It must have been some time in August 1978. I remember the sequence of events perfectly. The day I first drove a motor car, legally, on the road, by myself. I’d been driving erratically and illegally for a few years before that, manoeuvring mother’s school-run car and sometimes taking it around the block with her in the passenger seat. For some reason known only to myself, I thought I was a bit of a nifty driver at that time.

	Having spent 24 years driving the 356C as my everyday car, I found it to be no more less reliable than any other classic. Just a lot more expensive

My father had always owned exciting sports cars, and he was generous about letting me drive them. My first solo outing was conducted in his silver 356C. On the day, I sauntered out to the unsuspecting Porsche sitting on the driveway. At this point I was already starring in my own road movie. The driver’s door popped off its fat rubber seals like all good 356s, and I flopped down into the Reutter seat. I checked the long-throw gearshift was in neutral, turned the key, prodded the throttle twice and ignited the starter.

Ignite is probably too strong a word for a Porsche six-volt electrical system, but the motor slowly turned over and caught in its slow-revving way. Out of the driveway and… freedom! I had the choice to turn left or right. I went left, up the slight incline, into third gear down the other side, around a gentle left-hand bend and into top. The Porsche began to gather speed and revs on the big VDO instruments. I dialled in my favourite radio station on the original Blaupunkt and motored on. The jaunt did not last long. After about 20 minutes I was exhausted from the feeling of elation, excitement and nervousness driving father’s special 356C. I got the car home, and had to sit down and have a quiet cup of tea.

This being a bit of a Porsche issue, I suppose I should own up to my Porsche moments, both good and bad. I eventually bought the 356C from father and drove it all over South Africa, including the long run up to Johannesburg, some 800 miles north of Cape Town, through the Karoo desert. Because of the daytime heat, this was done at night – when the car’s pathetic lights proved a challenge.

And this is where the whole Porsche myth needles me slightly. Porschephiles go on about the marque’s great reliability and superb engineering prowess. Having spent 24 years driving the fabulous 356C as my everyday car, I found it to be no more or less reliable than any other good classic. Just a lot more expensive.

Why did Porsche persist with the lousy six-volt electrical system in the 1960s? Sure, when everything was in absolutely perfect condition it would begrudgingly start the 356C. Just. And the rust? Think Alfa Romeo with added noughts on the bill.

The air-cooled engine was reasonably reliable, but when the fanbelt broke the motor seized within a few seconds. Cue the first rebuild. When I shipped the 356C to the UK in 1994 it was apparent that another engine rebuild was required, because the unit was worn out again. And hotting it up created more grief, leading to a hardened valve seat dropping and the car catching fire on the Tour de España, resulting in it coming home on a trailer.

Did things improve with the arrival of the fearsome 911 in 1964? Well, yes and no. The six-cylinder engine was a lot tougher than the 356’s Volkswagen-derived flat-four, but it soon transpired that the valve timing could jump when the chain tensioner became relaxed, allowing the valves to meet the pistons. A later hydraulic chain tensioner is a must-fit modification for early 911s.

Also, the early cars were released on skinny 4.5-inch 356 rims, rendering the handling lethal. Porsche shoved lead weights into the bumpers in an attempt to quell the dreaded oversteer. Not the finest engineering principle! I again have first-hand knowledge of older 911s, having driven my father’s 911SC since 1985. Yes, I’ve spun it and am still nervous of the old thing. At least it’s had the hydraulic chain tensioner mod as well as the airbox fix to stop that exploding!

Later Porsches are better, but dual-mass flywheels have caught many owners out and there were some reports of the first water-cooled 996s mixing their oil and water. Specialist Autofarm now offers modifications to address problems that apparently afflict some 996, 997 and Cayman engines. Hmm.

Porsche builds great sports cars and I love them. But from personal experience I don’t believe they are somehow vastly superior to other good rivals. Porsches are quirky, original, tactile, alive, fun and just a bit scary. But not ineffably superior.

Robert Coucher
Robert has grown up with classic cars, having owned a Lancia Aurelia B20GT, Alfa Romeo Giulietta and a Porsche 356C. He currently uses his 1955 Jaguar XK140 as his daily driver, and is a founding editor of this magazine.