This superbly presented Porsche 356 B Roadster was in the ownership of the same family for more than 50 years, and was meticulously cared for during that period – as shown by the wealth of invoices going all the way back to the 1960s.

Completed on 21 November 1960, chassis number 88760 was fitted with the 1600cc flat-four engine (number 604385) and transmission number 41514. Optional extras included reclining seats, an ashtray and Continental tyres, while the original paint scheme was Ivory bodywork with red leatherette interior.

The 356 has spent much of its life in California, and was supplied new to a Mr R Fellows by Circle Motors Inc in Long Beach. It’s thought to have stayed in California until being acquired in 1967 by James Babcock, who was serving in the US Navy and is listed as a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) in the ‘Class of 1968’ yearbook for the USS Walke.

Babcock subsequently moved up the Californian coast to Goleta, then to Colorado Springs and Palo Alto, always taking his beloved Porsche 356 with him. In 1972, he had it resprayed silver and the interior reupholstered black – the combination that it retains to this day. Everything he did to the car during his long ownership can be traced in the extensive paperwork, and when the time came to part with it in 2013, it stayed in the family because it passed to Babcock’s nephew.

He cherished it just as much as his uncle had done, and yet more invoices are testament to the care it’s received over the past few years.

Having been imported to the UK, this immaculate Porsche 356B Roadster is now being offered for sale by the Classic Motor Hub. It retains matching-numbers status and still has its original tool kit and jack, and also included in the paperwork is a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity plus the Driver’s Manual.

With its blend of timeless design and robust Porsche engineering – plus a superb history with long-term family ownership – this 356 B Roadster offers a stylish way in which to enjoy classic summer motoring.