PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

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Pierre Ducroit
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PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#1 Post by Pierre Ducroit »

hello to everybody,i have been wating for a long time to buy a 356.i wanted to have some advise from you,if i may,what do you think of buying a 56 356A 1600 for using it as a daily driver?what should i expect in terms of mechanics,cruising and max speed?what about confort on 3 or 4 hours trips?
thnaks everybody for your toughts,hope i will end buying it. :D

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Emil Wojcik
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#2 Post by Emil Wojcik »

Welcome, Pierre!

Although I don't drive mine daily, I know many who do. But I can say that as far comfort--I'm over six feet and about 225 pounds--I find my '64 coupe to be very comfortable for extended driving. My longest trips have been about 200 miles with no complaints. Of course even with the stock exhaust the engine noise can be annoying to some on an extended drive, although it doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I find it to be part of the charm.

As long as the car's in very good mechanical condition I would have no problem driving one daily. I've always kept spare parts (plugs, points, clutch cable, belt, etc) and tools in the trunk and haven't needed them in 15 years. It keeps up very well with today's highway speeds and anyone who's even driven any distance with me has commented on how modern the ride feels. My car has what's commonly called the European exhaust system, which gives off more heat than the standard 'US' exhaust. So if you plan on driving in cold weather, it's something to look into. And don't count on the defroster to be too effective. I carry a small towel to wipe the moisture off the windshield while I'm driving in the rain.

Of course my car's a '64, so it's the most advanced of the 356 models. Earlier years may not be quite the same so be sure to compare driveability before making your final decision on which years fit your driving requirements.

I'm sure other here will give you more input. Best of luck in whatever you decide!
Emil Wojcik
'64 356C Euro coupe
'78 MGB
'86 Jaguar XJ6 Series 3
'94 MB E420

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David Jones
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#3 Post by David Jones »

How many miles per day Pierre? That may be the deciding factor. Weather may come in to play as the heating system is not very good in a cold climate and there could be a problem with windshield demisting in a damp cool climate. As far as mileage is concerned you will have to keep it serviced a little more frequently than a modern car.
3000 mile oil changes and chassis lubrication at 6000 miles with brake adjustments and tune ups at same interval.
Given the fact that these cars were not designed to live as long as they have driving them in wet weather is going to accelerate the rust problem which was inbuilt at the factory. I would be inclined to say it would be better to consider a 356 to be a fair weather daily driver considering the expense of purchase and the higher maintenance need. The maintenance is not that time consuming if you do it yourself but if you need a mechanic to do the work you first need a mechanic that understands the cars then you have to be prepared to lose it for a day at a time for maintenance. Go to your local library and see if you can find some books on the 356 with a technical bias and read up on them. Wonderful cars but maintenance gets to be an issue for the non mechanically inclined.
If I had known I would live this long I would have pushed the envelope a little harder.
Cymru am byth
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Jules Dielen
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#4 Post by Jules Dielen »

they are pretty comfortable and will cruise at 130km/h all day long summer, fall and winter. You will need most of spring to fix all the rust holes. :)

I personally would prefer a C over an A when it comes to cruising. Better shifting, better steering, better brakes, better ventilation, better heat. Better car all over, just not as pretty :(
Jules

Water pumps are for windshield washers only.

Pierre Ducroit
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#5 Post by Pierre Ducroit »

the car is in concours condition,everything is like new,i will use it 3 days 30 miles a week and a 200 miles highway to the country twice a month.
i have a friend that owns a 356B and tell me he can go at 90 to 100 miles an hour.isit true?
thank you very much for the feedbacks.
by the way i will have that car in the mountains so no salty problems.

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Emil Wojcik
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#6 Post by Emil Wojcik »

If mountain driving will be normal, An A may leave a little to be desired as far as horsepower and torque, depending on how steep the grades are. And the disc brakes of the C are less prone to fade on steep grades than the drums of earlier cars, although the drums would be perfectly fine on flatter terrain.
Emil Wojcik
'64 356C Euro coupe
'78 MGB
'86 Jaguar XJ6 Series 3
'94 MB E420

Pierre Ducroit
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#7 Post by Pierre Ducroit »

i have to choose between a 64 sc non mathching number fair condition and a 56 A concours condition,
difficult choice dont you think?
as far as the speed can someone tell me whay would be the maximum speed of the 356A?
and is there abyway to know on the 356A how much hp will it have,its a 1600 engine?
thanks for your replies.

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David Jones
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#8 Post by David Jones »

Wikipedia Porsche 356 models. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porsche_356
Any model can be upgraded to around 100 hp and 100 mph cruising speed for a reasonable amount of money. 356 drum brakes which have been well maintained are not as good as the 356C discs but will still work more than adequately as long as your driving is not wildly spirited.
If I had known I would live this long I would have pushed the envelope a little harder.
Cymru am byth
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Doug McDonnell
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#9 Post by Doug McDonnell »

60HP in Normal, 75HP in Super and C ,95 HP in SC from factory. I drove my 356 SC as a daily driver 32 miles each way to work April through October for a decade.This was in the 1980-1995 time period so not new but well maintained. Flat here though. Top speed was about 105MPH but that was pushing it. I never had an A but had a 63 Super first then a 65 SC. I agree that a C or SC would be best for your usage but understand if you would prefer an A. If you are in a snowy environment I do not recommend a 356 for winter unless you are willing to spend a lot of money on redoing metal work.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.

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Emil Wojcik
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#10 Post by Emil Wojcik »

If the A is truly concours, it won't be for long if used as a daily driver, causing the value to drop quickly. That's fine if it doesn't bother you, but take it into consideration.
Emil Wojcik
'64 356C Euro coupe
'78 MGB
'86 Jaguar XJ6 Series 3
'94 MB E420

M Penta
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#11 Post by M Penta »

As stated, the A's are considered prettiest (I would agree) and are quite valuable for a daily driver, the C's/SC's offer better performance for daily driving. What you are considering is realistic with either car, but it would take a special person - with plenty of money to keep the car in good shape.

If I were to daily drive a 356 (which would indeed be a lot of fun year round), I would probably seek something more along the lines of an Outlaw: Maybe a well built t4 or t1, built VW transaxle with tall 4th, 12V and an Espar heater. Rack the miles on parts that are easy to get and more realistically priced. I may even consider a coupe kit from JPS and leave the real one in the garage!

My daily driving needs (and presumably budget) are vastly different from yours though...
Last edited by M Penta on Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Pierre Ducroit
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#12 Post by Pierre Ducroit »

i really appreciate all your comments ,they are like holy reading for me,the thing is the country where i plan to have car you cannot afford to choose from a bunch there are only a few 356´s and maybe you can see for sale 1 or 2 each 4 or 5 years,regarding the maintenance of the car i dont think it would be a great problem for me,i want to say that it would be driven in the city 4 days a month,the rest will be drivin spiritually,and if i buy a car like this beauties i want to drive them enjoy them.i own a 68 911 that i drive all year long,and i want to change it for a 356,i love them.
See,with this passion its hard not to be temped on buying one even if the price is kind of expensive.
i like to ride a piece of history.
so thanks for all the advices you can give and will still wait for all the ones you can give me like what to see before buying the car ettc.all the advise that you could give me will be more than appreciated.
thanks again

M Penta
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#13 Post by M Penta »

Very cool Pierre! Please keep us posted!

Pierre Ducroit
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#14 Post by Pierre Ducroit »

thanks,i will aprreciate some feedback from 356A owners.
thanks again

Dick Weiss
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Re: PORSCHE 356A DAILY DRIVER.

#15 Post by Dick Weiss »

A slight correction to the early message in this section about engine horsepower:
All are DIN rated; Therefore, 60=70 SAE, 75=88, 90=102, 95=108.

The USA heating ca be sufficient if the flapper boxes are in good shape, operating correctly w/the heat control valves,
and keeping the revs up and NOT lugging!
I drove my '65 C cp every day from '89 thru '04 till the 'cancer' got into the body; It's been in Louisville, KY since thenj--for resto.

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