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A handful of push-rod 356As were delivered from the factory with a lightweight package that was usually reserved for the Carrera race cars. Called GTs, these got the stripped out interior, aluminum doors, a large fuel tank and Porsche ATE disc brakes. As few as four Speedsters came equipped this way. Since the four-cam was only a marginal improvement in power, the regular 1600 Super was more than enough for the small car.
Around 20 Super 90 Coupes were ordered with the lightweight GT package for racing. They used aluminum panels, a lightweight interior and plexiglas windows to shed over 200 lbs off the standard production coupe. Inside the car came equipped with a roll bar, leather-strap window lifts and speedster seats. Aluminum exterior panels included the doors, hood, rear deck lid.
This 356B Carrera GT is a superb representative of the early Carrera legend and the sole known survivor of only three right-hand drive T5 Carrera GTs. Benefitting from a newly-built pushrod race engine in addition to an incredibly rare Fuhrmann-designed Porsche 4-cam, she is suitable for racing or the road...
In keeping with FIA regulations, Porsche created a new lightweight 356 with help from Abarth. After Porsche had considered numerous Italian companies to manufacture a lightweight 356 body, they settled on Abarth. Franco Scaglione penned the first initial drawings which attempted to reduce frontal area, overall height. Included was an adjustable scoop on the rear deck lid. Made entirely of aluminum, Abarth's body was smaller than the Reutter 356.
Black and white photo of Ed Cole standing in front of Chevrolet Corvair
People usually recall the Chevrolet Corvair as the car that was “unsafe at any speed” which is rather unfair because the Corvair itself occupied barely a chapter in Ralph Nader’s infamous book. Indeed, amongst others, the VW Beetle also received a pasting—and Mr. Nader thought the VW Microbus was too...
The man behind this 356 limousine is John Dixon who decided to create a personalized Porsche-based limousine for his daughter’s wedding. With the expertise of Don Boeke, known as “the Egyptian” at his Dayton, Ohio customizing shop, the unique 356 limousine took shape.   Constructed from multiple stripped 356s, this...
The Porsche 356 was the first production car from Porsche. Earlier cars designed by the company included Cisitalia Grand Prix race car, the Volkswagen Beetle, and Auto Union Grand Prix cars, but it was the 356 that changed things forever for sports car enthusiasts the world over. Ferdinand Porsche, Sr....
1954 Porsche 356 1500 Speedster
This immaculate auto is in the collection of Brescia Classic Cars in Italy. It’s #48 of only 200 similar cars built by Porsche in 1954. Part of the “Pre-A” production of Porsche 356 cars produced from 1948 to 1955, the first Speedster powerplants were 1100 cc, increased to 1500 cc...
1958 Porsche 356A 1600 Speedster by Reutter Darin Schnabel ©2013 Courtesy of RM Auctions
Introduced in late 1954, the Porsche 356 A Speedster continued as a stripped-down, affordable, sports-oriented convertible within the 356 A generation. Featuring a removable cut-down windshield, a lightweight detachable top, and side curtains instead of roll-up windows found in the 356 A Cabriolet, the Speedster embodied simplicity. Initially powered by...
The Porsche 356, designed by Ferry Porsche, was based on the Volkswagen his father created, featuring a platform chassis, rear-mounted air-cooled engine, and torsion bar independent suspension. Shortly after the release of the original 356 coupe, a cabriolet followed. In 1952, Porsche produced 15 roadsters at the suggestion of US...
For decades, Porsche has established itself as a renowned car manufacturer, celebrated for its adaptability and agility. It has consistently catered to the desires of racing enthusiasts and discerning clients by creating special versions of their beloved cars. During the early 1960s, the 356s were no exception to this tradition....
West Coast Customs has dramatically transformed this Porsche into a fusion of contemporary performance and the timeless body style of a 356. Using a 2008 Porsche Cayman as the base, the project involved removing a 9-inch section from the chassis to accommodate the shorter-wheelbase 356 Coupe body. The original Cayman...
Successful VW Dealer and racer Walter Glöckler built several specials for the German Car Championship including this roadster. It was built with assistance from Porsche in Zuffenhausen and raced without its optional hardtop in the 1952 champion before being shipped overseas for SCCA racing. Weidenhausen created the body from aluminum with a nose that bore close resemblance to the 356 Porsche but had semi-skirted rear wheels and cutaway rear corners similar to Glockler-Porsche 1 and 2.
Porsche: The Carrera Dynasty by Glen Smale © Glen Smale A Spanish noun, ‘carrera’ can mean road, track or race and since the 1970s ‘Carrera’ has been a model name synonymous with Porsche. In fact, and as the author explains, Porsche had been using the name ‘Carrera’ since 1954 to...
Invitation to race from Charles Faroux Charles Faroux was a car enthusiast, a racing official, a leading French motor-publication editor at La Vie Automobile and a charmer. Europe’s major automobile manufacturers entrusted their engineering secrets and newest models to him in hopes of a favorable review. Everyone respected his opinions....
In discussions about vintage Porsches, the iconic 356 always comes to light as the cornerstone of air-cooled Porsches. Respected for its simple but effective design over a decade-long production span, its balance and agility redefined small displacement sports cars of the 1950s through 1965. Offering accommodation for two passengers and...
For some, motor racing is an inevitability. It is a passion that they are born with and it is just a matter of time before they slip behind the wheel of a racing car. For these chosen few, this inborn factor elevates them to a level above the rest of...
Racing Porsche with Style © Stéphane Coradi This is Stéphane Coradi’s third publication, and the third of his books that I am reviewing. It must be said that Stéphane’s enthusiasm for his work is so irrepressible, it’s contagious. But that is refreshing, because he really encourages the contributors to show...
PCarMarket is currently offering a 1960 Porsche 356B Sunroof Coupe that has been restored by its previous owner before it was bought by its current owner. It also got an engine rebuild in 2020 by Heritage Motorcar Research Inc. The car is finished in Silver Metallic and sports an optional...
1957 Porsche 356 A Speedster – looking chocolate box pretty! It was Max Hoffman, the New York-based Porsche importer, who was instrumental in getting the factory to produce a lightweight sports car for local competition in the USA. Hoffman’s clients were demanding a stripped-down factory version of the 356 to...
SportErfolge: by Tony Adriaensens – page photographs by © Virtual Motorpix/Glen Smale Simply titled, SportErfolge (English: Success in Sport), this book came my way quite by surprise. It is not a book I knew anything about until I spotted it on the internet, and decided to look for a copy....
Episode One: The Porsche 356 Summary Welcome to The Audiobahn, the Stuttcars.com podcast focused on all things Porsche. In our first series, we’re exploring the history of venerable 911: its history, origins, achievements, and future. In our first-ever Audiobahn episode, we’re starting with where the 911 began: the Porsche 356. Read...
Episode Two: The Porsche 901/912 Summary Welcome to The Audiobahn, the Stuttcars.com podcast focused on all things Porsche. In our first series, we’re exploring the history of venerable 911: its history, origins, achievements, and future. Audiobahn Episode Two is all about the Porsche 901/912, the car unveiled in 1963 at the...
Molly ready for the Peking to Paris rally in 2007 © David & Julie Harrison She was manufactured in 1958, and much of her early life is unrecorded. But in 2004, a customer of Gantspeed Engineering, Lincolnshire, England, asked the workshop’s owner, Robert Gant, to find him a right-hand drive...
Did you know that 2023 sees the Porsche 356 C turning 60? We think it’s a birthday still worth celebrating, even in a year with so much else going on in it. This fine example has been living in a garage in Bielefeld for more than half its life and...
The Ultimate Book of the Porsche 356 by Brian Long © Veloce Publishing Limited Brian Long’s original book on the Porsche 356 was published in 1996, and this was later printed in softback form. A few years later a revised version of this book was published which included more colour...
1956 Porsche 356A is a “Sunroof Coupe” This 1956 Porsche 356A is a “Sunroof Coupe” that has been owned by the current owner since 1990. It is powered by the original 1600CC engine making approximately 85 horsepower and, as a restored driver example, is a delight to wheel around....
Four-Cam Coupe Porsche 356 Carrera GS/GT Driven The Porsche 356 brought the automaker into a new era. The model started the trajectory that would eventually lead to the venerable 911, and prototype versions of the car earned Porsche its first major achievements in endurance racing—namely a class win at the...
A Drive In the Emory Outlaw Roadster This 1960 Porsche 356 Roadster is a rather unique example of the Emory Outlaw essence. It features a 205-hp, 2,650 cc FAT 914 engine, 911 rear suspension, 911 5-speed transmission, aluminum hood, tonneau cover & headrest fairing and a Speedster windshield. There are many...
A father/son project gets driven This is a fully restored 1965 Porsche 356C, the final year of the 356. A father/son project, it features a punched-out 1780cc engine, mild outlaw body work, and a rally-inspired interior with fresh hides and rare vintage Tag Heuer rally clocks. Though it’s incredibly slow,...
Electric Porsche 356 Review: An EV For Petrolheads! The Electrogenic 356 is no ordinary Porsche restomod. This one might look like the original, but there is one big change: it’s been electrified. Now, in most cases, electrification is carried out in order to improve efficiency, but in the case of...
1956 Porsche 356 C Matt Hummel’s love for vintage automobiles has led him to many interesting places, but no car has captured his imagination quite like his 1956 Porsche 356. Follow along as Matt attempts his most ambition adventure, going 20-miles off-road from Joshua Tree to Big Bear in a...
Modified his 1955 Porsche 356 Continental, Nowadays, it seems “outlaw” Porsches are everywhere and all the rage. Back in the mid-1990s, however, when Mr. Jack Griffin decided to modify his 1955 Porsche 356 Continental, he wasn’t following a customization trend or fad but, rather, taking it upon himself to build...
Barn Find Porsche Becomes A Twin Turbo Frankenstein Build How we made the 1959 Emory Outlaw RHD Coupe in GT SilverRod Emory is a legend in the Porsche game – so when he’s got a new build, you know it’s going to be worthy of an in-depth look. His 356...
This is what it is all about It takes a lot of driving, work, and a little bit of luck to achieve nearly a million miles in one car. Guy Newmark has been driving one car for forty-five years, a beautiful blue 356, and he has no thoughts of driving...
Well-Maintained 1958 Porsche 356A Convertible D Up For Sale!
Produced in 1959 only, the Porsche 356 Convertible D was the replacement for the 356 A Speedster. In many ways this reflected Porsches desire to make more expensive and premium models. As a result, the $3,695 Convertible was much more expensive than the Speedster it replaced. As such the new car featured roll-up...