UPDATE!
so finally after what seem's the longest winter ever, the sun is shining and the shows have started.
more due to luck than anything else, Volksworld magazine ended up using the car to promote their national Volksworld Show here in the UK, it's probably the most prestigous show in Europe and I was invited to show the car in the show halls, which I would never have the opportunity to do normally due to the standards required for the quality of entry, but they wanted to try and re-create the advert that they have been running to promote the show. They basically loaded the car and all the racks with luggage and junk and ran the strap line 'Pack your bags for the Volksworld Show' What was doubly cool was that after an initial shoot at the sow venue, we ended up using a proper studio so it was really interesting to see how the 'proper' cars get their features shot!
original shoot pic:
Some of the studio shot's, the last few cases ended up being photoshopped for the ad as the studio roof was not high enough!
This all happened in early October,so I had a few months to consider what the car needed to help keep it looking respectable enough for the show in late March.
The original plan over the winter was to fit steel repro fenderskirts that I bought 3 years ago, not as straight forward as you may think when running my suspension set up, the list of modifications needed were redrilled drums, that also need re machining of the inside of the snouts for Fuchs to fit, new tyres, and then when we offered the skirts up to the wings, because they are repop wings some metal work is required so they sit properly, all this of course as well as sorting beading and good paint prep, colour match and painting.
we offered the skirts up just with the new tyres:
With everything needed to fit these, and the fact that I knew I needed to spend some money on some other bit's 'n pieces to get the car a bit more upto scratch, I decided to delay the skirts for another season at least.
This meant the budget for the car over the winter went elsewhere.
Firstly I imported an Original style rear window blind from Australia, still made by the same supplier to the same specs as 'back in the day' then I managed to score a AAA National Award car badge through thesamba.com, I mounted this on the front bumper with a bracket that I cobbled together, I tidied up some of the exterior trim with new jacking point covers, running board trim and another pair of kerb feelers, I also refitted the safety star. As well as the exterior bit's n' pieces, I like to display original '66 literature inside the car and I was lucky enough to sourced some more brochures and dealer literature to display in the car. I also refitted the larger 206/65/15 Firestones on the rear and managed to get all this lot sorted despite having flu, chest infections and bronchitus in the weeks leading up to the show. It was great getting the car inside though:
After the show, I came across these Porsche 356 style headlamp guards that have been designed to fit over the front of the head lamp glass and need no modifications to fit. They are slightly different to the current 356 grills on the market, and these ones are'nt perfect as they are the first off the production line. Anyways, I fitted them the other day and will run them and see what my mates think once they see them in the flesh re: the quality.
Alex.