WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
- Daryl Bertram
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- Location: San Diego, Ca
WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
If loyalty to ones' 356 Rusticle factors into the overall vote in WCSTA competition then over 30 years of ownership of my '53 coupe should help. 50502's story for me began in Spring 1983 when I purchased it from a friend along with '54 cabriolet 60441. I had met that friend (Otto) ten years previously through shared interest in Maico motorcycles and racing them. I needed a kickstart gear for my '64 traction class ice racer (pic) and the local Maico shop sent me to him when they didn't have it. In his garage covered with a tarp was a pre-A cab and over the next ten years I would occasionally ask if he might sell it. Spring of '83 my wife and I were packing to work at a hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia so one last call to Otto who said yes he would sell the cabriolet. He also offered coupe 50502; a '53 1500 Super minus the engine and bumpers. Otto had found it rotting behind a barn somewhere outside of Detroit and rescued it. It was last licensed in 1966. Behind the barn grass had grown underneath the car wicking up moisture which slowly turned it into more of a rusticle than it already was from driving on salted winter roads. Otto towed the cab over and then the coupe with his V-dub bus. That's Otto handing over the keys to the cab in our front yard. (pic) Then the cab, coupe 50502 and a '64 coupe purchased from the Skirmants back yard 356 lot went into storage for the next five years while we were in Saudi. We came back to Detroit in Spring '88 and loaded up the cars for a move to San Diego, Ca. (pic) To the land of the hardly rusty came our rustbelt 356's. 50502 made the trip in the back of a Ryder rental truck. Nephew Danny is waiting to help with the unloading in the pic. The little coupe has spent it's time in So Cal covered with various tarps and untouched until now. If it's a winner I'll start it's restoration; the Stoddard sheet metal will be quite helpful for our budget as 50502 needs lots of it. No matter who wins it's been enjoyable reading the stories of each car. Thanks Stoddard for 'stirring the pot' so to speak and giving the 356 faithful a reason to grab a camera and showcase the dreaded opposite end of the spectrum; RUST! First set of pics here goes back to '83 and the history above followed by pics of the carnage further down the thread.
- Daryl Bertram
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Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
These are driver side shots and a St Christopher's Medal found under the driver seat of 50502.
- Daryl Bertram
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Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
Starting with a pic of the dash to clear the rust palette. When I pulled up the floor boards for the first time since at least 1966 I thought I had found hidden treasure in a plastic bag behind the passenger toe board. Pulling on what I thought was a wire in the bag it wouldn't pull through. Closer inspection revealed I was pulling the tail of a petrified rat. It's still there. Another pic shows the optional black leather interior specified on the Kardex. And then there's the rust.
- Daryl Bertram
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 244
- Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2011 11:54 pm
- Location: San Diego, Ca
- Daryl Bertram
- 356 Fan
- Posts: 244
- Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2011 11:54 pm
- Location: San Diego, Ca
Re: WCSTA -20- 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
More rust pics and I think you've been saturated with rust shots so I'll stop here. The coupe rests near the Tree Of Hubcaps anticipating it's revival.
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Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
Wow, that's pretty ratty. Thumbs up!
Per Schroeder
Stoddard
LA Lit Meet Organizer
Stoddard
LA Lit Meet Organizer
- Greg Bryan
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Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
Daryl,
Did you find a skeleton with the St. Christopher Medal? I would believe it. Will you really restore it? It is amazing the cars that have shown up in the contest. I thought my car seemed an impossible dream to restore and it is basically intact. How much do you figure it will cost to restore it? One shop quoted me $40,000 and another shop told me they would not have done it for that price . He said they were just sorting the men from the boys. The other shop said it would realistically cost $100,000 and mine would be worth $250,000 when restored. Since I don't have the money, I entered the contest hoping it would be enough to get me over the hump. Now I am trying to piece it together with the help of the members. All I can do is keep trying and see if I can make any progress from mine sitting for 31 years. Good Luck. Marc
Did you find a skeleton with the St. Christopher Medal? I would believe it. Will you really restore it? It is amazing the cars that have shown up in the contest. I thought my car seemed an impossible dream to restore and it is basically intact. How much do you figure it will cost to restore it? One shop quoted me $40,000 and another shop told me they would not have done it for that price . He said they were just sorting the men from the boys. The other shop said it would realistically cost $100,000 and mine would be worth $250,000 when restored. Since I don't have the money, I entered the contest hoping it would be enough to get me over the hump. Now I am trying to piece it together with the help of the members. All I can do is keep trying and see if I can make any progress from mine sitting for 31 years. Good Luck. Marc
- James Davies
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Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
This car is amazing Daryl! Very cool to see detail photos of it. I would *love* to see this one restored. Also, it is pretty complete and original. A very worthy candidate once the rust is taken care of.
Good luck in the contest!
Good luck in the contest!
- James Davies
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Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
And maybe I have a soft spot for this car - it's an older sibling to my '53 Fish silver grey Super coupe. =}
- Daryl Bertram
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- Location: San Diego, Ca
Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
Thanks James. No matter who wins all the stories/pics of how these rusticles came to their current caretakers has been excellent reading! Thanks Per for thinking outside the box there. James these Fish silver grey coupes will drive again. Hmmmm it's not too early to think about an engine...
- James Davies
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Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
For sure Daryl! Let me know if you need any Super-specific info. Always happy to help. =)
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Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
Daryl, I just came across your post and enjoyed all the REALLY rusty pictures! I am well into restoring 1953 Cab 60240, found WAY back in 1980 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I stored it until late last year because I had three other Porsches in the restoration process (as well as raising a family and working) in the interim.
BTW, Restoration Design in Ontario (Canada) has a lot of pre A parts that have been previously unavailable through any other source, and they are great guys to deal with.
Good luck!
BTW, Restoration Design in Ontario (Canada) has a lot of pre A parts that have been previously unavailable through any other source, and they are great guys to deal with.
Good luck!
paul r. vantol
- Daryl Bertram
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Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
Thanks Paul; glad you enjoyed the rusty pics. We bought our cabs I see around the same time and stored 'em around the same amount of time. I've already ordered Pre A bits and more to order soon from Resto Design that are not available elsewhere. Such as the Pre-A jack spurs (YES!) and the single stud seat rail base. Very pleased with their Pre-A bits and relieved to have a source for our early cars!
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Re: WCSTA # 20 - 1953 Coupe 50502 - 1500 Super
Curious what ever happened with this car?