Porsche 356 Cabriolet - Full Restoration
Condition on arrival
The 356 Cabriolet came in carrying decades of neglect under multiple layers of paint. Stripping it back revealed what we expected but hoped not to find: rust through the floor pan and sills, wheelarches needing partial reconstruction. The engine had been sitting for years. The hood was beyond saving, the interior needed to come out completely. The structure was still solid enough to work with, and that was enough to commit to a full restoration.
Bodywork and metalwork
Stripped down completely, the bodywork showed what the paint had been covering. Structural rust through the floor pan and sills, wheelarches needing partial rebuilding, deep corrosion in the side panels.
Every section was worked by hand: parts we could not save were replaced with new steel shaped on site, recoverable areas treated mechanically and chemically. Structural welds were done by MIG and dressed by hand to keep the original body lines.
Engine and gearbox
The flat-four air-cooled engine came out piece by piece. Crankshaft, connecting rods, pistons, cylinder heads, valves: everything removed, measured and checked against original tolerances. Out-of-spec components were replaced. Timing, carburetor and exhaust all rebuilt.
The gearbox followed the same route: full strip, inspection of gears and synchros, worn parts replaced. The wiring harness was rebuilt from scratch following the original schematic.
Paint
With the bodywork sorted, the car went on a rotisserie to work every surface from all angles. Primer, filler, hand-sanding until the surfaces were flat. The red chosen by the owner was applied in a dedicated spray booth. Gloss finish.
Brakes and final assembly
The drum brake system was rebuilt with new components throughout: drums, shoes, wheel cylinders and brake lines. Nothing was reused.
Final assembly took several weeks. Every component fitted, adjusted and checked before moving to the next. Suspension, steering, electrics: all rebuilt or overhauled to original specification.