Patina Project: 1962 Porsche 356B

The Porsche 356 market is in an interesting place at the moment. Put simply, project prices have cooled significantly, and it seems like now is a good time to grab a worthwhile candidate for restoration if you’ve been sitting on the sidelines. This 1962 Porsche 356B is one of the best prospects I’ve seen in a while, both for its condition and its $35,000 asking price. The seller’s details indicate that this was a loved specimen before it got put into storage, and its cosmetic flaws seem mostly skin-deep. Find it here on Facebook Marketplace.

The 356 is still well-loved by Porsche faithful, with esteemed collector Jerry Seinfeld considering it one of the purest expressions of a sports car ever built. I suspect the subtle cooling of the prices has to do with a few factors: one, we’re still seeing different parts of the market reset from COVID, and two, older air-cooled Porsches are losing ground to cars from the late 80s and 90s that still capture that air-cooled magic, albeit with more horsepower and creature comforts. Still, there’s no denying the appeal of owning the car that made the 911 possible.

The seller reports that the rust you see is mostly just surface-contained, and that other issues are contained to parts that are susceptible to failure over time, like rubber hoses and gaskets. The interior is a beautiful cardinal red, with matching carpets and seat belts, making this ivory-colored coupe an absolute stunner and worthy of the inevitable respray. The interior shows old Coco mats and other details that suggest a previous owner spent quality time in this 356 before it was inexplicably parked. I use that work because it seems like the car underwent a fair amount of work not too long ago, making its untimely siesta all the more unusual.

The listing notes that the numbers-matching engine was “…overhauled in 2010 by local Portland Porsche engine expert, Dave Wedlake.” If you Google his name, you will find numerous listing for auction cars that reference his involvement as a major selling point. While I don’t know Dave personally, I suspect his brand has the same cache as a car serviced by the legendary John Walker Workshop, which is also in the PNW.

This T6-bodied coupe looks like an absolute home run for someone who can sort out the mechanical bits and budget for a proper cosmetic refresh.