In a world where seemingly every vintage Porsche is over-restored to the point of being sold as a museum piece rather than a driver’s car, it is extremely refreshing to see an air-cooled model for sale that has prioritized actually being used as intended. This 1956 Porsche 356 may still put a major dent in your wallet, but at least it’s for the right reasons. It’s extremely charming and dripping with character, wearing its battle scars proudly while enjoying some nice upgrades under the engine lid. I doubt it will stay for sale long, so check it out here on craigslist in Victorville, California for $110,000.
No, this is not a factory color, and that’s OK. This 356 has taken a whack or two in its day and that’s why we love it – you can see a lifetime of stories in that rough exterior. The 356 also still wears California black plates, and as an earlier production model, it retains the four taillight setup as opposed to the solitary “teardrop” on either side. The original color scheme is a very attractive combination of black over a red interior, and I suspect there’s a good chance the next owner will want to return it to factory appearances. There’s a big part of me, though, that hopes they leave it alone because we so rarely get to see a 356 in this sort of condition anymore.
It’s like how you’d expect to find a 356 15 years after it left the dealership: just a tired used car that the second or third owners started to personalize to their own tastes. The remnants of the red interior are still visible with that passenger door panel and it looks like the driver’s side matches it. More than likely, the seats have been re-done at some point as they don’t match the door panels and look quite nice for a car of this vintage. The dash and steering wheel both appear to be in good order and an original-style Blaupunkt radio remains in the dash. While I would have a hard time messing with the outside, I might proceed with restoring the cabin back to its original cardinal red scheme.
The seller notes that the engine is a “… rebuilt 1600 super big bore” w/ dual Solex 32s.” While some of you may want to see this car stripped all the way down and prepared for a multi-year restoration, I feel the exact opposite. I want to see this aftermarket paint job preserved while keeping it just ratty enough that I’m not afraid to use it at a moment’s notice. The world of 356s grows more exclusive each year, so it’s incredibly rare to find a driver-quality car that’s actually drivable and hasn’t become a multi-phase restoration project. Would you paint it or leave it alone?
Just add a taxi sign on the roof, or maybe update it with a ride share light in the windscreen, and confuse the world.
“Tijuana Taxi, senor?”
“No thanks; I’ve got baggage.”
“Dats for sure.”
Don’t see a lot of the 4 taillight cars any more. People like me thought the teardrop lights were good looking enough to make the change, just like I did on our early ’57 Cabriolet. The factory started putting them on midway through the ’57 model year. Wouldn’t do too much to this car but I would put a good paint job on it. There’s rust around the rear window and probably around the windshield. No sense letting it get any worse.
“page not found” getting out of this one.
I frequently get the same error message. Sounds like a little programming bug.
Its out there – for sale…
Wow, super cool. Thanks for posting. Now all I need is $100,000
Wow , very nice. But where the heck is this nice motor. Really , your gonna tell us all about it and not show it to us…
Should it not have Cal yellow plates, from 1956?
No mention if the plates are original to the car. Could be it was first registered later in CA or they could simply have been bought off of Ebay and reassigned to the car at a later date.
In ’63 every vehicle was required to switch to Black/Gold plates,
but now you can put the Gold/Black plates on cars the would have
had them.
These plates are from the late ’60’s,so may have come from
out-of-state,or been replaced then.
$110,000 for a sports car that a tired 1973 Honda 175 Scrambler will out accelerate. ” But, it’s all about the driving experience…” Sure. Get out those check books, fools.
@Big C You simply don’t get it… guess I’m a fool. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoX_g3bcABE
Great video James, you are no fool, you are one lucky person to have such a reliable old banger that you really use and enjoy without worrying that somebody might scratch it while parked at the grocery store. Carry on regardless, it will always be a big seller when you are ready in whatever condition it is in at the time.
Agreed – great video. I wish more people would appreciate these old sports cars for what they are – something to be driven and enjoyed, not locked up in a perfect restoration that will prevent it from ever being used again.
Unfortunately, the days of doing this with a Porsche are long over, unless you bought one 20 years ago.
Great link James. TY.
Page not found – for me it occasionally (twice today) happens after viewing a picture then return to story.
I do not understand vintage Porsche prices. For $110k, I can just about afford – seriously, within a few thousand – an early E-type coupe AND roadster in similar condition. Much more beautiful, much faster and better performing in nearly every category, and built in far fewer numbers. Completely confounding … will some Porsche guy please enlighten me?!?!?!
Correct, and any Porsche 356 is a POS in comparison to any E Type Jaguar. I have owned them both and the 356 was comparable to a VW Karmann Ghia whereas the Jaguar was comparable to my Ferrari Mondial IMO.
– maybe cause the E-type is such an ugly car?
(not a Porsche-Guy)
To your eye, perhaps, but you belong to a slim minority. Most agree with Enzo that the E-type is the most beautiful car ever made. I can certainly see the argument that the 356 is ugly, but I look at it more like a Pug: it’s actually cute, in its own unique way.
I would make it reliable runner and then drive the wheels off it. When that’s over I would restore it and sell it for the current market price.
110K? Madness! I stupidly sold my ‘56 1500GS Carrera for $2500! But, it was back in 1964.
I bought a Speedster from a friend for $400, drove it hard for a year, and sold it back to the same guy for $400.
That was also some time ago…
Hahaha! $110 K- what a joke, and a bad one at that.
so amusing to read comments by people that haven’t a clue about what they speak (fools, jokes, etc. ) Patina cars have frequently outsold concourse cars for going on 10 years now. And straight, rust free cars are increasingly hard to find these days in unrestored condition. Rod Emory makes an amazing living selling modified 356’s for well over half a million dollars with a significant backlog of customers. If you don’t understand the market that’s cool but calling people fools that do well that says more about you. https://www.emorymotorsports.com/
I love Ford Mustangs. All kinds, Shelby’s, Mach 1’s, Roush, etc. But, there is no way in the world, I’d pay $110,000 for some beat to crap rust bucket. Especially, when these aren’t some super limited production, one of ten, i.e cars. Porsche 356’s aren’t all that rare. But, if you feel the need to pay that “market price?” By all means, seize the day!
I understand the pushback against over restored cars that you’re afraid to drive- but- this poor thing needs some help. A parking lot ding here or there is not the same as leaving rust to wreak havoc-
Sorry, for $110K, you should be just about able to afford one of the over restored ones…
well, yes and no. This is what $75,000 would get you in March of this year. https://www.goodingco.com/lot/1956-porsche-356-a-super-coupe/
but then in the same month $130K would get you this (both with buyers premium added).https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1956-porsche-356-1600-coupe-10/
Kind of a bit all over the board really. The above car is likely a bit high but it is his “asking” price and if you could get it for $90-95K it’d probably be a sound investment and a heck of cool car for weekend vintage rallies.
So nice of you to educate us. Maybe you have $90- 95K to buy a “weekend vintage rally car”. Some of us don’t. But some of us have also owned cars like this and can appreciate what they are and aren’t from experience.
No underside pics. Not a good sign. I had a friend who made a living putting new floors in these.
– another great video from this guy and his porsch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALQ0S4vrRbg
(try this with your E-Types or musclecars …)
I don’t get it when guys do stuff like that.Why would you
take a sports car off road that has little ground clearance,especially
when he has a 4WD truck.
I guess it gets lots of “Likes” & attention.
Just for fun I imagine but keep in mind the first interstate in America wasn’t built until 1957, awful lot of dirt roads around when this car was new. Also a fair number of the vintage rallies include dirt road sections these days just to make things more interesting and separate those who are afraid to get their cars dirty from those who aren’t.
– and because the back engined VW’s and Porsches are also kind of off road vehicles – they do not even need four wheel drive – as one can see in this exact video
so why carry 2 tonnes of steel and consume a lot of gas when you can simply do the job with a small economic vehicle?
Just reminded me that growing up in New England my mom had a VW bug and in the winter it would climb the snow covered hilly streets with just snow tires better than most of the cars with chains.