New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

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Vincent Chiaro
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#61 Post by Vincent Chiaro »

Car is still at the mechanic and one of the forum members here is doing a carb rebuild for us -- plus selling me a carb to replace the missing one (thank you Bruce!). I'm sure even once we have the carbs on, there will be a lot of others things to do.

- Rear brakes have been rebuilt (fronts were fine)
- Fuel system cleaned / lines replaced
- New tires
- New 6v battery

Here is a cool picture of the car from the daughter of the former owner.
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1960 356B Roadster -- http://www.youtube.com/atypicaldriver

Vincent Chiaro
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#62 Post by Vincent Chiaro »

Sorry for the radio silence, but have been enjoying the roadster and took it on a decent drive today as part of the Hillsborough Tour d'Elegance here in the SF Bay Area.

The car continues to reveal more of it's past and I made a video about some of the stuff I found hidden inside the car as well as all the various spares that came with it. Some of the stuff I wasn't sure what it is being new to the 356 but figured folks here would probably know!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nRfdOrjLu0
1960 356B Roadster -- http://www.youtube.com/atypicaldriver

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Art Caputo
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#63 Post by Art Caputo »

Fully enjoy your videos!!
Do I interpret the 150,000 miles on the original piston/ cylinders that the odometer has turned over? I have no idea of the actual mileage in my 60 Roadster….So I am intrigued.
Art Caputo
1960 T5 Roadster
1956 A Coupe
1986 Carrera
2018 Cayenne
2017 Macan(wife)

Vincent Chiaro
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#64 Post by Vincent Chiaro »

Hey Art, thanks for watching and glad you like the videos. Yes, I believe the odometer has rolled over once and the car has a total of just under 150k miles on it. From the records I had, the engine was rebuilt in 1998 but was only driven 300 miles since then. I've put about another 300 miles on it now, so it's almost broken in after 24 years! Haha.
1960 356B Roadster -- http://www.youtube.com/atypicaldriver

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Art Caputo
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#65 Post by Art Caputo »

Vincent, It’s great that you have all that history and info on your Roadster! I have owned my 60 Roadster since 1990 when I traded my 1959 A Coupe on it. Unfortunately, I have very little history or documentation other then the factory certificate I acquired from Porsche back then. Also, I’m uncertain of its actual mileage. The odometer reads 85K miles.
It spent the last 30 years or so undergoing a restoration(along with storage time) in anticipation of it being my retirement driver…Having retired a couple of years ago, I achieved that goal and exercise the Roadster daily, on the back, country roads..my favorite pastime!
Art Caputo
1960 T5 Roadster
1956 A Coupe
1986 Carrera
2018 Cayenne
2017 Macan(wife)

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Greg Bryan
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#66 Post by Greg Bryan »

Entertaining video, Vincent. The Roadster is a great car to invest your time in.
I don't remember all the items in your boxes of parts, but here's a few observations.
The hydraulic items are old brake wheel cylinders bodies with the internal parts removed. Apparently, someone replaced all the front-end brake parts including wheel bearings - that's a good thing.
Those new Sachs rear shocks appeared to be fairly normal to me - you can depress them and extend them by hand, albeit slowly. They go one direction easier than the other. If the Koni shocks that were once in the boxes are on your car, that's a great upgrade. That small shock absorber-looking item is the steering damper which reduces steering shimmy.
The tool kit is a great asset - they are very expensive to source and yours looks fairly complete.
Are there heater boxes on your car? Those are period correct boxes, maybe someone either left them off or replaced them with later double flapper boxes which are more desirable as they're more efficient at expelling the hot cooling air. If they were left off and there is no heat, even in the Bay Area, it's nice to have heat.
That's about all I remember.
Good luck with your project.
Greg Bryan

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Al Zim
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#67 Post by Al Zim »

I graduated from high school the first week of June 1960 I was 16. Now I am coming on 81 and a great deal of things have worn out on me. Including ME! Take your car to some who is well versed in 356 and has the business to support their knowledge. I think you will need a GREAT deal of $$ to make the car a reliable (read SAFE) vehicle to drive. After 60 years everything wears out. Insure the car for $250,000. Does your car have the single front mount transmission. This would make it a 1959 production vehicle.
Last edited by Al Zim on Sat Feb 24, 2024 1:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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George Hussey
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#68 Post by George Hussey »

IMG_0430.JPG
many dealers cut holes in the roadster dash to install an aftermarket radio was NEVER done at the factory!! One of my roadsters had the dash hole cut, I welded it back together and installed a replica radio holder under the dash
George Hussey

Vincent Chiaro
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#69 Post by Vincent Chiaro »

Thanks for the kind words and glad that you enjoyed the video.

@Greg Bryan thanks for helping to identify a bunch of the stuff in the video. The car does have heater boxes on it and the heat works as it should.

As for the shocks, it appears to have Konis on it, so those Sachs ones must be the originals.

@Al Zim - Bill Eason got the car all sorted out for me and I'll be going back there for regular check ups!

The car has recently developed a slide grinding noise from the front passenger brake after a a twisty mountain drive (when exercising the brakes!) It doesn't seem to make the noise around town so I'll have to look into that. The noise is during brake application after "hard" driving that would have gotten the brakes pretty hot.
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#70 Post by George Hussey »

IMG_0430.JPG
yes under dash in a special case
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Jon Schmid
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#71 Post by Jon Schmid »

Vincent, one thing you might want to consider is to put exhaust extender pipes on the car. Yes, they are not factory "original" but they will keep your bumper guards from being discolored either due to heat or exhaust soot. I ran/run them on both my 356's and did not regret it one bit.

Vincent Chiaro
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#72 Post by Vincent Chiaro »

I realized I've been negligent posting updates to this thread about my adventures with the roadster. I'm not sure if anyone cares or not, but Panorama photographed the roadster during the 2022 car week when it was entered at The Quail and a journalist names John Chuldenko wrote a wonderful article about it's history. It hasn't been published yet over a year later so I assume probably they decided not to run the story.

Either way, I'll try to keep this thread somewhat up to date with projects, drives, adventures with the car. I love this car and really appreciate all of the wisdom from the registry.

Here are a few of my recent YouTube videos about it....

I used to sneak into The Quail with the previous owner of the roadster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QbyjhnUy7U
Screenshot 2023-11-26 at 6.11.37 PM.png
1960 356B Roadster -- http://www.youtube.com/atypicaldriver

Vincent Chiaro
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#73 Post by Vincent Chiaro »

Sorry slightly out of order, but here is a video of the first drive:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGGm0KgI2aM
Screenshot 2023-11-26 at 6.17.10 PM.png
1960 356B Roadster -- http://www.youtube.com/atypicaldriver

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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#74 Post by John Wurner »

Hi Vince
I have been following your Roadster adventure for some time and appreciate your enthusiasm.
I went down a similar path, but just this year. Found a 1960 Roadster Super for sale that was owned by the seller since 1964 (like you), refreshed in 2002/2004 and driven 187 miles since that time. So a lot of the same things were needed, fuel system, brakes, rubber parts, and things that were done wrong during the refurbishment. This car is vin XX808, went from light ivory to ruby red to Champagne. Southern Calif car, no rust.
Looks like we should start a Roadster club, with all of the comments.I also have 1960 Roadster normal xx809, so I could not pass on this one.
John

Vincent Chiaro
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Re: New member introduction - 1960 Roadster

#75 Post by Vincent Chiaro »

John -

You own two of them in sequential VIN numbers? That is AMAZING!!! Congratulations on that find, like you said no wonder you couldn't pass it up. Even though the speedsters seem to get all of the attention, I can usually tell someone is a real 356 enthusiast when they comment on the roadster at a cars and coffee, etc.

Thanks for following and watching the videos too.
1960 356B Roadster -- http://www.youtube.com/atypicaldriver

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