If I had a penny for every classic car that was retired for restoration and ended up sitting for decades, I could easily buy a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T. Yup, I’m pretty sure this story applies to tens of thousands of vehicles, to say the least. And while some get lucky, most of them don’t and end up as rust buckets.
This 1964 Porsche 356 is one of the lucky ones. Purchased by its second owner in 1967, the German sports car was taken off the road in the mid-1970s. The owner, who had a second 356 from the same model year, was planning to restore the vehicles and put them back on the streets.
But life got in the way, and the sports cars ended up sitting for a few decades. Moreover, the owner was robbed one night, and the thieves stole many key components, including an engine. The vehicles remained in hiding until the 2010s when the current owner found out about their existence.
He approached the man to buy one, but his first attempt was unsuccessful. The owner wanted to pass them on to his nephew. Some years later, our host contacted the owner, now in his 80s, again to find out he still had the 356s and was finally ready to let them go. A deal was struck, and the coupe left the barn for the first time in 50 years (as of 2024).
The 356 is in relatively good condition for a vehicle that sat for a half-century, but it appears to be incomplete. There’s no status on how many parts came with the car, but it sure looks like a rolling body at first glance. The shell was prepped for painting back in the day, and my guess is the missing exterior trim is packed in boxes. The same goes for the interior, even though some parts may have been damaged in time.
The engine is no longer under the rear hood, so the new owner will have to source a period-correct powerplant. Produced for the 1964 model year, this Porsche is a 356C. And since it’s not a Carrera 2 version, it needs a 1.6-liter Type 616 boxer-four engine. A four-speed manual was the only transmission available.
Although it may not look encouraging right now, this 356 is the perfect candidate for a restoration. Rust issues are minimal, and the body panels are straight. More importantly, it’s a somewhat rare model as Porsche built only 4,674 units during the short 1964 model year (the Germans also produced 5,358 356Bs that year).
1964 was the 356’s next to last year on the market. Introduced in 1948, the 356 received significant updates in 1955, 1960, and 1964. In its final two years on the market, the 356 was sold alongside its successor, the 911.
In 1964, the 356C came standard with an 87-horsepower engine. The uprated 1.6-liter boxer mill in the SC version delivered 106 horsepower. Porsche also offered a Carrera 2 version with a 2.0-liter unit rated at 143 horsepower.
Even though it’s not as desirable as some earlier versions, the 1964 356C commands six-figure sums at public auctions in restored condition. Coupes can cost more than $150,000, while convertibles can reach into $200,000 territory. Hopefully, this long-neglected Porsche will become a museum-grade gem soon. Until then, check out its story in the video below.