Hello to all....does anyone have/know any history information on when the 356 "Widebody" Speedster body style came into being?
THANKS!!
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Sometime in the early to mid '80's
One ad doesn't have a date, but the other one is dated 1982 and the one from 1981 doesn't list it. It's funny that it calls the C (California) model "Custom" - I had never heard it called that. I have another CMC ad from 1981 that doesn't show the flared body.
This ad is dated 1981 and doesn't show it.
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@WOLFGANG It's funny you posted that.
Almost every Sunday, my wife and I put on Casey Kasem America's Top 40. It replays in almost every market in the US weekly. You just need to find your local station. We both listen to a few songs and then guess the year being replayed. We mostly get it right based on only "gut" feeling about a year.
When I thought to myself when did the widebody get introduced, my "gut" said 1982. I have no idea why.
-=theron
Check out this link.
https://fiberclassics.org/classic-motor-carriages/
As far as I know, George Levin started Classic Motor Carriages (CMC) after buying Tiffany Motor cars in 1978, then bought their original 356 molds from Intermeccanica later in 1978 or so and one set of molds from IM was for the flared-fendered (wide-body) version so that would put the date of that style around 1976 - 1978. Their competitor, Fiberfab, was bought by CMC later on, but Fiberfab never produced any wide-body 356 cars. Reading about both Fiberfab and CMC is a business school lesson in how NOT to run a company, but it's an interesting read.
Do a Google search on Fiberfab, Classic Motor Carriages, George Levin and Curt Scott and you'll get lots of hits.
Hope this helps.
And here's what happened to many of the original molds (StreetBeasts - CMC successor)! Molds do wear out where they don't produce the desired gel coat finished surface but it's a shame to see them weather and be destroyed! Many were sold - SOCer here in NW FL bought molds for the flared body. He did flash a few replacement pieces but sold it to a guy around Sarasota for $ and 2 complete flashed bodies (he was to get 2 but never got 2nd one). Working with fiberglass on a large scale is like doing roof taring - messy!
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Middle photo looks like a 359 without the weird rear spoiler which I assume is a separate mold and is attached later. It is actually probably more attractive without the spoiler!
Fiberglass molds warp when they are left out in the sun and heat ,
Anyone know where the molds in Baja California came from ? Or did they make a new set ? I believe these were the molds that Vintage used . Not sure if KitMan also used them ????
Thanks everyone for all the info......Larry 
Guys, I'm pretty sure Automobili Intermeccanica (what they were called when they were in L.A.) never produced a wide body Speedster. An advertisement in the September '77 issue of Hot VW's (page 90) does not mention, nor is there a pic of a wide body car.