conceptcarz.com

1951 Porsche 356

When World War II came to a close in 1945, Britain claimed control of the Volkswagen factory at KdF-Stadt. Dr. Ferdinand Porsche lost his position as chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen, was arrested for war crimes (albeit, not tried), and imprisoned for twenty months. Ferry Porsche, the son of Ferdinand, built a car during his father's absence as he was unimpressed with what the market had to offer. The design was by Erwin Komenda and the mechanical components were sourced from Volkswagen. His father was released in August of 1947 and the first models of what was to become the 356 were constructed in a small sawmill in Gmünd, Austria.

Porsche had designed and built three Type 64 cars prior to World War II with the intention of racing in the Berlin-to-Rome race in 1939; however, the event was canceled. The chassis 356 prototype (called 'No. 1') and the production model that followed are considered to be the 'first' Porsche (Porsche badged) automobile. Although the Type 356-001 was a one-off rear-mid engine roadster, the 356/2 coupes of 1948–49 were rear-engined and their body shells were hand-hammered of light alloy sheet over a wooden buck in the old Austrian sawmill. A contract was received to construct 50 of these aerodynamic coupes at Gmünd before the company relocated to the outskirts of Stuttgart. Most were sold in Germany and Austria. Now known as prototypes, the two earliest examples are featured in the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart.

A handful of employees working on a modest assembly line stamped, cut and welded sheets of steel into a rolling chassis. They were clothed in steel coachwork and body styles would include coupe and cabriolets created by Reutter and Karosserie Glaser. Karosseriewerk Reutter had been building limousine bodies since the 1930s and their excellent reputation and build quality made them a natural choice for Porsche; they would become the main supplier of Porsche bodies for the next two decades. The first coupe 356 left the assembly line in Stuttgart on April 6th, 1950.

Labeled Type 356/2, they were mechanically similar to those constructed at Gmünd. The Type 369 air-cooled flat four-cylinder engine displaced 1,086cc and offered 40 horsepower. It was based largely on its Volkswagen forebears, and by 1951 these motors had gained chrome bores, aluminum cylinders, 6.5 compression, and a pair of 32-millimeter Solex single-throat carburetors. Output rose slightly to 44 hp but its weight reduction was impressive - at approximately 12 pounds. The front suspension was courtesy of the Volkswagen and tubular shocks were used at the front and rear. Hydraulic brakes (leading shoe front brakes with finned drums), a first for Porsche, were adopted. Styling distinctions of the 1950 and 1951 Porsches are their two-piece, flat-glass windshields. The slim body-colored bumpers fit snuggly to the body, accentuating the vehicle's slippery aerodynamics that was crucial to overcoming the limited horsepower.

1951 Porsche 356 photo
Roadster by Sauter
View info and history
The 'Model 51' was introduced in March of 1951, with chassis numbers expanding to five digits.

A pair of aluminum-shelled racing coupes, designated 356 SL (for 'Sports Leicht'), were entered in the 1951 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Although one was damaged in night-time practice, the other example put the competition on notice as it was co-driven by Paris Porsche distributor Auguste Veuillet and Edmond Mouche to victory in the Sport 1.1 Class (20th overall). This would be the first of many victories for the German marque at Sarthe.

The split screen style ended for the 1952 model year and then in 1955, was succeeded by the 356 A.

From 1948 to 1966, Porsche produced 76,313 examples of its 356 including 7,627 examples from 1948 to 1955.


by Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2022

Related Reading : Porsche 356 History

During the war, Ferdinand Ferry Porsche and a handful of his proven, faithful employees had started work on development number 356 in their workshops moved to the town of Gmünd in Karnten. The first design drawings were completed on 17 July 1947, and on 8 June 1948, the Karnten state government issued a special permit homologating the car. Returning home after being held by the French as a prisoner....
Continue Reading >>

Related Reading : Porsche 356 History

The Porsche 365C has been named the number ten on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s by Sports Car International in 2004. The Porsche 356 is still widely regarded as a collector car that has capably stood the test of time. There is some debate over which vehicle was the first official Porsche, the pre-war Porsche 64 being actually a VW racing automobile. The 356 was a sports car designed....
Continue Reading >>

1951 Porsche 356 Vehicle Profiles

1951 Porsche 356 vehicle information
Cabriolet

Coachwork: Reutter Karosserie
Chassis #: 10118
Engine #: 20486
1951 Porsche 356 vehicle information
Coupe

Chassis #: 5511
Engine #: 1015
1951 Porsche 356 vehicle information
Roadster

Coachwork: Sauter

Recent Vehicle Additions

Performance and Specification Comparison

Price Comparison

$800-$4,280
1951 356
$4,580-$11,000
1951 Porsche 356 Price Range: $4,280 - $4,580

Compare: Lower | Higher | Similar

356

Specification Comparison by Year

Year
Production
Wheelbase
Engine
Prices
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 66.27 CID., 39.00hp
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 67.13 CID., 40.00hp
410
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 66.27 CID., 40.00hp
$4,285 - $4,585
1,169
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 78.48 CID., 43.00hp
4 cyl., 90.80 CID., 59.00hp
$4,280 - $4,580
1,297
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 66.27 CID., 39.00hp
4 cyl., 78.48 CID., 43.00hp
4 cyl., 90.80 CID., 54.00hp
$4,280 - $4,580
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 90.80 CID., 70.00hp
2,498
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 90.80 CID., 55.00hp
$3,455 - $4,580
1
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 104.96 CID.
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 96.54 CID., 59.00hp
4 cyl., 96.54 CID., 74.00hp
$3,200 - $3,910
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 97.64 CID., 50.00hp
4 cyl., 78.48 CID., 59.00hp
4 cyl., 96.54 CID., 59.00hp
4 cyl., 96.54 CID., 74.00hp
4 cyl., 96.85 CID., 113.00hp
$3,200 - $5,900
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 96.54 CID., 75.00hp
4,528
82.70 in.
4 cyl., 97.64 CID., 75.00hp
$3,580 - $7,650

Related Automotive News

Subaru Rally Car Sells for $865K; Rare '72 Ferrari Daytona Leads Newest Auction Entries

Subaru Rally Car Sells for $865K; Rare '72 Ferrari Daytona Leads Newest Auction Entries

COLLECTING CARS UPDATE HAMMER FALLS AT %24865,000 FOR HISTORIC SUBARU IMPREZA S6 WRC2000 RALLY CAR 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB4 Daytona, Colour and Chrome Mercedes Collection and Selection of U.S.-based Models Join Global Platform Collecting Cars...
Handle With Fun – RM Sotheby's Gearing Up For Its Most Whimsical Online Only Auction Yet

Handle With Fun – RM Sotheby's Gearing Up For Its Most Whimsical Online Only Auction Yet

ONLINE ONLY, TIME-BASED AUCTION TO FEATURE AN ASSORTMENT OF RARE AND VINTAGE COLLECTIBLES ALONGSIDE A CURATED SELECTION OF CARS LARGELY OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE OPEN FOR BIDDING 5 MAY AND CLOSING 12-13 MAY RM Sothebys is set to offer the...
The Shape of Things to Come: RM Sotheby's Presents the Oldest Car to Wear the Porsche Badge

The Shape of Things to Come: RM Sotheby's Presents the Oldest Car to Wear the Porsche Badge

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME RM SOTHEBYS PRESENTS THE OLDEST CAR TO WEAR THE PORSCHE BADGE 1939 PORSCHE TYPE 64 BERLIN-ROME SET TO STAR AT MONTEREY AUCTION THE PERSONAL CAR OF FERDINAND AND FERRY PORSCHE RM Sothebys to offer the...
The Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B  Best of Show at Pebble Beach

The Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Best of Show at Pebble Beach

The Pebble Beach Concours really likes the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B. The Alfa Romeo 8C was probably one of the most technically advanced, modern, and compelling sports car that money could buy in the 1930s. In 2008 an Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Corto...
45th Anniversary Barrett-Jackson Auction To Feature Docket of Collectible Porsche Sports Cars In Scottsdale

45th Anniversary Barrett-Jackson Auction To Feature Docket of Collectible Porsche Sports Cars In Scottsdale

With only 595 original miles, a 2015 Porsche 918 Spyder Weissach Edition (Lot #1392) supercar highlights the incredible selection of Porsches crossing the block Porsche 911 Speedster (Lot #1368) and a 930 Porsche Turbo (Lot #1367) will be among mos...