Vehicle Description
1965 Porsche 356C Karmann Coupe - Project
• VIN 221259
• Completed on December 18, 1964
• Delivered May 11, 1965, by Brumos Porsche in Jacksonville,
Florida
• 1 of 1,097 Karmann Coupes produced in 1965
Extremely dry and all original time capsule finished in its factory
color combination of Champagne Yellow with Green leatherette
upholstery. Complete 356 with good gaps and panel fit. The exterior
components include Sekurit and Sigla glass, Hirschman antenna,
Durant side view mirror, Hella sealed beam headlights, turn signal
indicators, Hella 128 fog lights, and four KPZ 4.5" x 15" date
coded wheels. The interior is original, except for the carpets,
factory VDO instrumentation, and the VDM steering wheel. The 1600cc
flat-four engine (no. P717037) is period correct but according to
the Kardex, the original engine no. was P716551, which is only 486
engines apart. The engine is running on external fuel and has been
driven around the block. This 356 will need the fuel system to be
cleaned out and the brakes will need to be rebuilt to make it a
driver. A perfect restoration candidate to complete a full
restoration or to sort mechanically and enjoy as is!
History
Known internally as the T6 and designed by Erwin Komenda, the
Porsche 356C came out for the 1964 model year. External changes
were minimal in typical Porsche fashion, external changes were
minimal, but with the 356C, a Porsche finally had disc brakes front
and rear. The range of available engines for the Porsche 356C was
reduced to three, as the 60hp engine from the 356B was
discontinued. The 75hp engine from the old 1600 Super, therefore,
became the base engine, the S-90 was replaced with SC producing
95hp, while the final and most powerful version of Porsche's
complex Carrera four-cam engine made 135hp in the 2000 GS
Carrera.
The Porsche 356C was the final Porsche model that debuted before
the completely new 911. It therefore mainly featured mechanical
rather than aesthetic improvements. This model also served as a
development for Porsche into the widespread use of all-round disc
brakes and much work was undertaken to improve the tail-heavy bias
of earlier cars with the addition of larger anti-roll bars and a
steering damper. The 356C represents the final and most developed
version of the model that made Porsche's reputation on roads and
racetracks throughout the 1950s. It was a far cry from the handful
of basic sports cars made in a small village in postwar Austria.
Porsche had grown exponentially and gained an enviable reputation
all over the world for building high-quality, fun, and quick sports
cars. It was almost all thanks to the 356, and the 356C as a worthy
send-off.
