Original Paint Exposed: 1956 Porsche 356 A

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How cool is this? We featured this 1956 Porsche 356A almost a year ago in December 2022 as a heavily patina’d driver with what looked like a mustard yellow paint job done in someone’s backyard. You can find the original story here. Fast forward to the present day and the very savvy short-term owner has stripped away the old yellow paint to expose the original finish – and that was a brilliant move. Find the 356 here on craigslist for $110,000 in California.

We’ve seen stories about cars in the past where the later, crummy paint job was able to be removed with no noticeable damage to the original paint job below. It always makes you wonder why the previous owner took a paint brush to the car, but I can understand to a point; for instance, it becomes just a tired, used car and you’ve grown weary of walking up to it and the battered factory paint job. Obviously, it doesn’t deserve a proper respray, so you just lay on some color with whatever you’ve got around the garage.

The proper way is to obviously scuff up the paint and prime it; thankfully, the previous caretaker didn’t go this route (even though at the time, it was incredibly lazy to ignore this crucial step), as that’s a big reason why it was still possible to remove the DIY paint job applied all those years later. The interior is still in excellent shape with attractive black leatherette seats and oxblood door panels. Thankfully, when the respray was done, they didn’t also convert the color of the factory dash.

Now, what’s interesting is the 356 is listed for the same price as last time – $110,000. I assume this means the same seller still owns the car and didn’t find a taker last time it was offered. This is a touch surprising to me, as the Porsche world tends to either want to find cars that have been totally restored or that are incredibly original. To me, this 356 falls into the latter category, and I’d expect a higher asking price this time around. Kudos to the seller for keeping the asking price fair and for bringing this 356 back to its original colors.

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Comments

  1. bobhess bobhessMember

    356A Porsche or not I wouldn’t put that kind of money into a car with that crappy paint job.

    Like 18
  2. Paul Alexander

    I sold my ’56 several years ago for 27K. I wish I still had it. Don’t think I’d spend 110K for one, though. Since I have a lot of experience painting cars, the paint would be the least of my worries. Of course, I’d have to look at it before buying it, I’d estimate this one is probably worth around 30 – 35, but not to me. If I was looking for such a project, I might offer them about 15 – 20..

    Like 0
  3. CCFisher

    Remarkable! Brings new meaning to the phrase “restored to original condition.”

    Like 10
  4. gippy

    ” Right- I’ll paint any car for 19.95″
    Earl Sheib

    Like 8
    • Jack Quantrill

      Right! Dad, had his ‘68 Mustang painted there. They painted over the moldings, and hood turn signals! Paint, flaked off in 6 months.

      Like 4
  5. BobinBexley Bob in BexleyMember

    It’s all a labor of love ! This in the garage, I’d never drive it just have it to smell it. A late model 2 door Maserati for fun & a new Golf R/GTI as the daily. Man has to know his limitations.

    Like 0
  6. Solosolo UK Solosolo UKMember

    I think the current seller bought this car well under the previous asking price, removed the yellow paint, and has now put it up for sale as a much closer to original than before expecting a serious Porsche 356 buyer to come along and pay his asking price.

    Like 4
  7. Jonathan Green

    It’s fun to see old pictures of Granny when she was young, but the gal you know and love is the lady with the grey hair and a few wrinkles on her face…

    Like 1
  8. Frank BarrettMember

    Since there are almost too many perfectly restored 356s around, some guys today are looking for funky originals like this, so they can stand out from the crowd.

    Like 2
  9. chrlsful

    glorified Bug. Go fer da 928, may B even 924.

    Like 0

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