What is "Fair Condition" for a Porsche 356?

So I was cruising Hemmings when I saw a 1960 Porsche 356B for only $8K here

So let me get this straight, the seller lists "Condition: fair" for a car that looks like

I worry what "Condition: poor" is to these guys...

Ottawa

Needs a little TLC

In reply to Ottawa:

Only eight grand! I bet it the smells inside that thing are as good as it looks.

Never mind eight grand would probably get you a nice Karmann Ghia and plenty of money to hang with a stock 356...

OldTin beat me to it.

This is probably poor:

OldTin's pic with it out of the water is probably upgraded to "rough". It's obviously less work once it's on dry ground.

What is the story behind that?

I've seen worse, but it was only $300.

"Poor condition" means you get a selection of water-damaged cardboard boxes with random parts inside.

The yellow one might be ok for a display item. Don't spend a penny on it. Just park it outside your house and tell people you have a 356. But don't ever spend a penny on it. And it should probably be free. This is my plan for old Jags too.

Otto Maddox wrote: Just park it outside your house and tell people you have a 356. But don't ever spend a penny on it. And it should probably be free. This is my plan for old Jags too.

I have the same theory on owning a boat. Tell your friends and coworkers you will be out on your boat all weekend. "oh, my boat's nothing........"

Own this........

And people think this......

I've known of a house, for at least the past 20 years, that had a pair of 356's sitting under tarps next to a barn. I recently knocked on the door and asked the owner if he'd be willing to sell them. I discovered that there were two more on the other side of the barn.

He wasn't ready to sell. We had a long conversation and I found that he was an old SCCA racer. He claims to have built over 100 356 engines and has two other restored 356's at another house. He said that the four cars outside were pretty picked over and may be beyond restoration. After asking me a lot of questions, he said that he'd keep my phone number on file for when he was ready to do something with the cars. We didn't talk about any specific numbers, but he did mention the words, "in excess of ten thousand dollars", more than once.

I'll, uh....be waiting by the phone.

There's always the chance that you'll stumble across a car that has a four cam Carrera engine under the decklid (these cars did not). A rebuildable core is worth at least ten grand.

There is a guy in my area, who is a prominent collector, and has a rebuilt four cam engine for sale for more than $100k.

Eight grand is way too much for the yellow car, though I'm sure that there a bunch of knobs on the dash that would fetch over $50 a piece.

I don't understand why those things go for so much money? I mean, they're definitely cool cars, but they don't seem all that rare, and an early 911 would have just as much character but also be a better performer at just about everything. Plus, if you bought a 911 instead, you wouldn't constantly have to explain that it wasn't a 911 and then have every layman assume you bought it because you couldn't afford a 911.

I have a soft spot for 356's...any condition would probably do...

pete240z wrote:

Otto Maddox wrote: Just park it outside your house and tell people you have a 356. But don't ever spend a penny on it. And it should probably be free. This is my plan for old Jags too.

I have the same theory on owning a boat. Tell your friends and coworkers you will be out on your boat all weekend. "oh, my boat's nothing........" Own this........ And people think this......

How true. I have 2 aluminium row boats, a canoe and a hobie cat. I can say "If the breeze is strong we will sail otherwise we can take the motorboat"

On a recent press drive through the Sonoma Mountains, my driving partner and I parked our vehicle on a pretty spot overlooking the valley to get some pictures. Unfortunately, neither of us was quick enough with our cameras to catch the 956 that suddenly appeared on the winding mountain road, just stood open-mouthed as it disappeared around the corner. Was it ever pretty. Stank though.

Jay wrote: Plus, if you bought a 911 instead, you wouldn't constantly have to explain that it wasn't a 911 and then have every layman assume you bought it because you couldn't afford a 911.

356 guys sometimes look down upon 911 owners because we don't own real Porsches.

http://www.356panels.com/

I can't imagine what this costs:

I don't know much about restoring 356's, but I'd assume most/all body parts are available. Back during the height of muscle car boom a few years ago, guys were asking stupid prices for complete hulks. I specifically remember a '70 Challenger T/A that could barely be recognized as a car with a 5-figure asking price. Simply because the VIN was a genuine T/A tag... and you can easily rebuild the car around it.

There is probably someone who would buy it, but i dont really get it. Someone could buy that and spend $100k restoring it, or spend $35-$40k on one that has mostly stayed nice its whole life. I know which one I would pick (other than not buying an overpriced vw bug in the first place).

Woody wrote: http://www.356panels.com/ I can't imagine what this costs:

There are prices on the site. $1000 for the nose piece pictured. $2800 for a full front clip that includes the fenders back to the doors. Considering the prices for repair panels for the front of an Volvo 1800, that's a good price.

For the money a real 356A goes for I'd rather have a turnkey replica for $22K. I think it was JPS Motorsport that had the display inside at Carlisle. That was a nice one.

But if I were going air cooled Porsche replica I'd Beck 550 Spyder.

What you are buying is the serial number. The rest can be hand-built. At this point, all that matters is how complete the pile is insofar as trim and interior bits.

I help people restore MGBs. They put 20-25k into the cars and realistic re-sale is 10-15. The SAME tinwork will resotre a Healey 3000 or the bathtub volkswagon shown above. Both the Healey and the 356 will recover the cost. You really cant lose if you have quality work done.

Yes, I do consider the world to be crazy, but so what?

Rob_Mopar wrote: But if I were going air cooled Porsche replica I'd Beck 550 Spyder.

You and me both. I have wanted one of those for a long time.

I noticed nothing that says who it is fair for...

I know the seller; I've sold him cars. Compared the other "classics" he peddles, that car is in pretty fair condition...and he probably did pay $300 for it.

I owned a couple previously - 61 cabby and 60 coupe. They're bitches to restore. Once the unibody is rusted forget it and chop it up for parts

I'll put on my flame protection suit before saying this - I liked them but now feel they are way, way over priced for what they really are. You can get the same thing from a mildly hotted up Ghia at a fraction the price.