With its current owner for around 40 years
In the same hands across two continents
Extensively refurbished around three years ago
Engine fully rebuilt and interior renewed
By the time Porsche introduced the 356 B in the autumn of 1959, what had begun as an astonishingly simple concept had evolved over the course of a decade into a thoroughly serious motor car. The 356 A had played a considerable part in that development: handsome, light, sporting and by then sufficiently civilised to appeal even to customers who did not necessarily spend their weekends with competition numbers on the doors.
With the 356 B, Porsche intended to continue along the same path. A revolution was neither necessary nor desirable. Instead, countless details were refined, with the body, known internally as the T5, taking on a noticeably more modern appearance. The bumpers were raised, as were the headlamps, which now sat less deeply recessed into the wings. The front indicators also moved upwards, the air intakes beneath the bumper became larger and the front bonnet handle wider. At the rear, the lights, bumpers and number-plate illumination were revised. Taken together, the changes made the B look stronger and more mature, without leaving anyone in any doubt that it was still a 356.
Development continued beneath the skin as well. Suspension and brakes received detail improvements, while Porsche steadily refined its familiar air-cooled four-cylinder engines. Initially, buyers could choose between the 60 hp 1600, the 75 hp 1600 Super and the Super 90 with – for once the model designation gave the game away – 90 hp. The latter already placed the little Porsche in a performance bracket where it could make life decidedly uncomfortable for considerably more powerful machinery. Low weight and excellent aerodynamics were, after all, another form of horsepower.
The interior became more civilised than that of its predecessor. Steering wheel, seats and instruments were revised, while everyday usability improved. By now, the 356 was no longer expected merely to be fast; it also had to cover long distances in comfort.
The next stage of evolution, the T6, arrived as early as 1961, making the T5 a comparatively brief chapter. That is precisely part of its appeal today: it retains much of the delicate appearance of the 356 A while already possessing the maturity that characterised the later 356. No fresh start, then, but typically Porsche: take something already very good and keep changing little things until it becomes a little better still.
According to its accompanying Certificate of Authenticity, this Porsche 356 B T5 Coupé was delivered in 1960 through Intercontinental Motors in San Antonio, Texas. Signal Red with light grey leatherette was its factory colour combination. It later made its way to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where the current consignor discovered and bought it around 40 years ago.
An American by birth, he subsequently took the Porsche with him to Miami, where he regularly drove the 356 and had it maintained accordingly. When his career brought him to Europe a little later, the Porsche was allowed to come along too. Owner and Coupé thus arrived together in Vienna, where the car continued to be driven for many more years. This was never a 356 reserved for special Sundays, but a faithful companion over several decades.
After such a long shared history, engine problems eventually made substantial mechanical work necessary. Rather than restricting himself to the bare essentials, however, the consignor decided around three years ago to go the whole way. The 356 was comprehensively restored by well-known Porsche restoration specialists in Vienna. Among other work, the engine was completely rebuilt, the interior renewed and numerous further jobs carried out on both the mechanicals and the car itself.
Today, this 356 therefore combines two things that rarely come together: an exceptionally long and personal ownership history and a comprehensive restoration completed only recently. From Oklahoma via Miami to Vienna, the Coupé has accompanied its owner for around four decades and across two continents.
Some cars change owners a dozen times over the course of their lives. This Porsche preferred to change places together with its owner.