1954 Porsche Pupulidy Racing Special

Roadster
Chassis number: PUP1

The Porsche automobile provided an excellent platform for builders to create some very effective Racing Specials. On the West Coast Ken Miles built his 'Pooper' which was a modified Cooper Formula III car with 356 mechanical parts. When the factory went racing with their own new Sports Racing Spyder, they had trouble keeping up with the Pooper.

On the other side of the US was another famous Porsche racing special, 'The Pup.' It was built by Emil Pupulidy, how had grown up on Long Island, new York. During the 1950s, he built P47 fighter planes for Republic Aviator. During his spare time, he raced motorcycles and cars.

In 1952, while traveling in Europe, he visited the Porsche factory and purchased a new Porsche 356 coupe. Upon returning to the United States, he entered it in local racing events. He would go on to win the SCCA G-Production National Championship in his dealer-sponsored 356 Porsche Coupe.

Pupulidy was at the 1952 Bridgehampton Race where Porsche importer Max Hoffman debuted a Glockler Porsche prototype mid-engine spyder. Early in 1953, Pupulidy began work on a similar car. It was given a tubular steel ladder frame and stamped with the ID 'PUP1' into the frame rail. Progress was slow, and it was not completed by the start of the 1954 racing season. Max Hoffman offered Pupulidy a damaged Volkswagen donor car. With this new project car, the Pup was put aside. He built a car using the VW pan and fitted with the traditional rear engine set-up.

During the winter, work resumed on the Pup, with friend John Wuff. The fiberglass body (a second body had been built by this point), tube frame, and components were sent to Frick Motors for completion. When it was completed, it was sent to the back of the shop and abandoned, as Emil was now racing a Porsche Carrera Speedster.

PUP1 was discovered in 1958 by Butch Strunk. It was purchased and put on the northeast racing circuit, as well as used in hillclimbs. It was purchased in the 1960s by SCCA Howard Gilmore, who retained the car for two decades. In was sold to Matt Williman in 1988 who continued to expand upon its racing career.

In 2002, it was purchased by its current owner, who began a nut-and-bolt concours-type restoration. Upon completion, it raced for three consecutive years at the Monterey Historics. It earned a first place trophy at the Tucson Porsche Club Concours.

The engine is a Porsche 356 racing engine with Carillo rods, Scat crank, titanium valves, Solex 40 PII carburetors and custom exhaust system. There is a 356 four-speed transmission with vented gearbox and C/R gears. Four-wheel 356 drum brakes with PF carbon linings provide the stopping power. With all the fluids, this racing special weighs just 1200 pounds.

In 2009, 'The Pup' was offered for sale at the Automobiles of Arizona presented by RM Auctions. The lot was estimated to sell for $95,000 - $150,000. It was sold for the sum of $121,000, including buyer's premium.

by Dan Vaughan

Emil 'Pup' Pupulidy built and raced Porsche automobiles and motorcycles in the 1950s and 1960s. He won the Europa-Berg-Meister race in 1958 in the Gran-Turismo-Mester 16000 in a Porsche which he had built.

In the early 1950s, while traveling in Europe, he visited the Porsche factory and purchased a new Porsche coupe. He had it shipped home and raced it in local events. In 1953, Pupulidy decided to build a sports car of his own design. The car was fashioned after the Mercedes-Benz streamlined racers which he had watched in Europe. It was given a fiberglass body and it rode on a modified Volkswagen chassis. The car was called the 'Beast' and it won its first race in 1954 at the Nassau Speed Weeks in the Bahamas.

In 1955, he began a second attempt on building another lightweight, streamlined sports racer. It was given a tube-framed chassis which was stamped PUP 1 and powered by a Porsche engine. The fuel tank was mounted in the front with the filler in the wheel well. The Porsche torsion bars extended rearward and were used to stabilize the swing axles.

The car raced in several events during the mid-to-late 1950s, even managed a GP class win. After several years of use the one-off sports racer was abandoned behind the Frick Motors Shop. It was later rescued by Butch Strunk, who repaired the car and raced it for nearly three decades. After many years of use, it was sold to Matt Williman, in Croton-on-Hudson, New York, who continued the car's racing career.

In 2003, it was purchased by vintage racer John Muller of Kansas City. At the time of purchase, the car was in poor shape. It was taken to Brian Haupt of Carriage and Motor Works of Kansas City for a complete restoration. After completion, the car was used in vintage competition as well as being shown at Concours events. In 2009, the car was brought to auction where it was sold to a new owner.

by Dan Vaughan