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1959 Porsche 356A Carrera GS/GT

Speedster

The Porsche 356 Speedster, lighter than the Coupe and Cabriolet, was the ideal car for the four-cam Carrera engine. Only 140 Carrera Speedsters were made between 1954 and 1959 and only 30 of those were GT models. This is one of 19 GS/GT Speedster made in 1959; the second to last Speedster ever made and the last to leave the Porsche factory. With matching numbers, this Speedster is a great example with significant race car history from a famous Porsche driver. It was delivered to Joseph Buzzetta in June 1959 at the factory in Germany because he was in the Army stationed in Germany. Buzzetta raced the car successfully in a number of European events before bringing it back to the United States. In the United States he raced it in numerous races. Joe later raced for Porsche and advanced through the 906, 908 and 910s with factory support.


Coupe
Chassis number: 106198

Throughout the 1950s, Porsche developed a reputation as a manufacturer of quality racecars that did not break, and stylish road cars that their owners could race. This Carrera GT Coupe is only one of just eleven 356A GT Coupes produced at the factory in 1959. It retains its rare 692/3, air-cooled flat-four engine, producing 141 horsepower at 6500 RPM. Acceleration from 0-100 mph took ten seconds, and speeds topped out at 124 MPH.

A French racer living in Morocco named Jean Kerguen acquired this Carrera GT from Huschke von Hanstein at Porsche's Competition Department. This coupe saw two first-in-class finishes in the 1959 race season. On September 25, 1959, Kerguen and Lacaze won their class and finished fourth overall in the Tour de France. Kerguen won his final race in chassis 106198 at the infamous Montlhery track on October 23, 1960.

In 1981, this Coupe was purchased in Morocco with just 47,800 original miles by Richard Roth of New York City. It was restored by the Paterek Brothers of Chatham NJ, and first shown at the 1991 PCA Parade in Monterey where it won two awards: Judge's Choice and People's Choice.


Speedster

This is one of 32 GT Speedsters produced by Porsche in 1959. The Speedsters were produced in a sequential run, ending the historic speedster body style. This vehicle has been restored with the original aluminum panels and wheels, factory GT rollbar and 100 liter fuel tank. The engine produces 135 horsepower at 7300 rpm.

This car with serial number #84040 has a history that goes back to when the factory shipped it to Hoffman Motors in New York City for their customer Alan P. Schweber. it was re-sold later to Bernard Switkes who used the car mainly in autocross competition.

Although the GS/GT Speedsters are now purely collectors' car, in the late 50s and 60s, they were supreme when in the hands of worthy drives such as Bruce Jennings, Bernie Switkes, John Kelly, Harry Blackhard, Emil Pardee, Don Webster and Joe Buzzetta.


Coupe
Chassis number: 108186
Engine number: P91004

The silver painted Porsche 356A 1600 GS Coupe with chassis number 108186 was delivered to Sonauto, the Paris dealership, on June 18, 1959. Its first owner was a dentist named Dr. Olivier Saie who retained the car until March of 1990 when it was sold to M. Daniel Marzat of Castres. A restoration began in June of 1990.

The engine is number 91004 which is a Type 692/0 1500 GT. It is not the original GS engine type. In 1998 the engine was rebuilt. The following year it was given a stainless steel version of the GS twin pipe exhaust system.

At the 2006 Worldwide Group auction held on Hilton Head Island it was expected to fetch between $260,000-$290,000. At the conclusion of the auction, the vehicle was left unsold.

by Dan Vaughan


Speedster
Chassis number: 84910

GS-GT #84910 was born in July, 1958 and sold directly by Porsche to a customer. Design features included aluminum body panels, wheel centers and trim, plexi-glass lightweight lenses, an oversized fuel tank, a roller bearing, and a four-cam, twin ignition, 115-horsepower engine, along with factory roll bar and competition exhaust.

The car was raced extensively at LeMans, the Nurburgring and Hockenheim. Then it was shipped to the Canary Islands, where it lost its original roller bearing engine. It was subsequently imported to the United States, where it received an updated normal-bearing 4-cam engine also developing 115 horsepower.

A ground-up restoration began in 1987. Upon completion, the car was awarded first place in class and division at the national Porsche Parade. The car was restored in 1993 to its present condition.


Speedster
Chassis number: 93119 692/2

This car is fully restored to very high standards, black with green upholstery, and with the engine/engine compartment recently refreshed to full concours condition by Bill Doyle of Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Very few 356A Carrera Cabs exist, and this car has been formally shown only once, at the 2002 German Autofest in Ventura, CA, where it won Best of Show in the concours class. The owner drove the car at The Quail Rally in 2004, before some oft he restoration work mentioned above was completed.


Coupe

This Carrera GT Coupe is one of twenty-nine 356A GS Coupes that the factory produced in 1959 and also retains its rare 692/2 engine. Of all the Carreras the 1959 de Luxe was best suited for the road. Not only was it the most luxurious 356 but it was also the only year to get the large 1600 cc 4-cam engine. It was a road-going alternative to the GT race car that featured amenities such as a heater, glass windows and sound deadening. The Type 692/2 engine was a much different engine than the 1500 cc unit it replaced. The newer unit used plain main bearings instead of roller bearings.

This GS Coupe was purchased new by a U.S. Army colonel from a dealer in Spain. The original window sticker remains with the car. It was ordered with Rudge wheels and in the color combination of black over red interior.


Coupe

This car was built by the factory as a special light-weight racing car (GT) and shipped to South Africa for a factory driver, Ian Frazer-Jones, to race in 1960. The car was originally delivered with a 1600S motor but upon arrival in South Africa the push rod motor was replaced with a 4-cam motor from an RSK. The car has aluminum doors and deck lids, aluminum race seats, big brakes and gas tank and lightweight interior. All windows are plexiglass except for the windshield. It is one of 3 RHD GTs built in 1959. This vehicle has approximately 14,000 miles on the odometer.


Speedster
Chassis number: 106741

Chassis: 106741, Lightweight Coupe, with Relieved Chassis

Color: 5702 Rubinrot, 2kg extra lacquer

Engine: 1.6L Furhman Four Cam 692/3

Transmission: ZF 716/1 (BBAA), 4 Speed H-Pattern, Limited Slip

Wheels: 15x4.5 Bi-Metal F and 15.4.5 Bi-Meta R

Fuel Cell: 60 Liter fuel tank with one electric fuel pump

Special Features:

- Aluminum Recaro Buckets

- Two-point seat belts

- Roll bar

- Aluminum doors, hood, and decklid

- Plexiglass window

- Sebring exhaust

- Sealed beam lighting

- Lightweight horns

- No undercoating

- Lightweight horns

History

Chassis built in 1959. Delivered July 1959 to Javier Velasquez

1959-1963 Javier Velasquez - Mexico City

Promoter of the Mexican Grand Prix, race team owner, and driver. Raced with brother Aldfo to several race wins. Ruben Novoa also raced this car for Javier. Javier ran with the support of Esso.

1964 to 1966? Ignacio Quenca

Installed a 2 liter 904 race motor and won many races overall

1966 to 1970s? Nacho Pasado

Raced with 2 liter to several wins.


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 of war and bailed out of custody by his family, Professor Dr.-Ing.h.c.Ferdinand Porsche, Ferry's father, stated right away that 'every single bolt was just right'. No 1 was then followed by a small series of 52 additional cars built in Gmünd, production in Stuttgart from 1950 - 1965 subsequently amounting to 78,000 units of the 356 model Porsche No 1, a mid-engined roadster, is completed and homologated in the Austrian town of Gmünd. The engine displaces 1131 cc and develops maximum output of 35 bhp(26 kW). The first few 356 coupes are made of light alloy.

The Porsche 1500 S ('Super') was launched in 1952 and was capable of producing 70 bhp.

In 1953, the Porsche 1300 S producing 60 horsepower, was added to the Porsche line-up. This was also the year the Porsche was introduced to the United States. The split windshields are also replaced by bent windshields during this year.

1954 marked the production of the first 200 Porsche Speedsters.

In 1955, the Speedster became a genuine sales success. Production of the 356 A series starts in autumn with the proven 1300 and 1300 S power units soon joined by the 1600(1582 cc, 60 bhp/44 kW), 1600 S (1582 cc, 75 bhp/55 kW) and 1500 GS -the first Carrera marking the introduction of the new sports engine with four overhead camshafts - (1498 cc, 100 bhp/74 kW). The 1100-ccengines are dropped from the range.

During the 1956 model year, Porsche produces its 10,000th 356 model.

In 1957, the sporting and Spartan Porsche 1500 GS Carrera was joined by the more comfortable 1500GS de Luxe model.

In 1958, output of the Porsche 356 A 1500 GS Carrera GT is boosted to 110 bhp/81 kW. The Speedster is replaced by the Convertible D with a larger windscreen and winding windows at the side. The 1300-cc engines are dropped from the range.

In 1959, the Carrera received extra power and is now called the 1600 GS-GT, with the sports version offering more output (1588 cc, 115 bhp/85 kW) than the de Luxe model (105 bhp/77 kW). The 356 B series is introduced in autumn, the Convertible D being renamed the Roadster.

by Porsche

by Porsche


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 by Porsche that sold from 1948 through 1964 and was Porsche's first production automobile. A prototype for the 356, the 'Number 1' had a mid-engine. The name for the 356 was chosen as it was the 356th project off the Porsche design desk. In 1949, production officially began in Stuttgart, Germany.

Designed and fabricated by Ferdinand 'Ferry' Porsche (the son of well-known Dr. Ing Ferdinand Porsche, founder of Porsche motors), the Project # 356 concept was then styled by Irwin Komenda. Bailed out of custody by his family, Professor Dr.-Ing.h.c.Ferdinand Porsche was a held as a prisoner of war by the French. During the war, Ferry Porsche and a small handful of his faithful employees began work on the 356 in their workshops moved to the town of Gmünd in Karnten. On Dr. Porsche's return to his family, he stated right away that 'every single bolt was just right'.

On July 17th, 1947, the first design drawings were completed, and it was an entire year later when the Karnten state government issued a special permit homologating the car on June 8th, 1948.

Komenda, born in 1904 in Austria, was also responsible for contributing substantially to the construction of the Volkswagen, Cistalia, Auto Union racers, and other vehicles of the day. Joining Porsche's design bureau in 1931, Komenda held various positions at Steyr, Daimler-Benz and other coach shops in both Austria and Germany. He is responsible for contributing to a variety of other designs in Porsche's history, and was the chief engineer and head of Porsche's coachwork from 1955 until he died in 1966. The 'confidential clerk' for Porsche, Karl Peter-Rabe became the chief business manager, after Dr. Ing Albert Prizing, until 1965. Prizing was a business manager who is famous for bringing 37 orders back to the factory following one importer's conference in Wolfsberg in 1950.

The prototype was taken various times by Ferry, variously with just the rolling chassis without body, up the steep mountain roads surrounding the city to test its agile handling and durability. Ferdinand Porsche went on to live a long life, and died on March 27th, at the age of 88. Contributing to the handling of the prototype was the gearbox and suspension specialist Karl Frolich.

Evolving through several updates through the years, the 365 was originally available as a coupe, a cabriolet and finally a roadster. The vehicle changed from mid-engine to rear, along with a myriad of details that evolved over the 22 year run of the model, though the recognizable shape of the vehicle remained the same, a timeless classic. The most desirable versions were the Porsche 356 Carrera, which came with a special racing engine, and the 'Super 90' and 'Speedster' models. The same price as a Cadillac at the time, the price of a late 1950's Porsche was nearly $4,000. Today, a 356 Carrera model can sell for well over $150,000.

The very first Porsche sport car was hand built in Gmünd/Karnten, Austria. The entire aluminum body was hand-beaten over a wooden buck. Without the benefits of a machine shop, all of the engine and drive-train components were made completely. Over 50 Gmünd cars were built and sold primarily in Austria and Germany. To be closer to parts suppliers, the Porsche Firm, located to Zuffenhausen, Austria, near the Reutter coachworks following the war. The only Porsche to ever have the engine mounted in front of the rear axle, the 356/1 was open top 2-seater. Designed with a tubular chassis, the vehicle was air-cooled and came with a 110 cc engine that was remarkably light and quick for the times. Following this first ever radical design, every Porsche 356 to follow was constructed with the engine in the rear, behind the axle.

The Reutter Company, located in Stuttgart Germany, was given the assignment in late 1949 to construct 500 body works for an adjusted model of the 356 unit. This classic 356 was capable of reaching a speed of 140 kph. Under the belief that selling more than 500 units was an impossible feat, it was a pleasant surprise on March 15, 1954, car no. 5,000 left the factory.

Over the years, the 356 was updated with various mechanical refinements, though the basic shape was retained and remained instantly recognizable from year to year. The final 356B Roadster was built in early 1963, while both Coupe and Cabriolet models continued to be built every year up until 1965.

With a top speed of over 85 mph (135kph), a total of only 4 models of the 356 were produced in 1948. The 356/1 came with a 1.1 liter engine that was capable of making 40 horsepower. Less than 60 units were produced during 1949 and the earlier part of 1950. These very rare and unique models are known today as the Gmünd Coupes. The tiny sport cars continued to be built during 1950, but now at a factory in Stuttgart where Porsche moved production. A total of 298 units were built and delivered to their owners by the end of 1950.

One year later, three engines, all of them were flat-4's 'boxers' that were air cooled and were available from the factory. They were available at the 1,100cc, the 1,300cc, and the 1,500cc. The 1500 Super was the top power-plant during late 1952, which came with a synchromesh transmission. That same year the America Roadster was designed and created. Only a total of sixteen models were produced, and all units were an aluminum cabriolet body that came with a removable windshield. In 1992, this vehicle inspired the 40th Anniversary 1992 911 America Roadster.

Under the advice of Max Hoffman, the sole importer of Porsches into the U.S., the 356 'Speedster' was introduced in late 1954. The idea was to produce a lower-cost vehicle that was a racier version that would appeal to the American market. Proving to be an instantaneous hit, the Speedster came with a low, raked windshield that was easily removed, bucket seats, and a minimal folding top. In 1954, the Speedster was available for $2,995. This unit was available in a variety of six different engine types, the 1100, 1300, 1300A, 1300S, 1500 and 1500S. The 1500Super was the top-of-the-line model, while the Coupe and Cabriolet wore the 'Continental' badge designation. In 1955 the 1600 motor went into production.

In 1956, the 356A was unveiled to the world, and had an all-steel body, curved windshield and smaller wheels. When the cars were introduced, numerous subtle differences in the shape of the body and features were highlighted. In 1956 the 10,000th 356 unit rolled off the assembly line. The 356 Carrera was introduced at the same time, which came with a 1500GS engine. Before being replaced in 1959 by the Convertible D model, the Speedster peaked at a total of 1,171 units produced. In this same year, the 1300 engine was dropped from the line. A new project was the result from continued improvements to the 356A, the Type 2 or 'T-2', now with a new transmission, the 644 replaced the earlier 519 with an improved shifter, better synchros, dual nose mounts and a split case design. A higher horsepower is achieved in 1958 as continuous improvements were made in the Carrera engines.

The D model featured more comfortable seating, along with a more practical windshield, and glass side windows. In an attempt to boost sinking sales, around 1300 of these models were produced. While previous models were developed by Reutter coachbuilders, the Convertible D model was developed by Drauz, which is what the 'D' stands for. The D model falls somewhere between a Speedster and a Cabriolet in both luxury and lightweight appointments. In the later months of 1959, the Convertible D became a roadster with the new T-5 body style. Today to the convertible D is considered very desirable, due to the low number of units produced.

In 1960 the 356B offered the S90, or 'Super 90' motor as an available option. The vehicle also had a counterweighted crank, sodium-filled valves and Solex P40-II carburetors. The Karmann Coachworks were employed in 1961 to produce the 'Hardtop', a Cabriolet body with a fixed hard roof. The nickname 'Notchback' was affixed to these cars because of their profile. Nearly 1750 of these vehicles were produced during the two years of its production.

It was one year later when the 356B was introduced, updated with an entirely new body and Super 90 engine. In 1962 and 1963, the engine was once again revised, and changed body styles. A very small number of 356B 4-seater coupes were produced by a Swiss company. Though rare, several models are still around today. Next was the introduction of the Carrera 2 in April of 1962, and only around 450 models were produced in both Coupe and Cabriolet form. In the same year, Karmann produced 2170 coupes, and Reutter produced 4100. The production for the year topped 7900 when the almost 1600 Cabriolets are added into the count. The discussion is broached by Porsche with Reutter to purchase the coachmaker, and finally, after 12-years of co-operation, the successes are consolidated. 'Christophorus', a customer magazine filled with news and background on the Porsche lifestyle is launched by the Porsche factory.

The 356C, the final model, known also as the Type 6 (T-6), was available in 1964 with an engine that came from the same lines as previous Spyder engines, the most powerful pushrod engine Porsche every produced, was cable of producing 130 horsepower. Offering the 1600C, 1600SC and Carrerra 2 engines, the 356C featured 4-wheel disc brakes. Both the C and SC were available for purchase in either Coupe or Cabriolet form.

In 1964, a total of 14,151 356 units were produced. Porsche had achieved a production rate higher in that year alone than the entire line production of the first 10 years of the Porsche 356. The 911 was introduced at this time, presaging the end of the 356 run. Through the end of 1965, the company continued to sell the 365C in North America as a lower-cost vehicle.

Achieving a victory in the 1100cc class during its first outing, the original 356-001 vehicle was raced at the Innsbruck city race. In Austria, on the 8th of June 1948, the Porsche was homologated by the state government of Karnten. Frequently touring the world for special car shows and historic events, the original Porsche '001' vehicle is in the Factory Museum.

Near the end of 1965, more than 76,000 Porsche 356 models were produced and sold. Following 17 years of production, the model 912 eventually took over the 356's stance in the market. The push-rod engine from the 356 was reused to power the 'entry level' 912 model that was produced from 1965 to 1969.

The Porsche '901' was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1963. Later after a protest by Peugeot, the name was changed to '911'. In 1964 the Porsche 911 began production.

by Jessican Donaldson