A 356 B For You 2 $€€

If you're reading these words, it means you love old Porsches. By the time you've finished reflecting these liquid crystal runes off your retina, I'm willing to bet ya that said love will have only deepened. . . perhaps even to the degree that you will come and see me and drive away in this sweet silver sleigh.

Old Porsches are cool, and 356's are the coolest. The earlier, the better. Stepping into one of these little scarab-shaped supercar slayers is like slipping into something equal parts race car, Art Deco jewelry box, and time travel device.

The uninitiated scratch their heads at the six and seven-figure sums tacked onto what they see as glorified beetles. But 356 skeptics only exist until they have experienced how the world around you changes while you drive a 356. It looks a lot like this:

A magical mystery aura radiates from these iconic "beetles". An energy that slows time and makes you feel like a freshly minted million bucks (back when those bucks were still good as gold). Some of that comes from the collective James Dean/Steve McQueen fever dream. But they are only the tip of the cool cucumber.

From Air Force Pilots to Architects and Astronauts, Bank Robbers to Robber Barons. Sean Connery to Janis Joplin. Radical thinkers and interesting tinkerers of the past century who could afford anything all too often found themselves flying above the clouds In the seat of a 356. If Bonnie and Clyde had dreamed up a ride, it would have been a Speedster.

Driving them today has only gotten better, for they are the antidote to the dull dystopian nightmare gnawing at the last stale crusts of a world that might make sense.

That sterile sea of super fast Teslas rocketing their super important passengers to their super important destinations, all while AI maximizes, optimizes, and energizes all the family's devices. Smart phones stuck to their faces like Ridley Scott's facehuggers.

If said depressing description resonates with you, dear reader, I give you hope in the form of Ze Ubercar. Ze Porsche 356. Ze Goldilocks Go-Kart. Just enough tech to keep you out of a wreck but nothing you don't need.

You won't win a drag race against an electric transport appliance, but there is no better tool for cracking out of the cold commuter concrete. 356s are basically Narnia wardrobes on wheels.

They stop car people and non-car people in their tracks, they have the power to inspire picnics, and most refreshing in todays world, they make you want to drive slowly. If for no other reason than to savor the mechanical symphony buzzing around you while the beehive bulbs blink and you surf along on a veritable wave of thumbs-ups.

Seeing the honest smiling face of a 356 zipping down the road towards you is a sight to behold. Even more so in a world where modern performance cars look more and more like they were styled by the same maniacs who design and refine tactical assault rifles.

The 356 B looks like a happy frog up front, but once you see that teardrop side profile and the athletic planted rear end, you know they mean business.

They say that when the guns were made of wood, the men were made of steel. This works for wooden steering wheels as well. These vehicles are an interactive aesthetic portal to a slower, less aggressive age when people were far more capable and managed with far less.

A time when the police came and knocked on your front door wearing a hat instead of blowing a hole through your wall wearing a helmet.

When you drive a 356, you carry some of that wisdom into the future. It is the same magic behind a candle. A simple warm magic that the modern world's fluorescent lights have all but burned out. A magic we are all starving for.

But why are you still here? To listen to a young, old curmudgeon rant and rave about technology? No. You are here because you want some of that sweet Joplin Juice dripping in your driveway. I planted the seed, and now you feel the need to ride the brilliant rainbow Bifrost on a classic Stuttgart Steed. . .

Or maybe you are already cooler than James Dean? Like my good friend Monsieur Guido Guide. Maybe you just need a faster 356 to ferry your many French mistresses to those countless pleasurable picnics? It is possible.

Maybe you are a female race car driver ready to dive into the thrilling world of Vintage Racing. . .

All possibilities. Now to find "The One."

That is why we are here. To dive into the history of a remarkable 356. Granted, all 356's are unique. Hand built from the factory, no two alike. Sixty years of racing, restorations, and modifications mean every 356 still surviving today is a different animal.

The vehicle above, which I have the painful task of selling, is a particularly interesting 356. Chassis #123414.

It is notable due to its originality, retaining its original engine, transmission, and color scheme, its unique ownership history (numerous female racers), and most of all, because of the legendary craftsmen who transformed it from a standard 356 T6 into a wickedly quick little hotrod with nearly twice the power it left the factory with.

When modern Porsche owners who are not 356 experts ask me about It, I explain it like this. "You know what a GT3 Touring is? Well, this is a bit like a 356 Touring. Looks harmless. Is Not."

Around backroads this car is every bit as quick as my 944. I've driven numerous stock 912's that could not shake this angry little B. All of that velocity comes courtesy of two of the best 356 specialists ever to turn wrenches on workbenches.

The numbers matching motor was built by the "The Maestro" Harry Pellow. The gentleman who famously tired of being a nuclear engineer and instead dedicated his life to understanding and optimizing Porsche's little four cylinders.

Harry Pellow didn't just rebuild motors. He wrote books about how to do it. His services were in great demand, especially after he rebuilt a motor for Jerry Seinfeld's Speedster and the famous comic converted to the rapidly growing "Cult of Pellow."

The precise specifications of the motor build is unknown but in the words of the previous owner, "Ginger Nelson" a well known collector in the 356 community:

"it's a 356B T6S with a racing history and a special motor. Harry Pellow built the bottom, Vic Skirmants built the heads, it was jetted at nelson ledges with a series of jets, offhand I cannot remember who did the titanium pistons and rods. It is so fast, I've been asked if it has the "airport" gearing. Thanks to Vic Skirmants for rebuilding the transmission and rear."

On a recent Dyno run, the car (while running a bit lean and in severe humidity) put down 96HP and 110 lb-ft at the rear wheels. That power also doesn't tell the whole story since the Skirmants gears just pull and pull and pull and pull like they are chained to the back of a well-rested young bull.

it sings up to a redline that the stock tachometer simply could not contain, hence the aftermarket 7,000 RPM gauge sitting pretty in the dash behind a Momo Fittipaldi steering wheel.

Vic Skirmants needs no introduction to the 356 enthusiasts reading. But for anyone else, if you wanted to go racing in a 356 in the US. He and his wife have been the folks to go to for decades.

If you know how to drive, this car is quick. I have never had more fun behind the wheel of any machine. It's a great horned owl type of hoot. This thing is like an old-school tin of antidepressants, a charming little metal container packed full of cocaine.

Doing 65 mph in this is more fun than doing 165 in a modern Porsche. When you're being a bit naughty, it looks like this:

This type of "build" often creates a car that is too harsh for the road, but that is not the case here. it slots nicely into that desirable "gentleman's racer/touring" segment.

With everything else remaining stock, except for the steering wheel, tach, and some slightly stiffened and lowered suspension, this car offers great versatility. You can either cruise in "picnic mode" or unleash its full potential by dropping a gear, planting your foot, and wringing out the Full Monty Maestro Magic.

Slip in a set of Speedster seats, aluminum wheels, and a few other lightweight/GT parts, and you will be knocking on the door of that modern-day "Restomod" formula. The one made famous by the numerous "boutique builders" worldwide that remove weight, add power, and typically tack on a zero to the asking price.

So how did we end up with her? Well the story is what car enthusiast dreams are made of. Our 356 was one of a trio of 356's that came out of a "High Rise Barn Find." Or rather the estate of Gabrielle "Ginger" Nelson in Fort Lee New Jersey. A prolific car collector and Porsche enthusiast.

My mom has been a car enthusiast since her first BMW track day In Sebring nearly thirty years ago. Her dream car as a child was a 356 (because they smile) and her and my father jumped at the opportunity to finally own one. Chassis #123414 was in our garage and the name "Tubby" was soon bestowed. Miles of smiles followed.

The only real problem of purchasing from the estate was the lack of records. All the car came with was some books from Pellow in the trunk. We knew it was modified and had been used for racing due to the Recaro seat but we knew little else.

I began calling shops In the area hoping to find one that had serviced the cars and this led to a funny phone call with John Paterek who just happened to have the original red drivers seat up in his attic. He gave It to us for free as in his words, "It belonged to the car." A great friendship began along with my "air-cooled education" and a long ongoing restoration.

Sleuthing through 356 registry posts connected us with Amy Markle who had raced the car extensively with her husband. She told us about the car's Glasurit repaint in the late 90's by Ed Pimm* as well as their longterm ownership and sale to Gabby/Ginger Nelson.

Vic Skirmants kindly went through his customers records and confirmed that he did indeed rebuild the transmission #61885 in 2005 with new bearings and synchros.

The car Is not perfect, with light uniform patina, but it is a rust free solid driver that is exponentially more fun and usable than a stock 356 B. For anyone who has read this far, here is a comprehensive photo album of the car containing underbody pics and chassis numbers:

My parents are retired and it is time for the next caretaker to take up the reins of this wonderful machine. I leave them with this document and the photos and details of this car's life because it is worth quite a bit more with this story attached to it. The more people are aware of how special it is the better its chances to be preserved and properly maintained for future generations.

There are a number of good shops in NJ that could perform an inspection. But it really needs to be driven to be appreciated.

Looks like a B goes like a GT. As classy as Gatsby's flappers but goes like the freaking clappers.

What more do you want?

The Price for this little Hermaphrodite's Jewel is $127,107.

(Pic-Nic basket full of signed Pellow books included with sale)

Walk Around Video Below: