The 356 B T5 Roadster was the direct replacement of the Porsche 356 A Convertible D, which itself replaced the iconic Porsche 356 A Speedster, and was the second convertible variant of the Porsche 356 B T5. Porsche offered the 356B Cabriolet as a high-end touring car with a thick-padded convertible top and expensive options such a leather seats and a Blaupunkt radio. The main differences with the Cabriolet variant were the removable windshield frame, the Speedster-like dashboard, the lighter and less bulky soft-top frame, and the lack of back seat cushions. Produced between 1959 and 1961 and with a production run of approximately 2,600 examples, the T5 Roadster was produced by Drauz, another coachbuilder contracted by Porsche, apart from Reutter (Coupes and Cabriolets) and Karmann (Notchback Coupes). In late 1961, the T5 Roadster was replaced by the very rare Porsche 356 B T6 “Twin Grille” Roadster, which was discontinued shortly after.
The car was sold via Porsche Car Import, Northbrook/Illinois to its first owner from Chicago on the 6th March 1961. Not much is known about the cars early life but we understand it changed ownership and was relocated to Costa Mesa, CA, the car eventually retiring from road use in 1978.
The Roadster was transferred to another owner in the late 1990s and was subsequently sold in late 2022 to the current owner, a very close friend of Export 56 and a noted 356 restorer based in California.
His impressive list of concours restorations includes several 356 4 Cams including a recently completed, original aluminium bodied Carrera Speedster GT and is currently close to completing an incredibly rare 4-digit, matching numbers, split window coupe.
The car had very limited use from new and at its core was a fully panel matching, engine and transaxle matching car. The car still retained all its matching numbers engine, transmission, doors, engine lid body panels and wheels.
The car has undergone a meticulous restoration and is beautifully presented and ready to enjoy.
RESTORATION
The current owner, an expert in Porsche restorations, reports that the body was disassembled to the bare tub, stripped to bare steel, and new floors and battery box were installed. The prep and final finish was performed by Dink Farmer using the correct 6003 Aetna Blue Porsche color per Kardex and CoA. All chrome was redone including the windshield surround, windshield rubber and weatherstripping. While the body work and paint were being done, the front torsion arms were completely disassembled, bearings removed, honed and all new components installed. The rear torsion bars were also disassembled cleaned and greased. New Koni shocks were installed front and rear, new brakes including new wheel cylinders, new master cylinder, new hard and soft brake lines, new shoes, and new Pirelli tires were purchased and prepped for reinstallation.
The front suspension was fully disassembled, crack checked, tested for straightness using a factory jig, new seals installed, and new spindles lathed with dial calipers also to ensure straightness. All new suspension rubber was installed and a replacement gearbox (number 43782) was rebuilt with new bearings, new synchros and seals by Jacques Lafriant, a new clutch, pressure plate, and surfaced flywheel were reinstalled along with a Willhoit 17mm sway bar.
The matching number engine was rebuilt by Ron Chuck with rods balanced to .5 grams, the crankshaft redone by CCR Armando Ayala, heads flowed, correct NOS rod and main bearings fitted, all new valves and guides, new JE pistons, resurfaced rocker arms, and the original barrels honed by “AA”. A hotter than stock turned lifter cam by Dima Elgin was installed, while a pair of Zenith carburetors were rebuilt by Carb Rescue (set and equaled) and an RB18 distributor by Abe Tiederman with the correct cap was installed. The completed engine was dyno tested resulting in 75hp and has been run about 60 miles since the rebuild was completed.
In addition to the mechanical restoration, the entire electrical system was redone including a new wiring harness (with a pigtail behind the front wheel for a battery tender), a hard-wired electric fuel pump hidden under the dash, rebuilt horns, and a new battery. Of note, this 356 is fitted with a spring-loaded knob of the dashboard that primes the carburetors for easier cold starts. This is thoughtfully wired so that it can only be activated with the ignition in the on position, preventing unwanted activation. For the finishing touches, the interior was reupholstered by K&H, Garden Grove, CA using correct materials, German square weave carpet, correct black canvas convertible top, and all gauges mechanically rebuilt and cosmetically restored by experts at Palo Alto Speedometer.
CONTACT
This car represents a very rare opportunity to acquire a perfectly restored, fully matching numbers Porsche 356 Roadster which is ready to be enjoyed immediately.
The car is a pleasure to drive and the perfect car to present at concours events, enjoy on sunny weekends or drive on European tours.
We are able to assist with European road rallies, international shipping, transport and storage.
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