- 1960 Porsche 356B 1600 Roadster
- Ruby Red with tan interior
- Beautifully restored
- Supplied with Porsche Certificate of Authenticity
This lovely Porsche 356 Roadster was built on 8 September 1960, making it an early example of the 356 B, which was introduced in late 1959 using the updated T5 body style. The Porsche Certificate of Authenticity shows that it was supplied in Ruby Red (6002) with Light Grey leatherette interior, plus optional extras including an ashtray, reclining seats and Continental tyres.
As with so many 356s, chassis number 88430 was exported to North America and remained there for more than 50 years – a certificate of title in the history file shows that it was in Ohio by the early 2000s. It’s thought to have remained within the same family for 30 years and was treated to a full restoration. At some stage, the engine from a 1960 1600 Coupé was fitted, and it was given the UK registration of 724 XVF in 2019.
Now presented in its original shade of Ruby Red with a beautifully finished tan interior, soft-top and tonneau cover, this Porsche 356 is in pristine condition. The panel gaps are very good, the chrome superb, and it perfectly evokes the stylish US West Coast scene of the early 1960s.
It drives just as well as it looks, with none of the imprecision in the gear mechanism that you can find on some 356s – the gears are therefore very easy to locate. The quick and responsive steering makes the Porsche fun to drive on winding B-roads, while the 1582cc engine revs happily and enables this 62-year-old car to keep up with modern traffic. It feels very stable at motorway speeds and the power-to-weight ratio makes it an enjoyable drive – little wonder these Porsches are so coveted by enthusiasts around the world.
Now being offered for sale by the Classic Motor Hub, this Porsche 356 B Roadster comes with its handbook, tool kit and factory-issued Certificate of Authenticity, and is ready to provide endless top-down entertainment throughout the summer.
Model history
The 356 was the car that laid the foundation for Porsche’s enduring success. Designed by Ferry Porsche – son of company founder Ferdinand – it was launched in 1948, when Porsche was still based in the Austrian town of Gmünd.
By 1950, the firm had moved back to Germany and the Stuttgart borough of Zuffenhausen, and steel bodywork replaced the aluminium that had been used on the earliest 356s. For the rest of that decade, Porsche’s reputation grew rapidly, thanks largely to its competition success – a 356 won its class at the 1951 Le Mans 24 Hours, a race with which Porsche would become synonymous.
Although the basic outline of the 356 remained intact throughout its production run, there were numerous updates along the way. The capacity of the rear-mounted, air-cooled, flat-four engine was originally 1100cc, but 1300cc and 1500cc variants were soon added. In 1955, the 356 A was introduced with its updated T1 body, and this model also gained the option of a 1600cc engine – plus the four-cam Carrera unit.
The 356 B was introduced in 1960 with a new T5 body style. The 1600cc engine was available across all body styles – Coupé, Cabriolet and Roadster – and with various power outputs. The 356 B gained the latest T6 body in 1962, and the final incarnation of this famous model was the 1964 356 C, which featured disc brakes all round and could be specified in 2-litre Carrera 2 form.
In that same year, Porsche introduced the six-cylinder 911 and production of the 356 came to an end in 1965. By then, its sporting success, classless style and robust engineering had set a template that Porsche continues to follow 60 years later.