Temperatures are now reaching their usual uncomfortable summer peaks in Tokyo. It’s nothing compared to what some of you over in the southern US have had to endure in recent weeks, but still, it’s becoming difficult to live without A/C. So I thought we could all use a little bit of additional open-air (and air-cooled) relief by chilling for a few minutes with a lovely 356 drop-top.
Rest assured, I do realize that our good friends in the Southern Hemisphere (g’day down there, mates!) are experiencing the throes of winter while we’re sweating it up here north of the equator. Sorry about that. But then, this 356 was photographed back in mid-February, so it sort of works from that point of view too, right?
Winters here are very dry, pretty mild and usually sunny, though that particular day was overcast. Summers, on the other hand, are like a Turkish bath – pretty close to what I remember DC being like in August. Or Bangkok on almost any day of the year. I haven’t had much seat time in convertibles, but I cannot imagine that being in a city in the middle of traffic would be aided by 90% humidity and heat equal to or above body temperature.
So this might be the ultimate winter driving machine. In Tokyo, anyway – it would be a little different if this were set in Quebec or Finland, obviously. Not sure what the heater situation is like in a 356 roadster, but I’m guessing it’s not its strongest feature.
What is the 356’s strongest feature, by the way? The signature 75 – 90hp flat-4? The precision-made gearbox? The reliability and build quality? For me, it has to be the design. No matter which variant of the 356 I happen to see, it feels as if it’s a life-size toy and I just cannot wipe the smile off my face.
That’s not to say that the 356 is not a serious sports car. It most certainly is. But there is something about the smooth, short shape and lack of any aggressive detailing or bluster. There are no massive chrome grilles, leaping cats, dummy air intakes, obnoxious tailfins or even wire wheels. The 356 didn’t need to project hairy-chested power, it just needed to be aerodynamic, light and efficient. This makes the Porsche so unpretentious and understated, it might as well be deemed safe for children. Of course, the unpretentious nature of the beast only belies how competent it actually is as a sports car. It’s the (relatively) quiet ones you have to watch.
The same goes for the interior: simple, efficient and instantly appealing. The driving gloves resting on the steering wheel make it downright enticing. Good thing the keys weren’t in the ignition, or the temptation to hop in, leather up the fingers and drive off into the foggy distance might have been too much to resist.
The only thing that looks slightly out of place is the Porsche emblem which, in all its heraldic antiquity, seems far too fussy for its own good. Leave those delusions of grandeur to the likes of Packard and Cadillac. OK, the tiniest nit has been picked, now back to our regularly scheduled program of 356 worship.
On a historical note, our feature car is one of the final batch of 356 roadsters (Porsche retired this 356 body variant at the end of 1961), which actually makes it part Belgian. Unlike other production models, late-model roadsters were bodied far away from Stuttgart by Carrosserie d’Ieteren up in Brussels, who also assembled VW Beetles and Studebakers for the Benelux market around this time.
Hope this pint-sized but refreshingly sparkling serving of German (and slightly Belgian) goodness quenched your thirst for open-air motoring of the wintery and air-cooled kind. Count me as a fan!
Related posts:
Curbside Classic: 1958 Porsche 356A – My Automotive Soul Mate, by PN
Curbside Classic: 1965 Porsche 356SC, by Aaron65
Museum Classic: 1954 Porsche 356 1500 Super – Honoris Tatra, by T87
Driving Impressions: 1959 Porsche 356 Convertible D – The Happiest Car In The World; Or Is It The Driver?, by David Devereaux
CC Capsule: 1964 Porsche 356C – Happy Ending, by T87
CC Outtake: Porsche 356C – Air Cooled Pleasures Can’t Always Wait Until Summer, by PN
On-The-Go Outtake: 1956 Porsche 356A – Cool As Vanilla Ice (Cream), by Jim Klein
Automobile Quarterly Vintage Review: The Porsche Speedster, Part 1. & Part 2., by Geelongvic
eBay Find: Original 1961 Porsche 356B T5 Coupe – I Like!, by Tom Klockau
Cohort Pic(k) of the Day: “Porsche” “Roadster” – How Many Clues To Tip Off It’s A Fake Can You Find?, by PN
Great photos of what is to me, a perfect car.
Love the exhaust outlets on the bumperettes (is that what they are called?). USA cars did that a lot in the 50s – 60s (*), but this is just so well done.
(*)
A pretty lil “bath tub”…….efficiency is all!
I’ve never driven one, but the 1968 912/4 I had must have been similar in performance and handling. Plus it was easy on the eyes!
These earlier, simple Porsches hold lots of appeal, but make no mistake: repairs are $till relatively expensive!! 🙂 Be that as it may, the car was tremendous fun to drive, rowing thru its 5 speed, on twisty backroads!! 🙂 🙂 No doubt the same applies to the 356.
One negative is their inability to resist the dreaded “tinworm” DFO
Cool little car, I wouldnt want one right now its getting cold here and despite a cyclone ripping some places to bits where I now live has rain most days
I remember when most sports cars carried that passenger compartment tonneau cover. The portion covering the driver’s seat was unzipped to allow access for the driver and kept the rest of the car drier in inclement weather. From what I’ve read, early sports roadster owners seldom put the top up, even in the rain, hence the tonneau. This is also why they wore those sturdy, warm “car coats.” Looking through my collection of early ’60’s Car and Driver mags there were plenty of ads for sports car accessories and apparel. Back then sports car drivers were a lot like motorcyclists, we also rode our bikes in bad weather.
I used to hate those old Porsches, they weren’t really very fast, but the simplicity of the design now appeals to me. I can’t afford a real 356, but I wouldn’t mind a nice replica.
Want, want, want! These drive soooo well and the build quality is exquisite.