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The car in these pictures was on Fort Myer, Arlington, Va., this morning at about 10 a.m. or so. I didn't meet the owner, and have no idea what I'm looking at, other than it's a really clean exterior with what looks like an interior in progress.
Items of interest to me included the windshield frame, the louvred decklid, the seats and their coverings, the dash and the general state of the sheet metal inside the car. The top was in terrible shape and wouldn't keep sunlight out, let alone water. There was a dash light, a clock, a radio and a whole bunch of other remarkable stuff, and yet no carpet. The doors had pockets and such, but the inner skins of the longitudinals were visible and rough-looking through the blue paint.
The front bumper appeared to be turned downward slightly (front to back, the front was lower), but there wasn't any apparent damage to it.
I posted in another thread this morning about this thing, but I don't know enough of the differences between this and the SAW cars (or any other Cabrios out there) to be dangerous. I really liked the overall appearance of that car, mainly because it looked like it was very simply and solidly built. The rough edges were perplexing; are they supposed to be that way (minus obvious degradation of leather and canvas parts), or is this just an aging veteran in streetable shape?
Hoss, Steve-O (et al), I know you guys have GOT to be tired of looking at our seemingly endless supply of Speedster photos, so I thought I'd put these up for you. Could you help educate the rest of us (me, anyway) as to what we're looking at?
Items of interest to me included the windshield frame, the louvred decklid, the seats and their coverings, the dash and the general state of the sheet metal inside the car. The top was in terrible shape and wouldn't keep sunlight out, let alone water. There was a dash light, a clock, a radio and a whole bunch of other remarkable stuff, and yet no carpet. The doors had pockets and such, but the inner skins of the longitudinals were visible and rough-looking through the blue paint.
The front bumper appeared to be turned downward slightly (front to back, the front was lower), but there wasn't any apparent damage to it.
I posted in another thread this morning about this thing, but I don't know enough of the differences between this and the SAW cars (or any other Cabrios out there) to be dangerous. I really liked the overall appearance of that car, mainly because it looked like it was very simply and solidly built. The rough edges were perplexing; are they supposed to be that way (minus obvious degradation of leather and canvas parts), or is this just an aging veteran in streetable shape?
Hoss, Steve-O (et al), I know you guys have GOT to be tired of looking at our seemingly endless supply of Speedster photos, so I thought I'd put these up for you. Could you help educate the rest of us (me, anyway) as to what we're looking at?
Looks like at 356 B cab'et to me. Agree w/ notion about interior as work in progress. Maybe he needs to or has just done some work on the pan. That old devil rust surely has had its turn on this coach.
The SAW cars are A models. You don't really see the Cabrio A model very much compared to the B or C.
That's a lovely looking 356B driver going through a partial rolling restortion. Just beautiful and worth a fortune ! ! !
The inside foot well area and rear side panels are supposed to look like that, They were rather roughly finished over-all compared to the exterior. The truly crunchy looking section, in the back "seat" pic, is just painted over adheasive/backing material.
With seat covers, carpets and a top you would be drooling over it rather than questioning the reasoning behind the resto.
That's one PISSA ride ! ! ! ! !
The inside foot well area and rear side panels are supposed to look like that, They were rather roughly finished over-all compared to the exterior. The truly crunchy looking section, in the back "seat" pic, is just painted over adheasive/backing material.
With seat covers, carpets and a top you would be drooling over it rather than questioning the reasoning behind the resto.
That's one PISSA ride ! ! ! ! !
I was drooling over it, TC! If I hadn't been on the engine, I'd have stuck around to talk to the owner. I didn't want to inconvenience the other three guys -- they already listen to me talk about my jalopy more than they want to!
Steve-O -- you can do better than that! Hell, you're half the reason I took the photos!
Steve-O -- you can do better than that! Hell, you're half the reason I took the photos!
I guess that makes me the other half of the reason. Thanks Cory. That's one nice B Cab and if the hidden stuff looks as good as what you can see, it wouldn't seem to be that far from being a real knockout.
BTW, TC, could you please quantify what you mean by saying that it's "worth a fortune?" Thanks.
Hoss
BTW, TC, could you please quantify what you mean by saying that it's "worth a fortune?" Thanks.
Hoss
If the genius is in the details, there's one very obvious thing about this car that I don't get. I assume that this was close to the end of the run for the 356 species, so I'll throw out a theory.
There was probably a conversation that went something like this:
Dr. P.: Why is this hood handle square on the bottom? Hmm?
Designer Guy: Well, because it is more efficient.
Dr. P: Ja? How is that, exactly? I designed the first one.
Designer Guy: Well, sir, it is more modern.
Dr. P.: That makes it efficient?
Designer Guy: Well ... It has no moving parts.
Dr. P: The old one had no moving parts.
Designer Guy: But this one is fastened better. It won't come off.
Dr. P.: There is still time.
Designer Guy: For what?
Dr. P.: For you to go to the Volkswagen division.
There was probably a conversation that went something like this:
Dr. P.: Why is this hood handle square on the bottom? Hmm?
Designer Guy: Well, because it is more efficient.
Dr. P: Ja? How is that, exactly? I designed the first one.
Designer Guy: Well, sir, it is more modern.
Dr. P.: That makes it efficient?
Designer Guy: Well ... It has no moving parts.
Dr. P: The old one had no moving parts.
Designer Guy: But this one is fastened better. It won't come off.
Dr. P.: There is still time.
Designer Guy: For what?
Dr. P.: For you to go to the Volkswagen division.
It appears to be a T-5 B-Cabriolet which means it's a '60 or '61. The "smiley" hood seam is the giveaway. The T-6 B's ('62 &'63) and C's ('64 & '65) sported the squared-off hood seam.
But what makes the Cab TC shot interesting is the twin-grille engine lid, which didn't appear until the T-6 body (1962).
I think the car's either a mash-up (front clip from a '60 or '61 and the rear clip from a T-6 car). Or, just maybe it's a 1962 Karmann Hardtop with its top chopped off? The relatively rare (and not particularly desirable) Karmann Hardtops were basically Cabriolets with hardtops welded on anyway.
Either way, the front and the rear don't match up.
But what makes the Cab TC shot interesting is the twin-grille engine lid, which didn't appear until the T-6 body (1962).
I think the car's either a mash-up (front clip from a '60 or '61 and the rear clip from a T-6 car). Or, just maybe it's a 1962 Karmann Hardtop with its top chopped off? The relatively rare (and not particularly desirable) Karmann Hardtops were basically Cabriolets with hardtops welded on anyway.
Either way, the front and the rear don't match up.
It has me baffled?? But I do certainly hate those bumpers!!!
I'm an A guy all the way, or no way.
I'm an A guy all the way, or no way.