Restoration methods

[roy mawbey]

The methods of mounting cars for welding and restoration has improved so much over the past 40 years.I wonder when they first used a spit? This has enabled a much nicer job to be done on our 356 cars. Welding so much easier on panels with mig. I was only used to gas those big heavy bottles, the extension hoses to get round the car etc etc.
I tried Mig for the first time not so long ago and the results just amazed me. When I compare my experience to that of gas on bodywork its no wonder it took me so long to master the art. Now, probably 30 years since I used gas I doubt now I could get the hang of it without a lot of practice.

Somewhere else on here I mentioned my method in the 70's of welding the underneath. I had dug a pit in the garage only half is shown in the photo and it was very useful if not dangerous if you forgot to cover it! When I tipped the car I went as far I dared and it did make it easier but nowhere near as good as a spit. Luckily I still have original floors, batterybox, and the majority of the longitudinal's I did have to fabricate pieces in the wheel wells and some patch work elsewhere though.

I have more photo's of the work I carried out underneath which in fact Iused to help me get me the original look when I made pieces.
Don't my attempts look like an amateur compared to what you are all doing today








Roy

[JTR70]

Great old progress photos Roy! Thank you for sharing them. Yes, A MIG welder can spoil you really quick. I could not imagine life without one!

Were you doing longitudinals here or chassis detail? I notice a service walk in the floor there; Is that what I'm seeing? What year did you do this respray? Motor looks beautiful! Did you go through it? if so, Big bore kit, cam? Anything special? Thanks again lets see all your photos! Great post! Justin

[merbesfield]

Roy, that's sort of like walking in the snow uphill both ways to school! I can't imagine how much more difficult it must have been to do a restoration back in the day. If it weren't for all the modern tools I'm not sure I would be undertaking the level of work I am personally doing. These tools make an amateur look pretty good.

[roy mawbey]

Guys,

The inspection pit I put in when I built my first garage in 1968. At that time I was already looking at a 356 to buy. When I saw these the majority were on the road mobile rust heaps. I am amazed so many survived another 45 years

So, when I saw how low these cars were and difficult to crawl under, I decided to build that 'pit' in the garage in readiness.

That shot of the car at the angle was taken around 1977 I think I had welded the drivers side and passenger side before that and was completing the painting underneath and the final black underseal.

Its survived well since then and never failed an annual MOT. But, the standard is not so good as yours Justin. I have other photos and will post although a little embarrased by some!

Roy

[JR]

Hey Roy,
I always wondered how 'Wheeler-Dealers' got their start!

The more I hear from you and about you the more impressed I am!
Cheers,
Dick

[JTR70]

The inspection pit was a great idea! Thank you so much for the compliment Roy but you give me too much credit, I'm just an amature hobbiest at best. The Guys who perform the real magic are the pros like Steve Hogue and Jason Bobruk. Acts which can make displaying my progress shots a little intimidating at times. I think you are also selling your workmanship a bit short by the same token. While you can always find the flaws in your own work and point out where it could have been better which we ALL do to ourselves; the fact that your restoration has withstood the test of time speaks volumes to its quality and correctness in which it was applied. Anyone can throw some mud on a car and put a shiny new paint job on but the real test is once the restoration reaches 5-10 years old. Rust bubbles resurface, Ghosts in the finish appear where were its begining to shrink and draw in, paint flakes or peels because the jambs weren't sanded properly etc. etc. If I were to buy a nice clean 356 cold I would be on the hunt for a car like yours; an older restoration which has proven itself and all the gremlins have had plenty of time to resurface making the flaws and shortcomings known. All paintwork would have to be a minimum 5 years old; This is the only restored 356 I would trust. May not be out of the box fresh but you at least know exactly what you are buying. So getting back to your car; I've seen the photos and she still looks great after all these years with none of the problems mentioned above. I Think about this way, I'm a middle-aged man now at 42 ; I was 6 years old when you painted this car!! Congratulations Roy, You did a proper restoration on your car which has past the test of time! Doesn't get better then that, My hats off to you! Justin

[JR]

Justin,
You are spot on about Roy's car.
I really love seeing the pics of all these 356s.
When I think I have gone thru the 356abcgt website and seen them all-more appear!
Thanks so much for putting me in touch with Roy.
We have exchanged many e-mails off line.
I have a 'Roy File' of pics on my external hard drive.
Hopefully it will be a Drive My 356 Day here in Virginia.
Dick

[roy mawbey]

Justin,

Thankyou for your comments! You are so correct about how long it takes for 'flaws' to show on re-sprayed cars. As mentioned before, I used lead in most places on the body. Where I was able to finish that with out using plastic filler the repair has stayed perfect for the past 36 years since I first sprayed it. The first spray was made using a compressor and receiver my friend and I assembled together, I seem to rememeber the the receiver was a metal beer barrel We also bought a second hand spray gun. The Meissen Blue was matched by a company that never really got it right it was too dark.

So, in 1989 I moved to a house with a double garage, and decided to respray again. This time, I used the correct paint code and the company in Liverpool supplied the best 'swatch' for Meissen blue I have ever seen. ( I have seen 4 or 5 samples since from other companies and none were better.) I used my original blue dashboard as a reference.

I then hired the correct spray unit with the correct sized compressor and receiver and made the big mistake I have since always regretted. I did not go back to bare metal There was no rust on the body I had cut that all out in 77, but foolish to think a flattened and again incorrectly lightly filled over small indentations would be successful.

The finished spray was wonderful I was really happy. 5 years later I was still happy. 10 years later I started to get patches of something like a body rash on flat surfaces. No rust underneath just this 'rash'. After 15 years the small areas where I applied a thin coating of plastic filler started to shrink. You can see the outline of the filler where it meets the metal skin.

So now, from 3 feet away you think it looks fine, one foot away and a glanz down the passenger door and you see the rash. To do it
all again full strip and spray would mean probably I would be 75 before I would get it done

So, I drive it everyday when its rolling it looks like new, I almost have accepted that is how it will stay now till I drop

By the way, my engine a super 75 is full matching numbers, but when the previous owner bought the car in 65 the motor failed at 110,000
miles. AFN the Porsche agent then fully ( and I mean fully ) rebuilt the engine using new crankshaft, barrels,pistons, valves and guides, mods to the engine regarding lubrication, pushrods, recondioned both
32 NDIX Zeniths etc, etc. The crankcases are all original.
So, when I bought the car it was 25,000 old engine wise. I have never split the cases, touch wood the engine is still amazing. Sure I had problems with clutches, carbs, electrical items etc but the engine great. So, still 75hp standard. Oil changed always at 1500 miles and filter at 3K

( I did work on my 356C engine wise but long ago )

Its snowing outside so thats the reason for this extra long report, for those who have bothered to read to the end

Roy

[gkw]

Roy
Your car looks great to me.
Keep on driving it, good story.
Thanks,Gordon

[JTR70]

That is really great to Hear Dick! Getting together and making the connection is what its all about!

Understand completely Roy but your car still apprears to be aging well. The rash sounds like lead contamination. Do you have a High resolution shot of the area? Thanks again! Justin

[merbesfield]

Quite a history you have with that car. I agree with you, drive the wheels off it. Sounds like the Porsche agent did a great job with that rebuild. I also like the tip about oil changes at 1500 miles. The way I drive that might be annually, so I might even have to do it sooner.

[roy mawbey]

Justin, The 'rash' is on flat areas never leaded. The metal is perfect I know from seeing it in 77. However tghe 77 spray I thing ahas contaminated the 89 spray over time. The rash is slowly getting larger in area. The paint is cellulose so is that possibly porous? I don't know, difficult to photo I tried once before though will try again.
Don't always trust photos when you buy cars!

Roy

[JTR70]

Well so much for that theory. Sounds like chemical reaction of some kind. The original paint should have been enamel but in the 70's you could still buy laquer. Do you remember what type of paint you used on both resprays? Enamel, laquer, Urathane? Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin,
Both re-sprays were done in cellulose. That is difficult to get these days though not impossible. Most of the cars finished here today are 2 pack.

During tghe 70's cellulose was the accepted thing until the new rulings.

Roy ( presume cellulose is enamel? )

[JTR70]

Not familiar with "Cellulose" paint but But I am familiar with the old nitrocellulose laquers with lead. Obviously unavailable now but this paint was known for producing the blackest of the black finishes and is what all the old school street rodders long for. The blacks now have a brown hue to them in direct sunlight. I remember my father in the late 70's getting his hands on a final gallon of it to paint a car he was doing for a customer. He ran into the same problem your describing with ultra-fine bubbles in the finish in particular areas. Is this the same type paint you used? Justin