The listing for this 1965 Porsche 356 has already disappeared, but it’s too interesting not to write up. When’s the last time you saw a tacked-on “For Sale” sign in the windshield of a vintage 356? Most of these cars head straight to eBay or the big-ticket auctions before they ever sit on a front lawn hoping for a passer-by to inquire about the neglected Porsche for sale. The 356 was listed for $65,000 on craigslist and featured dual carbs and some light fire damage to the rear quarter panel on the driver’s side.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader D. Frank for the find. The seller described this as a real-deal barn find, and the car bears the hallmarks of the type of project many of us hope to find hiding in the back of a weathered structure: tired but not rotten cosmetics; a complete interior in need of light to moderate cleaning; and largely original in appearance. This 356 may have been mildly hopped up with dual throat carburetors, but that’s a deviation from stock we can live with.
I actually just had my Euro-spec 1980 BMW 320 converted to triple Webers and it’s one of the best changes I could have made. The car is playful; the engine noise, wonderful. This 356 suffers from mild fire damage to the driver’s side rear quarter, and according to the seller, it didn’t originate in the engine bay – it was instead parked near the fire in the garage where it was previously stored. Fortunately, the resulting damage looks purely cosmetic in nature. Old-school California blue plates tell you how long this has been parked.
I feel like any car that retains largely stock appearances but has some mild performance modifications will always find favor with enthusiasts. This applies even more so with the modifications that aren’t obvious to the naked eye, avoiding aftermarket wheels or custom paint. With a weathered paint job, intact interior and mildly worked engine, there’s no surprise this 356 went quickly – and at a good price in today’s market. We’ll be watching to see where it pops up next and whether the sale price has another zero added to it.
Not a 65……..it is an earlier car, large bolt pattern wheels and A model engine deck lid, stock air cleaners, bee hive tail lights. what is “hopped up”? Later cars came with dual throat Solex P11 carbs. All but the absolute earliest 356’s had dual carbs. A lot wrong about the write up………probably best to stay with BMW’s
Forget the Bimmers, stay with a slant six Dodge Dart. Now there is a solid honest car. No pretense. Some of the best people I knew drove six popper Darts, from my Father to the mailman. People just like the cars they drove, simple, rugged, self assured,, dependable, and loyal. Nothing phonie, what you saw is what you got.
There must be forums for slant 6 mopars. Great industrial engines……..you might be happier spending time there. Why spend time with the deplorable type of people that can afford and would buy something like this? Better to hang with your own people.
Mr W, is this a place to enjoy and discuss cars or a place to build the hype about and sell Porsches? Next time a 1963 Valiant or a 1972 Plymouth Scamp pops up here feel free to bring up Der Fuhrers Car all you want. As for me and mine, we are all American through and through and we just happen to prefer locally built equipment, but thats just us good ol’ boys from these here back hills. . This is a great country, we all have the freedom to discuss what we want when we want. Three cheers for the USA!!!!
Billy, you could just accept victory and enjoy.
After all, BF has been featuring mostly US cars for a while now. On the page that this Porsche appears 11 out of 13 cars were made and sold in the US.
65K? I have to stop visiting this site or I will kicked off for making political statements.. Nuff said.
@Billy 007
Why do you need to make political statements on a car site?
@Cargirl, political statements? Pray tell, please point out one comment related to a political party, or candidate? Oh, this good ol’ boy has plenty of opinions there, but that is not allowed. History on the other hand, totally different, esp. when related to the history of the cars being discussed. That has got to be fair game, people discuss a cars heritage here all the time. As noted above, though tempting to make political comments, I try very hard not to cross that line. Heck, I might just want to sell a car here in the near future, don’t want to be banned.
4 main slant sixes would do 9,000 rpm with 4 bbls in drag racing form….watcho out for the slant six…..
My 1959 Carrera 4 cam engine in my second road race car would do 11,000 rpm and race for months between overhauls. It made over 200 hp in an 1100 lb race car chassis. Even the ex-Generator Coventry Climax engine in my first Lotus 11 race car topped 10,000 RPM.
Hey Mr Brad, not sure what kind of tall hills ya have there in Primer, but back home we got a real steep one call the Hog Back Bluff and a decent running 225 SS in 1 bbl form would pull her in high gear. You are right, they are great little engines. When I go to car shows, a simple little slant six can draw a crowd. I think it is because it is what so many of us grew up with, brings back those warm fuzzy memories that warm the cockles of your heart. Like coming home on a cold winters day and Mom had fresh bread baking in the oven.
This looks like a 356A with a 1500N engine. They all came with dual carbs…
I’m still floored by the prices these old Porsches are getting.
I’m with the others, for a lot less, one could have fun with a Slant Six, especially in Hyper-Pak form… ;-)
The people buying these cars are not interested in costing less. They know what they want and are able to pay for it. There are an infinite number of collector cars at all price points. Cost is mostly dictated by people that can afford them. I am buying a new car next spring (the second in my life) it will cost around 100,000 but to simply replace my every day work truck is over 70K. So my very special new car won’t be much more than a new work truck. I own more expensive cars but none were bought new……..many of my cars have increased in value 10 fold. Something a Dodge slant 6 is unlikely to do.
But you see, many of us don’t buy cars for profit, we buy them to enjoy. We don’t buy them to put out a certain image or make a statement, we buy them just for us. In this grand land we live me (well, most of us I suppose) all are welcome to live life as they see fit, spend wealth the same way. Though far from a Quaker, I still feel a little humility goes a long way. Extra cash at our house goes to multiple things beyond our doors, not just our own needs and wants, but again, not saying that is right for all, , but it suits us. Hope you find absolution beyond 11,000 RPM if that is your choice.
Again Billy is talking about something he seems to know little about, he is somehow equating 356 collectors with guys who drive flashy Ferrari’s and the like. Some of the rarest, most sought after Porsches I know are in collections and seen by no one. So it isn’t about the “look at me” factor for most Porsche guys. Most of the serious collector’s have collections that no one even knows about, except a select few. I fail to understand guys like this who go on forums like this just to bash people for liking cars, as if spending your hard earned money on something you like is somehow wrong. Please keep your negativity to yourself, it has no place here. Oh, and for the record, there is a straight six in my collection.
I owned a 65 356 and this is not one.
It’s older.
What happened to “No….personal attacks.”?
Mr W, you are about to buy a new 100K car, what part of that is not flashy? You are right though, no need to get political here, lets please the conversation away from that and get back to what this is all about, the great Chrysler Slant Six! (A great “industrial engine” as you so put it. You are sooo right, great in a combine, or an oil rig, or as a work truck, or hauling the family to church in a rusty old Duster, one of the worlds greatest creations indeed. I am glad you are a fan, I know I am.)
Don’t forget the Chrysler 354 hemi. My last one came from an old Civil Defense siren unit.
I hope this car found a good home. It’s looks like a much better starting point than most of the other 356’s on this site. Thanks for posting a thread on this car.
Steve R
In 1961, in Honolulu, I bought a ‘56 356A for $1100. Turned out it was a 1500GS Carrera! It would rev to 8500 rpm with a roller-bearing crank. As a dumb 21 yr old, I didn’t know what I had.
I love 356s. The closer to 1948 the better.
Wow, that is an interesting article, makes me stop and think about my own old Porsche. I have been starting to think ithe bubble is going to burst anyway, so now might be the time to sell while the selling is good,, then I too can sleep better at night knowing I am not supporting something that started out sadly. Thank you for your perspective, truly has made me think about my love of that old car polished up in one of my garages.
Thank you Mr. Brill. Nice to know I have at least one supporter here, but I think I am going to abandon this thread, too many closed minded people who only want to be your friend if you 100% agree with them. Seems awfully childish, but a divided nation seems to be the norm today, oh well, live and let live I guess. As for the Porsche, I agree, you might be wise to ditch it now. I have a fair understanding of historical trends and the bubble is going to pop soon. Buy yourself something else to make you smile, or maybe something nice for your wife. Glad you liked the article, Der Spiegel has a long history of great reporting without bias. I am amazed how many people never look back at history, even if they own a piece of it, I find that truly disturbing. Take care my friend and have a great day!
Wow.. I happen to like pretty much everything with wheels.
That said, this’ll probably be the last 356 that I’ll look at in my Barn Finds emails.
Especially if it’ll create this much chest beating and vile behavior…
Well Said!
Billy 007 , Knock it off! Your BS comments are ruining a good site. If you are anti Porsche, So what! You must be a legend in your own mind. No room for Bigoted A-Holes on here! If you don’t like it don’t look at it!!
Gold old boy Mr Ford had some interesting opinions in the 1930s too…..
Everybody play nice. This is the one place we can escape and just talk cars. Let’s keep it that way. We don’t want to become bring a trailer LOL
Prolly not the original engine….pull it and install the leaning tower of power…the slant 6
Hey, I like your thinking! When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! Imagine the added power and torque. THAT might be a car I could get interested in. Hmmm, might need to push that rear engine forward a bit for balance, but it could be done. It would be a hit at cars and coffee, for sure! Like putting two good things together, like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. My kind of hybrid. Isn’t tinkering a big part of this hobby? Creative thinking for sure. If you make a prototype, please post here! You rock Johnny!
Billy, Ive just panned through this thread and after all the hot air you’ve blown you’ve succeeded only in establishing your monumental idiosy. It’s almost unbelievable that you’re debating other, albeit more intelligent, automotive enthusiasts about subjective opinions regarding vintage cars. So if I were to share your opinion about socio-economic stratification then I should not hang out with my “snob” buddy who owns a $175,000 six barrel Superbird? I mean Im stuck with a rough 383 Fury!Lol You’ve done nothing but establish a sterotype about the level of ignorance that still pervades. Have fun with your /6 Duster and that “gubbamint paycheck”
Ahh Chris, you have no idea how many zeros my paycheck has (Nor my investments) but why am I a problem here? Am I not allowed to say that I do not care for Porsches? Please kids, we need to get back to discussing cars, Adam is trying to sell these lemons! Oh, and why no comments about Porsche history? Is that not relevant for this site? If so, please say so and I will not repeat it. I thought my opinions here would be respected. Are we not all car people? Guys I have 7 cars at my house alone. Like I said, I might want to sell here, so let me know the rules, though they seem to be ever changing.
I love the 356 and the Dart and the Ambassador and the E type. Some of these cars I can defiantly afford. But in NYC. No place to put it. I’d put that 356 at 25,000 not 65,000 considering all the repairs it will need. And the last thing this site needs are some dufus Hillbilly hipsters with attitude problems. Hell the Hipsters scum are ruining the great New York City with their gentrification and over development.
Oh my goodness the minute I think we’re back to the cars….
jesse, moderation, please!!!
Late to the party here. So this Porsche was parked because of the damage caused by a nearby fire and only confined to the rear fender? Why park it for that? No insurance? Professional, blended-in paint finishes for a fender used to be cheap up until the last decade or so…