This Porsche listed here on eBay is a real contrast to the last one I wrote up. Ain’t she pretty! The pictures of this Porsche are what my wife calls “car porn”. It’s been off the road since 1995. It’s just been listed and will surely be scary to see how high the bidding goes, but after seeing so many rough and rusted examples it’s refreshing to see one in solid shape!
The seller had their mechanic do all the necessary mechanical work that this 1600 Super needed. It appears to be rust free, although we have seen how badly these can rust, so check out carefully. It had a respray at some point, but up close there are flaws and bubbles showing up on the bottom of the doors. The interior looks really nice. At the price this will bring, the buyer will no doubt do a complete restoration, so perhaps things like paint and interior won’t matter? Personally, I think I would just leave this car as is and enjoy! What about you?
I was in the Euro car business from about ’84 until 2007, these cars were considered sheep in wolves clothing, like the 914, and nobody really cared for or about them. There has been some great PR done to get these cars so desirable.
It’s a glorified VW at best, and someone will be left “holding the bag” when the music stops.
‘Sheep in wolves clothing’—great line.
These used to be called ‘momentum cars’ years ago because, altho the acceleration wasn’t much, they could maintain good average speeds on secondary roads because they were light and had decent brakes. It’s all relative of course, considering that lots of sportscars back then had stiff, primitive suspensions that might not have handled undulating back roads or European alpine roads well.
It’s been a few years…..well, decades actually…..so I guess I can tell this story now.
I was driving on one of the worst, bumpiest back roads I have ever seen before or since—LOTS of badly filled potholes everywhere, and all left-and right, up-and-down over undulating hills. I had a tri-carb Healey 3000, which back then could stay with pretty much anything, but it was all I could do to stay with the 36 HP VW bus in front of me. He just carried on while the poor Healey was bouncing from bump to bump. I finally had to slow and let him go beause I knew my lever-action shock absorbers would be toast if I kept it up.
That taught me that a goofy vehicle with a decent suspension could make good time on a bad road, and that my car couldn’t (relative to the available power). So I see these late 356s as good momentum cars that do well on secondary roads compared to some other sporting cars from the same era. They just don’t go nearly as fast in a straight line as they look.
I first heard that quote at a Dunkin Donut shop in the wee hours of the morning at the tender young age of 15 (1975), while I was ogling a Porsche 914. I commented on the car and the owner told me “it was a sheep in wolves clothing”, it stuck with me ever since.
Looks almost like a Porsche, but without all the rust I can’ be sure
It’s up to $45,000 with six days to go, so I don’t think anyone who would want to leave it as it is and enjoy will be able to afford it. The Porsche madness rolls on.
I can understand why this car would be desirable. The 914- not so much.
Love my 914 won’t ever sell it
re: 914- Who would ever want one?
914’s are going up in value as well, until the bubble pops.
Description text says off road since 1995 but a sticker on the glove box door says 1998 ????????? Buyer beware!
Adam Wright the seller is a straight shooter and knows his 356 stuff. What you see and what you hear from him is the real deal. Bid away with confidence. I love all this bubble talk. There was a bubble in 1990. I would be happy to buy any car at 1990 bubble prices. Prices go up stabilize, retract a bit, and than march forward. I wish I still had the 275GTB I sold for $200k or the 911RS lightweight at $90k. But then all of us in this hobby have those stories. At least it wasn’t a 250GTO.
He could at least be honest about his eBay feedback rating – he claims 100%. eBay says 98.3%.