefield
356 Fan
Posts: 354
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 2:32 pm
Location: Zion National Park, Virgin Utah

Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#1 Post by Stephen Masefield »

Well its taken over 2.5 years to get to this point, but today the 356 finally has its silver paint and is looking stunning. It was just pulled out of the paint booth and is curing in sun. ( a dry 98' here in the desert). On Monday it will get a finishing polish when the paint is hard and then home to begin the reassembly !

Many thanks to all in the past who have help with questions...no doubt many more to come
Attachments
020 (Small).JPG
021 (Small).JPG
023 (Small).JPG
018 (Small).JPG
Steve
'57 Coupe
'61 Sunroof Coupe
'79 911SC Targa (Stupidly sold)
'23 Subaru BRZ (poor mans Porsche)
Ford Diesel to haul 'stuff'

Michael Ufford
356 Fan
Posts: 268
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:55 pm
Location: Toronto

Re: Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#2 Post by Michael Ufford »

Stephen:

Congratulations. Your car is beautiful. Thanks for posting your pictures.

I am very close to a silver paint job on my T-5. I know all about the frustrations of the long body repair process. Hope my car will look as good as yours.

Question: Will you be getting your car home with its suspension and steering?

My body shop will be returning my car with the suspension but no steering. I figure that work around the dash will be easier without the steering column and wheel.

I'd be interested in your plan.

Thanks
Mike
Toronto
T-5 Coupe 

User avatar
Aaron W. Holstrom
356 Fan
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri May 02, 2014 6:48 pm
Location: Kansas City, MO
Contact:

Re: Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#3 Post by Aaron W. Holstrom »

Stephen, your car looks beautiful. Congratulations on a new milestone achieved!
Aaron

User avatar
Stephen Masefield
356 Fan
Posts: 354
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 2:32 pm
Location: Zion National Park, Virgin Utah

Re: Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#4 Post by Stephen Masefield »

Mike - its on the rolling frame and will stay on that - we will get it on a long trailer by muscle ....tie it down and drive ever so "sensibly" home; at home will have friends muscle it off...

One point worth noting - I spent hours cleaning and detailing the front and rear suspension and loose wires etc prior to paint (seemed a good idea at the time !) - Now it is all pretty well "paint dusted" ...even though I covered up most areas. It's not a serious issue but had I spent more time thinking about the protection and realized that paint travels everywhere....I would have saved my self some up coming rework hours.

I am hopeful this rework will not be too arduous - I think it should come off pretty well because its "dusted" not sprayed (well 95%), the body shop was relying on me to do grunt work and prep. and what i did was clearly not enough :(
Steve
'57 Coupe
'61 Sunroof Coupe
'79 911SC Targa (Stupidly sold)
'23 Subaru BRZ (poor mans Porsche)
Ford Diesel to haul 'stuff'

Michael Ufford
356 Fan
Posts: 268
Joined: Mon Oct 13, 2008 5:55 pm
Location: Toronto

Re: Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#5 Post by Michael Ufford »

Thanks for the info. Looking forward to more pictures as you progress.
Mike
Toronto
T-5 Coupe 

User avatar
Steve Harrison
356 Fan
Posts: 3301
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2009 11:39 am
Location: Auburn AL

Re: Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#6 Post by Steve Harrison »

Stephen, I know exactly what you're talking about on the paint dusting. It happened to me too. I had everything detailed and looking good, only to find everything misted ever so slightly after the painting. Yes, it basically 'wiped' off with a rag dampened with lacquer thinner, but the wasted time sting a bit, haha. I did have the forethought to not install the horns or shocks and a few other things, so saved a bit there. And the underbody itself I knew was going to need a final 'topcoat' of black paint. It was things like the emergency brake cables and brake lines that made me cringe. But everything cleaned up in the end. I heard later of a painters trick where you lay out the plastic and then ROLL the entire car onto it, pull up the edges and tape it to the wheel wells that way. I had tried the old "skirt" method and got the results you describe. Live and learn, eh?

User avatar
Stephen Masefield
356 Fan
Posts: 354
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 2:32 pm
Location: Zion National Park, Virgin Utah

Re: Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#7 Post by Stephen Masefield »

Well its been over a since it came home ! (see above) Over a year to reassemble can't believe it - first real run out July 4th in Springdale @ Zion National Park ... a lot of fun ...
Attachments
Ready for the off....
Ready for the off....
Going real slow - but it kept cool !
Going real slow - but it kept cool !
Steve
'57 Coupe
'61 Sunroof Coupe
'79 911SC Targa (Stupidly sold)
'23 Subaru BRZ (poor mans Porsche)
Ford Diesel to haul 'stuff'

User avatar
Vic Skirmants
Registry Hall of Fame
Posts: 9276
Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:02 pm
Location: SE Michigan
Contact:

Re: Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#8 Post by Vic Skirmants »

Beautiful! Do the balloons help take weight off the rear for better handling? :D

User avatar
Sebastian Gaeta
356 Fan
Posts: 3047
Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:50 pm
Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Re: Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#9 Post by Sebastian Gaeta »

Steve,

You are truly a global presence......A Brit driving a German car in a 4th of July parade!!!!

Looks great, congrats on getting it done.


PS How is the wiper motor working out?
Sebastian Gaeta
www.arbormotion.com

Registry #8339

'65 C coupe
'64 C cab

-------
2014 Boxster 981
2005 997 C2 Cab
1967 Karmann Ghia Convertible
1966 VW Single Cab
1966 Ducati Cafe Racer
1964 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1963 Beetle

User avatar
Stephen Masefield
356 Fan
Posts: 354
Joined: Sat Dec 25, 2010 2:32 pm
Location: Zion National Park, Virgin Utah

Re: Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#10 Post by Stephen Masefield »

Vic - balloons make it handle better than some guys rear performance bar ;-) But rear wheel spin is an issue due to loss of traction...
Although anything above 5mph they act as a rear anchor/drag...
Steve
'57 Coupe
'61 Sunroof Coupe
'79 911SC Targa (Stupidly sold)
'23 Subaru BRZ (poor mans Porsche)
Ford Diesel to haul 'stuff'

User avatar
Greg Bryan
356 Fan
Posts: 3692
Joined: Sat Oct 04, 2008 1:05 pm
Location: San Pedro, CA 90732; Fallen Leaf, CA 96150
Contact:

Re: Paint Day ~ T1 '61 coming home....

#11 Post by Greg Bryan »

Great looking car! And don't apologize for taking a year to assemble - that's light speed!
Greg Bryan

Post Reply