TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Dec 08, 2004 10:41 am

Who will want to own these Porsche 356 cars after were gone? Have you ever noticed the age of the owners of 356 cars. There are not a lot of young people driving these cars today. Most young people drive soupped
up Hon.Dat.Toys or 911's or Boxters and have no interest in a vintage 356's. With all the luxury cars have to offer, I can understand!
I can relate to the 356 because it was around when I went to high school, but nobody wanted one. Besides being expensive they were also pretty ugly and everyone wanted a VW beetle. If it wasn't for the VW I wouldn't have an interest in owning one today. After all of the old timers like me have gone I would hope a new generation would hook up with these wonderful fun cars and "Keep The 356 Faith" as the late Harry Pellow would say. If you are young and in love with these cars let the people know it!!!!!!!!

Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:12 am

I'm 29 and I'd love to have one, problem is the old farts are too proud of em.

Wed Dec 08, 2004 11:57 am

I believe they are a little pricey for young people. Don't fret however, there is definitely a market and I bet it will stay in the same age group. As soon as the old farts die, there is another young old fart ready to snap them up. I think everything will be alright. I doubt these beautiful cars will be homeless. I would definitely own one if it weren't for the cost. Someday, someday. :wink:

Thu Dec 09, 2004 7:35 am

i am 26. mine isnt going anywhere. but there is a BIG difference in a 356 'enthusiast' and a vw enthusiast.

Thu Dec 09, 2004 12:18 pm

doveblue3 wrote: i am 26. mine isnt going anywhere. but there is a BIG difference in a 356 'enthusiast' and a vw enthusiast.

Unless you started out with many VW's and then become a 356 fan you will always be a VW enthusiast!!!! Remember where we came from?

Thu Dec 09, 2004 1:42 pm

doveblue3 wrote: i am 26. mine isnt going anywhere. but there is a BIG difference in a 356 'enthusiast' and a vw enthusiast.

What would that difference be? I love my Ghia as much as I love my 356. I am just as involved with each car for its care and maintenance etc. I read up on each of them about the same and browse websites on each. I find the people involved with each car very similar, both down to earth and sharing the same passion for their little German tubs.

The 356 is more expensive so people who own them tend to be older and a bit wealthier, but that is not a hard and fast rule.

Don't have a chip on your shoulder about 356 owners. We know from whence they came and that their creator is the Father of the VW. Many 356 owners started out with VW's and have very fond feelings for the cars. Many of my 356 friends still own VW's as well.

They are all great cars, let's just enjoy them.

Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:05 pm

I think he meant to say there is a BIG difference in VW bus ppl and 356 ppl.

Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:26 pm

Understood, Sundial!!! :lol:

Thu Dec 09, 2004 3:07 pm

I owned a 356 20 odd years ago and loved the car.

However, I wasn't very impressed by the "Porsche Community" especially compared to the folks who like VW's. I was much younger than the other owners and I always thought I got the cold shoulder at the shows because of it. I also got tired of the attitude amongst the 356 Crowd-- a bit too intolerant of anything that wasn't according holy gospel of the 356 Registry.

Honestly, can you imagine lowering your 356, putting on aftermarket wheels, throwing a big motor into it and pulling up to the Dunkel Show? You would be treated like a pregnant Nun in a convent.

I did enjoy everyone saying hello at the shows: "Doctor, Doctor, Hello Doctor, Doctor . . ." :D

Thu Dec 09, 2004 4:25 pm

Actually, Coad, there has been a significant change in the 356 Registry the last 20 years. I have been a Registry member about 15 years now and the mood is much mellower than when I joined.

In fact, customized 356's are called "Outlaws" and are VERY popular. The Registry even has a class for them at their shows (called "Holidays", East Coast and West Coast) and I believe an Outlaw has won best of show a time or two.

Now, if we are talking about your average PCA member, well, most (not all) of them look at 356's the way you are describing the 356 owner looking at VW's. But that is a different topic altogether!! :evil:

Thu Dec 09, 2004 5:14 pm

aylanco wrote: Actually, Coad, there has been a significant change in the 356 Registry the last 20 years. I have been a Registry member about 15 years now and the mood is much mellower than when I joined.

In fact, customized 356's are called "Outlaws" and are VERY popular. The Registry even has a class for them at their shows (called "Holidays", East Coast and West Coast) and I believe an Outlaw has won best of show a time or two.

See, that didn't exist when I was involved. It was all about having the correct factory markings on the heads of your bolts and arguing about whether the cars should have had 6 spotwelds or 8 on the lower inner door frame. Good to hear.

I went to 1 PCA event, and that was with a friend of mine who had done a fantastic body off restoration on a Porsche 914. I mean this guy was as anal as you get, and the car was just immaculate. He easily had 4X what he ever could have gotten out of the car invested in it (this was early 1980's). Anyway, he took it to a PCA show in the Midwest and just got treated like crap. People were going out of their way to walk over and knock 914's ("they sell those as VW's in Germany, they're not real Porsches" is one I still remember). Just haters on his 914. Meanwhile half the guys there had cars that I swear were still under warranty-- they write checks and that gives them the right to knock a guy's effort???

Sorry to vent, but that was my one and only PCA event. Anyway, that's what I like about VW's, there's room around the campfire for everyone.

Thu Dec 09, 2004 7:51 pm

put it this way, there isnt much appreciation for hauling a greasy engine around in the backseat or hanging lumber out the windows, etc.

if i tried to sleep in my 356 in a show hotel parking lot, someone would call the cops. in the bus, its expected. its kind of an extension of everyday driving. i am the same person everyday. i get treated very differently when i drive the 356 than when i drive one of the buses.

Thu Dec 09, 2004 8:26 pm

coad wrote: aylanco wrote: Actually, Coad, there has been a significant change in the 356 Registry the last 20 years. I have been a Registry member about 15 years now and the mood is much mellower than when I joined.

In fact, customized 356's are called "Outlaws" and are VERY popular. The Registry even has a class for them at their shows (called "Holidays", East Coast and West Coast) and I believe an Outlaw has won best of show a time or two.

See, that didn't exist when I was involved. It was all about having the correct factory markings on the heads of your bolts and arguing about whether the cars should have had 6 spotwelds or 8 on the lower inner door frame. Good to hear.

I went to 1 PCA event, and that was with a friend of mine who had done a fantastic body off restoration on a Porsche 914. I mean this guy was as anal as you get, and the car was just immaculate. He easily had 4X what he ever could have gotten out of the car invested in it (this was early 1980's). Anyway, he took it to a PCA show in the Midwest and just got treated like crap. People were going out of their way to walk over and knock 914's ("they sell those as VW's in Germany, they're not real Porsches" is one I still remember). Just haters on his 914. Meanwhile half the guys there had cars that I swear were still under warranty-- they write checks and that gives them the right to knock a guy's effort???

Sorry to vent, but that was my one and only PCA event. Anyway, that's what I like about VW's, there's room around the campfire for everyone. I understand completely. I never joined the PCA or the Registry for the same reasons. I did join 356 car club that was pretty layed back!
356CAR is an independent organization for 356 Porsche enthusiasts throughout Northern California, including the San Francisco Bay area, Central Valley, Sacramento and the Sierra Foothills. Ownership of a 356 Porsche is not required for membership. 356CAR is not affiliated with the 356 Registry, Porsche Club of America or Porsche Cars North America. Just a nice group of guys and some of them owned vintage VW's as well. I use to show up at the meetings driving my "56" VW oval. I turned more heads with this group than when I drove my Pre-A 356 because they had a honest interest in VW's. When I didn't drive it to the meetings they would ask why? I think we all have this love for the sport of owning a great car as such!!!!

Thu Dec 09, 2004 9:00 pm

Yea, um. If I could shove my kids, wife and dog into a 356 then I would have one now, beats a Passat.. Choose your battles I guess. I have always wanted one and will one day have one. nice examples are affordable in comparison to other vintage "exotic" cars and as todays youth matures they will view old cars diferently. Todays ricemobiles are easy instant gratification.

Fri Dec 10, 2004 7:31 am

coad wrote: Sorry to vent, but that was my one and only PCA event. Anyway, that's what I like about VW's, there's room around the campfire for everyone.

I have been a PCA member for about ten years. I joined ONLY to get Panorama, their monthly magazine (which is terrific, by the way). A couple of years ago I went to my region's summer picnic to see if their events were any fun. When I got there, I saw a number of people that I knew, but they were so busy polishing their cars that they couldn't socialize. Then the judging started. We couldn't socialize then, either, because they were carefully watching the judges look over their cars. Then it was time for lunch. Great, we had about a half hour of B.S.ing but then they announced the winners and handed out trophies.
I figured now was the time for eveyone to let their guard down and have some fun. Nope. After the trophies were handed out, they all got into their cars and drove away!!!!

The 356 scene is not like that anymore. Sure, there are still a lot of people interested in hyper-correct cars, and that's great for them. But I have NEVER seen anyone shunned at a 356 event for any reason. I host a number of 356 events within our local group and occasionally someone will bring a VW. People their are always interested in looking at the cars and talking to the owners, it's all friendly.

The 356 events now are more like what you are describing---room around the campfire for everyone. PCA on the other hand... [-X

Fri Dec 10, 2004 11:26 am

Badge snobs I have little patience for. Whether it is air cooled, water cooled, import, domestic I really don't care. Cool cars are cool cars.

I am not a member of PCA even though I own a 912. Not currently in the 912 registry either becuase I have a friend who owns a '66 912 that has been snubbed 3 times from there. A PO put SC wells on it - very nice job I might add - but that is taboo evidently.

Oh well...

Fri Dec 10, 2004 11:55 am

aylanco wrote: I went to my region's summer picnic to see if their events were any fun. When I got there, I saw a number of people that I knew, but they were so busy polishing their cars that they couldn't socialize. Then the judging started. We couldn't socialize then, either, because they were carefully watching the judges look over their cars. Then it was time for lunch. Great, we had about a half hour of B.S.ing but then they announced the winners and handed out trophies.
I figured now was the time for eveyone to let their guard down and have some fun. Nope. After the trophies were handed out, they all got into their cars and drove away!!!!
you couldn't have described my first PCA event more accurately!

currently caring for a '69 912 and looking patiently for a first bus, there is definitely a 356 in my future.

Fri Dec 10, 2004 7:19 pm

Rescue912 wrote: Badge snobs I have little patience for. Whether it is air cooled, water cooled, import, domestic I really don't care. Cool cars are cool cars.

I am not a member of PCA even though I own a 912. Not currently in the 912 registry either becuase I have a friend who owns a '66 912 that has been snubbed 3 times from there. A PO put SC wells on it - very nice job I might add - but that is taboo evidently.

Oh well... You could also say the same for the price snobs! There is a big difference between a VWswap meet and a Porsche swap meet. If you were at a VW event and found that special part you needed, you could always talk the price down to what you were willing to pay. Try that at a Porsche swap and they will show you the door. The first time I tried to chisel they said to me if you want the part you must pay the price without any talking. That's when I felt I was out of my league and this was going to be the most costly project ever.

Fri Dec 10, 2004 7:25 pm

speaking of snobs...
I was actually given the cold shoulder nose in the air attitude by a dude driving a flat black 944 buying parts at Advance auto parts. I was thinking to myself 'Fool, that piles got more VW part #s than my bus'

Fri Dec 10, 2004 7:28 pm

VW356fun wrote: If you were at a VW event and found that special part you needed, you could always talk the price down to what you were willing to pay. Try that at a Porsche swap and they will show you the door. The first time I tried to chisel they said to me if you want the part you must pay the price without any talking. That's when I felt I was out of my league and this was going to be the most costly project ever.

Now that's one thing I did appreciate about the 356 world. I had a run of the mill t-5 B so I wasn't looking for anything really exotic, but I was always impressed by the availability of parts. Between Stoddard, PB Tweeks and private sellers I never really felt like I was being taken advantage of. My car was a very early B so there were a lot of weird transition parts and I was able to just pick up the phone and order almost anything I needed.

If VW would spend as much time and effort supporting millions of old Beetles as Porsche spent supporting a tiny fraction as many 356's think how much better the VW world would be.