The 356 B ‘twin grille’ roadster ranks among the most coveted models sought by Porsche cognoscenti. These extremely rare T-6 roadsters, of which only 248 were built, mark the high point of 356 speedster and roadster development. These Porsche roadsters were the direct descendants of the iconic 356 speedster.

The speedster was succeeded by the more civilized Convertible D built by Drauz in 1959. The Convertible D was replaced in 1960 by the roadster. The roadster’s freshened body design, designated T-5, featured new front-end sheet metal, different doors, improved bumpers, and a flatter hood. With the phase-out of the Convertible D, Drauz concentrated on building the new roadster. The T-5 roadsters built by Drauz have a single ventilation grille on their engine lids, while the T-6 cars are easily identified by a flatter hood and relocation of the gas filler to the top of the right front fender. To clear its assembly lines for the soon-to-be-launched 356 C, Porsche sent its remaining T-6 roadsters to D’Ieteren, its Belgian distributor, for completion. These roadsters can be immediately spotted by their unique twin grilles in the engine lid.

This ‘twin grille’ roadster was purchased by noted 356 restorer Jim Kellogg in early 1983. It is said that Kellogg restored the Porsche specially for his wife. At the time, the car was complete, including its original engine and transmission, but in need of restoration. The roadster was completely disassembled and restored by Kellogg and then painted its original Ruby Red color by Tom Conway of Carquip in Boulder, Colorado. The new interior was acquired from Autos International in California and installed by an experienced upholstery shop. The original 1600 engine was rebuilt by Ron Appleton in Boulder, Colorado. The restoration of this car, along with other 356s, led Jim Kellogg to open his world-renowned 356-only restoration shop 356Restore in Parker, Colorado. Furthermore, his book, Porsche 356 Guide to Do-It-Yourself Restoration, is used by both professional and amateur 356 restorers alike.

The restored D’Ieteren roadster made its first appearance at the 356 Registry West Coast Holiday in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, in 1991. Since then it has been driven to various 356 Registry Holidays across the West Coast and Southwest. It has also participated in many Rocky Mountain Porsche 356 Club events over the years, where it has won numerous concours awards.