Welcome back to the continued transformation of Lawrence’s 1962 Porsche 356, affectionately named Trouble, which is being restored alongside Design911. Lawrence talks us through the latest.

Stripping Back the Layers

“Since our last update, Trouble has undergone quite a transformation. You might look at her and think she’s gone backwards—and you wouldn’t be entirely wrong. She’s been completely stripped down,” Lawrence explains. The stripping process took just over 30 days, revealing extensive rust. “The whole front, including the nose and battery box area, was completely rotten,” he adds. This led to the need for new parts, particularly the sills, which Lawrence discovered were “practically non-existent.”

Tackling the Rust and Rebuilding

Lawrence faced many questions about how he planned to address the rust issues. “One of the questions I got a lot when I first started posting about the strip-down on social media was, ‘How are you going to fix the rust?’ I knew the process—cutting out the rusted panels and putting in new ones,” he says. The bigger challenge was sourcing those panels. “Luckily, Dansk, a company that specialises in reproduction parts for Porsches, manufactures many of these panels. Almost all of the panels I’ve replaced on Trouble are Dansk panels, which I sourced from Design911.”

The bodywork has required significant effort, particularly with the rear wing. “Her rear wing, especially the right rear wing, both inside and out, was in terrible shape—it looked like Swiss cheese, or maybe even a lace pancake, which wasn’t ideal,” Lawrence recalls.

Partnering with Design911 and Dansk

Working with Design911 has been crucial in this restoration. “Dansk isn’t based in the UK, but Design911, which is based here, has been an immense help in this process,” Lawrence says. “All of Trouble’s front-end parts, including the battery box and longitudinal sills, were purchased through them.” For Lawrence, who was unfamiliar with bodywork, this partnership was invaluable. “It was painful to look at. There was a massive crevasse running through her right-hand side front wheel arch. But if you look at it now, it looks brand new.”

Protecting and Rebuilding

To protect the car’s structure, Lawrence took additional steps. “You might be wondering why she’s now a shade of pistachio green,” he notes. “I took the opportunity to protect the areas of the car that are going to be closed up due to the construction of the 356. It’s a complex construction, with lots of overlapping panels.”

Breathing New Life into the Engine

Lawrence has also been focused on rebuilding the engine. “I’ve also been busy rebuilding her engine, which isn’t yet complete, but we’re making serious progress,” he shares. The engine restoration has been particularly satisfying. “Restoring the engine has been really satisfying because of the materials it’s made from. The crankcase and front cover are aluminium, so they haven’t corroded like steel would. They’ve come out looking nice and shiny.”

Lawrence decided to enhance the engine’s performance with a big bore kit. “I’ve installed a big bore kit because she needed new pistons and cylinders anyway. I sourced the kit from Design911, and I’m excited to see what kind of power output it generates. She was originally a Super 90, so theoretically, she should have 90 horsepower. But since this is the first engine I’ve ever rebuilt, I’m hoping the big bore kit will give me some leeway in case I lose any horsepower during the rebuild.”

Looking Ahead: The Next Six Months

The Next Six Months As Lawrence reflects on the progress, he remains optimistic about the future. “So, in about six months, where do I see Trouble? It’s a great question. I’ll be the first to admit the restoration has taken much longer than I anticipated. If I can get her off the dolly and back on her wheels, with her running gear on—maybe not the engine, but at least the front suspension, steering, gearbox, and rear suspension—I’ll be pretty happy. I think it’s achievable, so we’ll see. Hold me to it!”

Conclusion The journey to restore Trouble has been filled with challenges, but with Lawrence’s dedication and the crucial support of Design911, this 1962 Porsche 356 is well on its way to being fully revived. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue this remarkable restoration together!

Watch here –