Auctions and Brokerage
Coachwork by Reutter
Estimate
Chassis
Engine
Completed on April 10, 1961, this charismatic 356 B was finished in Royal Blue and equipped with the desirable Super engine. According to the original service book stamped with its chassis number, the Porsche’s first owner was Burton M. Propp of Oakland, California. In 1965, Mr. Propp sold the car to Layard Kirby, a professor at Stanford University, who retained it until his passing. The car remained in his family for several more years until 2015, when the consignor purchased it from them.
Mr. Kirby was an extremely meticulous owner, as evidenced by a 30-plus page maintenance log that tracked mileage, the price of the gasoline, valve adjustments, and other minor repairs, and also notes a 450-mile vacation to Lake Pillsbury in Northern California in September 1965. The log was updated nearly every month he used the car – over 45,000 miles. The consignor believes Mr. Kirby used the car until about 1981; it was then put into storage and remained there until 2015. Little has been done since to disturb the car’s condition, and the consignor states that the engine turns freely by hand, though no effort has been made to run the car.
The Porsche is supplied with a partial tool kit, along with a Certificate of Authenticity, original maintenance log, driver’s manual, and warranty manual. Its long-term ownership of 50 years, unrestored condition, and Super engine make this 356 an excellent candidate to preserve or restore.