texas911

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW

Thanks. Its near Houston and its the right color and year.

ked

Having purchased a '65SC via ebay last Fall, I feel compelled to offer you the benefit of my ignorance. For context, allow me to admit that I broke almost every rule in the book on my purchase - & lucked out. So I won't suggest you buy sight unseen & drive 1800 mi back home in 2 days...

If you are close enough to check it out before you bid, you must do so. Try to get the car to a local 356 shop or, at the very least, bring along a 356 expert for an on-the-spot PPI. Unless you know these cars very well, you can't evaluate it comprehensively. In fact, even an expert can profit from a dispassionate second opinion when buying for themselves. Appears that the history is intact and traceable - the local mechanic who has serviced the car for years should be contacted, & previous owners, if at all possible.

Issue Numero Uno is the milege - 8,046 - really? - needs to be treated as a candidate for national "preservation class" competition, but wait - paint was changed. Original color - 6404 - was Ivory. The car is a Normal C, not a big negative, but also not the more desirable (to most) SC. However, condition trumps specification on these cars (unless there is something so special & unique about one that a price-no-object restoration is justified). "No rust" is so rare that it is almost suspicious, but anything is possible, esp if it is a 8K mileage example (is TX that dry?). If all that's wrong with the car is what's listed, there is basically nothing wrong that can't be easily fixed - but not a mention of mechanical subsystems status (engine, tranaxle, brakes, suspension, etc.). Accident history? panel fit? electrical components all performing as new? Crimes committed in or with it?

Ebay seller is a first timer, but info & photos are presented almost as if by an experienced dealer. Hmmm. It may be a barn-find of sorts, so, the reserve may be way up there - what's your intention -preserve? drive? restore?

There is a great deal of fun in the hunt & if you are seriously looking for a 356 you should become VERY familiar before stroking the check - you certainly will afterwards (join the 356 Registry, for sure)! Be circumspect, there will be others, the market is driving up right now - Europeans are reclaiming their past via the weak $. Best of luck (it can happen).

texas911

Thanks. Didn't realize they changed the color. I'll pass on that alone, but might check it out if no one wins the auction. I email the seller and he says I can come by and take a look. Texas City is about 45 minutes from Houston on the way to Galveston. So maybe Sat, I'll take the trek and give it a look, then head over to the Kemah Boardwalk and make a day of it.

Anyway, I'm not seriously looking, but if this was a find, I might have gotten it. Just love silver Porsches!

Steve Jensen

There is a list of people on the Registry website who will do inspections. Also, I think Al Zim's shop (www.alzim.com) is in your area - probably worth having him take a look at it.

teflon_jones

I wonder if the 8K miles is what's on the new motor, not the total mileage on the car?

RJT

Zim's is in the Dallas area and that is quite a trek from Houston. You can try Mike Callas at Rennsport in Seley(sp?) He may do PPI's on 356's... He's a great Porsche mechanic. I worked with him on the Reiser-Callas team.
JoAnne

BJJones

Would the seat really have that sort of wear with 8k miles? Porsche build quality must have come a long way since then! also is it likely that someone would re-paint a whole car in a different colour just because it had been in storage?

Could be a buy, but I would want some straight answers to straight questions before even driving 45 minutes.

Cupcar#12

i think it is 8K miles that they know of - pretty normal
mine has 9629 currently, give or take 99K or so miles

Unless there is a long, long documented history on a 356, i go by condition alone.
As a driver it looks pretty good - viewed from the picture only of couse.
Btw - my car was origally silver but is now Ford 1L Silver - stange things happen

Pedro356C

Hi...this car has been on aBay for at least 3 times since January 2005...always bidded around $15k with reserve not met! 8,000 miles is probably what the 5 digits odometer is showing...how many times it rolled ? Who knows! The car's color is not original as stated before on this thread...interior is decent although the seats are kind of tired...hood gap is not really good...door gaps are impossible to check by the pics...engine is from a 1962 356B Super... if this car is really rust free it could get a little more than $15k...but you'd have to check it out "up close and personal".
Regards...

356convd

Buying this car, or any car on ebay without inspecting it first (or having a qualified person inspect it for you) is very, very, risky. No matter how many photos are available, and how good the photos are, there are many things that you cannot tell from photos (and the photos for this car are completely inadequate). Obviously the stated mileage is not the total miles on the car, it's the current odometer reading which means essentially nothing.

If this C coupe was really in "very good conidtion" with "no rust" and no mechanical problems, it would be worth much more than the closing bid of $15.9K.

By the way, no one has commented on the blacked out windshield and rear window trim. Ugh. Pedro is right about the hood gap being off.