Looking to sell 2 356 need help estimating value

[213532]

I'm confused. Tear drop tail lights on both cars? The earlier one should have bee hives, right?

Mike

[356JAGER]

Red car appears to be late 57 with the teardrops and shine up plate light but the VIN indicates an earlier car, a 56 that should have a shine down and beehives. Perhaps an incorrect SN or a car modified later to ' upgrade '.
A photo of the SN would be great as well as an engine SN..
Cheers,
Joel

[Allen Henderson]

[quote="356JAGER" post=32886]Red car appears to be late 57 with the teardrops and shine up plate light but the VIN indicates an earlier car, a 56 that should have a shine down and beehives. Perhaps an incorrect SN or a car modified later to ' upgrade '.
A photo of the SN would be great as well as an engine SN..
Cheers,
Joel[/quote

There was a factory recommended update (yes, true) to teardrops from beehives. (A highly original Carrera was so converted and then "backdated" to its original beehives (and sold with primes on the conversion) Given the stated VIN should be beehive and V sunroof. So, something's not right?!

[JTR70]

Its an original shine down-Beehive car for sure. Take a look at the very first picture on page one and you'll notice the license plate bracket occupying the holes where the Shine-down unit once was. The teardrops look a little angled off too.

A lot of beehive equipped cars got this treatment including my coupe back in the day...

[DG58INNM]

Look like 2 pretty neat cars. As several have pointed out, rust will be a big factor in value. But, neither of these look like Fred Flintstone cars. I'm thinking, based on the limited photos, these may likely be better than average. Pretty much every 356 needs rust repairs. Even most of the ones that look shiny and pretty! Don't panic about rusty appearance. The metal may be solid where it matters.

Justin's initial value estimates were very realistic, perhaps even a tad on the low side. Both cars, especially the T5B (orig paint? could it be cleaned up and made to run?), are complete and together. That's a huge plus. Won't be surprised to find they are matching numbers too. A "flipper" could pay you $50K for the pair and still make an easy $20K+ profit. A guy who just wants a good 356 project for himself could pay $30K for the T5B, or $45K for the T1A, and feel like he got a reasonable deal.

Sorry for your loss. Best of luck you.
DG

[DG58INNM]

I'll do one more thing. Its easy to say what this or that is worth. Bunch of guys talking on the internet, huh?

I will make you a firm offer of $35,000 for the pair. I am not in the business of buying and selling cars. I need another 356 like a I need a hole in the head. My wife might divorce me. I would just have to turn around and sell them. But I'm confident I could make enough profit out of those two cars at that price to make it worth the headache for me. If I knew you lived down the street I'd offer more, but for all I know that shed could be in Alaska or Hawaii! I don't expect you'll take my offer, but at least I will give you a low-ball threshold to compare against other offers you might get, and you can laugh at the guy who offered $9K!

Again, best of luck to you. Justin can tell you how to contact me if you need.

DG

[Ratjumper]

Hey Justin can you contact me of board? Thanks

[Ratjumper]

The white on my dad drove into the garage and took out the batter back in 1977. As for matching numbers im sure they are. I found a picture of him standing next to it back in 1963. Though the orig color is furer green per the plate under the serial number. I didnt know where to find the plate in the spare compartment. But i have a better idea now. I wouls be interested in talking to you DG58INNM. Just want them to see a home in which there appriciated and not flipped for a profit. I also have more pic on google if interested.

[Allen Henderson]

Please post a link to more photos as many are interested. Thanks.

-Allen-

[Ratjumper]

Okay, here is a link to more photos of a white one.


https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B_lTu8faUcfZWVRYNHNia3drYkU

[356JAGER]

I'd list them on Ebay or in Hemmings, Bring a Trailer etc.for $ 35 K starting on the white T5 and $ 45 k on the A car.
It can only go up from there and you can always negotiate a lower number.
Takes some effort to present them properly and there are expenses, but you'll keep a lot more $ in your pocket. Oh my Dog !!! I didn't submit a lowball offer myself. My wife will be very pleased....
Cheers,
Joel

[DG58INNM]

Ratjumper,
I meant what I said and will stand by my offer, but you should know I would be "flipping" them too. My assessment of the numbers is that worst case I would recoup my money quickly on the '56, getting the '60 for free.

I have 3 356's and 2 911's in the garage already. Now personally, I don't think one can have too many Porsches. My wife (26 years of marriage, and I have grown sort of fond of her) loves the cars too, but she has her limits. Before I wrote this morning, I told her what I was doing. She gave me one of those looks all men dread, but then relaxed and said "OK, you know what they are worth, as long as you don't intend to keep them". The implication was that I'd better not be wrong!

I am certain you will get a better offer than mine, and in your situation you need to maximize the value of those cars for your family. I hope that you do. I think they are worth considerably more than I offered. I made my offer so you would have someone willing to put money where their mouth is, and a fall back position when the next guy comes around badgering you to accept $9K. I noticed your e-mail address disappeared, so probably you were getting lots of unsolicited offers (like mine!). If we need to talk, let me know here or through Justin and we'll figure it out.
Take care,
DG58INNM
(David Gensler)

[Ratjumper]

Well someone has to flip then since they are unable to drive from the garage. This is understandable. I am looking for them to be restored and be a driving car and taken care of. I'm sure not many that would buy this car won't take care of it. I feel theres a differance between a personal flip and a commercial flip just for the profits. Yes I know that the flipper is looking for profit to. Just looking for the final person to get them will know what they have and enjoy them. And if they are close enough to give me and mom a fairwell ride when restored . At least in the white one. Just a dream. Glad you have an understanding wife, those are even harder to come by. I would like to talk when is up to you. Justin can give you my email, unless you already have it. That is unless you only want to talk if no one else wants them. Though I dont know many classic porsche owners and anyone else dosen't seem to understand the feeling of owning a 356. Yes I may not be able to drive these ones but just seeing then and dreaming about driving it since I can walk. Sigh......

So far I want to thank eveyone who has contributed here it has helped alot. Though still really trying to figure out what yhe red one really is. And hasen't been out to grab just for profits. Means a lot to me and mom.

I'm not so sure ebay is a good place to put them. As for presintation I feel not washing and waxing would not be a good idea. Should I wash them to make them look nicer? Or would a restorrer want them as the condition there in?

Michael

[Trevor]

Hi Michael,

PLEASE!!! Do NOT wash them or clean them up at all. PLEASE!!!

The patina or "as found" condition is "in" right now. The older guys who have all gone through and done a restoration on a 356 are looking for a beater 356 that they can just drive without the fear of rock chips or scratches. Something to just have fun in - maybe back to where it all began when guys got into 356's, before they were 6 figure cars all restored.

I know you mentioned wanting to sell both, but it seems like you have more of an attachment to the white car. Since the red A coupe is more valuable - from your other pics it does look like a V sunroof to me. And... maybe not as sentimental to you, have you thought of selling just the red one and using the money to get the white one back on the road?

The deal with the V sunroof is that Porsche used these on Pre A's (1950~1955), however when production in September 1955 switched to the A cars or what is referred to as T1, so we're talking about model year 1956, Porsche still had stock/inventory of the V sunroofs; so they used them up prior to switching over to the rectangular T1 sunroofs. That makes your car pretty rare and more valuable as a 1956. I hate to use the word rare because it is probably the most overused word when guys go to sell a car, but in this case I think a 56 with a V sunroof definitely falls into that category.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!

[bbspdstr]

It would be polite to lead with my condolences on the loss of your father. I lost my mother a couple of months ago and now am an 'orphan' so I know how tough that can be, especially the old business left behind, like the 356s. You happened onto the right place as those here on Justin's site are honest and caring about kindred spirits who like the old Porsches. You have gotten sage advice so far.

Here is my own $3.56 worth of input. Even a "flipper," if not local, would want a 'PPI' or pre-purchase inspection before any money was discussed.

I think Adam Wright is on a buying trip right now and could be coming to see YOU! He sniffs these situations out, he just lowballs, as it's his living to "flip" or part out old Porsches, especially 356s.

I usually tell people interested in buying a 356 to restore that the big round rough guess of a number for what it needs subtracted from the current value is a good place to begin negotiation.

The details do make a difference. The sunroof on the earlier car could perhaps bring the $9k originally offered if complete and just cut off the car at the pillars. It does add that much to the value of the whole car, regardless of what the true condition is.

I looked at a '59 Convertible D on Thursday at a friends shop, up on a lift. The older couple who had that 356 for many decades had been offered $100,000 and wanted to know if that was a fair offer for a complete car, sitting in their garage unused since '82 with all matching numbers and as easy a restoration as can be. A local guy with a bunch of 356s who is very active on the Registry site but not here had looked at it in their garage and offered them the $100k.

As both the shop owner and I know the guy (as would Justin and Joel and a few others who post here), we advised the couple that the man who made the offer would likely have made a quick $50k on the flip, so the asking price IF they decide to sell the car "as is" is more than they ever imagined: $150,000.

Still, we suggested that they just do a "wake-up" of the car with fresh gas, all the brake work and new tires on the properly date-stamped chrome wheels and un-seizing of the engine or replacing it with another they happened to have, clean it up and just drive it like they used to while they still can, ignoring the minor patches done to the floor in it's past and other more cosmetic issues, so that's what they are going to do.

Every one of these has a story. Good luck with yours.

-Bruce Baker