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When Henk Spin purchased a 356 A Coupé as a restoration project, he had no idea that it was not a standard-issue vehicle, but rather a factory one-off full of special requests. Ten years later, the 1958 classic car had been restored to its former glory in the special color...
The Porsche 356, designed by Ferry Porsche, was based on the Volkswagen his father created, featuring a platform chassis, rear-mounted air-cooled engine, and torsion bar independent suspension. Shortly after the release of the original 356 coupe, a cabriolet followed. In 1952, Porsche produced 15 roadsters at the suggestion of US...
While the staff here at Stuttcars can never get enough of Porsche’s latest GT3s and 963 prototypes, there’s true reverence for the sports car that founded the company, the 356. It’s true beauty in its simplicity, the 356 has earned a spot in collections the world over with a reputation...
Carrera Speedster In 1955, less than a year after the 356 Speedster model was introduced, Porsche built the first example equipped with the competition-derived four-cam Carrera engine. The result was a brilliant dual-purpose sports car, and the Carrera Speedster continued to be improved and refined throughout production. For 1957, Porsche...
1958 Porsche 356A 1600 Speedster by Reutter Darin Schnabel ©2013 Courtesy of RM Auctions
Introduced in late 1954, the Porsche 356 A Speedster continued as a stripped-down, affordable, sports-oriented convertible within the 356 A generation. Featuring a removable cut-down windshield, a lightweight detachable top, and side curtains instead of roll-up windows found in the 356 A Cabriolet, the Speedster embodied simplicity. Initially powered by...
Speedster, the one and only Introduced in late 1954, the Porsche 356 Speedster was a true dual-purpose sports car – one that could serve as both daily transportation and, with minor modifications, a successful weekend race car. Originally priced at $2,995 – well below Porsche’s Coupe and Cabriolet models –...
“Best of the Best” 356A Carrera Facts 1957 Porsche 356A (T1) Carrera 1500 GT/GT chassis no.100369 Exterior color: Silver Metallic/ 5706 interior color: Black ODOMETER: 2,690 miles Engine N0. 90724 Transmission No. 14902 Numbers Matching Highlights The first steel-bodied Carrera GS GT imported into the U.S. Numbers-matching engine #90824 (not...
Molly ready for the Peking to Paris rally in 2007 © David & Julie Harrison She was manufactured in 1958, and much of her early life is unrecorded. But in 2004, a customer of Gantspeed Engineering, Lincolnshire, England, asked the workshop’s owner, Robert Gant, to find him a right-hand drive...
An Automotive Icon One of the most iconic Porsches of all time is the 356A Cabriolet and now you have a chance to own one if you want it bad enough. The 356A Cabriolet you see here is currently for sale at Bring A Trailer.  The car is a 1958...
1956 Porsche 356A is a “Sunroof Coupe” This 1956 Porsche 356A is a “Sunroof Coupe” that has been owned by the current owner since 1990. It is powered by the original 1600CC engine making approximately 85 horsepower and, as a restored driver example, is a delight to wheel around....
The original Porsche Carrera Zagato Speedster, the first Zagato bodied Porsche of the brand’s history, was built in 1958 for French gentleman driver and expert Porsche pilot Claude Storez, one of the best French pilots of that time. He started his career in early 50s and became soon a skilled pilot. In late ’57 he was looking for the “ultimate” 356 for the 1958 races season. He put an order to Porsche AG for a 356 A Speedster (the lightest version available) with a Carrera engine and GS specs (the most powerful at that time).
Of all the Carreras, the 1959 de Luxe was best suited for the road. Not only was it the most luxurious 356, but it was also was the only year to get the large 1600cc 4-cam engine. The Type 692/2 engine was a much different engine than the 1500cc unit it replaced. The newer unit used plain main bearings instead of roller bearings. Furthermore, the distributors were moved to the end of the crankshaft and the engine shroud was better attached to the 356A body. With twin Solex carburetors, the somewhat detuned version offered 105 bhp @ 6500 rpm.
Porsche 356 A 1500 Carrera GS Coupe
Available in all body styles, the Porsche 356 A Carrera featured the race car-derived 1500 cc four-cam engine (type 547) developed for the Porsche 550 Spyder. Rated up to 110 hp, it was the top performance 356 A model available. Variants included the Carrera 1500GS and Carrera 1500GT, differentiated by their horsepower. In 1958, Porsche updated the Carrera engines (now type 692), increasing the displacement up to 1600 cc and output increased to 105 and 110 hp respectively. In 1959 horsepower for the GT increased again to 115.
Despite looking outwardly similar to the preceding models, Porsche thoroughly updated their 356 line in 1956 and called their new model the 356A. At the core, this included a larger 1600 cc engine, but also a curved-glass windshield and a thoroughly revised suspension. At the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show in September of 1955, Porsche released the 356A/1600 to the world with cabriolet, coupe and speedster bodies from Reutter. The 356A/1600 was a great performer, good for a sprint to 60 mph in 13.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 109 mph.
Despite looking outwardly similar to the preceding models, Porsche thoroughly updated their 356 line in 1956 and called their new model the 356A. At the core, this included a larger 1600 cc engine, but also a curved-glass windshield and a thoroughly revised suspension. At the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show in September of 1955, Porsche released the 356A/1600 to the world with cabriolet, coupe and speedster bodies from Reutter. Produced in 1959 only, the Porsche 356 Convertible D was the replacement for the 356 A Speedster, which was discontinued after 1958.
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 589/2 engine with 60 bhp and 65 lb-ft of torque.
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.