Inspiring 356 Pictures

[MMW]

Bruce was the clearanced rear valance done for a reason or someone just decided to hack it off?

Love the "racket buster", looks like what today's kids are putting on their tuner cars.

[bbspdstr]

was the clearanced rear valance done for a reason or someone just decided to hack it off?

Mic, that's a good question. I have had two other A cars to restore lately with the same malady and the long-time owners knew nothing. My guess was clearance for a 'racing' exhaust, better for removing the engine or cooling (or all three?)
Usually, the cut is from one exhaust arch to the other, looking at the picture I just found of mine, it appears squared off. I got it that way and never paid attention to it back then. The steering wheel would likely now be worth twice what I paid for the car.

[roy mawbey]

Bruce,

Now that valance mod is one thing I have never seen on a 356. I reckon you are right with your ideas. Sometime very early in the 60's or even from new at the factory? my 59 car has had a sports exhaust. The cut outs are there for the exhaust exits but the bumper overiders have no holes for exhaust exit. I have always presumed the first owner disliked the chrome overiders going sooty and prefered the 2 pipe sports muffler. But as you know, the sports exit pipes are very close indeed to the bottom of that valance.

Maybe someone thought on buying one it would not fit because of that so cut it before trying?

Yes, I bet you would like that speedster back

Roy

[bbspdstr]

Moving makes for inevitable finds of long-ago memorabilia.
Here's another trip down memory lane. Getting ready to leave for a tow of a Speedster with an SC Coupe to the '78 PCA Parade in Aspen, CO. My son is wearing my cowboy hat that I got when living in Texas. Peter would have been 7 then. Dave Baker's dog Sadie wanted to go, but that was not to be. Bob Lyons and I took minimal luggage. We placed some tools and spares in the Speedster. We did the ~2000 trip to Boulder in just over 2 days, separated the two 356s to climb into the Rockies, surprisingly and unexpectedly sold both at the Parade, and flew home.
Now, people want to know what the VIN was for both, if the 'numbers match', how many sunroof SCs there were.....hell, we just drove the cars for fun back then!

[Meissen540]

Thank you Bruce!!!
This, and your post and pic of your old Speedster describe how I feel about my "outlaw" (or is it junk?) Speedster. Way more fun than the "Concours" car I let go, and far less concerns. its mine, so who cares!
At the Helen event, a couple of the old guys made comments something like "its good to see one like they use to all be set up".

Tom
Atlanta

[356JAGER]

Period Correct



Octoberfest in the Sierra Foothills

[Bill Sampson]

Here are a couple of pix of the love of my life parked in front of a stylish beach house that, sadly, is not ours. The beautiful redhead periodically reminds me that that blue car IS community property.

[Gearz]

[admin]

[Gearz]

[bbspdstr]

[Pat]

Fast Frieda hard at work!

[Gearz]

[356JAGER]

Pearl

[356JAGER]

Freya