1959 Porsche 356A Barn Find “Ratina” with CoA,VIN 106850
We literally found this Porsche in a barn where it had sat on blocks for several decades after it was taken apart and stripped to bare metal. Many years ago the body was media blasted and primered top to bottom, inside and out. A front clip was also installed sometime in its distant past. The donor nose was welded on to the standard of the day and is functional and solid. They also patched a few rust areas here and there and installed new pans. So it is actually a pretty solid car with surface rust.
Our first thought was to have all of the body parts blasted and and have them put into fresh epoxy primer as we have done with other Porsches with surface rust. The overall appearance of this car grows on you - it just looks cool, so we decided to leave it just as we found it. It is a genuine, rat rod, barn find, Porsche with gobs of patina that we affectionately named "Ratina".
We did re-install the windows, doors, bumpers, deck lid and hood. They were just placed in their places while it was being stored all of those decades. We have all of the latches etc working so the doors and the front hood closes and latches, the window winders etc also work so they may be rolled up and down. The inner panel of the deck lid that attaches to the hinges is missing so the deck lid is held on by the working latch. The 356 can now be safely transported anywhere in the world. Of course it comes with a clear Oregon Title.
Sold new in Hannover, Germany by the famous Peter-Max Mueller dealership with U.S options, we think this Porsche must have been an American tourist delivery car or possibly sold to a US serviceman. Original color is silver with a red interior and it came with the optional chrome wheels. It does retain it’s original transaxle as verified by the COA, but the engine was replaced with a one year newer 1960 model, #602930 which turns over fine and appears to be complete, minus the muffler (but a useable, period Ansa exhaust is included). It also retains what appears to be it’s original Sigla, West Germany windshield that has no chips, scratches, cracks or bulls eyes that we could find.
The buyer of this car could go one of four directions:
1. Leave it exactly as it is and add it to their collection as the quintessential Barn Find Early Porsche.
2. Leave the exterior as is (maybe clean the windows) go through the running gear and brakes. Guaranteed to be a star attraction at Cars and Coffee and Porsche events.
3. Solid basis for a personalized custom or outlaw
4. Restore its former glory with its factory silver paint and red interior (best color combination on a 356A in my opinion).
There are plenty of restored 356A’s out there so I’m hoping it’s choice 1 or 2.
All of the parts in the last picture are included too.
Car has been sold.
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