Known internally as the T6 and designed by Erwin Komenda, the Porsche 356C came out for the 1964 model year. External changes were minimal in typical Porsche fashion, but with the 356C a Porsche finally had disc brakes front and rear.

The range of available engines for the Porsche 356C was reduced to three, as the 60hp engine from the 356B was discontinued. The 75hp engine from the old 1600 Super therefore became the base engine, while the final and most powerful version of Porsche’s complex Carrera four-cam engine made a full 130hp in the 2000GS.

The Porsche 356C was the final Porsche model to debut before the completely new 911. It therefore mainly featured mechanical rather than aesthetic improvements. The 1964 and 1965 cars culminated with the pushrod-operated SC engine and the complex quad-cam Carrera 2 unit. This model also served as development for Porsche into the widespread use of all-round disc brakes and much work was undertaken to improve the tail heavy bias of earlier cars with the addition of larger anti-roll bars and a steering damper.

As with any Porsche 356 purchase, body and chassis condition are major considerations. The Karmann-bodied 356C is prone to structural corrosion and restoration costs are expensive. Fortunately, parts availability is fairly good and there is a large community built around these cars.

The 356C represents the final and most developed version of the model that made Porsche’s reputation on roads and race tracks throughout the 1950s. It was a far cry from the handful of basic sports cars made in a small village in postwar Austria. Porsche had grown exponentially and gained an enviable reputation all over the world for building high quality, fun and quick sports cars. It was almost all thanks to the 356, and the 356C was a worthy send-off.