Hi from Toronto

[Dugald]

My love of sports cars began Dad took me with him when he took his first Porsche (a silver 356B). A memorable drive because we ran out of gas on the highway. He didn't know about the fuel valve which had been turned off.

My mechanical training started when I bought my first car in 1970, a 1962 Austin Healey 3000 MkII. I didn't even know how to drive it let alone keep this tired and abused beast. Needless to say, I'd spent all my savings and would have to learn to maintenance to keep it. The next door neighbour who'd worked on everything from Stutz Bearcats to Model Ts ran a garage and kindly taught me the basics. I drove the Healey for 10 years. Rebuilt the engine, transmission and rewired it. It was exchanged for a Volkswagen Rabbit when our first child arrive. Healey's aren't easily adapted for Baby Seats and darned cold in a Canadian winter.

Dad's 2nd Porsche was a 1965 C he drove daily and retired when it got too rusty. I offered to store it and have kept it now for almost 40 years. Two more kids, a career in advertising, self employment, etc. kept me too busy to work on the car. Other than storing it out of the weather for most of those years, it has been the but of many family jokes about my keeping this rusty relic.

It was a shock to discover the utter surprise when, upon retiring 2 years ago, I cleared out our garage, rebuilt, rewired and insulated the garage to ACTUALLY START a restoration. Our son, now a carpenter helped. He's always loved the car, is keen to help and is eager to learn.

My wife has always known I would do this. Heartbroken as I was when the Healey had to go, we'd agreed I could get another car when the kids left home. The last one left 2 years ago.


I joined the Porsche 356 Registry to research the restoration. Many of the home restoration members have referred to Allmetalshaping as the go-to site for metal shaping advice. Given the shape of the Porsche, I'll need lots.

[123pugsy]

Welcome aboard Dugald.

There is a metal shaping meet coming up soon in Scarborough if you're interested.
No experience necessary and you can learn the basics.
Click the link below in my signature if you're interested.

[cliffrod]

Welcome to the forum, Dugald.

Your old sports car stories sound very familiar. In 58, Dad wanted the mint green AH 3000 but bought the white TR3A that better fit his budget as a US Army private in Germany. Brought it home, drove it year round in VT. Added a nearly new TR3B in 64 as a summer car, then a "regular" car with a full back seat by the time I was born in 67. The TR3B, the 58 and another rusty 60 TR3A parked in our basement were fixtures of my youth. Pretty tough when the two 3A's were sold (and eventually scrapped..) in the late 70's.

I drove the TR3B through high school and then into college, parked it around 90. Now Dad is dead, it's mine and waiting for resto work. That car is a major reason I discovered panel shaping and eventually joined this group. Hard to imagine that other people grew up without a sports car.

I hope your projects go well.

[Peter Tommasini]

Hi Dugald welcome to the forum
Peter