1957 Porsche 356 A Coupe

This Porsche Speedster was completed on March 7th of 1957. It is a late-production T-1 variant that was specified for United States delivery and finished in Signale Red over black. It was sold through official distributor Hoffman Motors in New York City and came to California in the mid-1960s, when James Noble of San Mateo purchased it from an owner in Massachusetts. It was then given a restoration to show conditions that was completed in the early 1970s and then shown at several California venues including the Palo Alto, Santa Cruz, and Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance – earning two first- and one second-place trophies.

The Speedster remained in Mr. Noble's care until 1986 when it was sold to Dr. Donn Fassero of Modesto, California. In 1994, Dr. Fassero commissioned a four year restoration. After the work was completed, it was shown just once - at the Speedster 50th Anniversary event held at the Quail Lodge in Carmel, California, in June 2004. In 2006 it was sold to the current Los Angeles-based owner. Shortly after being acquired, additional work was commissioned including a rebuild of the matching-number engines, restore the braking system, and source period-correct accessories, including a Glasspar-style hardtop, Marchal driving lights, aircraft seat belts, headlight grilles, and a wood-rim steering wheel.

The car has been show at several venues including The Quail: A Motorsports Gathering, as well as the Greystone Mansion, Rodeo Drive, Palos Verdes, and Los Angeles Concours d'Elegance. It has also been used on the 2014 Colorado Grand and a tour organized for 356 A examples.

The car current wears its original colors, retains its original matching numbers engine, as well as 1957 date-coded components including the fuel tank, KPZ wheels, and hubcaps. It has its tool kit, jack, manual, hardtop, soft top, side curtains, tonneau cover, Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, and copy of the factory Kardex.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2018