The thrill in driving a 356, is not in the raw speed or horsepower, but the challenge of stepping up to the ragged edge with out slipping off.
They are bare-bone simple machines, a bit cheaper to maintain and work on then early 911s (or so the story goes) and with a VW power-plant, can be even more so.
Last year I drove our 356 back from a meet in the mountains and got into a race with an older, hoped-up Rabbit GTI. Heading through long sweapers up a canyon pass, at around 70-80 mph, wiping past mini-vans and SUVs in the passing lane was both exilirating scary. Of course, my dad who was next to me says to me, "keep pushing!!" (silly nut )
near the top I could start to feel the back get "squirrly"(that's when my dad reached for the dash-pad!). Not a gentle pull or drift, more like a nervous tick. I kept my foot down and gently corrected with the wheel. It scared the living CRAP out of me, but I'll never forget that feeling. The car only has 95 horsepower, but what a rush.