356 Prices

[Merv]

26944_b486df9cd004_low_res.JPG These are still on the increase, particularly in Australia with locally delivered cars (of which there were never many) with some getting 200K+. However, every now and then one sees a car in the US that shows that a more reasonable alternative, in LHD as an import for those who want a good car.

This one was seen by a colleague and looks outstanding value.

http://sanfranciscosportscars.com/ve...he-356-b-coupe 26944_b486df9cd004_low_res.JPG

[mrar]

Do you have any real recent sales evidence here in Australia Merv?
I remember around this time last year cts had a heap (3 or 4) of these cars fs at imo ridiculously inflated prices. Pretty sure they dropped the $$ consistently till they sold or went stale.

[Merv]

Only what has been selling for on Car Sales - quickly, through my network among the 356 crowd (a word of mouth with lots of people wanting/waiting on cars), through Bowdens and though the 356 Registry here. Commonly there are almost wrecks getting up to 120K and decent original cars over 180K. Most cars sell privately and off the usual web sites, as/if they become available. Matching numbers is quite rare among these. Aussie sold ones are far less common as most of the 356's here are converts (usually detected by the lack of a raised ring around the instruments, different rear reflectors and the steering wheel lacking a dress ring). As the early 911's values have cooled, the once undervalued 356's (they were the first Porsches) have moved up. This Pre-A is good value IMO as they are as rare as, even in this non-original state:

https://www.carsales.com.au/private/...-4884270/?Cr=1

https://www.classic-trader.com/au/ca...ch/porsche/356

http://www.classicthrottleshop.com/car19.html

[9er]

Tricky topic.
A friend of mine recently sold a beautiful Aussie 356 Cab he was not able to get anywhere near the price that he wanted for it.
I think it is a case of the buyers pool being so much smaller for 356.

[Merv]

True to an extent Chris. I suspect that there are drivers and collectors among the 356 world. Many are stored in sheds and bought and sold. I have had 3 calls in the last 2 weeks from people wanting to buy one and all were collectors. Early 911's still appear at rather inflated prices but are certainly better drivers' cars IMO. The 356s languished for years with very low prices but I was suggesting that they are on the move. It is also strange but the 356 gets far more attention from the public when parked than the 911 ever does.

[reedminor]

356 sales are happening in the background quietly.

Yes they are appreciating on the back of the early 911's. The guys asking me about 356's already have a number of cars and wish to drive them and enjoy them.

But I'm finding 356 coupes are a relatively known quantity in terms of their worth. Because so few cabriolets or roadsters trade openly.... no one wants to overpay. Sellers more often than not are trying to recoup what the car owes them, and the buyers don't want to overpay. As they already often have other Porsches they can afford to take it or leave it.

Justin

[Merv]

Right Justin. The top end of the market has the Speedsters (I believe the cheapest car Porsche made for the US), Roadsters, Convertible D's, and some other cabs. There was this genuine Convertible D for sale for around $350K recently. Considerably overpriced, even though there were so very few ever made of this 'civilised Speedster'. http://porscheclassics.com.au/shop/1...6-convertible/

The 356's have always been steady improvers in value and never had the meteoric rise of the early 911's. "Drive Your Porsche Day" on September 17th will be a toss up!

[SportoEvans]

Merv - 2 questions on the US based 356 you first mentioned above:

1) would you convert this particular one to RHD and why/why not?
2) what do you think the conversion costs might likely be?

cheers
mark

[mrar]

Here you go 356 guys, $1500.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/st-peters/other-parts-accessories/porsche-356b-tool-kit/1155144035

Aren't these worth more than this?

[reedminor]

Merv - 2 questions on the US based 356 you first mentioned above:

1) would you convert this particular one to RHD and why/why not?
2) what do you think the conversion costs might likely be?

cheers
mark

I would leave it. That said 15- 20 years ago you'd have converted it without a second thought probably.

People will still pay a premium for original RHD aussie 356's but there does not seem to be such a stigma about converted RHD cars.

The car above is a T5 B (or B 1) which numerically is the most common 356. We have one in Sydney, that my late father purchased new in 1961 through the then Porsche Agent Capitol Motors, in Artarmon.

The A's and T5's are the easiest to convert. The T6 B's and C's have a different fuel tank which makes conversion a little more complicated but not impossible.

Justin

[Oldskl60]

Interesting topic! I have a mate in early stages of considering to get out of a solid driver USA '58 356A coupe into a 901 or top notch C3.0 if anyone has trade bait...

[Merv]

IMG_0382.JPG I thought I would try to get some discussion going on these older cars. Personally, Mark I would not convert, preferring the original format, as the particular car was made. That said I agree these are not difficult cars to convert and it does not affect prices as much as the early 911's. As I said earlier, there were not that many 356s sold in Australia and in the period of the BT6's ('62-63) there were only 44 imported in RHD here and they were shared with New Zealand. Mine was one of the ones in that small group. They were all Reutter coupes, with no cabs, with a limited options range. Import restrictions and the Australian economy at the time affected prices. Porsche decided that this was a small market. This was also reflected later in 911 sales.

This guy is one of the very top 356 restoration people in Australia and when he does a conversion he gets the final details correct. His work is amazing.

http://www.mckernanrestoration.com.au

Justin is right that the fuel tank on the non-RHD delivered cars on the T6B and T6C were different with a through-the-fender filler. The RHD ones continued to have the under the hood filler of the A and T5.

My original RHD shows (in Australian T6B's) the so called deluxe horn ring (almost always missing on US models) and the raised lip below the gauges (US models had flat metal).

IMG_0382.JPG

[Merv]

Here you go 356 guys, $1500.

https://www.gumtree.com.au/s-ad/st-peters/other-parts-accessories/porsche-356b-tool-kit/1155144035

Aren't these worth more than this?

Some interesting bits. There should be more open ended spanners, the lug wrench is missing, the bag looks like a C one, the tyre gauge may be right but hard to tell, screw drivers are too numerous but may be the right colour and size.

[Polorot]

I am currently restoring my 356B T6.
Ex US. Keeping it as a LHD. Kardex shows it originally as a ruby red with Navy interior (special order) with the optional horn ring.
just had the car dipped.

[Polorot]

Before the resto began image.png