A 1961 Porsche 356 B topped a trio of key categories in this year’s Motorclassica event, an annual three-day celebration of Australia’s finest classic, sports and racing cars held from Melbourne’s Royal Exhibition Building, after a painstaking restoration by Porsche specialists.

Along with winning the category for New Age Classics – British plus European (1961-1970), the stunning Aetna Blue 356 B was also awarded Best Porsche as well as Restoration of the Year, marking only the second time that one car has taken away three awards.  

It was a proud moment for the skilled artisans behind the 356 B’s return to glory. Among them is Peter Bowen, Porsche Classic Specialist Technician at Porsche Centre Melbourne, Australia’s Porsche Classic Companion.

The 356 B as a  labour of love

For Bowen, who has 38 years’ experience in motorsport and historic Porsche models, the project was a labour of really like. He has been responsible for the car’s mechanical restoration, which included bringing back its original 1, 600 cc engine and four-speed gearbox to an as-new condition, among many other projects. He explained how, as is often the particular case with car restorations, there were plenty of headwinds: “The first big challenge was that much of the car was disassembled when we received it, ” he says. “… there were boxes of parts, so we had to solve those puzzles first. ”

It turned out to be a critical move because there had been an important fact hidden amongst the jumble of components. “So a lot of the vehicle was original, ” Bowen states, underlining the rarity of this Australian-delivered 356 B T5, which was sold new by Hamilton’s, Porsche’s original Australian importer. “The body, engine, transmission and window frames are all initial. Even the particular window regulators, radio, instruments and steering wheel are. They had been all fitted to the car when it was brand new and they’ve all been meticulously restored, not replaced. “This was important. The owners wanted to save every component possible; the goal wasn’t to replace parts but to restore everything we could. ”

High  level of authenticity

Achieving this level associated with authenticity took time plus care. It also took a vast amount of research. For example, when it became evident replacement right-hand drive headlight lenses were needed, owners Theo and Niki Dimopoulos were adamant that originals be sourced. A thorough exploration resulted in Theo Dimopoulos finding an authentic pair from a lady in Malta. Still brand-new from the particular 1960s, they were wrapped in their original Genuine Porsche components packaging.

Work commenced with Porsche Center Melbourne within late 2019 and while Bowen worked on the car’s exhaustive mechanical repair, the entire body and upholstery were undergoing their own revival. By mid-2021 Bowen’s work was almost complete, getting with it one of the particular project’s most rewarding phases.

“The biggest joy with regard to me has been how well it drove when this was finished, ” he says. “We went the extra mile sourcing date-correct parts plus restoring everything that was able to be refurbished, and that’s important on such a special classic Porsche.

“It’s wonderful in order to have the opportunity to work on vehicles like this particular. Seeing it complete, and how happy the owner is, makes it all rewarding. And to see the particular car being recognised along with awards on Motorclassica is a bonus. ”

About Porsche Traditional

Porsche Classic aims to preserve and maintain both legendary classic plus modern traditional Porsche vehicles. Offering unique parts, recovery and repair services, the highly skilled and specialist group can call upon many years of Porsche-specific encounter. From 2023, Porsche Traditional will also take over support for that 997-generation 911 plus 987-generation Boxster and Cayman models.  

Key to maintaining the particular large number of classic Porsche models is the Original Parts and Accessories department. The production and provision of more than 60, 000 Porsche Classic Original Parts ensures that the sports car manufacturer’s four-wheeled legends will remain on the road for a long time to come. Since 2013, new editions of more than 2, 000 first parts have been released, and the particular range continues to grow steadily. Performance parts furthermore form part of the offering, covering new developments with historical relevance and performance-enhancing parts alongside the range associated with lifestyle products. Technical documents are also available. Factory restorations are another key element of Porsche Classic’s work, along with the particular fulfillment associated with individual customer dreams because part of the recently relaunched  Sonderwunsch programme.