by John Glynn | Jul 6, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods, Project Cars
Many of you will probably wish there were different wheels on this Porsche 356 Outlaw, recently spotted at an EASY Porsche meet in San Francisco. I reckon they are covering a brake upgrade – especially given the drivetrain changes – but no doubt this is an interesting car.
Super smooth bodywork with some urban stealth touches: grey primer with wiper delete, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup rubber wrapped around those twist rims, the pics came from my buddy John G up in northern California. JG recently picked up a dune buggy body, and the emails have been flying on plans for chassis and drivetrain.
Air-cooled is obviously the only way to go for power, and JG likes the flat-four seen here. “I think I found what I want for a dune buggy motor this morning. Type 4 VW with Webers and Porsche shroud and vertical fan. This one was a bus motor, taken out to 2.7-litres. But super clean, no wires showing, nothing but the good stuff. Very cool: me likey.”
Me likey too. Dune buggies have been a bit of a thread around here lately, with a big buggy rebuild project in progress alongside my Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 at Racing Restorations. Rob Campbell has built a complete safety roll cage with seat belts for the owners and his kids, and sorted a lot of original fabrication issues.
I had a chance to drive the dune buggy around the estate before it was picked up, and that was a tick on the bucket list. I’ve always had a thing for dune buggies. Now that the mid-life is in full swing, I’d sort of enjoy having one for the odd days of good weather we see in the UK, although I prefer the shorter wheelbase models.
Looking forward to having JG’s buggy sorted in California. No doubt it will be a project for many years yet, but that will be a laugh when it’s finished!
by John Glynn | Jul 2, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods
Having heard some nice reports from various sources about Lewis Hauser and his Karosserie restoration company in Fairfax, Virginia over the last few years, it was great to finally swap a few emails with Lewis this week, discussing one of his most fascinating Porsche projects to date: the 356 Sportolet.
Outlaw Porsche 356
I first came across the 356 Sportolet via a Google search, inspired by Facebook messages to Ferdinand Magazine’s page from a Pre-A owner restoring a car with Lewis. The Pre-A was one of the best I had seen, so I did some more searching and it led me to the Porsche Club of America’s Potomac Region magazine, Der Vorgänger, from June 2013.
In there was a piece on Lewis written by Jonathan Kinberg. It mentioned a 1953 356 Cabriolet restoration that Lewis completed for John Wood in 2008. I remembered a magazine feature on the car a few years ago and being blown away by the quality of the work. Another noted restoration (for Dick Brumme on a super rare 1950 Cabriolet) drew some interesting owner comments.
“I’ve known Lewis since the early 1980s,” said Dick. “He has worked on several of my cars including a ’72 Mercedes coupe, my ’61 roadster and the 1950 cab! He does excellent work and runs a great shop. Everything is done on time and with no surprises. He has a really weird sense of humor, but I like it. He is a good guy!”
My sense of humour often draws the same remarks, so we were off to a very good start. No doubt the Sportolet has drawn a few sideways glances too, so I asked Lewis how the project got started.
Outlaw Porsche 356 Coupe/Roadster Conversion
“The Sportolet started life as a ’56 Coupe. After doing so many of these cars, I thought it would be fun to make a coupe into an open unit. I had a Convertible D dash with cowl and two Roadster doors that I thought I would graft to the car. I also had a Convertible D rear lined up to complete the Roadster, but the guy sold that to someone else.
“After doing the door and dash cowl work, the project stalled for about 5 years. I had the car in my storage shed when a hurricane knocked the corner off the building, just missing the car. I took that as a sign that I needed to complete the project.
“Without the rear clip, I decided one day that the front cowl and hood off a ’62 parts car would look good as the back end of the car. The louvers on the rear cowl came from the inside of a Cabriolet deck lid. The louvers on the hood came from the inside of coupe deck lids. I made the mirror shell out of aluminum, just like the factory did with the Carreras.
“The engine is out of a 912. The seats came out of a GT Coupe. The interior has original door panels: everything else is wrapped with vintage vinyl, taken from various seats and things that I’ve been collecting for the last 30 years. The horns are very rare ‘fanfare’ horns that I took off a Pre-A.
“We finished the car just in time to display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s ‘America on the Move’ exhibit. The car was the first Outlaw to win Best of Show at the 30th anniversary 356 Registry Holiday in Williamsburg, Va. I have since sold the car to Rob Abbott: he keeps it in Southern California.”
What a superb story so far, and nice to know it lives with Rob, who has a great eye for classic Porsche. That means I’ll get to see it in person one day! I sent some of Lewis’ Sportolet pics to a couple of friends and the reception was mixed: seems you either get this or you don’t. Maybe it’s just like Lewis’ sense of humour. If this little Outlaw sums up the man, we should get along just fine.
by John Glynn | Apr 10, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices
Spent some time with a very sweet 1966 Porsche 912 at leading classic Porsche specialist, Tuthill Porsche today. Owned by a single family from new, this 94,000-mile Light Ivory car was being prepared to depart for the Silverstone Auctions classic car sale at the NEC this weekend.
Sitting behind the wheel in peace and quiet, the air was filled with the smell of old car. Wood dash, leather seats, simple machinery with so much presence. A fantastic way to unwind for five minutes.
Silverstone Auctions estimate the selling price somewhere between £28,000 and £32,000. I might place it slightly higher. I didn’t have a good look at the car but it does have a sense of ancient solidity: not too many RHD 912s around in this condition.
Slightly sad story, as the owner who inherited the car from his dad – the original buyer – is suffering the indignities of age and can no longer use the 912. None of us know what’s around the corner: enjoy your cars while you’ve got the chance.
See the full range of collector cars on offer at the NEC Classic Car Auction this weekend.
by John Glynn | Mar 26, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Project Cars
Our mate Justin in Australia just shared some pictures of his 1968 Porsche 911 L approaching the final days of restoration.
Porsche 911 Restoration Australia
A body overhaul has been completed and the 911L has been repainted in Dark Green Metallic. Dark Green is a colour that’s hard to capture on camera, as light affects it tremendously. A dark green metallic 911 in UK light can look muddy, whereas Dark Green in California sparkles and shines.
JR’s car is looking hot in fresh paint. “I’m really pleased with how it’s going, and how it’s turned out,” says the owner. “The car is at Pro Stitch at present, then back to Zags, and then to Grants (Autohaus Hamilton) for reassembly. With luck I will have it back mid-April.”
by John Glynn | Mar 12, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Project Cars
Had a very quick stopoff to check some Porsche 911 restorations at Rob Campbell’s Racing Restorations in Pershore yesterday evening. I also looked at a Mercedes E55 estate he is selling (nice) and to drop off some carpets for my 924 Turbo, which is still there waiting for me to screw it back together.
Rob and the guys have three Porsche 911 restorations in progress at the minute, and a Fiat 500 Abarth replica build. Loads of other stuff moving from fabrication to finishing workshop next door, so the fab shop is pretty tight until two classic Mercedes rust repair projects get finished and go to the paint shop.
Here’s how he solved the floorspace drought. I want a Fiat 500 Lampshade!
