Go back a couple of decades, and Porsche only offered two things: sports cars and race cars. Any tinkering with their proven formula was cause for alarm.
One year that sounded that alarm is 1965. After more than a decade and a half of evolution, the 356— the basis of pretty much every street car to wear the Porsche badge …
Good article, but you should have also added the Carrera version. two liter ohc vs two liter ohc.. I guess if you already like the 356 pushrod better it's moot, but it would have made for a more exciting comparison.
I can remember a time when us 356 owners would show up at a Porsche event and the 911 guys wouldn't even talk to us. How times have changed.
Yes, the 356 is quaint and fun to look at but, really, who wants a four-cylinder car with a lousy suspension? Part of that answer may be found in the dismal sales performance recently of the four-cylinder Cayman. So much so, Porsche quietly began sticking the six back in, hoping nobody would notice. And you can hang all the turbos you want on it, yielding a "rev it to the moon" sports car that's still a four-cylinder.
TR8Owner - I can only imagine it would have been the other way around at first, with the 356 owners casting scornful glaces at the abomination produced by our Fathers 
We had a 2002 MINI and started going to the Yearly Mini Meet East, and we're greeted with acceptance from some and disdain from others...
Some ( Who shall remain nameless - From Florida ) refused to attend future events and started their own Classic (only) Mini Meets...
We were no different when some of the MINI deviants 
were released.
Why can't we all just get along 
i would take either one !
Owned both of them over the years.
911 for driving in anger, 356 for a weekend car. Totally different use cases and cars.
It's like asking which of your children do you like best. In my fantasy garage it would be a 356C cabriolet because it is the most useable 356 with it's disk brakes and decent power. Next to that would be 1969 911E. I simply can't choose one child over the other!
912 looks over and says "Hey, what about me?"
Also, common t-shirt at club events when I started showing up with an old 911 in 1980--"Sure, they made Porsches after 1965, but who cares?"
Nice to see that as-delivered 1965 911 engine, but wow did things get updated quickly. Webers for Solexes, CD ignition boxes, sealed hydraulic tensioners (not that those were ever bulletproof), exhaust valve covers with more fastening points. And performance-wise some 6" Fuchs to fit 185/70 or 205/60 tires.
Don’t worry, 912, we love you, too. :)
My first Porsche was a stripper 356. They called it a Speedster in 1956. What it needed was disc brakes and a 2 liter engine and I would stil have it.
Karmann Ghias are a good lower cost substitute for a 356.
Can I throw in the idea of a Fiberglass 356 Speedster......
basically a VW bug as far as parts and only a few semi-expensive Porsche parts if you feel like buying them ,
there Are project ones for $10-$15k and really nice ones on BAT going for $60-80k.
or you can spend more and buy a project 550 spyder .....
In reply to californiamilleghia :
Yes you can, and I have had a similar thought. No, it’s not “real,” but it could still be really fun.
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