“Barn find” Porsche 356s prices have shot up recently, and poor condition doesn’t seem to be holding them back. This 356B Roadster has already been bid to $85K and the reserve hasn’t been met. Sometimes it seems like people might be thinking that there just aren’t many barn find 356s left to save, but there always seem to be a few on the market. You can find this one here on eBay with time to go before the auction ends next week.

Someone is willing to pay the better part of a hundred grand for a car that looks pretty good for a barn find, but has significant rust underneath and an uncertain drivetrain. Is this a reasonable price for a later 356, one that’s not a highly collectible pre-A car from 1948-55? I guess the answer to that question depends on how much you like 356 Porsches, or whether you think this car is easily restored, or where you think the 356 market is going… or all of the above. It is a Roadster, which is probably second only to the Speedster in sportiness and appeal among the “regular” 356s, and that likely has a lot to do with what people are willing to bid.

On the other hand, although the topside of the car looks pretty good for a barn find, a couple of the underside photos show rust perforation, so the car will need some major cutting and welding in of replacement floor panels. While this has become fairly routine with many of the barn find 356s that have come out lately, it still requires the knowledge and skill to do a proper job that will stand up to the scrutiny of fans of the early Porsches, not to mention the stresses of going down the road. Then there is the engine, which hasn’t been fired up and run in a long time, so there is the risk that some very expensive rebuilding work might be needed.

The good news is that the topside and interior aren’t nearly as far gone as the term ‘barn find’ usually implies. Then there is the fact that the seller is well known in Porsche circles and has sold many Porsche parts, with 100% positive feedback on ebay. Also, the car was originally sold by Brumos of Jacksonville, which is a very famous dealer in Porsche circles. Does all of that make this car worth upwards of $85K though?