Vehicle Description
ORIGINAL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CAR WITH ONLY TWO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
OWNERS SINCE NEW.RECENTLY ACQUIRED FROM SECOND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
OWNER WHO PURCHASED THE CAR FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER IN 1971 WITH
ORIGINAL CALIFORNIA TITLE (RARE PINK SLIP) FROM 1971!ORIGINAL
MATCHING #'S 616/1/ T6 100 ENGINE CAR.ORIGINAL REUTTER CHASSIS
BUILT IN 1961.'PORSCHE CLASSIC TECHNICAL CERTIFICATE' FROM 'PORSCHE
SOUTH BAY' OF HAWTHORNE, CA. West Coast Classics are proud to
present an exceptional original southern California survivor
example of this 1962 Porsche 356B 'Twin Grille' 1600 T6 2 Door
Coupe by Reutter (built in 1961) born with 'Ivory' color (code
6204) paint amp; top amp; still boasting its original factory 'Red'
leatherette interior and original matching #'s Type 616/1 T6 1600
engine #P607339 matched to a date correct but not factory original
741A 4 speed manual transmission!The car will be sold with its
'Porsche Classic Technical Certificate' showing an original build
date of November 1961. The car was to be restored by its second
owner with its original parts but this was never to be. It boasts
its original steering wheel, original clock and its factory
optional Ventilated Chrome Wheels. A visual inspection indicates
the engine to be original and matching #'s but the transmission
serial number is a mismatch to the original serial number
record.Overall the car is an original southern California example
with no rust but needing restoration. The paintwork is poor and in
need of refinishing. The body has some minor dents or dings and the
interior needs refinishing but the car has no signs of any
accidents or rust and has virtually perfect fits and gaps. The
front brake shoes show average wear prior to being parked as do the
front drums and the rear shoes are showing average wear as as the
rear drums and there is no brake power currently. The car has not
been running for several years but the engine does turn. There are
noticeable oil leaks and the suspension bushings are cracked and
torn. In September of 1959 Porsche revealed their fully updated 356
known as the 356B. This had a completely revised body that was more
suitable for the American market. The 356B used the new T5
bodystyle which raised the front and rear bumpers nearly four
inches. Furthermore the headlights were also repositioned higher to
meet American regulations. Inside Porsche fitted a new deep dish
steering wheel and deeper front seats. The Porsche 356 was the car
which put the marque on the map and is most certainly the companies
most iconic. Between 1948 and 1965, more than 76,000 were built, as
coupes, open roadster speedsters and cabriolets. While the basic
design and shape of the 356 changed very little over its lifetime,
there were several generations of cars. The first, characterized by
split (or bent) windshields, were built through 1954. From 1955 to
1959, a revised model designated the 356A was built with a curved
windshield and modified suspension. It was succeeded during 1959 by
the 356B or T5 model, which although to the casual observer
appeared to change very little from its predecessor, had in fact
received minor alterations to almost every aspect of the model,
including most obviously a new nose contour that raised the
headlights upwards and vertically with new front wings to
accommodate and new bigger and stronger bumpers. In August of 1961
Porsche revealed the updated T6 body with larger windows for the
Coupe and twin engine grills on the rear deck. These had a much
revised front trunk with a different gas tank that was accessed
under a filler lid on the fender instead of the middle of the
trunk. In 1963, the 356C marked the third and final update to the
356 saga. There were three 1,600 cc engines, designated 1600, 1600
Super and the Super 90 and the legendary four-cam 2-liter 115 HP
Carrera 2. The 1600's ranged from 60 to 90 BHP with the Super 90,
the most potent of the pushrod engines, having a counterweighted
crankshaft, sodium-filled valves and Solex P40-II carburetors.
Today this engine is particularly sought after by
enthusiasts.Although Porsche sourced bodies from a number of
suppliers, by far the most came from Reutter. 'Karosseriefabrik
Reutter amp; Co.' of Stuttgart, Germany had a long association with
Porsche. Founded as a coach-building firm in 1906, Reutter
pioneered lightweight construction, using Weymann fabric patents
and early use of aluminum. Reutter furnished prototypes to
Ferdinand Porsche in 1932, during the early days of the Volkswagen
project, then bodied Mercedes and BMW cars during the 1930s. The
association with Porsche was rekindled in 1950, when the nascent
Porsche company returned from Austria to Stuttgart. Porsche's old
facilities were occupied by the US Army, so Reutter leased some
plants to Porsche for car production and started producing bodies
for a number of 356 models. These included coupes, cabriolets and
speedsters. While Karmann also built coupes in the 1960s, most of
the open cars were by Reutter.This Reutter-bodied 356B Twin Grille
Coupe is a very fine candidate for a full restoration of this
desirable late model T6 B Body Coupe. The car has been owned since
the early 1970's by the same southern California owner who
purchased the car from its original southern California owner and
who has always garaged the car and who had intended to fully
restore the car some day. Obviously unfortunately that day did not
come but the car should prove a very worthy candidate for a full
restoration by its next Porsche owning enthusiast. Please note that
the car also has its original spare wheel.
