1955 Porsche 356 Speedster Barn Find Lands on eBay, but You Won’t Like the Price

Autoevolution ^ | 2 December 2015 | staff

[Daffynition]

While most car aficionados populate their dreams with barn finds, some people are lucky and/or determined enough to turn such dreams into reality. On many occasions, such discoveries result in eBay ads that make potential buyers cringe, and we want to show you the latest example of this, one that has a strong Porsche flavor.

[Daffynition]

Speedster photo gallery

[Daffynition]

[Viking2002]

Meh. I can get this fully restored Karmann Ghia for about a tenth the price. And they both probably came off the same assembly line.

[SaveFerris]

fyi

[Daffynition]

Maybe so, the Ghia may not have been available in the US until the mid, late 60s.

Restored: $60K v c. $239,500 ;)

[Viking2002]

Well, I gotta go with the logistics of it here. A) That Porsche is out of my price range, even if it was just four rims and a steering wheel. And B) Going from 0-60 in 5 seconds in my neck of the woods would only be an invitation to miss a turn and either drive up a cow's ass, or pick the trunk of a pine tree out of my teeth. Ideally, I'd like to have a nice, classic Mercedes or some other touring sedan. I think getting that AARP card in the mail must have flipped a switch inside somehow. LOL

[wardaddy]

That 73 Ghia is almost 20 years newer than a 50s era Speedster

The handling differences and chassis are quite different and they obviously didn’t come off the same assembly line

The Porsche has the dual carb assembly....the Ghia single

Both have 1600 motors ...flat fours

One is a VW motor and the other a Porsche motor ....there’s some nuance there

If you put dual carbs on the Ghia they might be comparable but the Ghia is 20 years newer

I will say the Porsche 914 1.7 or 2.0 sure sound like VWs because.....they had VW MOTORS

The Speedster did not

My dear wife’s first car was a cream colored Ghia....she adored it but couldn’t keep it running

A high school junior ....she saved up her money for it....like me with my MGBGT in 73 ten years earlier

I’ve owned 3 Porsches.....the last I bought for her

I rented a Cayenne in Denver ...entry model....last month....slow as piss....an SUV pretending to be a Porsche.....buy the turbo or ...GTS? or get a Toureg.....same car again felt like

I also rode in a Cayman same trip in Aspen....we have a Carrera......my buddy let me drive it up to Independence Pass where he begged me to let him drive it back

I scared him to death......and that’s a helluva road no doubt.....the Cayman is slower than our 16 year old 911 which I recorded at 179 but it handled with fresh tires better than any car I’ve ever driven

It was incredible....I was amazed

Anyhow.....both charming cars but not exactly the same thing

If I were buying an old Porshe it’d be any RS MODEL OR baring that an SC MODEL or baring that the old Carrera 3.

Funny thing is no matter how old the Porsche from late 70s on if it has at least a 2.7 motor it will keep up with 90% of fast cars today

[Daffynition]

Or you could do what I did when I retired ...protest [unsuccessfully] to my town for the high property taxes on my HP BMW, and buy a reliable daily driver ... and give the town a salute; property taxes went from $1K/ year to $15.85/ annum. F'em. :)

having more fun than a human human being should be allowed to have.

[Daffynition]

The only car I ever owned, that I *should* have kept. :(

[Viking2002]

OK, question to which I have no answer: when was the last time ANY car manufacturer made a Woody like that? I remember we had an old Chrysler Town & Country wagon that was loaded. I mean, power everything. Dad parked it in the lot at work one evening, and the Lightning Storm From Hell came through. A bolt hit within several feet of it, and it cooked off the whole wiring harness. No visible damage, mind you, but the sheer amperage took it's toll. Windows would go up and down on their own, seats would suddenly recline, the Eight-Track would speed up or slow down then eat the tape, you name it. LOL Dad was almost heartbroken when he had to sell it, because trying to fix it piecemeal was just too expensive.

[Daffynition]

I don't know the answer....but I think this was nearly the last of the type ...maybe the Jeep Wagoneer had later models...I'm not really sure. After this came the successful and popular Chrysler T&C minivans. The only station wagons today [replaced by yutes?] , are the BMW, Audi, Benz, VW, ...seems zee Germans are responsible for prolonging the model type.

[a fool in paradise]

When are you going to take it out of the box?

[Huaynero]

...a bathtub Speedster is a sentimental ideal though in a “only my mechanic knows” moment I’m not above fudging it with a fiberglass reproduction. Once drove a Corvair powered Karmann Ghia...a Volksvair. Impressive enough in 1965 though too much a home brew and not enough practicality.

Practicality and budget being in dead heat, I’d probably opt for a 2XXX-something Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. On a cloudy day without my glasses it sure looks like a Speedster.

[FLAMING DEATH]

1st gen Grand Cherokees had cladding from the North American Vinyl Tree, too...

[Flag_This]

Is that the Wagon Queen Family Truckster, or the Super Sports Wagon?

[wally_bert]

My old blazer doesn't have much.

[Daffynition]

I dunno...it’s a 4 cyl on a K-frame ....don’t know much else about it...except it’s very reliable. And fun.

Guy who restored it, worked as a Chrysler tech. Engine is primo.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

A guy here finally sold his 53 Ferrari. A story about it here

The Junkyard Ferrari
http://barnfinds.com/the-junkyard-ferrari/

[Daffynition]

Our Ferrari guy around here is Wayne Carini. I'm sure he knows this story.

Not, technically in the *barn-find* category....still interesting ...dusting off this olde thread;

Peter Max's 36 Vintage Corvettes: The Full Story

[Fresh Wind]

According to Wiki, the last TRUE US woodie was the Buick Estate Wagon of 1953.

Every thing since then has imitation wood grain.