Porsche 356B: Restore for $100,000 and Have a $75,000 Driver

Air Brigade consulted two long-time Porsche 356 owners on this 1963 Porsche 356B S Coupe Barn Find offered currently on PCarMarket and they both had the same response: “Run Away!”

Features the distinctive twin grille decklid but with incorrect badging | PCarMarke

As one stated: “You’ll spend $100,000 to restore it and end up with a $75,000 driver.” The 356B models are the least desirable of all 356’s and this one, despite the Super 90 badging has no unique characteristics, except maybe the rear tow hitch attachment.

Porsche 356B Restoration Project in Storage since the 80's

The current color combination of black over red leatherette would be attractive and desirable but it is going to take a lot to get this 356 to a quality look and driving presentation. The original color is Slate Grey. The chassis needs a complete rebuild, the interior requires a complete restoration and the body needs to go down to bare metal for a re-spray.

Features a 1980's rebuild before storage

The 1600 S engine is not matching numbers so that alone makes this car at best a nice driver and therefore the $75,000 valuation once you are done with what would probably be a $100,000 restoration bill unless the owner did the work themselves.

The market for the top Porsche 356’s is the pre-1960 cars or a 1965 last-run model year. $75,000 for a nice driver is still big money, but the $100,000 prices on 356’s requires numbers matching Porsches in the desirable years.

Air Brigade suspects this will become a project in the garage of someone always wanting a Porsche 356 and a project. Hopefully they bring it back to life, as it is always sad to 356’s in such rough shape. Even with a DIY restoration the owner will probably breakeven with this project but it will be great to drive the backroads with and appear at the local Cars and Coffee.

1963 Porsche 356B 1600S Barn Find

Bid to $12,500 on PCarMarket.com with one day left in the auction

https://www.pcarmarket.com/auction/1963-porsche-356-1600s-coupe/

1963 Porsche 356B Barn Find on PCarMarket

• Total restoration required

• Black over red leatherette; originally Slate Grey

• In storage since 1983

• Engine rebuild occurred in 1983

• Engine is proper for the model year but it cannot be confirmed if it is numbers matching

• 4-speed manual

• Located in New Jersey

Thanks to Air Brigade 356 members Allen Peerson and David Linton for perspective on this Barn Find.

Steering Wheel and Dash are Reported as Salvagable but the the car requires an all-new interior

Tags: Porsche 356, Porsche 356B, Porsche 356 Barn Find