Got my 356!

Burma-Shave · Post by **Burma-Shave** » Sun May 20, 2007 10:52 pm

So happy! Got a 356 after a good year of yearning. Best I could afford is just a driver, but despite her flaws, she's solid, she goes really well, and she's mine!

So - '65 C Karmann Coupe Chassis 222499 landed in Fife last week (after 13.5 hours driving time in one day according to my Merc's OBC!), and I'm a happy man. Karmann coupes only went to 222580, so this is potentially one of the last 100 356's ever built?

More pics and probably 50 million questions to follow, for now, any pointers to very sticky front calipers and a constant red light on (!) much appreciated.

I tried the italian tune up for the brakes, but so far just hot rims to show for it. Rebuild or new/exchange?

I'm going to follow the diagnostic from John Muir's compleat idiot book for the generator light. The belt seems fine, all wires to the regulator seem sound. This is what happens when people don't drive their porsches..

hot66 · Post by **hot66** » Sun May 20, 2007 10:55 pm

very nice

Any more pics?

Burma-Shave · Post by **Burma-Shave** » Sun May 20, 2007 11:03 pm

Ta! No more decent pics other than this one my mate took today.. Watch this space, though.

Nic B-C · Post by **Nic B-C** » Mon May 21, 2007 12:23 am

Loving that colour really works, are you bringing it to Biggar show this weekend

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Mon May 21, 2007 9:32 am

Really nice, are you keeping it Outlaw (sans bumpers)?

Steven

cubist · Post by **cubist** » Mon May 21, 2007 9:58 am

Nice one chap!

Burma-Shave · Post by **Burma-Shave** » Mon May 21, 2007 10:14 am

Pretty much going to keep her as is...trying to resist the temptation for removing the nerfs and fogs, and adding two grille-width white stripes..(maybe in that temporary vinyl people use for Le Mans at first)

I was hoping to catch you all on the scottish trip at some point. Looks unlikely I'll get the brakes freed up before the weekend, and not keen on doing big trips with the red light on, but we live relatively close to Loch Tay, so I'm hoping to pop up there with her..

louis356 · Post by **louis356** » Mon May 21, 2007 10:56 am

Ah saw this car on ebay, did you get it from there?

Cool welcome.

Keep driving it!! cars don't like being left in the garage all the time. Driving it will loosten it all up and sort out all the little niggles

Have a good time!!

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Mon May 21, 2007 11:04 am

I'm always tempted to put a couple of temporary white vinyl stripes over mine - do it!

Black stripes would also look cool with that colour.

Steven

sjm · Post by **sjm** » Mon May 21, 2007 12:02 pm

Johnny - congrats my man! Lovely looking car! I'm hoping to collect my 356 in two weeks time now, so can imagine how pleased you must be to finally get yours! Great colour too....

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Mon May 21, 2007 12:40 pm

Believe it or not, I'm actually very busy at work today.

Steven

Burma-Shave · Post by **Burma-Shave** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:32 pm

Oo, thats rather clever! What a laugh!
Looks a bit like the Bootsy-wagen, though. Can you do me one with white stripes please?!

If you stripe yours, I'll stripe mine..

The car was on ebay a few times, never made reserve. I was interested cos it looked ideal for a driver with 12V and electronic ignition, and was a good colour, even though its not a proper 356 yellow.
My wife was keen on this particular one for safety reasons, too - it has period recaros with headrests and 3 point inertia reel belts. So I kept in touch with the guy off ebay, and then just decided to go and see it after agreeing a price under his reserve. I haggled it down again after viewing it, and all of a sudden I was in Norwich with a little yellow car on my trailer, and a f** of a long drive ahead of me!

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:42 pm

Go on then.

White looks cool too.

Rustbucket · Post by **Rustbucket** » Mon May 21, 2007 6:45 pm

mmm nice !!, but maybe stripes to one side?

Id be interested to see the way the seatbelts are rigged in , any chance of pics? I want to fit inertia to mine..........I was going to comment on the seat headrests too!

Nice car. I think you are doing it injustice by describing it as a 'driver'

Burma-Shave · Post by **Burma-Shave** » Tue May 22, 2007 10:14 am

Thanks Steven!..I quite like the white, (although I've plnty to be getting on with before I start messing about with frivolous stuff like stripes!)

I'll happily take pics of the seatbelts - my wife just cleared her camera so I will get some pics today or tommorrow. The inertia reel is actually mounted quite low, back by the rear seats, although it is still over the shoulder. Unfortunately this means the back seats won't quite fold up to the upright position. Its close, though, and I'm sure I can work a way around it.

Its a driver as apart from the non standard stuff, theres lots of chips and scratches, and the laquer has loads of tiny bubbles (which you can only see if you look carefully, but they are there). The doors don't fit fabulously well either. Looks like I'll need a complete offside longitudinal, too, after some more poking around last night

although thankfully the rest of the chassis is looking pretty sound..