classic car restoration, custom car restoration, auto restoration, classic restoration, car restoration shops, vehicle restoration, vintage car restoration, porsche restoration, antique car restoration, car restoration denver, car restoration colorado, 356 Cab, Pre-A Porsche

Introduction: 1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A Cabriolet: Part One

This Porsche restoration project in the workshop is from a local guy that has owned this 1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A for the last 50 years!  The car is complete, as it came from the factory, even with the original floor mats as shown in the photos below.  Astonishingly, the car was last registered on the road 1963, the tag is displayed on the lower left hand side of the windshield.

This is part one of a series of posts covering the Porsche restoration of this 1953 Porsche 356 Cabriolet, taking us through the final paint and mechanical assembly of the body.  The introduction post on this Porsche restoration 356 Pre-A shows pictures of how the Porsche came to us, then after dismantle was complete, and then after the body was media blasted.  Post two of Porsche Restoration covered the beginning of the nose rebuild, leaving the new section TIG welded into position.  Part three of Porsche Restoration looked at how the rest of the front end of the Porsche was repaired.  Part four of Porsche Restoration described how the restoration of the floors and inside cab was accomplished.  Part five of Porsche Restoration showed the results of metal finishing all over, where the 356 Pre-A was ready for paint.  Part six of Porsche Restoration shows the (almost) final results, with the Pre-A mechanical assembly complete and in paint!

The owner dismantled a portion of the car, leaving us to complete the remainder of the dismantle, mainly the undercarriage. Our first stage objective is to media blast, restore the sheet metal to factory, then we will tackle body and paint all to concourse condition.

Check out the pictures below of how the Porsche came to us, then after dismantle was complete, and then after the body was media blasted.

Porsche Restoration – 356 Pre-A at delivery to The Metal Surgeon

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

The Porsche 356 Pre-A sits as it was delivered. The customer dismantled part of the car and planned for us to take care of the rest.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Rear view as delivered.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Side view as delivered.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Tag in the window shows the car was last registered on the road in 1963!

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Original Porsche floor mats from 1953 in awesome shape.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Gearbox removed.

 Porsche Restoration – 356 Pre-A after media blasting – ready for restoration to begin!

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Back from media blasting and here are the fenders and the picture tells it all. Minimal metal work required for this to be the highest quality restoration.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Real clean and original sheet metal.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Probably the worst area of decay on this early Porsche 356.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

‘B’ post decay was originally covered in fiberglass when the car was delivered. After media blasting there was little material left.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Very clean and solid rear back panels.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Engine bay, again original metal in great unmolested shape.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Inner ‘A’ post structure as clean as it gets.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Nice examples!

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

The front end had taken a knock in the past, most of the damage is around the drip rail.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Closer inspection of the front end damage. This will be the area we attack first.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

Top view of front end damage.

 

1953 Porsche Restoration - 356 Pre-A Part One at The Metal Surgeon

A little crumple evidence in the inner wheel well.

Check the links below more posts on this very cool 1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A  restoration or join the mailing list (upper right-hand corner of any page) for monthly updates.

This is part one of a series of posts covering the restoration of this 1953 Porsche 356 Cabriolet, taking us through the final paint and mechanical assembly of the body.  The introduction post on this Porsche 356 Pre-A restoration shows pictures of how the Porsche came to us, then after dismantle was complete, and then after the body was media blasted.  Post two covered the beginning of the nose rebuild, leaving the new section TIG welded into position.  Part three looked at how the rest of the front end of the Porsche was repaired.  Part four described how the restoration of the floors and inside cab was accomplished.  Part five showed the results of metal finishing all over, where the 356 Pre-A was ready for paint.  Part six shows the (almost) final results, with the Pre-A mechanical assembly complete and in paint!