1954 Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster, Coachwork by Reutter

1954 Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster
Coachwork by Reutter
Chassis no. 80155
Engine no. 62584 (see text)
Approximately 1,750cc OHV Flat 4-Cylinder Engine
2 Weber Carburetors
Approximately 95bhp at 5,200rpm
4-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Independent Suspension
4-Wheel Drum Brakes

*Beautifully presented example of Porsche's iconic 356 Speedster
*Desirable early pre-A Speedster from the first production year
*Excellent potential for vintage events
*Offered with Porsche-issued Certificate of Authenticity

THE PORSCHE 356 SPEEDSTER

Although Ferdinand Porsche had established his automotive design consultancy in the early 1930s, his name would not appear on a car until 1949. When it did, it graced one of the all-time great sports cars: the Porsche 356. Having commenced manufacture with a short run of aluminum-bodied cars built at Gmünd, Porsche began volume production of the steel-bodied 356 Coupe at its old base in Stuttgart. The work of Ferry Porsche, the 356 was based on the Volkswagen designed by his father. Like the immortal 'Beetle', the 356 employed a platform-type chassis with rear-mounted air-cooled engine and torsion bar all-independent suspension. In 1951, a works car finished first in the 1,100cc class at the Le Mans 24-Hour Race, thus beginning the marque's long and illustrious association with La Sarthe.

Constant development saw the 356's engine enlarged first to 1.3 and then to 1.5 liters; the original split windscreen replaced by a one-piece; and a Porsche synchromesh gearbox adopted. A cabriolet followed hot on the heels of the original 356 Coupe and then in 1952 a trial batch of 15 roadsters was constructed at the behest of US importer Max Hoffman, who had persuaded Porsche of the potential for a 'cut-price' entry-level model. The roadsters' successful reception in the USA led to the introduction of the Speedster model in 1954. The Speedster's inspiration is also credited to John von Neumann, Porsche's West Coast distributor, who had chopped down a Gmünd-built Coupe in the late 1940s to create a lightweight competition car. Explaining such a car's appeal Neumann once said: 'Guys want to go, on a Saturday night in June, down Sunset Boulevard with their elbow over the door and the girls can see them in the car.' Plus ça change ...

Instantly recognizable by virtue of its low, wraparound - as opposed to V-shaped - windscreen, smaller and entirely retractable hood, lower door waistline, horizontal trim strip at the level of the door handles, and twin bucket seats - all of which served to emphasize its sporting image - the Speedster was, in effect, an 'economy' model intended to compete with the cheaper British sports cars. The Speedster was powered initially by the 1.5-litre version of Porsche's horizontally opposed four, gaining the new 1.6-liter, 60bhp engine with the introduction of the improved 356A for 1955. In the optional and rare Super tune, the Speedster put out a good 75bhp; 25% more than the standard 1.6-liter motor. Priced at $2,995, the Speedster was the lightest of the 356s, enjoying a commensurate performance boost that meant over 100mph was possible. Allied to its already renowned handling characteristics, this meant that the Speedster was an instant success in the burgeoning American sports car racing scene.

Testing the Speedster alongside its Coupe sibling in 1956, Road & Track magazine declared, A more comfortable sports car for long, high-speed journeys would be very hard to find and certainly no other car achieves the combination of comfort, performance and fuel economy of the Porsche Continental Speedster or Coupe Its combination of style, performance and value for money made the Speedster deservedly popular - 4,822 examples being constructed between 1954 and '58 - and today this most handsome of the 356 variants enjoys iconic status.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

When released from the factory in 1954, this Porsche 356 pre-A Speedster was dressed in white paint, with a black leatherette interior, and was the 155th Speedster produced. The car is believed to have been delivered new to the Speedster-happy US market. By the 1980s, the car was purchased by an Oregon resident by the name of Les Winger. Mr. Winger is believed to have bought the sporty Porsche out of state. The original 1,300cc engine was replaced during this time with a much more powerful 1956 model-year 1,600cc Speedster engine, which was further enlarged to approximately 1,750cc, while fitted with high compression pistons, Elgin camshaft, new valves, valve guides and a three-piece crankshaft for extra performance. A later type 356 transaxle was installed at the same time. The car was at this point wrongly titled and labelled with chassis number 80814, an issue which has since been corrected. Mr. Winger later sold the car to Beaverton, Oregon resident Steve Kirby, who in 1991 sold the car to the consignor, a Lake Oswego, Oregon classic car enthusiast.

While in the consignor's ownership, a new top has been installed, and a full cosmetic restoration of the bodywork performed by specialist Kim Schultz during the early 2000s. Further detail work was performed during this time by David Wedlake. It should be noted, that the left front fender is believed to have been replaced at some point in time. Having been in current ownership for more than 25 years, this splendid Speedster has been well cared for, and continues to present beautifully, in the sharp Ruby Red paint over black interior with neatly matching red piping. The Porsche has been driven and enjoyed on Porsche Club rallies and concours events, and shown at the Art of the Automobile show at the Portland Art Museum and the well-known Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance.

The 356 Speedster was Porsche's ultimate expression of the raw sports car. The fine example offered here is a very early pre-A example with many neat early production features. This would be a superb participant in any number of significant rally events, such as the Copperstate 1000 Road Rally, and would surely offer the driver and passenger a thrilling drive with the extra horsepower packed in the upgraded engine fitted, and evoke the spirit of Porsche's exotic sports car legacy. From long-term private ownership, this beautiful Speedster is offered with the Porsche-issued Certificate of Authenticity, restoration photos and a jack.