eBay 1965 Burgudy 356 C - Opinions Please

[Derrick Acker]

Vic: I'm not concerned about paint, as I'd be willing to deal with that issue over time.

[Jules Dielen]

Driver C's are still out there for 50k ish, just not at the usual dealer outlets. they are in it to make the most $ so you are wasting your time with them, they buy at 50 and post it for sale for 75 and can afford to just sit on it for a year.

Just check our classifieds, samba, even ebay and BAT and you will find your car. Just be careful, lots of lipstick on a pig out there and then the cheapest car will indeed be the most expensive car. Buy the best you can afford.

[Doug McDonnell]

Derrick I emailed you privately with my example from last October. For the rest of the readers of this thread. I have a project link on the car. It had needs but is a solid non matching C coupe driver. viewtopic.php?f=4&t=42619 As is with most of it's problems fixed, new tires shocks, shifter bushings battery and starter North of 40K but South of 50K in the car. Even if someone paid a shop to do what I have done to the car it would have been a good driver for 50K I think. You can buy a decent car still for 50K but you have to be creative and not want a show car. And since you can buy a complete new interior (non leather) for somewhere around $1800 the car would look very presentable in red/black or red /tan with the new interior being your 1st winter's project.

[Dick Douglass]

Derrick,

How is your quest going? Stock market continues to climb and money is everywhere, and 356 cars are bought and sold every day.
You first posted on May 10, 2017 and in checking the BHCC site we see the car in question is still available, plus another Coupe and a Cab.
Are you an internet buyer? Or do you prefer to meet the seller?
Interestingly some buyers go to Mr. Willhoit and settle on a car and the deal is done. Other spend a lot of time on the internet looking at pictures and never really find the perfect match .
The real question what is the value of time? Do you want to enjoy the feel and ride of a 356 with the windows rolled down and the Tach at 3,500 and listening to the sound of perfection? or do you see your self trying to fit under your car looking up and holding a wrench in one hand?
Million of people watch HGTV and in every case a home buyer thought they were buying a home that needed some updates and they are willing to do the work, only to find a hidden structural piece that needs to be replaced. Sounds like buying a 356.
Find a car someone else spend hours and hours working on with receipts and take the BHCC price of the car and in your head figure out how many hours the seller worked on the car and arrive at a true value.
Jim Liberty has a C Cab for sale on his site, and I know he spent a lot of time on the car, and that is a true valuable 356. Another SC Cab is in Brea, on Cypress Street, and it is all documented and a beautiful European Delivery, with luggage., and a California car. Years were spent on the car.
Again your time has value.
You can sit behind the wheel and depress the clutch and pump the gas 3 times and turn the key and wait for the engine to fire up, and enjoy a real 356 or you can grab some old oily rags and some wrenches and pop the deck lid and resume trying to get your 356 up and running right.

Do you want to spend your time driving or walking around?

[David Jones]

Dick you make some good points but some of us are just plain weird. I enjoyed racing my F Vee but the satisfaction I got from building my own car and engines, time on my dyno was priceless as well. I was racing against people who spent 5 times as much as I did and beating them regularly.
Now the same thing applies to my 356's. I bought run down cars and repaired them and now when I drive them I get even more satisfaction from my ownership. Two pictures attached, the before and after of my cabrio in year 99.
If you do not want to get your hands dirty go buy the best car you can afford. If you have the aptitude to repair it then buy the cheapest car with the most possibilities you can find.

[Derrick Acker]

Thank you for your comments? I guess I'm being a bit apprehensive as I am new to 356s and know I don't know a significant amount. I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty but your advice, Dick, about buying someone else's quality work resonates. I would also require a PPI and indeed like to meet the seller. I'm also being a bit picky as I have fairly tight budget and although I am flexible as far as buying a B, I would really prefer a 65C in a color other than red that has no rust. Oh yeah, also on some self loathing masochistic level I am enjoying the hunt. I've already met and emailed with really intelligent and interesting people during this adventure down the 356 rabbit hole. And so it continues.

[Adam Wright]

My last piece of advice is don't be in a hurry. Chances are you will keep a good 356 for decades, most guys do, so if it takes a year or two to find a good one, that's short in the grand scheme of things. If you rush it you might buy the wrong car and nothing sours what is normally a very exciting time than a car that isn't what you thought it was, and either leaves your stranded or broke, or both.
There are several dealers who always have cars in stock that are usually overpriced and mis-represented at worst or under represented at best, and these guys prey on guys who want a car "right now". Don't fall for it, take your time, learn about the car so when you do find a good car, you know it. Oh, and have money ready, not three days to cash out an IRA, or move from this account to that account, have cash liquid, because like finding a mate, the good ones go fast. Good luck.

[Doug McDonnell]

+1 on Adams comments. Good cars come available occasionally. Possible cars frequently. More likely to find a good C at the 60K price point so if you need a year to save to get at that price point so be it.You will be better off in the long run.

[Jules Dielen]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1965-Porsche-35 ... Bb&vxp=mtr

no affilitation, just saw this car and thought of this post.

[Doug McDonnell]

Derrick and I both saw it this AM. Arrangements made to have a local member eyeball it - not a formal PPI just to see if worth pursuing. Odd to not have a picture of the front of car showing hood and fenders. Creative photography hiding something? I also asked for pictures of front and 1/4 shots of front and fenders. No reply yet. Head of Lone Star Region not familiar with the car.

[Derrick Acker]

Yes, I messaged the seller twice. On Doug's sage advice, I requested a plethora of pictures of front end and asked if all the gauges functioned. Doug also put me in touch with the Head of the Lone Star region.

[Dick Douglass]

Hi Derrick,

We all are happy to see that your sharing of your quest is a learning experience for future 356 First Time Buyers.
Let's try "Relationship Buying":
Get a copy of the latest Porsche 356 Registry magazine and pages 4 and 5 will give you an idea of Who's Who. Find a club in your area, and seek out the club contact closest to you. You've got a friend.
Then turn to page 10 and follow Curt's "salient points". 90% are 50 or older. 54% have never been to a Holiday,and everyone thinks their car is not as good as the car parked next to them!

We, as a club , need more local/regional events ! We need new members to get involved!

I offer you a chance to take your time in finding the right car and meeting the seller and gaining a true 356 experience.

Contact a local club and offer to help organize a "356 cars and coffee" near you. Maybe a donut shop in a mall that opens early. We have them in Temecula (Owner of K and N filters is a regular), Fountain Valley ( for 40 years they meet every Saturday morning.), OC San Mateo, Pismo Beach , all over. The advantage is the donut shop opens early and cars show up before dawn and leave the parking lot before the other retail stores open.

Determine your wants and "Must Have top 5 "and "5 Would like" to have. Example: Location, no rust, numbers matching or not, European Delivery or not, A's have the best body lines, C have disc brakes, B's are just a blast to drive ect... Relationship with seller, .Forget price for now.

Show up for coffee and a glazed donut and introduce yourself as "Derrick from the 356 Forum" and hand out your "Must Have Top 5" list with your name and phone number at the bottom. Somebody knows of a car you want. Plus many men over 50 will counsel you on why you should buy that car or not, and all for the price of a cup of coffee and a donut.

This is not a new concept. Adam does it. BHCC does it. WE don't have a price problem ....we have an inventory shortage. I want a person over 50 who doesn't drive his 356 very far, and has a "Honey Do List" for his car, to meet you and shake your hand and offer to get you going on your 356 journey. Relationship buying is a win win.

IF someone is thinking of moving up and needs to sell their car to buy another let Derrick know.

Derrick, If you need help just ask.

[Derrick Acker]

That right there is great advice, Dick. Thank you for taking the time . Funny, I just received my first copy of Porsche 356 Registry mag. Love it, great stuff. Busy at work this week but I will make time to start reaching out to my fellow New York 356 peoples.

And yes, Dick, I do indeed need help and not ashamed to ask, especially from this learned group. Anybody on Long Island, NY want to meet up? In fact, I will brew, whoever, a special cup of coffee as I consider myself a half-baked coffee loving lunatic barista. I'd grind that lucky soul either a nice dark roast Koffee Kult bean or Organic Ethiopian bean in my Rancilio bur grinder on its course setting, then I'd boil cold filtered water, allow the water to cool to approx. 195 degrees, add those sacred grounds to the French press, gently pour the 195 degree water over the perfectly ground and uniform delicate grounds, i will then stir with vigor and wait momentarily for that precious aromatic plume, then I will cover with the plunger and wait exactly 4 minutes, during that four minutes, gentle readers, is where all the black magic happens to that beautiful dark elixir, then with a steady hand and steely reserve I will plunge that plunger to the bottom through my delicate potion, trapping the expended grounds on the bottom and leaving in their wake the perfect cup of coffee. One rule, it must be consumed in its natural state. No milk product or sugar allowed. Any takers??

[Doug McDonnell]

Just call Jerry Seinfeld I am sure he would love to talk to you. Just kidding. There are a few Long Island entries on the TAN list but I am not sure when it was last updated.

[Richard Shilling]

I agree with everything all the listers have written above. My free advice is to cast the net wide. Go on the web sites of the 356 clubs and see if any cars are offered for sale. Buy a Hemmings Motor News, or even better subscribe to the electronic edition so you get it quicker and maybe beat someone to a deal (good luck on that). Look in the local newspaper classifieds under both Porsche and Classic Cars. Look up local foreign car repair shops and ask if they know of a 356 for sale. People who sell cars don't always do it the way we think they should. And always, always have the car checked by someone who knows 356's. Good luck, keep us posted.