1962 Porsche 356B Convertible

Up for sale is this 1962 Porsche 356B Cabriolet. 

The Porsche 356’s place in automotive history is at the level of exaltation. The way that Dr. Ferdinand Porsche took something as intentionally utilitarian as the original VW Beetle, and created a world-beating sports car from those parts, almost defies belief. It went beyond what you saw from the British sports cars of the era, with similarly modest underpinnings rearranged into a sporting form factor. Bringing the 356 to life required convincing not only the VW organization to help, but also its country of origin, Germany - at a time that it was struggling to regain its footing and respect from the international community.

And, that support required a real ingenuity to make it feasible. So many of the innovations that came from working with basic VW parts drive the desire to keep the car light enough to make smaller engines work, balanced enough to exploit the lower power of the flat-four engines, simple enough to allow quick upgrades and changes. 

Ferry Porsche's involvement with the Volkswagen Beetle project played a crucial role in the development of the Porsche 356. In the 1930s, his father Ferdinand Porsche Sr. was tasked with designing a 'people's car' for Germany, which led to the creation of the Volkswagen Beetle, also known as the VW Type 1. The Beetle featured the now iconic rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout - compact, efficient, and innovative for its time, it was a major driving force behind the overall design.

After World War II, Ferry Porsche, Ferdinand Porsche Sr.'s son, recognized the potential of the Beetle's platform for creating a sports car. With access to the Beetle's engineering and components, Ferry Porsche and his team set out to develop a new sports car, which would eventually become the Porsche 356.

The Porsche 356 shared some components with the Beetle, such as its rear-engine configuration and air-cooled flat-four engine. But it was here that Ferry Porsche and his team made significant modifications and improvements to enhance performance and handling, establishing the pattern of continuous improvement and upgrades that helped the company flourish. The chassis was refined for sportier driving dynamics, and the body design was streamlined for aerodynamic efficiency.

The result was the Porsche 356, introduced in 1948, which retained some of the Beetle's engineering DNA while embodying Porsche's distinct characteristics of precision engineering, performance, and driving pleasure. The 356 quickly gained popularity and laid the foundation for Porsche's future as a renowned manufacturer of high-performance sports cars.

The 356 achieved considerable success in motorsport, helping to establish Porsche's reputation for building high-performance cars. It won numerous races, including class victories in events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the Mille Miglia, showcasing Porsche's emerging engineering prowess and racing pedigree.

The 356B, often referred to as the T5 model, introduced significant updates compared to the 356A. As Porsche managed to garner attention for their sports car, they immediately set out to upgrade both the looks and the mechanical specifications, establishing their continuous improvement philosophy and approach to their cars. Visually, they made the switch from a bent windscreen to a more modern and curved windshield, giving the car a sleeker appearance. The 356B also featured revised bumpers, headlights, and an updated interior with improved ergonomics and comfort. Mechanically, the 356B saw enhancements such as improved brakes, suspension refinements, and the introduction of more powerful engine options, including the Super 90 and 1600S.

This restored 356B adheres to the original factory specifications, which is an important detail - resisting the urge to deviate from the original is what makes this a great choice. Retaining the simplicity of the first 'refreshed' 356 model from Porsche makes it a great choice either on its own, or as a great reference point in a collection.

This example is a 1962 Porsche 356B Cabriolet. It is finished in black over a tan interior, with a black fabric convertible top. It is powered by a 1,582cc four-cylinder boxer engine, running power to the rear wheels through a four-speed manual transmission.

This 356B was fully restored in 1983, and retains its original body panels, engine and transmission, with matching numbers. The restoration remained faithful to the original factory specifications, and received a Certificate of Authenticity from Porsche North America. It was used sparingly since the restoration, for recreational use in favorable weather.