1964 SC Coupe - Original

SC Coupe, VIN 217735, is a 100% original car.

It was purchased new in 1964 for by Dr. Harry Benov of Fresno, California. When Dr. Benov went to the dealership to pick up the car it was up the rack for it's pre-delivery inspection and setup. Dr. Benov advised the shop that when it came down he would drive it off the rack. Which he did -- and he was the only one who drove it from that moment on until he died in 1997.

The car was left to his daughter, along with a more frequently driven Mercedes 280SL when Dr. Benov died. It sat in her garage for a year or so and then she traded both cars in to a Mercedes dealer for a new Mercedes.

Loren Stout, a tug boat captain in San Francisco Bay who lives in Seattle, discovered the car at the dealership and purchased it. He was as awed by the pristine condition of the car as I am, and he continued the high level of care started by Dr. Benov. I purchased the car from Loren in 2002.

This car has had immaculate care -- and I mean immaculate. Dr. Benov's daughter told me that her father was so fastidious that he used to wash his pocket change! It has 97,000 actual miles and is 100% original: factory paint, rubber, glass, entire interior including carpet and upholstery, chrome, etc. It has the original (perfect and unused) tool kit, Driver's Manual, Service Booklet (with filled out coupon stubs), owner's imprint card with Dr. Benov's name embossed on it, and vinyl pouch for everything. I even have the driving gloves that were given to Dr. Benov by the Porsche dealer when he bought the car. The headrests and luggage rack were added later.

Dr. Benov liked chrome, and in the fashion of the day, he chromed a number of parts in the engine bay: air cleaners, oil filler can, coil and generator straps, lower pulley, and a few other odds and ends. I really like the way it looks, and while I have the original unchromed parts, I've left the chromed ones on there. I might even leave them if I ever show it in Preservation Class just to honor the good doctor.

The car really didn't need anything mechanically when I acquired it. It had been sorted and maintained by Denny Akers in Seattle and was pretty well dialed. It had the original solid shaft Solex's when I got it and it ran well with them, but I did install a set of split shafts remanufactured by Harry Bieker and it does run a bit better. The car is quick and tight. It has the "356 Feel" that I have so seldom encountered: the steering is tight and responsive; the shift linkage is tight and precise; and the handling is nirvana.

It has two sets of wheels -- the original date-stamped 4 1/2" chrome wheels and a late 60's Porsche set of 5 1/2" chrome wheels. The original date-stamped hubcaps have their original silver crests that were found on early C's plus an early set of hubcaps with the enamel crests (I like the silver ones and they're the ones on there now).

I haven't found a spot of rust anywhere and there are no signs of collision damage. You can see by the pictures that the car is Togo Brown, which was not one of my favorite colors. When I was discussing purchasing the car with a good 356 friend of mine I mentioned that it would look great painted silver. His response? "If you buy this car, you need to repeat the following phrase several times a day -- I love brown, I love brown, I love brown".

He was right of course. It would be a sacrilege to tamper with the original factory paint, which is in beautiful condition. And, sure enough, I really do love the brown color now. It's an acquired taste that I have acquired. It's not just an original car, which is rare enough. It's an original car in beautiful condition. It's a privilege to be the custodian of this car for a while.

John Audette
1964 SC Coupe #217735
Bend, Oregon