1962 Porsche 356B

The Porsche 356, the work of Ferry Porsche, was based on the Volkswagen designed by his father - Dr. Ferdinand Porsche - and employed a platform-type chassis with a rear-mounted air-cooled engine and all-independent torsion bar suspension. Following a short run of aluminum-bodied cars built at Gmünd, Porsche began volume production of the steel-bodied 356 coupes at its old factory in Stuttgart, initially in premises shared with coachbuilders Reutter and then (from 1955) in its original factory at Zuffenhausen.

The Porsche 356 was introduced in 1948 and quickly set the standard for small sports car production and proved competitive and adaptable to all forms of motorsports including rallying and circuit racing. Shortly after its introduction, in 1951, a works car finished first in the 1,100cc class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans race, thus beginning the company's long and illustrious association with La Sarthe.

Serious efforts in international rallying were not undertaken by the Porsche factory until the arrival of the 911, however, privateers proved very competitive with the 356, especially in the four-cam Carrera form. Early successes included private entrants Helmut Polensky and Walter Schluter's victory in the 1952 Liège-Rome-Liège Rally and the same duo's European Touring Championship the following year. As late as 1961, the Porsche 356 earned works-assisted privateer Hans Walter the European Rally Championship.

Continual development saw the 356's engine grow to 1.3 and then to 1.5 liters, and a Porsche synchromesh gearbox adopted. The original split windscreen was replaced by a one-piece unit, and in 1955 came the arrival of the restyled 356A distinguished by its curved windscreen and 15-inch wheels (reduced from 16-inch). Many additional styling revisions differential the 356B of 1959 from its immediate predecessor while the now standardized 1600cc engine was available in three different stages of tune, with the most powerful being the 90 horsepower unit of the Super 90 (not including the four-cam Carrera).

In late-1954, the U.S. importer of Porsche (Max Hoffman) convinced the factory to build a minimalistic, stripped-down roadster version. It became known as the Speedster and quickly proved that there was a larger market for individuals seeking a responsive, simple, performance automobile that offered reasonable weather protection and comfort. Porsche responded in 1959 with the Convertible D that was essentially a Speedster with roll-up windows, a taller windshield, and seats that more comfortable seats.

The new T-5 body style was introduced for the 1960 model with the comprehensive redesign focusing on ride comfort, handling, refinement, and more powerful engine options. A new Roadster model replaced the Convertible D, which was the more refined successor of the Speedster. External changes included raised headlights and bumpers, and a hood that was made flatter with a large chrome handle, and instead of the 'wave' design of the Pre-A and A models, the front-end sheet metal now had a smooth curve from side to side. Technical upgrades included finned drum brakes, improved shifting linkage, and a steering box.

The T-6 body type followed in 1962 and bodywork production for the Roadster model was transferred from Drauz to coachbuilder D'Ieteren Frères in Belgium with revisions including a gas cap on the right-side fender, twin grilles on the engine cover, larger rear window, and a more squared-off hood.

Production of the Type 356B continued from 1960 through 1963, followed by the 365 C of 1964 and 1965. By the time production of the Type 356 came to an end in April of 1965, over 70,000 examples had been built.

Carrera Porsche
The Porsche 356 Carera was introduced at the 1955 Frankfurt Motor Show and came equipped with a special race-bred engine in development since 1952. It was the work of Dr. Ernst Fuhrmann who tuned the classic Porsche flat-four motor to achieve its greatest performance potential, making fundamental engineering adjustments over the basic pushrod engine along the way. These modifications included the addition of two twin-throat carburetors, twin ignition, dry-sump lubrication, and dual-cam valve actuation.

The dual-cam engine was originally positioned for use in the 550 Spyder racecars but eventually installed into 356-based road cars becoming known as the Carrera, which was named for the famously grueling Mexican road race at which Porsche had dominated the 2-liter class.

In September of 1961, the original dual-cam motor was endowed with an enlarged displacement to two liters resulting in more power, and reclassified as the Type 587/1, resulting in the fastest Porsche road car to date. The new Carrera was given disc brakes all around, and it was the first Porsche road car to be so equipped.

The Carrera 2 was introduced for the 1962 model year, internally coded GS 2000, and wore Reutter's twin rear-grille T-6 body style that was nearly identical to the standard pushrod 356B except for the dual exhausts that emerged from a distinctive apron under the rear bumper valance. Total production of the Carrera 2 reached approximately 310 examples.

by Daniel Vaughan | May 2020