1957 PORSCHE 356 A CABRIOLET

Vehicle Description

DATE OF MANUFACTURE: 1957 | COLOUR: AQUAMARINE BLUE | INTERIOR TRIM: RED LEATHER | PRICE: £125,000

WE ARE DELIGHTED TO OFFER THIS EXCEPTIONAL 1957 PORSCHE 356 A CABRIOLET IN LEFT HAND DRIVE IN STRIKING COLOUR OF AQUAMARINE BLUE & RED INTERIOR

Presented in the nicest period Aquamarine Blue paintwork with red leather & tan period carpets with period rubber footwell overmats to interior complemented by a tan mohair soft top.

Production completion date of 05.07.1957 with options as noted in the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity:

- Trip oddometer
- Ponto-Stabil outside mirror to driver's side
- Sealed-beam headlights
- US Bumpers

Kardex indicates shipped via Sonauto, Paris to its first owner Richard L Kaufmann, New York 07.11.1957 in Aquamarine Blue & Red leather.

Later owned by Linda & Charles Nelson of Tijeras, New Mexico USA from 2005 onwards. Imported by CST Classics in 2013 when acquired by our previous client & registered in 2016 after extensive work.

A delight to have this Porsche 356 A come up for sale a second time as sold by Lux Classics in 2020.

Partial restoration carried out in 2016 entailed & full component off including the bodyshell back to bare metal with new floors & longitudinal sections & mechanics restored by marque specialists to a very high standard to make for an excellent early desirable Porsche 356A. Other mechanical work included full rebuild of gearbox with extensive internal parts, service of engine and sports exhaust. Still running on original 6 volt system. The motor while not recently fully rebuilt is one of strongest pulling Porsche 356A’s that we have driven.

The 356 will come with a Lux Classics full service & is currently under service preparation in our workshop but available for viewing on an appointment basis.

FURTHER IMAGES
Additional images can be viewed here:
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MODEL HISTORY AND PRODUCTION
The first Porsche 356 rolled off the production line in Stuttgart in 1950. Production ran until 1965 when manufacturing ceased, by which time over 76,000 examples of various model designations had been produced.

It was Porsche’s first production vehicle, with an evolution starting with the 356 now referred to as the Pre-A, the 356A introduced in 1955, the 356B in late 1959, and the final series 356C introduced for the 1964 model year. In each form, they were built predominantly as either Coupe or Cabriolets. The Karmann bodied Notchback coupes and cabriolets (1961-62) are especially sought after now, as is the limited production four-cam racing ‘Carrera’ version introduced in 1954.

The 356 was created by Ferdinand ‘Ferry’ Porsche (son of Ferdinand Porsche – company founder). In 1972, during a PCA magazine interview, he summarises his thinking behind the concept as: “I had always driven very speedy cars. I had an Alfa Romeo, also a BMW, and others... By the end of the war, I had a Volkswagen Cabriolet with a supercharged engine, and that was the basic idea. I saw that if you had enough power in a small car, it is nicer to drive than if you have a big car which is also overpowered. And it is more fun. On this basic idea, we started the first Porsche prototype.”

This lightweight approach quickly gained the 356 its popularity, and combined with its power-weight ratio, the rear-engined layout, nimble handling, and excellent build quality gave the 356 a proper driver appeal – a proven formula that also provided a class win at Le Mans in 1951. Power outputs varied between 44hp for the original 1131cc engine and 130hp for the later 1966cc Carrera versions.

The Pre-A or ‘prototype’ Austrian built 356s were aluminium bodied, but when manufacturing moved to Germany, Porsche contracted Reutter to manufacture the bodies in steel, and eventually bought the company in 1963. Reutter retained the seat manufacturing sector of their business, but later changed their name to Recaro – forming the company we’re much more familiar with today.

In October 1964, the 356’s successor, the iconic 911 made its debut – but its enduring popularity ensured production continued well into 1965.

ARRANGE A VIEWING
This vehicle is available for viewing in the UK on an appointment basis, and would suit an enthusiast or collector with whom this vehicle will represent a good acquisition opportunity.

WARRANTY & FINANCE AVAILABLE

Video Walkaround