This 1964 Porsche 356 is listed for just under $8K, and may be one of the cheapest entries into 356 ownership we’ve seen in recent years. However, it’s not all sunshine and puppy dogs as the 356 isn’t a genuine convertible and it currently rides on a modified VW chassis. It does come with a clean title, however, and the seller claims there is no rust on the floor. Find it here on eBay with a Buy-It-Now of $7,599.
This Porsche obviously has more than a few stories to tell in regards to how it got into this sort of state, a scenario that wouldn’t happen today given the surge in values for early Porsches. Chopping fixed roof cars was a popular trend in the 70s and 80s (see the Ferrari Daytona), and I would assume the motivations were the same: a previous owner wanted a convertible more than a coupe.
The seller maintains that despite this radical modification, it’s not all bad news: the rear firewall base is not cut or modified, and he contends a roof could be welded back on if the next owner wanted to return the car to OEM-correct condition. Certainly, the paint should be, as this 356 left the factory wearing a very pretty color known as Signal Red. The interior is tired, but comes with two bucket seats.
The title recognizes the 356 as a convertible, which is an interesting twist on the car: do you continue down this path of a convertible conversion in order to preserve the clean California title, or do you go ahead with the return to coupe configuration because an original car trumps everything else? It’s a hard decision to make, but the cheap purchase price should make either outcome acceptable.
Not sure where you would find a good roof…
It could never be returned to an ORIGINAL car what with having it’s roof chopped off, sitting on a VW frame etc. Well, there’s no accounting for taste. I sincerely hope that the buyer restores it back to as it left the factory then at least it will look like it’s original.
Would leave it with the chopped top and make it look and run as well as I could. To me the 356 Looks best a bit scruffy. They are sports cars and should look fun and like they have been used and enjoyed. Making a 356 concourse doesn’t improve it. Not sexy like a Ferrari.
This one I could enjoy because I could drive it. I just finished mounting a trailer hitch bike rack on my ‘66 Jag S-Type so my kids and I can enjoy the car even more.
I heard there’s a guy named Rodney in Southern California that likes to chop 356’s up. Someone should forward this (or maybe he’s the one selling it) to him!
I’m not sure about this but the car is cheap enough. My bet is that you are North of $15,000.00 to get it civilized.
No thx, I no be making offur.
Hodgepodge car!! Not for me either!! Hope whoever buys it gets it cheap enough that he could dump some money in it to make it a driver!!
Can’t imagine anyone making anything good out of such a “hodgepodge”?
https://youtu.be/gzbTDD4H524
Toss in some Subaru running gear and drive the socks off it…