Vintage Porsche roadsters have sky-rocketed in value over the past several years with 356 Speedster models leading the way including Steve McQueen’s and Janis Joplin’s personal cars. This car is a 1961 356B 1600 which it is still certainly desirable amongst classic car enthusiasts. Found here on eBay with a buy-it-now price of $106,995, the car is being sold in Pleasanton, California. Said to only have one owner since 1974, the car was parked and not driven for the past thirty years!
According to Pack Automotive Museum, “The 356 Speedster was one of Porsche’s most successful models. Its light weight, superior balance, and racy looks were all placed within reach of aspiring Porsche owners, thanks to its relatively low price. The price, however, also reflected the car’s spartan passenger accommodations—sporty seats, a small top, side curtains, and low windshield all formed part of this car’s purpose-built sorting pretensions.”
“Porsche addressed these deficiencies in the summer of 1958 with the Convertible D, with the “D” denoting the car’s builder, Drauz…essentially, a second-generation but more-comfortable Speedster…The Roadster’s roof and windshield were both higher than those of the Speedster, adding 3½ inches of headroom and providing a quantum leap in terms of comfort and visibility with the top up…Regardless of body style, Porsche’s 356, in particular, the refined 356B produced between September 1959 and July 1963, remain excellent examples of Porsche’s sophisticated engineering and tireless development processes.” You can read more about Porsche’s history here on PackAutomotiveMuseum.com.
The ad states the 1600cc engine was brought back to running and driving condition and is said to run well. The 1.6L Super was one of the largest engines available during the production run from 1960-63 only being surpassed by the 2.0L Carrera. The engine compartment looks like it is an honest condition. The “trunk” contains the fuel tank and battery, which look in decent shape also.
Again, the interior appears to show the correct level of patina and wear for an un-restored car of this vintage. The seat coverings appear to be in good shape along with most of the other interior bits. The soft top needs addressing, however. The rear window has several cracks and holes and the interior is showing stains and tears as well.
Overall, this car has a great look. There are dozens of detailed photos in the ad showing multiple exterior photos along with shots of the undercarriage and suspension. I’m not sure if the car will command the six-figure asking price, but it seems like it has potential. Do you think the new owner will drive this car as-is or restore it? Let us know.
I see this bubble bursting, buyer beware.
Yawn.
Steve R
Ralph
I am still shocked at how much money these cars are commanding. This particular example has the mid-range 1600 Super engine and not the more powerful/desirable Super 90.
As some of you guys know, my brother and I restored a Convertible D from a wreck back in the early-1970s, when they were pretty much worthless. I think Billy’s caveat may prove to be true…
Dontcha just wish everything was a $500.00 car again.
Nice car. I wouldn’t restore it, drive it, enjoy it, sell it later to someone else that wants to restore it.
Steve R
Yep, best not hold onto it too long, I hope you can afford the loss. If you want an open car, a used 3rd generation Miata would embarrass this relic for under 10K. You would get everything this car is not. I love the 107K price, sure. Stevie, you are going to have to sell a kidney to a rich Arab just to be able to drive this, much less restore it. Just how sure are you about the potential upside?
I don’t care about the upside. I’m personally not interested in cars like this. I do appreciate them, but as for owning one, no thanks. It’s too small and a convertible.
I do think a long term correction is coming, but that will be years away. It will mainly effect generic models and deteriorated projects. Quality cars, like this, of makes and models that have always had a strong following should do just fine. The people buying what should be parts cars will be in a world of hurt, but that was always bound to happen. The people that are willing to put in the time and work necessary to find quality cars priced below market will be fine also.
Steve R
I sure hope Billy’s right. It’s the only faint hope for those of us who’d like to have a 356 someday.
This one looks very nice. Time to buy a lottery ticket.
Steve R we are in that rolling long term “recession” or more likely a adjustment of values based on who is interested in buying. Barrett Jackson found out the reason early TBird prices were going down was because the age group that liked them were dying. The term “aging out’ is now used to describe this adjustment.
I’ll hang on to my 914, maybe it will be worth big $$$ by the time the estate sale sign is on my front lawn…..
Don’t hold on too long. I sold my 1973 914 1.7 as a basket case two years ago. $10k.
Hard to believe a VW powered car can be worth this much. A friend bought one in 1965 for $500.00 and I thought he was nuts. Oh well I was never the brightest bulb on the strand.
Yeah, so Billy 007, my 16 year old son would use an unkind adjective about Miata’s. New P car’s too. Classics? Seeing as he owns one, they’re “cool”. His friends agree. I won’t argue about price, but to say, you do know that there are mutual funds you can buy that hold collectors cars as their assets, right? Also, there have been in the last decade 10’s of thousands of new millionaires created and, well, they spend their money on “cool” things once they get bored with “sensible investments” and real estate. Its been my experience they then turn to boats or cars. Old cars = simple way to enter into the cool guy car club. just sayin’….lots of new wealth limited years of cars that qualify for cool. Between investments, new wealth and regular demand, supply has been outstripped.
Now the potential for gasoline cars to become quickly uncool across all kinds is when the world (well, the US) wakes up to the immediate impacts of climate change. Then, i’m guessing the market will change quickly. Until then, cool cars rule the day….
You may just be correct. The uneven spread of wealth presently has distorted the market. Makes it hard for true car lovers to partake in what is rightfully theirs.
can’t wait when the bubble bursts and this madness is over, what i realy hate is that these speculants ruin our hobby because true enthusiasts like we were pushed out of the market. Cars are just finished fast and cheap and with no love to the details just make ASAP the big money. For me especially with 60s and early 70s muscle cars where prices are meanwhile also totally ridicioulus
Hey Guys the German banks recently announced they are backing classic car loans and american banks quickly agreed to originate those loans. I think you can blame that action on recent price hikes. Its getting worse not better.
Oh yes, the banks. They have a long history of doing what is economically sensible, don’t they? They like every other big financial institution have adopted the risky quick in for short term profits strategy, a big part of what is wrong with this country and this world. I wouldn’t go borrowing 107K to buy this little wonder just because some bank is willing to borrow you the money. When the price falls through the basement and it is worth a third of what you paid, they are still going to demand all they borrowed you and I bet they have meaner hairier lawyers then you can afford, that’s for sure. Before all is said and done, they will be smoking a fat cigar on a rainy night next to a roaring fireplace and you will be inside your leaky card board box abode.
I”m not sure if its good or bad, but a person can now put their 401k money or IRA money in a collector car.
If one does they better choose right or lose their retirement.
’59 Convertible D bought for $85 in 1972 with everything mechanical except for an engine. Bought a late 912 engine for $400, installed a seat and roll bar, and had one of the faster race cars of the era. Would love to have it back.
’60 Roadster race car built in ’66 we bought to restore in’85 for $ 4,000 with two extra engines and enough parts to sell that paid for the car. Four year restoration and sold it for $16,000. Price jump started then.
A very nice time capsule Porsche! 30 years asleep in storage.
Thanks for featuring this Barn Finds. I hope it goes to a good home.
I don’t “get” these because Porsches aren’t my thing, but I’d never tell anyone to buy something newer instead. If I liked newer cars better, I’d just go hang out on new car websites.
61 Vette… No VWs in the Porsches. Not a single interchangeable engine or transmission part. Cylinder heads alone were 50 percent larger than VW’s and the valves looked like garbage can lids compared to VW. The black race car put out 115 hp with only the carb jets modified, a hotter ignition, race exhaust and lightened and balanced flywheel. The red ’60 put out a little over 130 with 12.1 compression ratio, the large twin throat carbs off the Supers and a cam as wild as anything you could get those days. All great fun but not with VW stuff. Now if Claus wants some real HP for his car they are getting 200 HP out of the type 4 engines these days and they are still streetable.
Prices now are just nuts. Now you know why we race Bugeye Sprites these days.
Pyramid scheme/multi-level marketing. The winners got in early. Congrats to them for having the foresight. I normally just skip past these ads.
Having owned 4 356s at (63 super, 65 SC, 58 Speedster and a 60 super 90). Actually had a 5th one as we had the Super 90 engine punched out to 1800 and put in the Speedster I can say they were fun cars. Can’t understand the current prices though. They just aren’t that rare.
In 1972 the average new car cost about $3500. Good used Porsche 356’s could be purchased for about $1800-$2400.
Have you priced new cars lately? Less is more $$$$.
The prices for used 356’s have been subject to inflation like most everything else.
Plus the herd has been culled, far fewer now.
That $3,500 car now sells got $35,000. Bet that $2,400 Porsche sells for more than $24,000.
Yes, Less is More on the new ones……JMHO
The 356’s are a constant.