I've been searching the interweb for a photo of a stock Speedster from 1957. While I can find plenty of photos, each car looks slightly different in details such as lights, badges, wheels, mirrors, etc. But I want to find one car (or more) that I can use as a standard reference. Any idea where I can find this?
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Where do you live? Your local PCA club will surely have guys with an original. Even better go to the 356 Registry.
Sure.
Start here:
http://www.typ356ne.org/member-cars/members.html
Scroll down til you find the year/model you want and click on it.
Tom Tate's black Speedster regularly wins East Coast Concours events - It's a 1958 but you have to be really good at what you're looking at to discern a 1957 from a 1958.
1956 was the "cross-over" year, when they changed from the "Pre-A" (think Bee-Hive tail lights) to "A" (Tear Drop taillights), and there were something like 20 "TYP540" cars that were a weird amalgamation of parts from both models.
The other place you can look at original cars is the 356 Registry, here:
https://porsche356registry.org/cars
Yeah, I know....Too much info, but enjoy the search.
Part of your dilemma is that the original Speedster was a light weight stripped down California model. Dealers installed stuff like fog/driving lights and exterior mirrors. Some of the original features are costly to replicate such as the under dash umbrella emergency brake handle and ivory rotary heat turn on on the center tunnel. Any 356 Porsche guy can spot a pan based car by the height of that center tunnel - so might be mute point even. I always though the original headlights did not have the parking light bulb - price a headlight without that bulb fixture.
I found this site a few years back... List known 356 by year/vin... List includes cars from around the world.
t-1 to t2 happened around chassis #83241, spring/summer ''57. Can't remember the exact #... But can look it up in one of my Porsche books If needed.
http://www.my356speedster.com/?contentid=15
also attached link list basic summary of visual differences between the t1 and the T2 ... http://www.speedsters.com/h-356a-t2-speedster.htm.
There were structural differences like removable access panels to the steering box from the trunk, etc... But most people notice the teardrop brake lights, door strike panel and fwd located door handle.
Hope this helps,
I've owned 3 real Speedsters (2 1955's and a 1958) there is NO way to make a "Kit Car" look exactly like a real Speedster! The point is NOT making them Look real but enjoying that they are as close as you can come to being Real for the money! I have a 1958 356A Super Coupe that I restored over 10 years. I drive it, and enjoy it,but I'd rather drive my "Kit Car" Speedster! Okay my NEW Speedster is fiberglass, has a VW engine and trans, but in reality it FEELS like my old Real Speedster, drives better and is a LOT more fun and LESS troublesome than the original! Unless you want to spend 1/4 Million on the real deal and be paranoid driving it just enjoy a Speedster replica! I'm sold! In fact I drive my Speedster MORE than my 2013 Boxster S! Well that was til my Speedster's engine developed a problem! Yuck, but it will get fixed and I'll smile again as much as I did in 1974 when I drove my REAL Speedster daily!
Here are some shots of an unrestored convertible D:
I have to post these shots. I luv the dash on this 55 continental coupe:
...and, who would bring an MG to a Porsche show?
The owners of the real cars do them up just like we do. In fact I heard they visit this site to get fashion tips for their real speedsters.
I think this car got best of show... this one, down below...
