When we purchased this car it was advertised as a 1955 however the taillights look like the ones on a 56/57. The car has no gauges and I'm not sure what other markings/shapes would help identify the correct year. I have attached a photo to see if we can get some help. were happy that we found this site
Replies sorted oldest to newest
It's definitely a CMC or Fiberfab kit called the California Speedster. The year is whatever you want to make it look like. It probably dates from the 70s or 80s, but definitely NOT the 50s.
Mr. Anderson,
the LED taillights you are running may I ask where you purchased them. I have some on my 66 bug and I would like to run them on our 356.
Who is this "Mr. Anderson" of whom you speak? My name is Lane, and Welcome to the Madness! 
As for the LEDs, I will have to look through my receipts as I lost the bookmark to the website that I ordered them from. I'll get back to you.
UPDATE: Found it! I ordered them from Custom Dynamics (www.customdynamics.com). The parts were as follows:
The amber ones do the riding (tail) lights and the turn signals, while the red ones are the brake lights. If you go with red for both, the 1.8" lights will have a different number, probably GEN-18-R-1157. The color of the LED MUST match the color of the part of the lens that they are covered by.
Lane,
thank you for the lead on the LED's.
Carrozzino - "Welcome to the Madness" known as replica Speedster ownership! You will find this site is a one-stop-shop for anything and everything 'Speedsters' just as The Samba is for VW's. I'm guessing your bug is a '62. We have MANY VW nuts on here as well, so I'm sure they would enjoy pics of your bug.
Meanwhile, best of luck with your project. PLease keep us posted with pics of your progress! 
Carozzino:
Up under this site's "Resources" and then "Knowledge Base" tabs is a list of the major model changes between the "Pre-A" cars (1952 - mid-1956) and the "A" cars (mid-1956 - 1959).
https://www.speedsterowners.com/pages/356-a-changes
You might have to be a contributing member to see it.
Other than 'available parts bin' changes from one car to the next, there isn't really any difference between the 1955 and early 1956 - both had Bee-Hive tail lights, but those seen on Replicas may or may not be "authentic" (they are "Replica" cars, after all!) and both had a 2-gauge dash cluster.
Moving to late 1956, Porsche changed to a 3-gauge dash cluster and went from the Bee-Hive tail lights to the tear drop style.
And as Lane (or Mr. Anderson when he's seen on the Matrix Trilogy) mentioned - It's a replica, so you can make it (and name it) whatever you wish. How you register it completely depends on the VIN stamped into the central tunnel.
OFF topic. Gordon mentioned that " How you register it completely depends on the VIN stamped into the central tunnel." The caveat to that is if it was previously registered the vin number can be taken off the body. That is what the situation on my CMC is, it was finished for the first owner in '92 and California, where the car is from, could collect more taxes by registering it as a '92 special construction vehicle by using the body i.d. number instead of the '68 VW chassis vin number.
So that is what I'm faced with here in Colorado now.
When I had it inspected by the state patrol vehicle inspection officer I pointed out that the vin number on the CA title was the replica's body number, stamped in the body and shown on a door tag, then showed him the '68 chassis vin number on the tunnel, and pointed out to the inspection officer that in case of an accident or was stolen or whatever the entire body could be easily changed out or replaced with a different body or body style...and the numbers would no longer match and it is against the law to transfer a vin number from one vehicle to another by state law...a quandary the officer agreed with. He sent all the findings to the state DMV office in Denver and I'm waiting to hear back from them. I do not care if the state licenses it as '68 VW or a '92 special construction, I just want the vin number on the title to be what it should be...the chassis vin number not just the body number.
G.R.,
go go to know you are in Colorado. You are the second person that I have meet that has a replica.
Musjbm,
i have attached he'd a pic of my 66 ragtop.
Carrozzin - NICE bug! Sweet set-up. 
Carrozino, nice '66!
