1958 Porsche 356A 1500GS/Carrera Roadster

Porsche's GS/GT models, based on the 356 Carrera, were lightweights built to race. This Porsche 356 Carrera Speedster GS/GT car was purchased new from Glockler Porsche by female racer Jean W. Speidel of Miami, Florida. It raced in Sports Car Club of America events in the southeastern United States, recording several class wins, then was sold in 1959 to Johnny Cuevas, who campaigned it under his own team of Quiver Enterprises or the Camoradi team of Lucky Casner. At the Bahama Speed Week in December 1959, it won the Nassau Tourist Trophy. It also placed fourth in class in the Gran Premio Libertad (main event) of the 1960 Cuban Grand Prix. Perhaps equally important, it was used by British racing great Stirling Moss to practice for that event. It also raced in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1960, driven by Ulf Norinder and Johnny Cuevas, although it did not finish. The car was acquired by its current owner in 2022.

Porsche offered a GT option for the 1500 GS Carrera model in 1957 and initially, this option referred only to the engine's state of tune. In time, the GS/GT Carreras came with competition features, such as 60 mm racing front brakes with vented backing plates and an extended range 80-liter fuel tank. For 1958, the GS/GT Carreras received lightweight alloy panels, alloy-rimmed wheels, Plexiglas windows, vinyl trim, and louvred deck lid. The Popularity of the GS/GT Carrera Speedster prompted Porsche to continue its development through 1959, even after the standard Speedster model had been replaced by the more luxurious Convertible D.

Porsche built a total of 151 Carrera Speedsters between 1955 and 1959. Of these, a mere 90 examples were specified in GS/GT trim, and of those, approximately 56 left the factory with lightweight aluminum panels.

This Porsche 356 A 1500 GS/GT Carrera Speedster is powered by a 1,498cc Type 547/1 air-cooled DOHC flat four-cylinder engine breathing through twin Solex 40 PII-4 carburetors and delivers 110 horsepower at 6,200 RPM. It has a four-speed manual transaxle and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes.

This Porsche was completed in May of 1958 and specified in full competition-ready trim. It had an 80-liter fuel tank, deck louvres, alloy panels, and a roll bar. The exterior was done in Silver Metallic with black upholstery.

When this Porsche left the Stuttgart factory, it was delivered to Glockler Porsche in Frankfurt, Germany. It was sold to Jean Speidel of Miami in June and in October 1958 she drove it at the SCCA races in Venice, Florida, placing 1st in Class and 7th Overall in the main Six Hour event. Near the end of the month, she entered the Porsche in the SCCA Regionals at Dothan, Alabama, finishing 7th Overall in the main event and 1st Overall in the Ladies Race. Speidel continued to race the Speedster through early 1959 when it was sold to Johnny Cuevas, a Cuban living in Miami.

While in the care of Cuevas, the Carrera Speedster usually raced under the Quiver Enterprises banner. Cuevas raced the Speedster at Daytona in November 1959, and during the Bahamas Speed Week at Nassau in December. Among the accolades achieved was a victory at the Nassau Tourist Trophy races and a 6th Place finish in the Porsche race.

At the Cuban Grand Prix in February of 1960, this Speedster was driven by Stirling Moss during the first day of practice. Cuevas then drove the Porsche in the GT Race and the Gran Premio Libertad, placing 4th in Class and 17th Overall in the main event. The car's next outting was at the 12 Hours of Sebring where it was entered by Porsche as one of its factory team cars. Wearing no. 41, Cuevas and Swedish driver Ulf Norinder raced 84904 until the crankshaft broke after 33 laps.

Following its race at Sebring, this car's original engine was replaced with a similar GT-specification Type 547/1 engine, no. 90957, which remains in the car today.

With the new engine, Cuevas drove the Carrera once more in 1960, at the SCCA Regional at Daytona in June.

In 1961, Cuevas sold the Porsche to Lyle Whitmer of Florida and he raced it at Kissimmee and Daytona, Florida, where he was awarded the Brumos Trophy for Fastest Carrera.

After the Porsche was retired from racing, it passed through two subsequent Florida-based owners before being acquired in 1972 by Burt Norris of Palm Beach Gardens. In the mid-2010s, Mr. Norris commissioned Michaelian Restoration to oversee the bodywork and paint with upholstery by Autobahn Interiors. Willison Werkstatt rebuilt and dyno-tested the engine. Shortly after the restoration was completed, Mr. Norris sold the Speedster to Phil Bagley of Klub Sport Racing in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Since the restoration was completed, the car has been shown only at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in March 2020.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2022