DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

hot66 wrote:I like that a lot

so do I, but it reminds me of the fact that I probably shouldnt have sold my 911 for a 356 ( financially anyway ) - an on the button fully restored A for under 100 grand seems like a very good deal to me, and if that price is right, or there abouts with a little haggling.. my romantic expectations of value of mine clearly need to be revisited..

ah well. I didnt buy it to make a profit, but it does seem like pretty much all cars have gone through the roof recently, except the 356.

Disco wrote:

hot66 wrote:I like that a lot

so do I, but it reminds me of the fact that I probably shouldnt have sold my 911 for a 356 ( financially anyway ) - an on the button fully restored A for under 100 grand seems like a very good deal to me, and if that price is right, or there abouts with a little haggling.. my romantic expectations of value of mine clearly need to be revisited..

ah well. I didnt buy it to make a profit, but it does seem like pretty much all cars have gone through the roof recently, except the 356.

I had similar thoughts re value of my A....I guess the 356 doesnt have the universal appeal of the 911 and so doesn't have the younger monied buyers after them - pre-60s cars perhaps not doing as well generally - same with Alfas - the giuliettas seem to have plateaued, while the 105 coupes have risen strongly.

I know what you mean, but surely it's that the 911 is over valued? 911s aren't rare, they all look the same and the general public lump them all into the same cliché.....
I get a universally positive reaction when I'm out in the 356, from people of all ages, including 'young'......Soloution: the more we use them the more people will see and fall for them.....then the prices might go up....then people we don't like will buy them as 'investments' .....and those people will make the public hate us too......etc.....

I found these 2 pics of the car in my photo archive from 2008 when it was under restoration at Roger Bray’s. When the original owner ran into money difficulties I was offered the car for a knockdown price that makes me weep to think about it now.



I thought it was being very attractively restored with a good interior, and I see, at the time, it had a Nardi wheel or some such design.



As it is now though, it’s at some stage been put back in US spec with the towel rail bumpers and original style steering wheel, and in the contemporary ad it’s presented in a pretty subdued manner in low level light, presumably the sellers signature style.

Nevertheless it does appear to be undervalued, although I can’t claim to be an expert on the current market. It’s not apparent from the ad as to whether it has its original engine though, although it appears to have been accompanying the car at some stage of the restoration.

In today’s market, early 911’s do appear to eclipse the 356, as I know from my recent experience of owning one. Since I bought the 911 the 356 has been left in the garage too often. But the other day I took it out for a long drive, and its delicacy, fingertip
lightness and fabulous comfy ride on our shocking roads was a renewed delight. And like Winston says, in my experience it receives more attention and curiosity than the 911. No worries if the 356 lies behind the 911 money wise though, it still delights, and that’s the thing.

This looks like a good price for a well sorted restored car.

Although as said - quite a few of us would prefer something less perfect and useable that we can drive and park with less worry.

It will be interesting to see where this ends up.


Totally agree - lets get our cars out on the roads where they are meant to be ! Maybe soon I will actually attend a 'flat 4' drive out !

All the best

Jeremy

1956 356A - bit rough round the edges but very driveable !

I am not sure its possible to drive a 356 without worrying about it

They are such beautiful cars - no straight lines- the thought of it getting damaged does have an impact on how much I use it. Stupid maybe, but it does feel more delicate/precious (my precious!) than the 911 or the Alfa.

Untitled by CARMANWAITINGINTHESKY, on Flickr

Lovely photo and such a pretty car.

And to be fair, that car at a smidge under £100k is much better than a mates Mk1 automatic Mini with the engine and logbook off a 998 cooper at £22500.!!!

And at the other end of the scale..

https://www.classicdriver.com/en/car/po ... 963/840036

jeremyg wrote:
It’s not apparent from the ad as to whether it has its original engine though, although it appears to have been accompanying the car at some stage of the restoration.

According to seller the original engine was swapped out during restoration and the whereabouts of it is now unknown. It is not included...

964RS wrote:

jeremyg wrote:
It’s not apparent from the ad as to whether it has its original engine though, although it appears to have been accompanying the car at some stage of the restoration.

According to seller the original engine was swapped out during restoration and the whereabouts of it is now unknown. It is not included...

Oh interesting.

And a strange thing to let happen..

I don't think you are stupid at all Jonno, I get the same feelings driving my 'A' around. Spend much of the time wondering if someone is going to do something that might damage the car. I try to think like I have in the past, the car cost me £440- back in 1969 and currently I have now spent just over 5 grand on it in over the past 52 years. So I really couldn't lose that much. I have agreed insurance now that is part of the problem I think. As the prices have escalated so has my insurance it sort of makes me think in not such an easy way as I did years ago about driving it or leaving it in a big car park.
I love the shape, like the colour and its unusual to see another one on the road. So I keep polishing it !!
Roy

jeremyg wrote:And at the other end of the scale..

https://www.classicdriver.com/en/car/po ... 963/840036

It’s at tom Hartley juniors “astonishingly reasonable bargain emporium” though.....