Yes. This is the one you’ve been waiting for. The one that comes along just once in a blue moon. The one that presses all of the hot buttons and checks all of the boxes. Low mileage? Check. Two owners? Check. Title paperwork in hand? Check. Old man origin video? Check. It’s got it all! And, you can find it here on eBay at no reserve with the bidding sitting at $40,200 at the time of writing. Be ready for the snipers to pile in during the final few minutes, though. This one is too good to pass up.

Here’s the thing: It’s not just the origin story that’s good. It’s the patina. It’s the completeness. It’s the provenance. It’s the last year of one of the most iconic German sports cars. Take a look at this engine — simple, smart, sexy. If one wants to be a fussy, sure the new fuel filter looks out of place. Or even the bright red ignition wires. But everything that should be there, looks to be in order after 57 years. In the seller’s words: “Engine starts right up with no issues; Doesn’t smoke or knock; Transmission shifts into all gears perfectly fine.” TIG — This is Good!

On the inside, we see the same. What appears to be an all-original interior looks surprisingly functional after almost six decades. The headliner is respectable. The seats are respectable. Even the dash, while there is some de-lamination in the corners, looks (all-in-all) pretty darn good. And that Blaupunkt radio — thank heavens for old dudes who understand that driving and Bluetooth head units are like Superman and Kryptonite: they never go together. Anytime I see a car with anything but the original in its rightful place, I generally walk away. For me, this 356 is just as it should be, though if I had a complaint, it would be the Michelin universal fit rubber mat. What’s underneath it is probably old, frayed, and not photogenic. I get it. I’d still rather see the frayed bits, but I understand the motivation.

Moving on to something that isn’t so great — the floorpan is clearly the chink in the armor with this 356C. There’s essentially one photo of the floorpan and let’s just say it looks less-than stellar. Of course, that would stand to reason given that this car has lived life so close to the ocean, in damp, foggy, rainy Everett, Washington. Nevertheless, the patches are probably what has kept this floor in place and the car on the road. If I was plunking money down on this, I would probably ask for more underside pics. I’d also be calculating whether I could live with what might require more floor patches in the future.

Let’s close out with a last picture of Fahrgestell Nr. 222165, equipped with what appears to be its correct 74hp 1.6L engine, stamped 717622. The timeless 356 brought to a close an unmistakable era for Porsche, putting it on the map but perhaps more importantly, embedding it in the hearts of performance enthusiasts the world over.