http://members.rennlist.com/greg/356a_911t.jpg

My answer, one of each - though admittedly I did not luck out on colors ;-)

I don't know that I would build up a 356 though. That already exists" it's called an early 911 ;-) Of course I say that but I have a big bore 912 motor in my 57 A ! (hypocrit)

The 356 was engineered with lower HP motors, and you cannot quite retrofit "go-fast bits" liek on a 911 because development ended in 65 - you can put dics brakes and that's about it. It'd be quite expensive to make a 356 that is super fast and handles well at those speeds due to the original rear axle design, and it would definitely become a total outlaw. Stock original cars are getting pretty rare and expensive and probably best preserved stock, and you may or may not get your money back with an outlaw.

I doubt you can get 140+ hp reliably from a standard Porsche 1600 anyway, certainly from a sectioned - 4 cyl - 911 engine (mucho $$$$$) or a VW motor (hand grenade and they sound wrong), and I think a real 4 cam motor from a 356 carrera is out of your budget.... Bad max might be an exception, it's really well done... Talk to Joanne and Robert on the REnnlist 356 site, they used to own Max and can tell you about it !

To answer your Question re: driving one... You should drive one before making a decision. The 356 is a light car, it's fun because it is nimble and balanced. A proper stock 356 is a joy to drive and you may find that you do not need more power. It's well balanced as it is, it's a car in which you can have fun a the legal speed limit and keep your license... That said, I am talking about the 1600cc engines with 75-100 hp. The original Pre-As with 1100-1500 motors can be SLOWWW and dangerous on modern roads with traffic... Drive a good 356 in good tune, see what you think.

Ok, so since you *REALLY* don't need that 356 project you can PM me the info. so I can go collect it...right? Or did you decide to add it to the collection?

"A proper stock 356 is a joy to drive and you may find that you do not need more power. It's well balanced as it is, it's a car in which you can have fun a the legal speed limit and keep your license... "

I agree. Let me add my 356 experience. To me, Porsches were all about early 911s - probably because that's what was new when I was of those formative years. But, I've always loved and wanted a 356 and I always wanted to know what this 356 mystique is all about. There are lots of guys who could afford the very best 911 out there, but they refuse and insist on 356s only. I had to know why.

So a few years ago, I bought a rough, but original, 356 B Damen (or Normal) with 60 hp. I really wanted to know what was so good about these cars when new that made them so special. So, I went about trying to get it to be "Porsche right." This included OEM stock muffler from NLA and the original distributor rebuilt by Don Marks (I can't say enough about what this did to the car), stock width rims and tires for optimum steering feeling, and getting the correct Zeniths adjusted correctly. In the end, I had a truly remarkable car. It was an absolute blast to drive - and I drove it everywhere and anywhere, living with it as it was meant to be. That's why it was nice that it was rough and I could park it anywhere and not worry about it. I can't do that with my other cars.

Sometimes I thought I wanted more power. I tried quite a few higher HP Porsches. But, it is amazing just how much junk is out there. Just because it says "SC" on it, or it's a '65 C (reputed for being the best), doesn't mean it's set up right or hasn't been botched. So, even test driving many won't necessarily find you a "true" 356 driving experience. I also learned that some of the higher hp comes at a loss of other things. Like those that say the earlier, lighter 911s are more fun than the newer heavier, quieter ones, I found the same thing with the 356. I really liked the lighter, sportier feel of the '63 B over the Cs and SCs. And, I am now a true believer in the beauty of a Damen. All personal preference.

In the end, I sold the 356 and bought a Boxster S. I simply had to do it. I also have a '73 911 in perfect shape (for 17 years) and an old English sports car (for 27 years). I needed something more modern, simply had no more room, and something had to go. I will miss it. But, I do somewhat disagree with a comment above. I actually found a VERY STRONG bloodline between my 356 and my '73 911. But, as someone else said, if you want to do all these neat things to hop up your 356, it's already been done and it's called a 911. It really is. Plus you get that beautiful 911 whine. That is actually one thing I never really loved, the sound of the 356 engine. It was neat, and soothing. But, it didn't make me grin like my other cars and vibrate straight into my soul.

Ok, so I've rambled a bit. At the end of the day, it's all about what you want. I didn't want to go through life not knowing for myself what 356 ownership was all about.

I picked up a basket case 3 years ago. At that time I also had an '87 Carrera (sold). Since I got the 356 I had the brakes, steering, engine all sorted out and it's now getting stripped down to bare metal and should be sprayed in another 3-4 weeks.

The car has some mods but nothing too drastic:
- Weber 40IDF's
- Velocity stacks
- High performance dizzy
- 12V conversion (for a real sound system)
- Burscht exhaust
- Eliminated the heater boxes

You know, this should be as fun as when I bought my 911...I'd never driven one before I purchased it.

PS, the new color is probably going to be silver instead of the original signal red

Guys, for the love of God please quit posting pictures of 356's. I cannot afford any more toys, I don't have any room, I don't need to even think about these crazy ideas. There is just something about a 356 that is just so right to me, it is hard to describe. I would love to have one as a Sunday driver to just take out on special days. I have never driven one but I would love to try one if anyone would let me. How raw are they as in driving experience? Would it make a 72 911 feel like my bloated 88 (only early Porsche I have ever driven)? Keep posting pictures and Mr9146 that car is incredible looking--we can all dream right?

I would not say that your '72 would feel more bloated. And I would not say their driving experience is raw. I think you will find that your '72 may be a bit more on the "raw" side. If anything, the 356 made me appreciate my '73 that much more. I did love that 356 and would have kept it if I wasn't so invested (emotionally) in my other cars. I did find that if a 356 is not smooth, silky and running like a tight Germanic clock, there was something wrong. I didn't realize this at first. But, as I slowly sorted out each item, I found the things I was thinking were just 40 year old technology quirks, were really just DPO errors or repair needed. But, as I said before, I did find a very strong similar family feel between the '63 B and my '73 in seating, steering and overall effect - but that the 911 was basically that 356 with all the performance mods people talk about for their 356s.

Sorry, Daniel. Here is another one:

http://gallery.rennlist.com/albums/a...de2005_251.jpg