Coupe into Speedster Conversion

[neilb]

i have just done that area on my coupe and it was thanks to your detailed pictures i got the shape for the gusset panel nearer than if you hadn't posted the pics, so thank you Justin keep up the good work!

[JTR70]

Glad to know that these photos were of some use to you Neil, Thank you! If you get a chance show us how you're getting on with your project. Thanks again! Justin

8/1/15

Right striker post gusset complete.

New cap section in steel and almost in final shape. Needs to be located and synched down into final position with a few screws then forward section can be trimmed and flanged over.

Drawn in tight and ready for final shaping and cutting.

Leading edge trimmed, heated and stretched over its base.

Right gusset completed. This side did go a little smoother and easier than my first attempt on the left so something must have stuck.

I'll draw everything in here tight before the final install.

With the gusset finished its back to fitting the new panel. While very close I decided it best to relax the lower flange for ease and better control of fitment.

More closing panel tomorrow.
Thanks for looking! Justin

[Ryles]

Justin, thank you for showing the detail. Can you make me a set?

[JTR70]

Sure Ryles, how many would you like?

8/2/15

Right closing panel prep continued.

As with the other side it was time to add in the lateral portion of the gusset before the closing panel can go on.

Again the vertical panel flange will sandwich over top of this gusset flange.

Began beating the new panel into that "pot belly" profile of the original however this one didn't need as much work.

Initial fitment. Main concern was getting the elevation right on the upper flange and also aligning the vertical flange with the edge of the striker post. Will begin set screwing the lower flange next to draw it up tight to the frame.

This side has gone a little faster than I thought it would.

Its so nice to have this compartment slowly taking shape.

Lower flange work tomorrow. Thanks for looking! Justin

[JTR70]

8/9/15

Right rear closing panel trimmed and mounted for good.

Like the other side the lower flange was slowly drawn in tight to the frame using set screws.

Once it was set and flush vertically I began heeling the edge over starting from the front. Almost lined up with the original flange line still covered in rust there.

Excess needed trimming before I could finish hammering over the rest of it.

Trimmed, remounted (once again )and hammered over almost flush.

Dismounted (yet again ) plug-weld holes punched, remounted and welding begins.

Also started fabricating the top frame pivot base mounts. This original from that NOS quarter panel came in quite handy.

This heavy gauge strap stock I've had on hand forever is the perfect thickness with extra width. It was meant to be.

First one cut with pilot hole. I'm going to have my buddy Bill machine the bungs for me this week based of course on this original.
Thanks for looking! Justin

[Drew.s]

Hi Justin

Great work as always, this is starting to look very, very nice.
Could you possibly put a metric ruler into the shot next time you take a picture of your top frame pivot and base plate so I can work out some dimensions of the original and it's position in relation to the metalwork around it.
Thanks a lot.
Drew

[JTR70]

Thank you Drew!
I was going to post that photo you requested but it came out too blurry. I'll try again for you tomorrow. That measurement will make for a helpful baseline but will be nearly irrelevant as the base just has to hold the frame in the sweet spot in relation to "everything" else around it for your specific build. I am right in the middle of "locating" these mounts for this car as I write this. BTW: Let me know if you want a pair of these mounts. I can have Bill knock out another pair next week if your interested. Thanks again! Justin

8/15/15
Top frame base mounts complete.

Bungs turned to spec and tapped for the correct metric bolt.

Shoulder fits snuggly into the original hole in my top frame.

Couldn't be happier with this copy.

Ready for a tack weld then trial positioning on the car next.


Welding duties for right side closing panel finished for now. We've had a bit of rain these past few days so the heat and humidity are up and this frame is flash-rusting like a some-bitch.

Frame was rolled back over and the gusset cap added on.

This view of the closing walls going up and the gussets now at each corner was very relieving. I was quite intimidated and overwhelmed when I started back here; How was I going to get those weird new closing panels to ever mount or fit correctly? Do I order those gussets or try and make them myself?? For any of you fellow DIY's reading this here's my example that you can tackle a scary and unfamiliar repair by just simply taking it one step at a time and addressing each issue as it comes. This is the only thing that keeps me sane and this conversion moving forward and there is still plenty of challenges for my basic skill level yet to come.

Mounting the windshield back on so I can begin "locating" those new top frame mounts.

Windshield assembly remounted and top frame in initial rough mock-up.

Top frame bolted on with New mounts clamped onto a section of channel to replicate the eventual closing flange to get me started.

A lot of fine tuning to come but its a place to begin.


base mounts are initially set to allow the frame to rest in locked open position with header bow centered over the WS frame.

Lateral, final height on these mounts will be dictated on how closely the base bow follows the eventual top of the body line off the back of the closed door.

Mounting the doors and further adjustments tomorrow. Thanks for looking! Justin

[JTR70]

8/16/15

Dialing in top frame lower base mounts.

First initial fitment issue was this left side standing off exceptionally high off the eventual top of the body line. The right side was not as high by almost a quarter of an inch. Wasn't sure wheather I needed to lower the closing panel flange down more or what??

To help paint the picture the door was mounted and that NOS Speedster QTR. panel was aligned to the door and then the top was bolted to the factory set mount.

All things being equal off the top of the door line I was able to confirm that closing panel flange and eventual mount are fine. The issue is with this early top frame. This frame is a super early '54 version and was built at a time when speedsters were not into full-on production and this variance is due to being fitted to the car it originally came from.

I switched it out for a frame several hundred cars down the line looking for a closer fit.

Still a touch on the high side but much closer. At sessions end I was at least able to confirm that new mount is very much in range of the original position on that NOS panel so I can move forward with confidence on that.

A little cross-measuring to do with the right side just to be sure but top frame is just about set at this point. Thanks for looking! Justin

[roy mawbey]

Justin,

I suppose you just have to accept that in the early 50's frames were probably adapted as you say to suit each car. I can also imagine the more you do on the factory floor the closer you get each time. To rectify parts must have been a big part of their working day in the early days.
Looking at that super photo put on the other day of the 356 with the full welding jig or alignment fixtures to get it correct would not have been available for example early on in 356 manufacture. That fixturixation must have cost thousands to design and manufacture but.. probably paid for itself very quickly.

You say above you still have basic skills, no not true for you now, the work involved without fixtures that you are doing is very skilled and its why some resto's are costing so very much to have done by specialists. Well done!

Roy

[Drew.s]

Hi Justin

Thank you for the offer of getting Bill to knock out another set, let me know the cost plus shipping.
Regards
Drew

[JTR70]

Thanks a lot Roy! I'd have to confer with Steve H.'s Speedster book again but for certain the first run of Speedsters were paneled over a wood buck.

These amazing holding jigs were most certainly in development during that time. Good point, you as tool supplier would certainly have an idea of just how expensive these jigs were to develop but essential for consistency during the production run. Thanks again!

Thank you Drew! I'll email you.

8/19/15

It seems out of sync to worry about mounting the top frame ahead of the rear skin but as you can see here by getting it settled first the factory top frame itself becomes another valuable sight marker to help me locate the rear cowl out in empty space.

The base bow runs almost parallel to the lip of the cowl and its so far lining up pretty nicely for a change.

As with the front cowl, the decklid will need to be mounted so I can set the pitch of this cowl to continue the body line smoothly through the transition. Thanks for stopping by! Justin

[bbspdstr]

Speaking of rear cowls........

...that's how to adjust that panel!

....and catch the lead used to make it look good.

The old lead gets recycled into bars for reuse. So far, the rear has yielded over 35 lbs.
Ironically, the front nose was replaced and light-weight plastic filler was (over)used all over the front. Newer (bad) work, but still done way before the value of Speedsters became higher than, let's say, 1985.
This Speedster is getting skinned and re-skinned using as much original metal as savable. The rear cap used for a replacement was incorrect as it has the blank out-dent for a B reverse light so it was originally for a D or a very early Roadster before being punched open for the later light.
Ric, a 'green part' anomaly?
The car is a '56, a muddled cross-over year anyway, but it's getting saved in the right way due to 1) being a Speedster, 2) a provenance of having been successfully raced and 3) it originally had a couple/three extra cams in it's engine, a GS.

I'd like to know more about this chassis, but I loaned Steve's thick Carrera book to one of my early mentors who built those engines and he is reading every page. He, who attended Porsche's 4-cam school, is impressed with and fascinated by that book! Meanwhile, I'll just follow Justin's threads for how to fix the chassis and body!

-Bruce

[roy mawbey]

Bruce,

Must say interesting to see how people leaded to cover and build up the parts they fabricated. I presume you melt that lead into some form of mold made of wood? to stop it sticking?

I do remember the lead I had run off my work onto the floor. Its still behaving itself better than a few area's of normal plastic though.

Roy

[JTR70]

Thanks Bruce! Everybody frowns on bondo but I think 35 pounds of excessive lead use is much worse if not just as bad. At least the bondo is light. I assume that rear cowl rusted out there at some point. While studying my buddy's original car I was shocked to learn that this rear cowl area remains an open cavity. It surprised me as I was able to run my in there. Your project must have had mud and road gunk accumulate which held the moister. Right?

8/27/15
Work has continued though I just haven't been able to muster the strength to update this post but will tomorrow. In the mean time here are few I took with the top and sidecurtains mocked up again last week just for some inspiration to keep going.











Love the look and feel of these claustrophobic cockpits.

Thanks for stopping by! Justin

[bbspdstr]

Here is what was found under the replacement parts after removal.

I was corrected that some of the lead in that box was from other 356s and only about 15 pounds were in there from the Speedster.

Roy, the form is a 2-part metal contraption made by the late Mickey Keeley, a former Irish tinker that fixed shot-up warbirds when they were able to land somewhat intact during WW2. He also welded closed a piece of 4" pipe and added an angle-iron handle so he could place the lead droppings in there as a cauldron with a heating tip on his gas welding handle and melt those to pour into the bar form.

The lead melted off a 356 is my idea of the ultimate recycling when put back on a restoration. "Yes, Mr/Ms Concours Judge, that's original lead on those seams...and that won't register on your magnet thickness devise, either..." Geeez, I'm getting too cynical.

-Bruce