Announcement

**neilb** · 03-06-2016, 09:16 AM

Justin, yes i'm doing a pre-a body on the rebuilt/remade chassis. i have done a little test panel to close the rear window up and it looks ok, so i will carry on doing it that way.

Roy, you'll be surprised at what you can achieve and how far you can go shaping metal, its not as much as a 'black art' as it seems.

i have done only small things this week but its still progress, i turned the car around, to finish off a couple of things,

and i remade the petrol tank floor as i felt it could be better

i put the original chassis number back in that panel, even the size of that part of the original panel has 30% rust in it!

thanks for following along

**Jack Staggs** · 03-06-2016, 09:30 AM

Shouldn't the chassis number stamp be much more forward than that? I looks like the fuel tank will be at least partially covering it there , and i dont see a step in the tank floor for the tank to fit in, with water drain holes in the forward corners. If the tank sits too high, it can interfere with closure of the hood, with contact at the forward corners of the tank. Seen That....

**neilb** · 03-06-2016, 01:30 PM

thank you jack, the VIN number is a little farther back than factory but with the fuel tank that is being fitted you won't see it anyway. if this was a matching numbers car then originality would be at the top of my list, but as this was a pile of scrap, frankly i don't care!

i have yet to make the aluminium fuel tank, i am building a replica similar to the GT tank but with an integrated swirl pot for the fuel injection.

**JTR70** · 03-07-2016, 02:27 PM

All those fresh structural panels look beautiful Neil! I'm a little concerned for you as far as you grafting in that old chassis number. I don't know what the laws are like in Australia but a grafted in VIN tag can potentially spell big trouble if it ever comes into question by law enforcement. I realize this car was Super rusted out and practically everything is now new but as a general rule we are never at liberty to remove, tamper or transfer for ID plates, Just a word of caution.
Amazing work!
Justin

**neilb** · 03-07-2016, 05:54 PM

i know what your saying Justin regarding the VIN. i have to get this car engineered. that said i have to get an engineer to check over the car at what i have done, i spoke to one a few months ago regarding converting from left to rhd, and he told me, even if i bought everything from the dealers new and bolted it on. i would still have to get in engineered because its changed from left to right.

it has to have a VIN and apart from riveting that plate back on, what i did was the only other option. and riveting in on looks even more dodgy!

i will speak to the engineer about it when i visit, but its well documented and i can't see a problem. (famous last words lol)

**roy mawbey** · 03-07-2016, 07:34 PM

Neil,

Hope you get round the Vin plate situation. Justin is correct it can appear rather odd to see an original stamped number welded into a new fabricated area.Trouble is Neil,although the car is just for you and you know its exact history possibly in the future if it ever came up for sale it would make anyone with reasonable 356 experience just wonder what was going on with a chassis plate in the wrong area.

Maybe its best the number is in the wrong area, ( or maybe a special metal printed or stamped disc should be riveted along side the chassis number with the reason why its been placed there.) Its never normally seen anyway unless you lift the rubber mat.

Your work never ever looks a 'BODGE' the reason why that vin plate area was changed and even a new petrol tank was made let alone, all the other work would be self explanatory I would think,to anyone who inspected the car at a future date.( But years from now car history can get hazy.)

Justin as maybe also Jack, probably thought more than twice before writing a comment on the chassis plate. I did too, but a modification now is easier than when its all finished.

I can't get over you now going to make a special petrol tank !

Roy

**roy mawbey** · 03-07-2016, 07:57 PM

Neil,
Further to my last post above, did you manage to keep the identification plate that is riveted under the front lid by the end of the petrol tank? I attach a photo of mine. The chassis number is also stamped on that as you can part of mine top right corner.

If you have that it might help a bit.

Roy

**neilb** · 03-08-2016, 03:31 PM

hi roy, no i don't have that plate! i think i shall have to get a repro from stoddards. i have VIN number that is stamped into the hinge pillar but that too is rusty!

**neilb** · 05-08-2016, 06:52 PM

been a while since my last update, so here goes...

now it's on to the l/h door lock post and the 1/4 panel and tail panel

**JOP** · 05-08-2016, 07:01 PM

Hi Tin Man Niel,

It looks really nice

Did the measurements shown earlier help you out ?
Tell me IF you need any more special ones.

Thats all from "uppstairs"

Cheerio

Per

**bbspdstr** · 05-09-2016, 03:02 AM

As to the "original" stamped number being grafted in, wouldn't that be better than a NOS or good repro front panel with the blank area stamped after the fact? Or......left blank?

With all the customization, can there be an intent to defraud? The key is backing everything with the proper legal paperwork if you are going to use the serial number of the base car that's been 'customized.'

Great work. My favorite words so far: "and I don't care." It's more than a 'restoration'....it's a 'personal expression.' I love it!

I'll have to find and post some photos of a stripped naked '52 shell that I did for an Aussie that had a 912 rear section grafted in the rear with IRS, gently and discreetly widened rear fenders and the adjustable front torsion bar tube section from a C grafted in. It kept it's original number and body shape/profile...and that's about all.

-Bruce