Built in a long run of basic, A and B models from 1948, Porsche’s perennial 356 made its final transformation with the Type 6 body in 1963. Designated 356 C, it had a new ZF steering gear and a compensating spring at the rear to calm the swing axle suspension. Four-wheel disc brakes were also part of the revision, and a 12-volt electrical system became available. Two 1,600-cc engines were offered, the “C” version with 75 hp DIN (88 SAE), and the “SC” with higher compression and counterweighted crankshaft making 95 hp DIN (107 SAE).

Porsche popularity soared, and more than 10,000 cars for 1964 bested the company’s total over its first decade. However, the new 911 model was introduced that July, presaging the phase-out of the 356.

This Porsche 356 C cabriolet was delivered in June 1965 to Mary Ann Acosta of Brentwood, California, by Competition Motors of Culver City. Competition Motors, the brainchild of entrepreneur and race car enthusiast John von Neumann, was a powerhouse Volkswagen and Porsche dealership, selling some 20,000 cars annually from a modernistic headquarters in the bedrock of the entertainment industry. Its intermediate history is unknown, but it has been in Michael Dingman’s collection for nearly 30 years. The beneficiary of a renovation or restoration some decades ago, it has been repainted in a color similar to the original Ruby Red hue. At some point, the original engine was replaced with a correct type 616/15 1600 C engine, though of a slightly earlier vintage. Among modifications apparently made by Alan Johnson Racing are the installation of Weber 40IDF carburetors, a popular performance upgrade, fitted with Borg-Warner “Warneford” dry air cleaners. The transmission is original, as recorded on the factory Kardex.

The car has been enjoyed, for the driver’s seat shows some wear, and there is an area of bubbling on the forward edge of the front hood that could be attended to. The dashboard-mounted Blaupunkt AM/FM radio is complemented by a modern Pioneer stereo under the dash, with speakers in the kick panels and rear shelf. The steering wheel is an aftermarket item. Mileage, just short of the 60,000 shown, is probably genuine, and spirited, too. The Vredestein Sprint Classic 165HR15 radials are nearly new.

Over time, the long-running 911 model supplanted the 356 in the minds of enthusiasts. For drivers of a certain age, though, there’s still nothing like a 356, and this late version is bound to evoke fond memories and present-day adrenaline.