The Porsche 356 is indisputably one of the most well-known sports cars of the 1960s. It is the start of the Porsche story in the United States, for many enthusiasts, and to this day, the most sought-after models like the Speedster and the 4-cam Carreras command serious money at auction. But after a run-up in prices that saw rusted hulks being dragged out of every nook and cranny for a quick flip, the market has settled back down to reality and is seemingly in agreement that a car that is essentially a body and some trim – like this 1964 model listed here on eBay – should sell for far less money. This car is listed for $7,900 or best offer.
That’s a darn reasonable asking price for a car that looks like it has decent bones. The 356 is a standard model coupe with no special specs, and there’s no engine or transmission. The bodywork, though, looks presentable enough, but the seller confirms the tub is rusty. This is a “what you see is what you get” sort of listing, so there’s apparently no glass aside from the side quarter window and the vent window up front. The doors supposedly shut well enough, and all the panels do appear to line up. The grills in the engine cover look straight and the headlights and taillights lenses aren’t smashed.
This was apparently someone’s attempted restoration project, as the seller states (and you can clearly see in the photos) “…new perimeter floor has been welded in and new Stoddard floor pans are included.” The color of the dash and the door skins suggests this was at one time Sky Blue, at least according to the available paint schemes at this time, and it would be a stunning transformation if this rusty hulk were resprayed in the original finish. This car is so stripped down, however, I’m not sure it makes sense to do anything other than an outlaw-style build unless you already have access to a treasure trove of original equipment parts.
The front beam has been cut out but is included; obviously, this Porsche has seen some things. Hard to tell what a prior owner’s goal was with this project, as I don’t think the current seller is the one who started the work. He does note that he have spare engine and transmission parts, but doubtful he has enough to make a working unit. The engine at the time produced around 75 horsepower, but the world is your oyster as it relates to what you choose to drop in the back of this stirpped-down 356. You could be truly offensive and find a Subaru flat-four to install, which actually might make the most sense of all from an economics perspective. Do you think this 356 should be restored back to OEM condition or used as the basis for a completely custom build?
Hit it right on the head Jeff. I do have a couple of friends who have enough parts to build this car but there can’t be too many more out there. I’ve done a couple and it takes a lot of time, money, and parts. We used 356s as basic transportation for many years and they do have a high fun factor.
This would be a fun car to put together with some serious performance parts.
Love the blue color too.
Outlaw this one!!
Even to become an outlaw, this car needs everything. It’s just a shell, and a rusty one at that. The door and fender rust is serious, and what are those welds around the rear window? Was the car rolled and a new roof put on? Very few restorers would even try to fix this mess. Obviously someone already gave up on it. For less than half the cost of fixing it properly, you could buy a better, drivable 356, avoiding the time and stress of a difficult restoration.
Frank, found this car with as much rust as this coupe and spent 4 years, the last two every day, replacing panels and rebuilding edges of windows, doors. lights, etc. Found a panel in the right rear made up of 7 different pieces of metal’. It was a race car most of it’s life but nobody paid attention to rust.
This and the Vette advertised today are both “passion projects”. They will both require someone that is wildly passionate about the automobile.
I’m with Frank! I generally think in the long run, it is better to spend more for a vehicle in better condition! If this is going to just be turned into a race car, then no worries about restoring! Great article from Jeff Lavery! I owned a 356 A car for a short time about 40 years ago, and thought it was a fun and simple car! The 356 prices are too high for the majority of us, but thank goodness there are still so many fun cars out there in the 2 to 10 thousand dollar range!
Next stop, Gullwing Motors.
$7,900 nightmare. Who’s brave enough to take this on?
Paint it like an Andy Warhol art car and stick it on your garage wall… way cheaper than most other original works and way cooler too, I think.
Crush and move on.
The cardinal rule before purchasing a 356 (or any in demand classic) is before buying a basket case, consider purchasing a car already restored (with extreme due diligence) and let the previous restorer bear the brunt of the costs. Otherwise you’ll be seriously upside down upon completion.
There are a few caveats. You’re doing it for the educational value, especially if it’s a father/daughter,son project. And most importantly you have deep pockets, don’t care about your ROI, you’re young and healthy, and have a lot of free time on your hands.
Providing this information from a friend. (lol)
Seriously.