1959 Porsche 356A

Ferdinand Porsche Sr. designed the Volkswagen Beetle and his son, Ferdinand 'Ferry', created the 356 which had a similar four-cylinder, air-cooled, rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration with unitized pan and body construction. Erwin Komenda had created the completely new chassis design, while the engine and various other mechanical components were sourced from the Volkswagen.

Production of the 356 lasted from 1948 through 1965 along four distinct series, with the early examples known as the 'pre-A.' They were followed by the 356 A, produced from 1955 through 1959, the 356 B, produced from 1960 through 1963, and the 356 C (1964 through 1965). Examples built through 1952 had split windscreens while those built from 1953 to 1955 had bent windscreens. The 356 A, appearing in late 1955, had a curved windshield.

The 1959 Porsche falls within the 'A' designation, Type 2 (T2). The 'Type 1' (T1) cars were built from late 1955 to 1956. Most examples received the 1,582cc 4-cylinder boxer air-cooled naturally aspirated pushrod OHV engine with 2 valves per cylinder valvetrain. Breathing was handled by dual downdraft Zenith carburetors while helped the engine produce 59 horsepower and 81 lb-ft of torque.

Late in 1954, Porsche introduced the 'Speedster' after Max Hoffman convinced management that a lower-cost, spartan open-top version could sell well in the American market. It would become one of Porsche's most successful models and remains one of Stuttgart's true icons. In mid-1958, Porsche sent a letter to all its foreign representatives, stating the four-year-old Speedster would be replaced by a new model for 1959, and it would be manufactured by Karosseriewerke Drauz, of Heilbronn. It was known as the Convertible D and was an interim step prior to the arrival of the 356 Roadster in 1960. It had Speedster-like styling with creature comforts that included wind-up door glass in place of side curtains, a taller windshield, a better top, and a more luxurious interior. The 'bee-hive' style lamps were replaced by new and larger teardrop-shaped taillights, and U.S. cars were equipped with bumper guards and over-riders. Porsche sales literature described the new Convertible D as 'a dynamic car of beautiful proportions. Extra light and low in design for competition and pleasure driving.'

Total production of the Convertible Ds, built between August 1958 and September 1959, reached 1,331 units. Nearly all were equipped with either the 60-horsepower Type 616/1 Normal engine or the 75-horsepower Type 616/2 Super. With a curb weight of less than 2,000 pounds, the Convertible D could reach 60 mph in a little more than 14 seconds in Normal form, and it was capable of topping 100 mph.

The 356 Carrera was introduced in 1955 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and was the first edition of Porsche's long-running performance car, powered by a special race-bred engine in development since 1952. Dr. Ernst Fuhrmann made fundamental engineering adjustments to Porsche's flat-four pushrod engine, including the addition of twin ignition, two twin-throat carburetors, and dry-sump lubrication. The biggest improvement was the implementation of dual overhead camshafts. A complex system of shafts and bevel gears kept the valves moving instead of the normal chain or belt-driven timing, improving the engine's reliability and precision.

The Type 547/1 engine was originally fitted in the 550s where the combination of lightweight construction and a potent powerplant proved to be an immense advantage over the heavier, larger displacement opposition. Eventually, the engine made its way into the 356-based road and competition cars, available in the coupe, cabriolet, and open speedster.

Porsche would continue to produce the Carrera throughout the various generations of 356, eventually increasing the displacement all the way up to 2 liters.

Production
Produced from 1955 through 1959, a total of 21,045 examples of the 356 A were built.

by Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2020