Incredible Porsche 356B Garage Find : Reunited Original Owner After 62 Years!

In this video Chris shares the incredible story of a 1961 Porsche 356B Cabriolet found in a garage just minutes from the workshop. Follow the journey of how Chris and Fin barely get the car, revive it and then reunite the original owner with her baby.
0:00 Intro
2:00 Inspecting the Car
4:00 The Pursuit (of happiness)
7:30 Bringing The Car Home
10:00 Reviving The 356
11:30 It's Alive
13:40 First Wash in 17 Years
17:22 Reuniting Karen With Her Porsche
#Porsche #BarnFind #Porsche356

Answers to questions several have asked: 1. Yes we are rebuilding the original numbers matching engine and will reunite it with the car this summer! 2. The car had 74,904 miles when we purchased. 3. The car is not for sale, it will stay in our family.

[@entropy2002]

Number 1 answered the question I was about to ask.

[@lionheartmerrill1069]

Phenomenal video. I'm a big time Porsche fan. Had a 1966 912 & a 1966 911 back in the 70's. Sure wish I could've kept them. I keep thinking I'll hit a lottery & get another 1. 😂😂😁

[@JohnS.McCallum]

😮😅

[@JohnS.McCallum]

😂

[@jschoenack]

I have little words, only feeling and emotion. Chris I’m so glad that you and Finn get to do this together. Thank you for sharing the process and story!

[@NicoleJohnsonsDetour]

Love how much time you took with her on the drive in the car! She looked so happy to be riding in it again!

Thanks Nicole! There were many more stories and highlights, this is just a glimpse of what all Karen shared! Truly amazing!

[@johnboydTx]

Hope it's possible 🤞to see an episode of you in this car ☺️.. Since you run Porsche 🤔 you'll love it 🥰❤️. Happy Motoring ✌️🤠

[@charlesdonly776]

Chris and Finn (and family) are awesome, genuine and positive people. So cool that the car gets to stay in the area and the stories get documented. I first came home from the hospital in a 912 Targa in 1969… and still have a Porsche today. It is a family.. well said.

[@brentandspencerfpv8097]

This is amazing being a Porsche builder out of Wisconsin… I wonder everyday “what’s in that garage”. This is proof that they’re still out there.. especially with the background of the car and the people … amazing

[@MT-kx2uc]

Classy lady and a beautiful car. You're living a dream being able to do this kindness for the original owner.

[@nygelmiller5293]

I've never seen the HARDTOP for these. It looks EVEN BETTER!

[@jimzucker]

Wow this was an once in a lifetime opportunity !!! Congrats Chris ❤

[@backnunAndy]

"she is in happy place..." that's so sweet!

[@ImAcoastpedder]

What incredible memories you brought back to that nice lady. Cheers to you. Congratulations on a timeless classic too. 👍🏻👍🏻

What an amazing story! And you can be happy, that the owner still is alive and can tell all those stories. I‘m currently refurbishing a Bentley from 1953, which sat in a Garage in Switzerland for 35 years. In GB, it had only 3 owners up to 1988, before it came to Switzerland. But here, it was never on the streets. But all those British owners deceased. Just found in the internet, that the 2nd owner got a fine of 5 Ponds for driving too harsh with his Bentley. Third owner describes in a letter, that the daughter of second owner was a close friend of Princess Margaret before She married and that the car had visited many times Buckingham Palace. 😊 But you have it on video now, how the owner describes her baby! Phantastic!

[@nygelmiller5293]

To Brunovon etc. What a fantastic story, about the Bentley, that " visited" Buckingham palace!

[@markgreene7930]

What a heartwarming story Chris. Thank you for sharing this and for reuniting Karen with her car. And for sharing the experience with all of us who love Porsches.

Thank you Mark! I still pinch myself every time I get to drive Karen’s car!

[@royunderwood7514]

What an amazing car and story. You and your team really did an incredible job telling the story.

[@GrotrianSeiler]

If you have a chance to take her to a car show or cars and coffee this spring that would be priceless. She would be a huge celebrity. Great story.

Completely agree. We’re planning to bring the car back near her home to attend some shows this summer!

[@wernerengel4919]

So glad this car is in your good hands. Hopefully your son like mine will eventually get to care for it.

[@colinhead284]

Bringing back memories for her that may never have resurfaced if not for your work and care , and thoughtfulness

[@reginaldwilkins5112]

Enjoying the video and comments way over in Pasadena, CA. My father was a master mechanic and he helped my brother with his 914 1.8 I think. I was very young but remember it sitting in the driveway near Fort Ord, CA. It was yellow. Maybe I'll buy one one day in his memory.

[@shanew.williams]

This vid brings back childhood memories. In 1967 i was 4 years old & my dad bought a Slate Grey w/Red leather interior 1961 Porsche 356B. My dad was a high ranking official at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville Alabama & he got the Porsche from a member of Werner Von Braun's German rocket team. When you showed the interior it brought back vivid memories of the smell (i loved) of the leather interior smell mixed faintly with gasoline. And i remember the under dash petcock for the "reserve" fuel tank. So many memories. Nothing like our trusty VW. The Porsche was a blast to ride in at speed ! Sadly, one night Dad backed over an exposed natural gas meter at a restaurant parking lot, cracking the magnesium crankcase. Rather than do an expensive engine replacement, Dad (grudgingly) sold the Porsche.

[@eddylauterback1312]

Good story. When they said a buyer in Beverly Hills, I thought oh no! Jay Leno!!

It wasn’t Jay, I would have been ok with that!

[@pvdbxz3247]

Great! Stories like this are almost always lost along the way, and easily would have if the car went elsewhere. So nice to be able to reunite it with its original owner. Kudos!

[@mehrajmohan173]

Beautiful aunt may God bless you

[@jimvanorsdol9338]

I love the story, Chris. In 1966 and 1967, I too, was stationed in Bremerhaven and while there became a fan of Porsche but had to wait a few years after returning home to purchase my first. It's nice to learn that there are still great finds like this one.

[@peterslater7791]

chris, what an amazing story. the history, and actually being able to share that with karen is just as incredible as the car itself. absolutely priceless. thanks for sharing, and as a father of a car-crazy 16-year old who i enjoy my car adventures with, i can totally appreciate how mega all of this has been to do with your son.

[@siocnarf4337]

très belle histoire que celle de Karen et de sa 356. elle est en de bonnes mains à n'en pas douter

[@woodrows]

Sweet and touching, both the story and the wonderful lady 👏👏👏

[@blucheer8743]

Awesome father+son moments that brought back a tsunami of memories of similar moments with my dad… thank you so much! Cherish the moments ahead the memories will be with you a lifetime!

[@Amtcboy]

One of the best restorations, with the back story. Just wow!

[@josephhunt2478]

ok I just cried - great story and a great car - great video thank you. I own two 914's 2.0 cars I love them

That’s awesome man! I actually had to sell my 1973 and 1975 2.0 914’s to purchase the 356! I really loved that 73, but it was worth the trade off!

[@wolfparty4234]

Wow, what a great story!! Lori looks amazing for her age! My father is 83, lives in Florida and still gets around better than I do at 52. Just last month I called him and asked how are things going and he said he had to drop the fuel tank out of his Monte Carlo bc someone poked a hole in it while trying to steal it. I said dad!! Don’t do it by yourself! He giggles and says it’s fine, I’m almost done! 83😂🤦🏻‍♂️

[@chadbailey7038]

The stories the previous owner had to tell, and the things she’s seen with this car… amazing! 👏🏾

[@leonardoluc6362]

Lovely story about the 356 Porsche and the wonderful Lady

[@Photoboy1948]

Wow. Just wow. Brings back so many memories of when I owned a ‘63 I bought when I was stationed in Athens, Greece.

[@Jetfuture737]

They don’t make cars or ladies like this anymore. What an emotional story.

[@scottfiresign953]

Chris awesome story. I'm a big car guy and it's great to see that this car has gone to a great home or as you stated a custodian. The history and story of this car is really inspiring and I'm glad you were able to meet the original owner. The car has seen more of the world than most people ever will. It is really in amazing condition and just shows how it was loved and taken care of over 62 years. The car and I share the same birth year. Thanks for sharing this, specially the history that she shared with you. I still can't believe someone owned a car like that and never drove it. Thanks again. Cheers!

[@MarcsGarage]

What was the reason 4 changing the original engine for a more powerful one? It has not been clear to me. The video rocks 🎸Chris.

There were a few engine options when they ordered the car. They went with the smaller displacement 1600 Normal which was in the car when we got it. Unfortunately that motor was stuck so we pulled it out and will rebuild it this spring/summer. I installed the 1883 Twin Plug motor I had here at the shop just so we could get the car on the road and meet Karen!

[@MarcsGarage]

@ but the final idea Chris is to install the original engine back to the car this spring ?

@@MarcsGarage yes it will go back into the car after rebuild👍🏻

[@merrittdegraw4313]

I was the proud owner of a 1957 356b way back when ! Oh those sounds are like music to my ears!

[@wasbruno]

My grandfather sold me his '62 356B for $400 in 1972. I was sixteen. A tree fell on the roof in '77 while I was a student at Clemson. Got it repaired and sold it. What a wonderful car. Would love to know if it's still on the road.

[@RonCovell]

What a touching story!

Thanks Ron! Hope all is well and Happy New Year!

[@user-iw2nh7gl1g]

Great story, thanks for sharing this. My parents also bought a Porsche from factory in Stuttgart but in 1966. First year for the 911 long nose. It was Bahama yellow and my dad ordered Weber carbs as an extra. The car cost $6600 which was the same price as a Mercedes 300 gullwing at the time. They drove the car through, Germany, Italy, France and England where my dad was from. The car was shipped to US and my dad drove it regularly. He sold it in about 1972 for down payment on our first house. Many years later in the mid 80s my dad and I saw the car parked outside an NBA game in Portland where we lived. Had the same license plate and wasn't in as good of shape as my dad would've kept but there it was. All told my dad had 3 different 911s when I was growing up. Cheers!

[@stevekolbow8622]

Wow! Great job documenting and preserving the car, keeping its physical history.

[@johndeere1951a]

A 356 barn find - there is no story more exciting ‼️. Congratulations on your new baby. 356 - Excellence Is Expected. The perfect life for this unmolested, well preserved car. And the added bonus of its original co-driver here to reunite with it. It charged her battery beyond our belief. Blessings 💚

[@gmaltby708]

Perseverence pays off big time! Great job Chris.

[@marcusoutdoors4999]

The still photographs in this episode are superb. Obviously the car’s fantastic. As a Porsche and Leica nut, I’d be grateful if you could let me know what camera and lens combination were using? Cheers from England, Marcus

[@davidwoo8920]

Wonderful stories, so glad to see one of the old ones still driving about and with the original owner as well. I used to own a 1964 SC and the shifting and steering reminds me of how the sc used to drive. Such a pleasure to experience again, thanks for sharing.

[@geneinman4488]

Very Exciting ! A Stock Baby , So much better than new or a complete restore.

[@mikeroberts6631]

If only we had more men like yourself in this world. To go back and give the previous owner a ride after all those years, you could tell she loved that car. It was a big part of her life.

[@craigmonteforte1478]

Her Answer to why she Ordered a Porsche was Classic , what a nice Woman

[@aaronredbaron]

This is amazing! I know where there is a one owner 1986 911 hiding in a garage, hasn't seen the light of day since 1991. Maybe someday the little old lady I know will be ready to sell it!

[@ODIS-bp1ks]

These are special cars. Cars with great stories are absolutely the best to own and perpetuating the history of the car is a must. We are very lucky to have several 356 cars all of which have wonderful stories. We are thrilled to be the custodians of these remarkable cars. Love all of the content you share here. Thank you and Happy New Year!

[@jekutube9]

at the 17:58 mark, I think Karen meant just a ride around the parking lot, lol... yet we got a great road trip down memory lane! Nice episode Chris and Finn.

You are correct. After we drove around the lot a few times I asked her if it was ok to go down the road and she said “Sure, I just don’t want to hurt my baby”! Truly a delightful woman! Thanks for watching👍🏻👍🏻

[@jonbeatty7562]

Enjoyed the story and the path this car has taken. I'm jealous but glad it has a good home.

[@rodperry5515]

Thank you Chris and Finn. And thank you Karen. A very special story

[@glenoh88]

Got to respect the little scratches, dings and dents in old things. There are usually memories attached to them. We treat cars nowadays like disposable tools…I’m not doing that anymore.

[@mattiasfagerlund]

A piece of history - well beyond cars. No shade om cars intended.

[@lee-johnson]

Great story and car! You should get copies of photos of them in Europe and USA with the car.

Karen is planning to go through all her slides and get them to us!

[@throughmyeyes9940]

she found a home in the right garage

[@douglaskaye1395]

One of a kind. Hopefully you’ll be able to reinstall the original engine. Great story. Makes me feel happy you were able to have Karen back in her car.

[@johanvandijk2941]

I am a Saab guy but the 356 for me is an amazing car and your video gave me goosebumps. Thanks you for sharing this amazingly beautiful story.

The funny thing is… A car that I actually was aware of and know it is still there… is just a few hundred yards from where we got this. It is a one owner 1962 Saab 96! Absolutely beautiful car! Thanks for watching Johan!

[@rickypattersonymail]

Great story. This video, these moments will live for some time.

[@nygelmiller5293]

To this day - best fitting hardtop I've ever seen!

[@davidbee8178]

a GREAT story about PEOPLE as well as a tale about a beautiful historic car full of memories :-) Congratulations to all !

[@michaelschneider-]

+1.. Priceless.! You Gent's did Ms. Karen proud, very proud.. Porsche 356 B Cabriolets and Gentlemen such as yourselves are rare.. BIG Boy Gentlemen.! Have a prosperous and healthy 2024.. Cheers, Vail, Colorado.. Re: Me: 1998 Carrera S (993) PCA member since 1980

[@julianmcwey866]

My favorite car of all time

[@robertsuper7451]

Not a very big fan of a 356 but this gray color with red interior really changes my opinion of how these cars look. Awesome story guys. 😎😎😎

[@graemelangford1974]

what an amazing story and thank you for sharing. I am very glad that you ended up with this wonderful little car and that you will be a great custodian of this 356. I own a 58A Coupe that I will never sell. As many 356 owners say. 356's have a habit of getting under your skin. Enjoy 🙂

[@melaniezimmermann-jv7th]

What a good seller...

[@andreww8941]

What an amazing story! What an amazing suprise for her and for you guys to get to set all of this up and make it a reality. Bravo gentlemen and hell of an overall episode /channel!!! Most importantly what a beautiful thing to do for her.

[@projecthondarod]

Fun. What a wonderful thing to be a part of.

[@daweigo6851]

What a beautiful lady and a beautiful car, great story.

[@simonburns1799]

This story has really touched me. Karen's decision to choose a Porsche would have not been a usual choice at that time. Karen seems to be thoughtful and intelligent- well reflected by the car. Of all people to deserve looking after the car in its next phase, Chris is perfectly suited. This is a cracking car story.

[@watsonwatson8051]

I wanted the Porsche because the Sunbeam looked like a grasshopper 😅 Stunning ‘barn find’ and cool story you are now continuing…

[@philkanne3159]

19:20 Look at Her. Reminiszing about her and husband having fun driving theu austria Netherlands France. I can literally see it in her eyes. German here. I can literally see the landscape. I m a doctor and naturally see lots of elderly ppl. Sometimes u get to see their younger photos in some cases and I tell u certain traits are distinctive if you know what I mean. So this is a nice shot and a time traveling moment. Love it

[@nygelmiller5293]

To Philkanne. Do you think this lady loves Europe and the Porsche, because she might herself be of German descent, then?

[@michaelthomas366]

I remember my Dad's first Porsche-- it was a brand new 1966 912 that he sold his Corvette String Ray to get. I was 9 at the time and thought it was totally cool.

[@optechperformance1733]

Brilliant story Chris, brilliant video and what a wonderful find. Fantastic.

[@bogusienombre355]

This women clearly loves cars in general and specifically this one. I bet if she had got her license she would still have it. This women is far more sophisticated and smart than this interview portrayed. If someone would show some interest in her and the well traveled life she had, especially from the 1960's when very few traveled that extensively, her story would be fascinating. Nice of this channel to dig for car history, but you found two diamonds. Right now only one diamond is reguarded as valuable, in general society. Glad she will have the opportunity to share her stories at car events in the future. Hope someone will document her story more.

[@maddie83434]

What a great one! Thanks! 👍

[@williamtromblay6795]

Great story, the car found the right home!

[@lesrayner4644]

What a lovely story, thank you for sharing it 😊

[@aintmanyofusleft]

Nice,...this is a very special thing. Life is short. this car and its lady have bern on an adventure it seems and the years it "sat" seem like a long time but having been born when Kennedy died (the day) I can tell you, it's a flash. enjoy this car, its story, this lady and your good fortune. God Blesses good people, don't ever discount or take his choices for granted, it's not coincidence that this happened to you. Make your son understand that too. Good Luck young "men".

[@michaelj7069]

Holy wow. What a great story and a beautiful Porsche.🥰

[@odl21]

For me the most amazing part was the nice wide road you drove down with no passing line down the middle! Man - hard to enjoy a car in the US!

[@futurescapeart]

Dang Chris , this is quite a sweet episode of your show. I’ve been following the car craft .. the overall work you do at your shop speaks to me , I love the style and skills being shared .. but this one goes above and beyond , wowza.

[@angusdenny4422]

What a fantastic story all around. Thank you for sharing this heartfelt tale and enjoy the next chapter! Cheers

[@ChristieKnutsonBoeder]

Great story, great coverage and so fun to watch! thank you

[@Mr10usdad]

Thank you for posting this wonderful video.

[@jaybokay6444]

What a lovely car and a even more lovely lady. Beautiful story. Thank you for sharing!

[@carkingspot3973]

Beautiful car and story. 356 is my favorite Porsche.

[@lukewalker1051]

Incredible story. Fate. A lovely lady. Congrats, it found its rightful owner.

[@davidtwittey4613]

Beautiful history & tales very sympathetically handled. Rare, emotional and special. Thank you

[@bryanjohnson5597]

This story tugged at my heart. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@Davyfb75]

What a charming film I suppose as a 93 year old I am bound to say that. Right about the best period but I would a say 1950 to 1970.

[@jeffstewart7434]

Heartwarming. Thank you for bringing her such joy

[@johna1160]

Lovely lady, terrific story. Can only imagine all the memories flooding back to Karen. As cool as that souped up engine is, hoping the original engine will be reunited with car once rebuilt.

My son will rebuild the original engine later this Spring and it will definitely return to its home!

[@Jonoponomono]

Great car, great owner/mommy, great story.

[@reneborromeo9472]

Such a heartwarming story. Thank you.

[@neverppreciated]

wow beautiful car for sure but the story that comes with it is priceless! thank you for really taking care of it. amazing story❤

[@RobS32]

Spot on vid mate 👍. What a great story - can’t beat a 356 thanks 👌

[@Pokertyme2009]

What a great story, thanks for sharing. There's something special about the Porsche. I've had a few and currently own a '03 911. Love it.

[@robertmcguire2197]

This is a wonderful story! Thank You

[@applecab123]

I’m so glad you’re the current owner, you really deserve such an item. Proud of your accomplishments. Best, Gregory

[@sabejreid2072]

Just super! Great, Fabulous design, very nice Lady and Chris has done a great job with Fin his Son. Just a lovely story.

[@jozsefizsak]

This is a delightful video since I've always been very fond of the 356s. I got to drive one more than 40 years ago and it was very tired but completely captivating nonetheless. I'm very pleased that you were able to get this one.