What to do, what to do? '62 356 S Cabriolet

porschenut66 · 05:46 AM

I recently purchased a two owner (guy I bought it from owned it since 1975 and drove it up until 2012 here and there), unmolested '62 356 S Cab. Originally ivory (now medium blue) over black. Very solid, little to no real rust (pretty much just surface stuff on some of the bright work and some paint crazing...pans and longitudinals are nice), always garaged Southern car. Runs and drives well. All numbers matching, engine rebuilt in the 90's and has about 23k on it now. Never hit, no accidents. I paid a lot for it, but not market value. My dilemma is this: Do I restore it, or leave it as a pretty much an original (other than paint color change in the 80's, and front seat covers in the '90's) survivor? I know these cars are bringing big money now, and I don't necessarily want to restore if keeping it an original/survivor could be more valuable. At this moment I'm not looking to sell, but assuming what I've stated about the car...what could I expect value "as is" vs. restoring? And ...if I leave it alone, do I leave the few years of dust on it since technically it was a barn find, even though it was just taken off the road a few years ago? It's beautiful (I'd call it a 6-7/10 exterior and an 8-9/10 interior. Top is a 5/10. Replace or leave the soft top alone? Not really worn or torn, just overall looking a bit tired...I believe it is original to the car. I appreciate any and all input on this significant piece of Porsche History. I may post some pics next week when I'm not so busy. Thanks.

Matt Monson · 03-11-2015, 08:34 PM

Ducking Eric's boot...

CountD · 01:55 AM

Do not restore it. Or whatever idea of a restoration is in your mind. It's hard to overcome the temptation to right all the wrongs but in this case I think it would be crazy.

You could replace the top (keep the old one), clean up all the chrome and bright work, clay out the paint, give it a good detail and leave it as-is. I think you would be crazy to take on some sort of restoration when doing some serious elbow grease in cleaning and preserving all the details will make a huge difference. You'd be surprised at how good a car can look with a full and proper detail top to bottom.

Clean off the dust. This isn't a Ferrari 250 California that was found in some French barn.

Also, you need to get the word 'survivor' and 'original' out of your mind. It's not a survivor - it's had a paint change to the wrong color and has the wrong interior. This is not a survivor and an original car. No one from a collector standpoint, a concours judge, or even the original Porsche COA would put it in original or survivor status.

Also, just being off the road a couple years doesn't make a barn find. The owner knew what it was, he drove it, and 2 years passed, but I wouldn't call it a barn find.

I think you may be making the car out to be more than it is. A car that's in original paint, original interior, and has been left to time in some undisclosed location for the immediate future by the owner would be more akin to a barn find. It's a 356 cab that needs a cleaning and a go through - and if you want to put in $20K worth of bodywork to bring it back to the original color and $8K for the interior, then that's fine but you won't be disturbing anything other than the non-original paint and non-original interior (which are two very large things on a car like this, value wise). Look at the scruffy Speedster with original paint that almost brought $500K last month. It has original paint. And original interior. And was sort of a barn find.

BK911 · BK911's Garage

Sounds like a perfect daily beater. Go through the mechanicals, clean her up, then drive the snot out of her!!!

NYNick · NYNick's Garage

See February 2015 Panorama.

porschenut66 · 03-19-2015, 05:26 AM

Here are some pics...I have the correct hubcaps and top cover (when down) as well. I couldn't get the wheel freed up so this is my mechanic getting it done...fixed. The pic on the trailer looks like the door is dented...just a reflection...no dings at all. Running and driving now! Awesome.

vracer · vracer's Garage

See the movie, "Harper", and picture yourself as Paul Newman driving around in a ratty old speedster.

In other words, drive it as is. A few years ago I bought a really ratty old 'Belgian' Roadster that was so rusty that you could see through the floorboards, but was in pretty good mechanical shape. I wanted to rebuild the mechanicals, leave the cosmetics alone and pretend to be Paul. My wife wouldn't allow it, so I spent three years and a lot of money on an 'almost' concours resto. I no longer felt comfortable driving it, so I sold it. (Through careful spending and a rising market, I just about broke even, but it did take three years.)

porschenut66 · 03-19-2015, 06:44 PM

Yeah, I'm not looking to overly restore the car...wondering should I leave the dust on it? It's just cool...LOL And I realize it's not a "true barn find", untouched for 30+ years... which is why I said "technically" because it's been parked in that barn for 40 years, but driven and not touched for the last few years. Repaint it in the non-original blue (when done back in the 80's it was done right...jambs, under the hood and bonnet, etc or just claybar and enjoy rather than stripping and going back all original. Any suggestion on restoring the date coded wheels? Leave rusty or restore? They look like crap, but I fear if I start doing one thing it will turn on to a full blown restoration and I don't think I need to do that...

porschenut66 · 03-19-2015, 06:45 PM

And does anybody need a complete matching set of 4 date coded 58 rims?

CountD · 03-20-2015, 08:03 AM

It has enough character so a good cleaning isn't going to take that away. I would clean and shine it up so the dust/dirt doesn't get moist and do more damage...

With that said, great photos and great story. Clean it up, do the brakes and tires, change the oil, give it a tune up and have the ride of your life.

CountD · 03-20-2015, 08:05 AM

oh, yea and the clay bar is a great idea. Would love to see pics with it cleaned up.

TPorsche912 · 03-20-2015, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountD

oh, yea and the clay bar is a great idea. Would love to see pics with it cleaned up.

Might take something a little more abrasive to bring this paint back. Can't really tell from the pics, but the rear wheel arch might need some immediate intervention.

I'm gonna differ a little from the crowd here. I have never been able to appreciate the aesthetics of the "rat rod' approach on any car, so maybe you can call me out of touch. The car appears to have a presentable interior, but the exterior needs help. How well was the blue originally done? Was it glass out, parts off the car, or a general respray. I would do a detailed analysis of what it would take to return the car to original ivory color (would look great on the car)and cost, and let the patina of the chrome and the interior carry the car forward for its age.

At your geographical location I doubt the top is gonna get much use anyhow, so leave it alone and cover it up with the tonneau.

CountD · 03-20-2015, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TPorsche912

Might take something a little more abrasive to bring this paint back. Can't really tell from the pics, but the rear wheel arch might need some immediate intervention.

I'm gonna differ a little from the crowd here. I have never been able to appreciate the aesthetics of the "rat rod' approach on any car, so maybe you can call me out of touch. The car appears to have a presentable interior, but the exterior needs help. How well was the blue originally done? Was it glass out, parts off the car, or a general respray. I would do a detailed analysis of what it would take to return the car to original ivory color (would look great on the car)and cost, and let the patina of the chrome and the interior carry the car forward for its age.

At your geographical location I doubt the top is gonna get much use anyhow, so leave it alone and cover it up with the tonneau.

We had already talked about this. It's not a rat rod. The paint and interior are not original. There is no sense in going head-deep in a resto when it will look drivable with a detail and a wash, brake update and oil change. The blue doesn't look that great. A detailed analysis would be $20K for bodywork and paint. $7K for an interior.

Driving it as-is would not be a rat-rod. It would be driving an old-restoration which included non-original paint and non-original interior. Not everyone should or wants to restore something that they won't drive because it gets too expensive, takes the car off the road, etc.

TPorsche912 · 03-20-2015, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountD

clean up all the chrome and bright work, clay out the paint, give it a good detail and leave it as-is. I think you would be crazy to take on some sort of restoration when doing some serious elbow grease in cleaning and preserving all the details will make a huge difference. You'd be surprised at how good a car can look with a full and proper detail top to bottom.

My bad for using the phrase "rat rod" on a Porsche forum. That would be "outlaw". Actually when I think "rat rod" I picture a '29 Essex 4 dr. body dropped over a Chevy S10 chassis, sheet metal floors and VW seats, not a classic Porsche.

I do certainly agree with your above quoted statement tho, and not leaving the car as seen in the pics.

porschenut66 · 08:43 PM

Thanks for all the input guys. I've pretty much decided to just give her a good detail this weekend. I took her out on the road today for about 30 minutes, up to about 50mph...after putting new tires on her yesterday. It ran real strong, great tranny and synchros, all gauges and lights work, horn works as well as the original radio turns on but humms. Never hit, never wrecked, great gaps! This car was only repainted one time in 53 years, back in 1981 and it was a quality job...showing its age now with the lacquer. No rust in body, a few spots under car in two corners but nominal...This thing is cool as cool gets. Here are a few pics I took today with the top down and a few while driving. Enjoy!

porschenut66 · 03-20-2015, 08:40 PM

A few of the underside...

CountD · 03-21-2015, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porschenut66

This thing is cool as cool gets.

I completely agree. It's pretty awesome. And the blue is nice as well. The needs you need to work on is the rust as it never sleeps. I would get it blasted off and then painted. You don't want it to get worse, especially around the pan.

You'll have a better idea once it's all clean and gone over. I would drive it though - everyday.

porschenut66 · 03-21-2015, 04:50 AM

By the way...in the pic of the car driving looking through the windshield, if you look to the left of the tach there's a second knob that looks like the light switch. I haven't seen it on any other cars I've seen in pics. Anyone know what it is? I haven't used it, but my mechanic said when he drove and tried it that it acts like cruise control and holds the throttle...is it a crude form of cruise control or some kind of idle control?

CountD · 03-21-2015, 05:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by porschenut66

By the way...in the pic of the car driving looking through the windshield, if you look to the left of the tach there's a second knob that looks like the light switch. I haven't seen it on any other cars I've seen in pics. Anyone know what it is? I haven't used it, but my mechanic said when he drove and tried it that it acts like cruise control and holds the throttle...is it a crude form of cruise control or some kind of idle control?

I would suspect it's some kind of choke or warm-up cable.

porschenut66 · 03-21-2015, 05:30 AM

Our thoughts too but I haven't seen it on other cars...but it does act like a cruise control...LOL