Porsche 356- an overview

More of this. The Times ran an article (and corresponding owner-penned blog post) recently on the Porsche 356. Old hat for owners of these cars to be sure, but certainly worth a read for anyone with at least a passing interest in either the 356 (either to admire from afar, or with the goal of eventually buying) or Porsches in general.

Many of these charming coupes and convertibles still sell for reasonable prices (when an owner actually decides to part with one), despite a steady trend of rising values. Porsche experts say that a drivable 356 can be found for less than $20,000, and one that looks and feels like new might go for $35,000 to $40,000…

Experts generally agree that the best choice for a first-time collector is a 1961-63 coupe — the 356 B hardtop. The ’61 and later cars include many of Porsche’s most significant refinements in the steering, shifting and suspension, but they are not as expensive as the 1963-65 C models, the last 356 cars. Naturally there are collectors who prefer the design of the earlier 356, informally known as the A, with its lower headlights and bumpers.

In later aircooled 911 terms, sounds to us like the B is somewhat analogous to the 964, with the C in the role of the 993.

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