1968 Porsche 356 Speedster (replica)

Here are a few in progress images of the car I'm working on now. I've built 2 original Porsche cars in the past, but this time I wanted to do a replica so I can add modern driving aids like disc brakes and other mods that make it more of a daily drivers car without butchering an original car through modern modifications.

This is a VW Beetle chassis and running gear & engine (which is almost identical to a real 356 chassis and engine), so there are lots of off the shelf modifications that can be done to this car to improve its look and performance very easily with little effort as VW parts are readily available.

The car has been 80% built by someone else over the last couple of years (over covid lockdown), but that person never got around to finishing it off. I've picked up the car in an almost running state, but I plan to change a lot of the car cosmetically from the previous owners choices and have it painted Porsche GT metallic silver with a classic speedster look. Thats the plan so far! its starting to come together slowly.

 

Jun 2024 - Currently how the car is looking - Still a work in progress, but coming along nicel and drivable now!

 

 

 

 

 

This is how the car looked when I purchased it from eBay!

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May 2022 - I've now taken ownership of the car, so time to start work!


Transporting the car to its new home





Stripping out the interior to see the state of the floorpan, as these cars tend to rust heavily in this area. My white 356 had no floor when I purchased it



The floorpan has been treated to prevent rust, and sound insulation to deaden road noise has been added. The red bucket seats have been replaced with MGB high back seats purchased from eBay.






Carpet has been fitted over the sound insulation to tidy up the interior. The dog seems to like it!








The canvas hood has arrived, so time to start fastening it in place





Front & Back bumpers have been sprayed the same colour as the body and fitted to the car along with the bumper deco strip







The car has an oil leak on the engine case and the gearbox, so all that is being stripped down and seals are being replaced

 

Oct 2023 - Fitting Disc brakes all around to upgrade the braking power

Feb 2024 - spraying the uneven areas of the front myself just until I can get a full car respary organised (but it doesn't look any better!)

 

 

May 2024 - Taken delivery of a new hardtop that I need to paint with the car and finish off with seals / glass and headlining

Trying the hardtop out for size

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The images below are NOT my car, but they are a car I've found on the net that I want mine to look like when its finished.

I plan on getting the car painted in a metalic silver, which will make it look like this :