1964 Porsche 356 C 1600 SC Cabriolet
Chassis / VIN 160371
Photo details
Resized and converted to WebP; full original frame shown.
Why this car matters
Joplin’s everyday Porsche became a rolling piece of 1960s music history through the mural she commissioned from Dave Richards.
- Bought by Joplin in 1968 and painted by Dave Richards.
- Later artists recreated the lost mural from period photographs.
One car, a documented identity
RM identifies chassis 160371, engine 811908 and gearbox 77912. This record follows the individual cabriolet.
The museum photograph shows the recreated mural, not untouched 1968 artwork. The auction record identifies a 1964 car.
The public auction result does not identify its present owner.
Auction appearances & results
Driven By Disruption
New York, New York
Auction house’s reported sold result. The retrieved lot page does not explicitly identify the buyer-premium treatment; this is not labeled a hammer price.
Listing identity: 160371
Read the original auction recordNo upcoming or active auction has been verified in this car’s record. Historical results do not indicate that it is currently for sale.
Where this car has been
- 1968
Joplin makes it her own
Joplin purchased the cabriolet and commissioned Richards’s colorful mural.
RM Sotheby’s - 1973
Returned to her siblings
Michael and Laura Joplin retrieved the Porsche; Michael rebuilt its original engine.
RM Sotheby’s - Early 1990s
The mural is recreated
Jana Mitchell and Amber Owen recreated the artwork using period photographs. A museum loan followed in 1995.
RM Sotheby’s - December 10, 2015
New York auction
RM records a $1.76 million sale after offering the car on behalf of Joplin’s siblings.
RM Sotheby’sRM Sotheby’s
The record behind the story
Checked . This profile preserves what the sources establish and leaves unverified outcomes open.
Existing Joyride photograph by Sam Howzit, licensed CC BY 2.0, matched to the car’s documented museum loan.
Read the related celebrity car storyExplore the model family (a different car)- Joplin’s Porsche auction recordRM Sotheby’s · checked 2026-10-07
Chassis, drivetrain numbers, ownership, mural recreation, museum loan and reported result.
- Driven By Disruption auctionRM Sotheby’s · checked 2026-10-07
December 10, 2015 event date.