If you’re not shopping for a Speedster or a Carrera, the next best bet in 356 ownership is a Pre-A model with the iconic bent windshield. This 1953 example is one of those, putting it amongst the earliest cars still possible to purchase as a project that isn’t sitting in a museum somewhere in Zuffenhausen. Production numbers were limited, too, on an annual basis, so a Pre-A is both rare due to low supply and special for design elements not found on later models. Find this example here on eBay with bidding approaching $30K and no reserve.
The seller is a well-known specialist in 356 cars and parts. Unobtanium-Inc. is living the dream (as far as I’m concerned) of hunting down the truly special and most sought-after Porsches hiding in barns and behind buildings. However, the founder does lay bare the ugliness and challenges of the business in an excellent series of columns for the Porsche Club of America magazine; here’s one on barn finding that you’d likely all enjoy. This 356 suffers from extensive rust and is missing its original engine and transmission; floors are non-existent.
However, the glass is there, including the valuable bent front windshield. These early 356s always struck me as a touch more graceful than the later cars, not unlike early VW Beetles and Transporters. The 356 does come with a split-case transmission, but the seller notes it was sourced from a VW. Some restoration work has been started but this is an incomplete project at best; however, as the seller points out, the values for these Pre-A cars is so high that you can safely make the necessary investments in a restoration without too much fear of not getting it back when it comes time to sell.
In 1953, just over 1,500 Pre-A Reutter coupes were built (460 cabriolets). In the subsequent years, 356 production volume would increase steadily, and with it lose some of the details that made these early cars so special. When new, this 356 was painted a gorgeous color known as Pascha Red with a corduroy interior; what a stunning combination that must have been. Keep the original hubcaps and source some period driving lamps – those are the only requirements I have, other than returning this one to completely OEM condition.
I get that someone would want a very early example of an iconic sportscar, and Unobtanium is one of the best known in the business, but….
It’s doubtful that anyone who doesn’t already have a stash of parts for this bent window car—a complete drivetrain for example—will ever be able to finish it properly and completely. That will hold the value back, so you will need to figure carefully how much you want to put into this project so you aren’t way underwater when it’s done.
And we can ask why Unobtanium is selling it instead of finishing it and selling it for a lot more.
For me the time / effort / money might be worth it to rescue a special early sportscar, but not this one. In my experience these very early P cars drive more like early VWs of the same era, with little of the driving fun available that you expect from a special big-$$ sportscar.
“And we can ask why Unobtanium is selling it instead of finishing it and selling it for a lot more.”
.
That sets off all kinds of alarms for me. A guy in the business of fixing these up and selling them for big bucks doesn’t want it. Say no more.
Au Contaire! How could you be so wrong?!!!! You could say it is worth 9 trillion dollars and the market will adjust to that number. How silly can you be? Porsche, there is no substitute! (At least for rich boys trying to impress pretty ladies and brag to those less fortunate)
Wow…There is no shortage of ventilation with that one…!
but There must be a shortage on solid Porsches…?..of any year though!
Those old Porsches are pretty cool. I used to hate them when I was younger. Good article from the PCA site. There is a lot of work involved in obtaining these cars and parts. As stated, there have been many over the years that have tried to separate the owners from their possessions. Being successful in those negotiations is a real challenge. Plus chasing down dead ends still costs a lot of time and money. Those guys have quite a bit of cash tied up in inventory and handling costs. I tried a similar smaller scale business with Datsun Z cars and parts but the money just wasn’t there at the time. You can criticize these guys as flippers, but at least desirable cars and parts are being made available to those that want and can afford them. If not those cars will often be left to rust away completely to nothing. It just goes to show how cheap they must have been back in the day that the hoarders can just leave them out to rust like junk. There’s a Mustang guy out near Monterrey Ca. that has many cars stored unprotected in open lots. He does keep his more valuable iron in better condition though.
I can see this ending up on a later model VW Type 1 pan :(
Great article, thanks for the link! Certainly gives a heavy dose of reality to the fantasies we get when looking at all these wonderful old hulks. Thankfully I’m old enough (and poor enough) that the temptation will never be enough to liquidate the IRA to satisfy a leap of faith that I am in no way prepared to make.
And I agree with Dolphin – why isn’t Unobtainium restoring this car if it’s so darn valuable?
To answer everyone’s question on why we aren’t restoring it, that’s not what we do, we find them and sell them. We do restorations, but on our own cars, not on cars we sell. Like my aluminum 550 project, or my 904 project, both are turning into real cool cars, but a lot of work.
Adam Wright
Unobtanium-Inc
And the 904.
Also, Matt, my brother and partner at Unobtanium, is restoring a one family owned all matching numbers painted dash 65 912.
Touche, Adam. I’m on my way to your website to drool.
I also drive my Roadster as hard as she will let me!
Adam I’m envious. Hope you’re living your dream.
Is that an authorized “Cherman Wheel” that you’re working Adam?
Really kool.
Where’s the wind up key 🔑 in the trunk to make it go?
Seriously it’s a car for fabrication only as to rare .
to find parts…
Hmm …sorry Adam looks like
911 Porsche pans and engine or just vw drive train possibly.. or karmas ghia floors and heater channels..,
Just no 4×4 drive please!!!!
This Porsche looks a lot like a Porsche body that was setting in Ketchikan Alaska several years back. I looked at the car in about 1985, some people had taken the motor out for dune buggy and the body as up for grabs. I was told it was an early fifties car and having owned several 356s I was interested in bringing it back to Washington to bring it back to lif but life moved on. If this is not the same car then most likely there is one still in Ketchikan . The rust was terrible but the 356 was just starting its climb so it was questionable if it was worth saving at the time.
My bet is that if you were to dip this Porsche, not much would come out of the tank. When I got into my Austin-Healey, I started to realize that not only were the visibly rusty parts going to need replacement, but what they attached to would need replacement too. The point is that you need to realize how good your skills are, and how likely are the parts going to be in the correct place so that the shut-lines are good. This Porsche is beyond downright scary, since much of what remains of the original sheet metal is Swiss cheese, even before dipping. Life is challenge enough, but if done properly this will reward the restorer with lots of reasons to be very proud!
My first 356 was a 1952 pointed window (continental coupe?) I paid 200.00 for it and drove it home. The door mounting where the hinge mounts was cracked and broken so I disassembled it for the repair. As I reassembled the door, I couldn’t get it on correctly. I looked closely at the hardwear and found hand file marks on the nuts to make them fit perfectly. A aranged them correctly and the door went right back on. These were 90% hand made not long after Porsche moved back from Austria. The engines were pretty anemic and the transmission took some skill to master (few syncromeshes) but it was a magnificent car for the day. Far superior and more refined than the MGTC of the same vintage. The problem with the car was the cost. They were 50% more expensive than the TC and didn’t look like what servicemen had seen in England during the war. So in a couple more years, the Speedster was born as a car cheep enough to compete with the MG’s.
Unobtainium is largely responsible for this Porsche madness.
They are forcing full grown adults, through unscrupulous persuasion to purchase rusty Porsche hulks at ridiculous prices. Shame on them.
You are delusional……….no one supplier can ever do that. Even an auction requires 2 bidders to drive up a price. The market has been driven by the successful German economy. The most expensive cars have been going back there for decades.
Cousin Dave is right, or Wright, we don’t set the prices, the market does. Most of our cars are sold at no reserve auction, so the prices fetched are what the buyers wanted.
Or, one bidder and one phantom bidder. We bought an auction barn and found out the hard way. If anyone remembers the Harry Auffenberg used car lots, have them tell you about that adventure. Harry was a master illusionist in car sales.
Dick, I’ve sold hundred’s of 356’s, with no phantom help. Selling them is the easiest part of my job. Now finding them, that’s the tricky part.
Funny how a bunch of commie loving left wing liberals have such a good economy. Might actually be a lesson in there somewhere. Germany has found the sweet spot in universal economics, sure be nice if we here in the colonies could do similar. Maybe then, more of us common folk could afford nice cars like these.
As much as I loath these prices, no one is MAKING people buy these cars at these prices, they are a free will choice. If they can make bank on selling them, well, good for them, at least they are not living off the public dime on some made up disability.
If you ever owned a 356 then you also spent ALOT of time in the garage, just you & that bathtub, trying to figure out its magnetic attraction. If you were 15yrs old like me & it was your 1st car then your brain got zapped by a lightening bolt sized generous helping of true car religion. These cars have souls.
Come on Wright family. It’s a scientific fact that no reserve auctions are the antithesis of “unscrupulous persuasion”.
I fell for it.
My crusty ’71 parked in front of another victim’s store.
Don’t get me started on Ohio,I LOVE Ohio! I once did a 50 car deal in Ohio.
Roundabouts where were those 50 cars Adam ?
Great to hear from you Adam and see your resto work. Keep hunting em down and being a badass.
I had a 1954 in 1968 when I was drafted. Inside the back of the garage where I worked was an unclaimed 1952 Cabriolet. My friend, who also had no money drove a 1957 Speedster. After Viet Nam, I had no spare money. By the time I did I had purchased a 1967 garage find Healey.
It’s floorless !
Better ventilation. :-)
Mr. Wright:
If that 904 starts cluttering up your shop, I’d be glad to store it for you, no charge. I’d even start it up and run it around the block a couple of times every month just to be sure the lubricants flow and the gaskets stay wet.
I don’t make this offer to everyone.
Car sold for $40,600, off to the UK.