The vintage Porsche market remains red hot. That makes it a challenge for anyone to buy their dream car without paying astronomical sums. If you’re mechanically inclined, however, buying an abandoned project car is an affordable way to get in the game.
For example, consider this 1962 Porsche 356 recently listed on eBay with a $44,000 Buy-It-Now price. The owner says he ran out of time for completing the restoration after redoing the 356’s floor pans and assembling some parts, such as a separate trunk and deck lid. The engine, a twin-Solex 1.6-liter Super 90 unit, is in place but hasn’t been rebuilt. It runs, but the owner says it’s not drivable yet. “Great car for an ‘outlaw’ build,” he says.
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The best thing about this car is its apparent rust-free state. Some of this may be due to its California and Florida locations, coupled with the floor work. The Porsche 356 is a prodigious ruster if it has seen winter use in salt-friendly states.
The paint is rough on this car, and the interior is assembled loosely for photography. The intact headliner is a plus. A competent amateur could restore this car—especially since the owner claims everything is there. Some buyers will want to just hand it over to a restoration shop.
The Car That Started the Legend
The interior is there, but will require some work. Good headliner, though.
The Porsche 356 remains a hot commodity, regularly fetching $100,000 or more. eBay Motors has a wide selection for sale, in various stages of restoration.
Like the 911 that succeeded it, the 356 underwent continuous development, although it didn’t last quite as long on the market. Production started in 1948 in Gmund, Austria, with a total output of 50, priced at $3,750 for the coupe. The last of the 356s came out in 1965 with a total production of 76,000, of which an impressive 50 percent survive. But some of them need a lot of work.
The 356, the company’s first production vehicle, set the Porsche template of a rear engine with rear-wheel drive, coupes, and convertibles. With the Super 90, these Porsches had 89 horsepower. Insane zero-to-60 time was never the big selling point. Instead, owners reveled in the car’s excellent handling and competition potential.
Porsche 356 Looks Like a Turtle
The 356 set the Porsche template, with a rear air-cooled engine and rear-wheel drive.
Enthusiasts have been making the Porsche 356 go faster since the 1950s. The term “outlaw” wasn’t used until the 1980s. It’s an expensive option, as professionally built outlaw 356 models from outfits like Emory Motorsports fetch well into six figures.
Floor pan replacement requires skill, patience, and the proper tools.
Doing a rebuild yourself starts with finding all the pieces, and eBay Motors has a complete supply of 356 parts. The policy of continuous improvement means that some parts from earlier and later cars will fit. But look before you leap.
The vast Porsche enthusiast knowledge base developed over many decades of racing should help determine the best route for your build.
