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Porsche 356

The Porsche 356 was the first production car from Porsche. Earlier cars designed by the company included Cisitalia Grand Prix race car, the Volkswagen Beetle, and Auto Union Grand Prix cars, but it was the 356 that changed things forever for sports car enthusiasts the world over. Ferdinand Porsche, Sr. founded the company that still bears his name, but it was his son Ferdinand, widely known as Ferry, who created the Porsche we know today. In the early years after WWII, the 356 was the car that made Porsche famous. See our Porsche 356 Research Hub

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Porsche 356 Pre-A

1952 Porsche 356 ‘America Roadster’

This isn't technically a Speedster, but the Type 540 (Typ 540 K/9-1 to be very precise) - known more commonly as the America Roadster - started the idea. The American Roadster was the direct predecessor of the Speedster. U.S. importer Max Hoffman convinced Porsche it needed a lightweight convertible to compete. It only had an emergency folding roof and could keep up with larger sports cars of the era. But the production methods used to create the America Roadster’s aluminum body proved to be too expensive, and in 1952 Porsche built only 21 units before its discontinuation in 1953.
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Porsche 356

Porsche 1600 Beutler Coupe (1956)

Ferry Porsche had in fact requested Swiss technicians to make a less sporty and more elegant version of the 365 B and thus the 1600 Beutler Coupè was born. This project is a 2+2 based on a Porsche 1600. Like the Porsche, the car is built on a VW platform, but includes Porsche elements such as the brakes and the engine. It was built in 5 copies before production was stopped in 1957 due to a change in commercial strategies by the German company.
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Porsche 356 Pre-AModel In DepthPorsche 356

Porsche 356 1100 “Pre-A” (1950 – 1954)

The series production didn't allow the use of handmade aluminium body panels, so, the cars were made of stamped steel panels. The first Stuttgart-built 356 have later been called as 356 Pre-A. These cars have either two separate windscreen glasses like the 356 built in Austria, or a sharply bent windscreen glass! Introduced in 1948, the Porsche 356 Pre-A Coupe was the first variant available for the Porsche 356. The engine started as a 1100 cc flat four that produced 40 hp. It was available as a coupe and cabriolet body style.
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Porsche 356 Pre-AModel In DepthPorsche 356

Porsche 356 1300 “Pre-A” (1951 – 1955)

The Porsche 356 Pre A Coupe and Cabriolet were introduced in 1950 and was available through mid-1955. Beginning in 1950 it was offered with a 1100 cc flat four that produced 40 hp. In 1951, a bigger 1.3-litre Type 506 engine was announced. It marked the first significant move away from the original Volkswagen unit. Bored from 73.5mm to 80mm (stroke was unchanged at 64mm), displacement rose from 1086cc to 1286cc. Further enhancements included lightweight alloy cylinder barrels and nosed pistons. Output rose from 40 bhp to 44 bhp and torque increased from 51 lb-ft to 60 lb-ft.
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Porsche 356 Pre-AModel In DepthPorsche 356

Porsche 356 1300 Super “Pre-A” (1954 – 1955)

In 1953, the 1300 S or "Super" was introduced, and the 1,100 cc engine was dropped. The 360 1300 Super boasts a power improvement to 60 BHP with Porsche's "Super" engine in the Porsche 356 model range. Minor visual differences were implemented such as front indicators integrated with the horn grilles and bumpers protrude from the body with over-riders. In June 1954, the plain-bearing 1300cc engine switched over to the same block as the 4cc larger roller-bearing variant.
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Porsche 356 Pre-AModel In DepthPorsche 356

Porsche 356 1500 “Pre-A” (1952 – 1955)

The 1500 was Porsche’s newest engine which was quickly fitted with 40 PIBC Solex carburetors to produce 60 bhp @ 5000 rpm in 1952. These retained the Hirth roller-bearing crankshafts which gave Porsche enough clearance to enlarge their engine to 1500cc. Most cars from 1952 until the 356A of 1956 were powered by the 1500 engine but some left the factory with the smaller 1.1 and 1.3-liter engines. At the request of American importer Max Hoffman, 356s for the 1955 model year were badged as Continentals before reaching the U.S
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Porsche 356 Pre-A

Porsche 356 1500 “Pre-A” Carrera (4-cam) (1955)

Beginning in 1954, a new version of the Pre A 356 was introduced that is now known as the Porsche 356 Pre-A Carrera, with a powerful engine that was available in coupe, cabriolet, and Speedster variants. Highly desirable today, the Carrera name denotes the race inspired 1500 cc four cam motor that produced an astounding 110 hp. Approximately 97 of these motors were produced sometime between 1954 and early 1955. The Carrera versions would continue in the next generation 356 as the Porsche 356 A Carrera.
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Porsche 356 Pre-A

Porsche 356 1500 “Pre-A” Speedster (1954 – 1955)

An export hit, built in response to customer demand: the American importer Max Hoffman requested a Porsche costing less than 3,000 dollars for his market. The 356 Speedster was the answer, naturally with a spartan equipment specification. But the lightweight car was a big hit in the USA. It was used mainly for motor racing and soon became a regular feature of the motor sport scene.
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Porsche 356 Pre-A

Porsche 356 1500 “Pre-A” Super Speedster (1955)

Generally speaking the early models or so called ‘Pre A 356′ models are more desirable than the later models. At the top of the pyramid and the most exclusive is the Carrera version which carries the legendary 4 cam ‘Fuhrman’ engine. But just below that comes the ‘Super’ speedster. The ‘super’ version had more horsepower (75 vs the standard 60) and the powerful ‘type 528 engine’ for the 1500 Super version.
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Porsche 356 Pre-AModel In DepthPorsche 356

Porsche 356 1500 Super “Pre-A” (1953 – 1955)

Towards the end of 1951 Porsche introduced a larger version of the flat four engine. It was offered alongside the original 1.1 litre engine. It took a lot more effort to develop the third variation on the four cylinder theme; the '1500.' Introduced in the 356 1500 during 1952, the engine produced 55 bhp. Porsche's competition department reworked the 1500 engine with hotter cams and bigger Carburetors, boosting power to 70 bhp. In 1952 this engine found its way into a new road car; the 356 Super.
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Porsche 356

Porsche 356 A 1300 (1956 – 1957)

From the outside, the 356A kept to the Porsche mantra of stepwise evolution. The new model was outwardly identical to the previous version except for the wider tires, a small rub-strip below the doors, a fully-curved front window and enamel paint replacing lacquer previously used. The 356 A came with an all-alloy air-cooled Flat 4 engine in four states of tune, with the 1300 having Type 506/2 engine with 44 bhp and 60 lb-ft.
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