1964 Porsche 356 SC Cabriolet
- Engine
- 1.6L air-cooled horizontally opposed four-cylinder OHV, dual Solex downdraft carburetors, 95 bhp
- Colour
- Psychedelic hand-painted artwork over Candy Apple Red base (originally Dolphin Gray)
A 1964 Porsche 356 SC Cabriolet made legendary by its owner, rock musician Janis Joplin, who acquired it in 1968 and had it covered in a sweeping hand-painted psychedelic mural by roadie Dave Richards, titled 'The History of the Universe.' Driven as Joplin's personal car until her death in October 1970, the car passed to her siblings and was subsequently restored and loaned to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, where it remained on public display for roughly two decades.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$1,760,000
- 1968 → 1970Private saleJanis Joplinpartial documentation
Purchased second-hand from a Beverly Hills dealership for $3,500 and used as her personal daily vehicle around California until her death in October 1970.
- 1970 → 1970Acquisition unknownBob Gordonpartial documentation
Joplin's attorney briefly secured the vehicle from media attention outside the Hollywood hotel following her death before returning it to the family.
- 1970 → 1973Acquisition unknownAlbert Grossmanpartial documentation
Joplin's manager received the car and relocated it to New York, where it was informally lent to associates before being reclaimed by the Joplin siblings.
- 1973 →Acquisition unknownMichael Joplin and Laura Joplinpartial documentation
Janis's siblings recovered the car, with Michael housing it in Ohio and rebuilding the original engine. The siblings shared use of the vehicle, had it restored to its original grey finish in Denver, and later commissioned a recreation of the original painted artwork in the early 1990s.
- 1995 →Acquisition unknownRock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museumpartial documentation
The car was loaned to the Cleveland institution and has been displayed on the main floor for approximately two decades, with brief absences for touring exhibitions and other museum appearances.
Competition
- —Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
The vehicle made a one-time appearance at this prestigious concours while otherwise remaining on long-term loan to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1973Engine rebuild
Michael Joplin rebuilt the car's original engine at his home in Ohio.
- —Repair
After the car was stolen and repainted by the thief, the spray-paint primer was stripped away; the original artwork survived largely undamaged because Richards had sealed it under clear coat.
Theft occurred while the car was parked on a San Francisco street; date not specified beyond the general period of Joplin's ownership.
- —Restoration
The bodywork was refinished in the original factory Dolphin Gray colour, reverting the car from its psychedelic livery; work carried out in Denver.
Undertaken by the Joplin family prior to the early 1990s commission to recreate the artwork.
- —BodyworkDenver Center Theater Company
Artists Jana Mitchell and Amber Owen of the Denver Center Theater Company recreated Dave Richards's original psychedelic mural in full, working from period photographs to replicate each brushstroke on the freshly finished bodywork.
Commissioned by the Joplin family in the early 1990s after the cultural significance of the original artwork became more widely recognised.
- —ServiceRM Auto Restoration
The numbers-matching drivetrain was recommissioned to running and driving condition ahead of the auction sale.
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