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Made By Hand - 2025 Restoration

History of the Film

Made by Hand was filmed around 1960, at a time when Porsche 356 sales had been growing on average 34% per year for since 1950. Demand for the 356 was increasing, particularly in the United States, and the company was beginning to organize production more formally. Even so, manufacturing remained largely manual. Skilled workers welded, fitted, assembled, and corrected each car by hand, with limited mechanization and heavy reliance on experience and judgment.

The film was conceived for American audiences who wanted to understand what distinguished these small German sports cars. It was organized by Bill Sholar, an early U.S. Porsche advocate and founder of the Porsche Club of America, and filmed inside the factory by Del Ankers. What it shows is ordinary factory work as it occurred at Reutter, Drauz, and the Porsche factory in Stuttgart.

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Made by Hand and the Porsche 356 Registry

By the mid-1970s, the Porsche 356 Registry had already recognized the film’s historical value. In 1976, Jim Perrin reported that Made by Hand was obtained on loan, with the intent to preserve and show at major Registry events. VHS and eventually DVD copies were sold by the Goodie Store to members, but the quality was limited.

In 2025, The Registry had the original film copy scanned in 4K and color-corrected to create a high-quality archival master. Using that scan, Michael Branning used film restoration tools, including AI, to create a restored version of the film, preceded by a new introduction that provides historical context. This release is part of the Registry’s ongoing effort to secure, preserve, and enhance period-correct information for Porsche 356 enthusiasts, ensuring that original source material remains accessible and useful in modern formats.

If you want to learn more about the 356 and the Porsche 356 Registry, click here for more information and free buying guides. Member dues support our efforts to develop and preserve resources to support our mission: “Keeping the Porsche 356 alive and on the road through shared passion, community, knowledge and fun."

Film Restoration and introduction by Michael Branning
Restoration and presentation © 2025 Porsche 356 Registry
Original film © Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG