Classic cars: Rare beauty (1954 Porsche) discovered under vile paint

For many years, Kevin Murray's 1954 Porsche 356 won a particular prize at club events: Worst Porsche. By his own admission, the vehicle deserved it. That's because for many years it showed far differently than it sits now.

Murray, a Schaumburg resident, has owned the coupe since 1977. He bought it from a buddy who had disassembled it but needed to part with the "unloved old heap," as Murray described the car.

"I've always liked sports car and dreamed of owning a Porsche," Murray says. "I only knew of the 911 and knew I couldn't afford that one."

His pal's less desirable 356 seemed like a good alternative. First impressions, however, were rough.

"It was the ugliest car I had ever seen," Murray says, chuckling. "Baby poop brown" house paint, with visible brush strokes, coated the jalopy. In spite of its less than appealing hue, a Porsche, even an ugly one, was still a Porsche to Murray.

Although it was no head-turner, the car was not a bargain steal, either. Murray says the $1,000 price tag was doable but a bit of a stretch for him. Thankfully, that previous owner included a load of parts in the deal.

Murray sold a second engine and transmission that he used to repay a credit union loan. The do-it-yourselfer then set about getting the sports car running. Murray found many needed parts at area Porsche dealerships, which still had supplies left in dusty corners of their parts departments.

The car was drivable but far from perfect. Tight on cash, Murray installed penny-pinching components like mismatched seats and "junk carpeting." Yet the lack of refinement didn't keep passionate Murray from motoring to area Porsche club events.

On one return trip, a fire was lit, quite literally, under him to do a full and proper restoration. "The carb backfired and caught fire. I extinguished it with a can of Diet Coke," Murray recalls. He limped the car home and shortly thereafter, removed the engine and trans for an intensive rebuild.

The bodywork was addressed next. Murray found it in great shape. The brown paint was indeed "nasty and thick" but protective, preventing rust. The coupe was bead-blasted back to bare metal and repainted in a period correct Azure Blue.

The interior was overhauled and recovered in wine-colored upholstery. In the process, a clue to the car's past was discovered. Wedged under the seat was a dash plaque from the 1962 Porsche Club of America driver's school, held at Wilmot Raceway in Wilmot, Wisconsin.

Murray completed the overhaul work himself and is rightfully proud of his accomplishment.

"It's a joy to drive and so easy to get in and out of," Murray says.

Those Worst Porsche awards are all behind him now. He displays his 356 at prestigious suburban events like the Geneva Concours d'Elegance.

What he might be in the running for is the Least Known Porsche award. There's currently less than 25 examples of 356s from 1954 worldwide.

"Lots of people come up and ask, 'What kind of Volkswagen is that?' "

• Share your car's story with Matt at auto@dailyherald.com.