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1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster Looks Like Open-Top Perfection

The T6 series is one of the rarest 356s ever made. This 1961 model is one of less than 250 twin-grille Roadsters produced by the German automaker, making it a precious opportunity for collectors.
1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile 23 photos
Photo: Thiesen Automobile
1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile1961 Porsche 356 B 1600 T6 Twin-Grille Roadster by Thiesen Automobile
Sporting a steel body from Belgian coachbuilding company D'Ieteren Freres, the open-top sports car in the photo gallery is also gifted with a twin grille for the trunk lid and a flattened hood. Delivered new to MAHAG in Munich towards the end of 1961, the 356 still features the original hardtop and a lot of documentation that includes restoration work.

Spruced up to its former glory a few years ago, the three-owner 356 B 1600 T6 Roadster is currently listed for 325,000 euros in Hamburg by Thiesen Automobile. Finished in black over chrome wheels and green leather upholstery, the German cruise takes its mojo from a four-cylinder boxer that has been “optimized” to around 115 PS or 113 horsepower.

The lovely little thing before your eyes also happens to be a low-mileage car, showing 6,619 kilometers (4,112 miles) on the odometer following the engine’s overhaul. The selling vendor further mentions a sports exhaust, which should help the boxer motor sing without droning at certain revs.

B is the codename for the penultimate revision of the 356, produced from late 1959 to 1963 with a four-speed manual transmission. The T6 series can be easily identified through the fuel filler cap on the right front fender and the larger rear window in the coupe’s case.

Porsche switched to C for the 1964 model year, the final evolution of the 356 before it was replaced by the 912. This time around, the drums were replaced by disc rotors and the most potent pushrod engine option peaked at approximately 95 horsepower in the 1600 SC.

Approximately 76,000 units of the 356 were produced, and many of them are still in working order thanks to the closely-knit community that loves these blasts from the past. A twin-grille Roadster auctioned for $172,000 nine years ago, which goes to show that these babies keep increasing in value as the years pass.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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