1957 Sandblasted Coupe

[JOP]

http://simonsen-356.dk

[ukinusa]

Already talking to them..there is '0' stock it seems in US for a A '57 , Zims who are their US distributor, were apparently unaware they were back in production - hopefully an order can be made soon!

[merbesfield]

Already talking to them..there is '0' stock it seems in US for a A '57 , Zims who are their US distributor, were apparently unaware they were back in production - hopefully an order can be made soon!

this is what I found last time I tried to order. which was why I went w Stoddard.

[ukinusa]

OK Mark - so were you happy (enough) with those Stoddard panels - seems I am months (x many) out from getting a Simonsen floor over here. Although I am going to UK for Christmas to see family - maybe hand luggage ?

[merbesfield]

OK Mark - so were you happy (enough) with those Stoddard panels - seems I am months (x many) out from getting a Simonsen floor over here. Although I am going to UK for Christmas to see family - maybe hand luggage ?

Yes, happy. As I posted, the only issue is the difference in the curves where they meet with the foot/toe panel section. Workable, just required time and elbow power.

[bbspdstr]

http://www.restoration-design.com/store/product/PP118A

I buy a LOT of parts from Stoddard, but I also know our major vendors sell to each other rather than develop proprietary items of their own. If a piece is OK, why pay start-up of a competitive product and wait for amortization of that often unnecessary investment in a limited market? Unless.....it's a part that's not OK.

Let's say vendor X buys a quantity of a certain part from vendor Y but discounts the retail. NO problem, as vendor Y's price to vendor X is based on a deeper wholesale due to quantity purchasing. HOWEVER, when that is not the case, in this case 356 floor panels, due to a lack of exchange in inventories, a retail (or wholesale) buyer must look for the company that has the item that meets his need. Like a 'proper' pan for an A.

The 'better' (but still not 100% OK) pans ARE the Sorensen parts, but I heard that company was bought by someone in the lowlands and still in limbo.....but who knows what really is going on and what the future will bring. Stoddard used to list those with their own pans, but with a really high mark-up, higher than Zim's...and I see those are listed no more, just the fantasy of a 'one size fits all.'

Thus, I posted above the link for an A pan (the other half is listed as well) and a phone call to check stock is all that's required to get a floor pan for an A. NO repro pans are exactly correct, but get at least what's somewhat reminiscent of what the 356 was made with...and that's NOT a B/C floor for an A. Even a pre-A pan will work in an A much better than a B/C.

Just know that Mike DeJong's company likes Galvaneal and zinc welding fumes are not good for anyone to breathe. Get rid of the zinc before you weld or wear a specific mask and/or good ventilation.

As for bringing back pans from Europe, why not? I used to get all my racing friends orders for special parts at Porsche "while I was there at the Factory anyway"...ZF LSDs, special gear sets, etc, etc. I'd buy cheap luggage in Stuttgart and make it 'checked baggage' (albeit heavy) on the plane home. One trip, I absent-mindedly put a tin of cookies in the bag with the cosmolined mechanical parts, it broke open in transport and cookie crumbs were all over when I went through customs. The agent looked at the mess and asked for my thoughts on value. I told him..."$100?" and I paid $6.00 duty for several thousand dollars worth of 356 racing parts...but fortunately for me, the statute of limitations is well past.

-Bruce

[Trevor]

Thanks for your post Bruce.

I have the "improved" floor pan from Stoddard and can post a pic with measurements if needed.

[roy mawbey]

Steve,

You are doing so well on your car. Its very interesting to read all these excellent comments on body panels. So helpful for others who do not have the experience.
All I have to say is I am so pleased I still have my original (or 95%)
of them.

Great thread

Roy

[ukinusa]

OK tied up the front areas ....added the curved side rails, despite the "new" funky design from Restoration Design, with some cutting and hammering they seemed to meld in.



and placed the V piece in position- it will need some massage but fits pretty well.


Where the V piece meets the floor support that area underneath will be almost inaccessible so will paint and seal that prior to welding, although it will burn for sure How did they seal that in the original days ? (or didn't hence the rot there !)

[Trevor]

How did the inner piece of the axle reinforcement look? I just welded in that inner piece on Friday.

[ukinusa]

Opps confused me there for second ! Your pic was upside down .... I had to scarf in all new metal - came a pair (inner and outer )see pages 15/16 ish

[Trevor]

Sorry not sure why it loaded upside down, maybe Justin can rotate it for us.

Very rarely is just one layer of sheetmetal rusty

[Jack Staggs]

I wouldn't bother to rotate the pic. It's in the same orientation as ukinu's. Trevor and I debated over whether or not to buy a replacement part. I've yet to see a side rail that actually fits, so we'll be making our own piece to fit in to the remaining good original metal.

[ukinusa]

Yes Jack you are right - it was the angle of the picture rather than the orientation that got me muddled. I agree that the inside piece is almost a straight forward angle bend and easy to make to fit a specific situation; never having done this before I went the "easy route", and brought the piece, in hindsight one could argue that was a mistake as it actually involved more work ! I had cut and refit several times, including making a thin 'pie' slice as I over cut. The use of a card template from the start would have saved much time.
Steve

[Jack Staggs]

Steve, just to be clear, we are making our own inner AND outer piece. Note in Trevor's pic the remaining part of the outer "curved" rail piece that we will attach to.
Nice work, BTW.