356 Coupe, Cabriolet & Speedster Parts
Where Porsche became Porsche. Period-correct parts from coachwork to chassis.
Parts and fitment questions: (657) 438-7002 · Mon–Fri 8am–5pm Pacific
Which 356 do you actually have
The series, not the year, is what parts follow
Our 356 chassis decoder lays the series out: Pre-A through October 1955, with split or bent windscreens and hand-built aluminum bodies until 1950, then steel; the 356 A from October 1955 to September 1959, with the curved one-piece windshield; the 356 B T5 from September 1959, with raised bumpers and headlights and a wider hood handle; the B T6 across 1962 and 1963, with twin engine-lid grilles, a larger coupe rear window and the fuel filler moved to the right fender; and the 356 C from 1963 to 1965, with four-wheel disc brakes standard.
How that shows up in the catalog
Sheet metal follows the same divisions. Our rear floor pan is cataloged as a 356A part for 1955–1959 and as a separate 356 B/C part for 1960–1965, and our door skins are listed for the A, B and C from 1955 to 1965 — not the Pre-A. Underneath, the structural parts are broader: our pedal floor board, inner rocker panels and front cross member all carry 1948–1965 fitment across the whole 356 run.
Before you order
- Work out your series before you buy body panels. A 356A rear floor pan and a B/C rear floor pan are different parts.
- Porsche chassis numbers carry no year digit. They were assigned in blocks by body style, so decoding one means matching production records.
- Cars from 1962 to 1965 carry a second number stamped under the door hinge cover. Worth checking against the plate.
- Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on the C. Order brake parts to the series, not to the decade.
Shop your exact year
The car that replaced it: 1965–1989 Porsche 911 parts. The four-cylinder that carried 356 parts into the new body: 1965–1976 Porsche 912 parts.
Common questions
Do 356A body panels fit a 356B?
Not all of them. Our rear floor pan is cataloged as a 356A part for 1955 to 1959 and as a separate 356 B/C part for 1960 to 1965, while structural parts like the pedal floor board, inner rockers and front cross member carry 1948 to 1965 fitment across the whole run.
Can I decode a 356 chassis number to an exact year?
Usually not on its own. Porsche numbers carry no year digit and were assigned in blocks by body style, so our 356 decoder gives a confirmed year only for 356 B Cabriolets built 1959 to 1963 and an honest series-level estimate everywhere else.
Which 356 has four-wheel disc brakes?
The 356 C, built from 1963 to 1965. Our decoder also records the C engine range being trimmed to the 1600 C and 1600 SC.
Does the 356 share parts with the 912?
Some. Our Solex-to-Weber carburetor adapter plates are cataloged for the 356 Super 90 and SC from 1959 to 1965 and the 912 from 1965 to 1969, and our Super Kooler cooling kits carry both.
Still not sure? Call the parts line at (657) 438-7002, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm Pacific. We'd rather talk you out of the wrong part than process the return.