I will say from the start of this piece that I have a definite affinity towards classic cars that hail from Deutschland. The reason for this is that among the European sports and GT cars I have owned the most reliable have been from Germany.
They have the fewest problems, are the easiest to live with, and also tend to be some of the most comfortable cars you can find. Sure, a Jaguar E-Type is a stunning car and a fun to drive but compared to say a Mercedes 250SL or a Porsche 356, the Jag is not as comfortable or easy to drive. Also, the E-Type might perform a bit better than these German cars but not by much, and the creature comforts and build quality more than make up for the decrease in performance to me.
This brings me to our Pick of the Day, a 1963 Porsche 356B painted in factory-correct Slate Grey with a nicely contrasting red interior. (Click the link to view the listing)
The story of this car is pretty neat. According to the seller, this Porsche was bought brand new by her father in Modesto, CA in 1963. It’s an important part of her family’s history, including being the actual car she learned how to drive in as well as the car that whisked her away after her wedding.
The seller adds that this 356B has lived in the California inlands and was then brought to Arizona. They add that the underside is as clean and rust free as you could possibly find. The seller rate this Porsche as in above average driver condition and ready for regular use. The car includes its factory KARDEX, as well as factory toolkit, spare tire, original driver’s manual with Porsche folio, and jack.
The pictures show a Porsche 356 that appears to be as described and in nice driver condition. A perfect car not to show, but to drive and enjoy as it was built to do. These cars make for terrific tour and rally cars. While not the fastest cars of the era they’re quite fun to drive and easily able to deal with modern traffic, even on interstates.
The one issue with the 356 is that these cars have rapidly increase in value and as a result finding an affordable example is quite difficult. This is due to just how great these cars are as drivers, and a great many have been completely restored which means they cost more to buy.
As a result, finding a nice driver-level 356 that’s not perfect but still a nice driver that you can be proud of and use is pretty difficult. This car fits that definition perfectly and the asking price of only $79,900 make it look like a great deal in today’s market.
The only problem with a 356 like this is that if you currently own other classic cars you might find that you stop driving them. As the 356 is such a good sports car that you are no longer interested in the other cars in your collection.
How do I reach out to the Seller?
I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but really, this was an ugly duckling that 59 years later (as a 911) never made it to swan.
Where is it?