I have a soft spot for the 356. I used to own one, albeit a rusty project car. In fact, this is my old car, which now lives in Saudi Arabia. The first one I ever drove was also a black T6 B, which had been upgraded with disc brakes from a C, and converted professionally from a Karmann Notchback to full Cabriolet(actually, this car, which has since sold- isn’t the internet wonderful?). While Matt Farah is used to much more powerful modern cars, he found a lot to like in the 356. There market for these is very strong, and with good reason.
Matt was immediately taken by how good the steering was in this 356C. That, coupled with the 356’s unusually rigid structure for the period, makes for a very lively car. With two people in the Porsche performance was dampened somewhat, but Matt notes that it is virtually “immune to revs.”
The similar 356 I drove actually felt pretty quick. My test route was much flatter than the usual One Take routes, but it certainly kept up with modern traffic with ease. Unlike, say, an MGA, the 356 still feels quite sophisticated. The convertible top keeps the weather out, the seats are comfortable(unless you’re in a Convertible D or Speedster), and it doesn’t need an overdrive unit to keep from revving hard at highway speeds. A 356 may look like a clawfoot bathtub flipped upside-down, but they are truly so much more than that.
