1959 356A S/R coupe project chassis # 108625

[JTR70]

Hi John, Thank you very much for that nice comment. I try my best to replicate what I see as closely as I can with the simple tools and resources I have available to me. Sometimes it works and sometimes I have to leave well enough alone. Thank you once again, I greatly appreciate it Sir!

[jjeffries]

Dear Justin, your level of commitment to saving metal and preserving what Porsche built is genuinely amazing. What a journey, and so much effort! But the final result will be done to a standard more akin to art conservation than just “automobile restoration”. I doff my cap to you sir. John

[JTR70]

If that heavy gusset was rusting through this thinner wall had to be toast, no surprises.
A lot of rust scale fell out during removal but there still much more behind it.
In the end a considerable pile of rust and sand that had no chance of escaping this cavity.
I'd like to save this original gusset but it maybe too thin and weak. We'll what remains after an acid bath.

Thanks for looking.
Justin

[JTR70]

Another Detour:
While wrapping the fire wall patch a small spec to the right of the shock mount caught my attention. It seemed like a raised bit of remnant tar at first but once I probed it with this tip it gave way and revealed what it actually was . Then the other hole next to this tip in this photo jumped out. The seriousness of these tiny holes is that this gusset plate is at least 16 gauge, some of the thickest wall metal that was used in these car's entire construction. If the rust has thinned and breached this plate the much thinner frame wall its sandwiched over has to be badly compromised if not entirely rusted away underneath here. It would be tempting just to weld these holes closed and leave this sleeping dog lay but I know its weak and more breaches are coming highlighted by the green circles. The rust is growing post media blast and primer. BTW: I went over the right side gusset plate and it is intact. There is most definitely some rust under it as well but nothing serious enough to justify disturbing it.
Drilling out the numerous spot welds for removal.
Shock mount's root anchor located just above parcel shelf will need to be cut for removal. Thankfully there is always clear access to it.
Once the prying began a lot of rust scale and sand began to emerge.
First look under this plate. The much thinner gauge frame walls condition was exactly what I had expected.

[JTR70]

Patch installation.
Firewall ready for final trim.
Still debating on either removing or welding onto this (pointer) strip of overlapping arch. It would be much simpler and cleaner to cut it straight across like most it but its very tight and difficult to get down in behind it for removal. It will become clearer as it goes.
Final trim and final clean. All remaining rust down in that corner was heat treated and wire brushed as best as possible.
All stitched in.
Now I have an attachment flange strong enough to draw in the new panel tightly. A little more prep work in the done column.

More later...
Thanks for looking.
Justin

[JTR70]

Firewall repair patch. To further the final fitment of this new panel its now time to begin drawing it in tightly against the firewall flange, but as you can see its too thin, rusty and weak in this area to be able to do that.
A new repair strip with flange added harvested from the remains of the old original door skin.
Noted detail features added were an arched relief for the decklid release conduit, a slight kick at the top with a wrinkle in the flange that acts a drain for any moisture that finds its way down deep in behind here. All A-coupes have this feature where these three separate panels intersect. This is a shot of the right side of this car showing this drain.
And its not just a T2 feature, my late T1 coupe also has it as well. Its an easily overlooked detail, I missed it years ago during an early repair attempt.

[JTR70]

Lower flange run with the chassis established.
Entire lower flange run synched up tightly against the frame.
When trial fitments began I had snipped off just enough of this rear vertical edge to allow this panel to slide in tightly in behind the rear bulkhead flap and it used up every bit of that relief slice. I had to force it in during the early trials. Now that I have that forward lower gap closed up the panel is a full quarter inch shorter than it started out as. New gap highlighted with the green arrow.
The edge is now at almost the perfect spot where the original lap joint ended. That wasn't supposed to happen but every once in a great while I get lucky.
Dismounted once again for further edge and contour trimming along this flange. A bit closer still.
Its inching closer and closer to a final fit.

Thanks for stopping by.

Justin

[JTR70]

Drawing the lower flange run in tight.
First pair of screws added towards the front to lock in the established forward flange fitment as this panel is drawn into the chassis.
To close this remaining gap the panel will get slightly shorter and move forward as its drawn in. I need all of that movement to come from the tail end which was why the screws were added at the front first.
More screws were added moving rearward slowly closing up that gap. Heeling the flange over where I could to dial in the final width and shape needed. Had to stop here as there was too much excess towards the rear and was interfering with the bump stop and shock mount.
Dismounted (once again) to trim back just enough to clear but not ready just yet to commit to a final trim line.
With the panels edge now clear of the bump stop and shock mount I was able to remount it and keep moving rearward with the set screws drawing the new panel tighter and tighter into the chassis.

[JTR70]

Thanks again Scott! Having the ability to turn the car over during rust repairs is a luxury that cannot be overstated. Even with the car upside down as shown in the photo above this panel's installation and prep is still trying my patience. Hope you're still making some headway on your project. Justin

[Scott B]

Nice work as always Justin. This is an area that is tough to get to behind the outer skin. It real helps to be able to turn the car on its side and upside down. This is where a rotisserie pays big dividends.

[JTR70]

Grinding and peeling successfully without getting into the lock post too deeply as the surviving surface rust in the lap joint shows.
Entire run along the lock post finally clean and ready to accept the new panel. So glad to have this stage of the preparation completed.
Back to panel fitting. This upper leading corner I'm pounding in tight to keep it out of my way as the fitment continues. Once I've got it this will be relaxed back out to close up tightly against the body.
I have these two flanges running about as even and uniform as I can for now.
While that was going on I was dialing in the best fitment against the lock post. The flange swings a little wide towards the bottom here so it was temporarily bent out of the way for now but I'll adjust that out as it continues. Working next on getting that sweep (gap)along the chassis mated up tight. It doesn't just fit up against it there. It fights and has to be stretched and pulled into that curve; all the while taking care not to lose my initial flange fitment. A lot going on at once.

Thanks for looking!
Justin

[JTR70]

New panel top flange fit and adjustments:
Again the flange run fitment between the quarter window and this new panel will be the baseline. Everything else will be made to follow in behind. The rearward section along the sail panel will be hammered back out and re-bent to suit once I have forward fitment I'm after, this will also allow me to reposition that relief cut ahead the quarter window to close up that hole. Another adjustment will be along that 90 degree right above the ribs. Originals were only a soft gentle role versus this hard 90 so this run will be softened.
Soften that turn here.
Rearward portion of the flange that mates against the body flattened back out here. Will reinstall it once to suit once I have the wall dialed in.
Back to test fitting. Quarter window flange and panel now fitting up with that wider rear section flattened and out of the way. Now it was it was onto the final forward and aft position of the new panel.
Which meant I now had to go back and finish cleaning off the last bit of the original closing wall flange along the back of the lock post. As you can see its solid run of spot welds so grinding and peeling only. Reutter didn't want these two coming apart again. This whole repair is a bit unusual in that if you're replacing the closing panel the lock post is usually cooked as well so normally you're not having to deal with this old flange joint. I'm lucky...

[JTR70]

New panel fitment continues:
After a bit of manipulation and several tries I finally got the new panel to slide into basic position.
The key was slipping the rear of the new panel in front of the bulkhead wall flange. It put up a fight of course but I eventually won. Stepped flange of this new section contoured and lined up surprisingly well against the sail panel of the body.
Wasn't all good new of course. While this rearward portion is up against the body its current width is holding the remaining flange run at the base of the quarter window flange from mating up tightly. Its also cut short at the transition to the window flange.
All that aside its still a very promising initial fit and is much better than I was expecting. Even the ribs where placed in about the right spot in relation to sight makers on the chassis when compared to the other side.
For a compound, handmade generic piece its going very well so far. Fitment continues.

Thanks for looking.

Justin

[JTR70]

Thank you Roy, I just couldn't leave those as the panel would scream reproduction whenever someone who knows what their looking at poked their head up into this fender well. Its getting closer by the session but a lot of loose ends yet before it goes in for good. Thanks again! Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin 100% effort to get those 3 ribs looking correct. Anyone with real experience looking at that area years from now will not be thinking that panels been off ! But to a beginner just starting on their welding experiences better to start on something simple. How you could easily lose your confidence because that job was not easy whatever you might say.
Well done indeed!

Roy