Vehicle Description
1961 Porsche 356B Super90
VIN: 117335
Ruby Red
Fully restored from the ground up by Tony Smetona
Engine pushed out to 1883cc producing 125 horsepower
Lots of 356 GT options added during restoration
Modified transmission with longer 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gears
Dana Point Porsche 356 Club of Southern California Concours Best of
Show Winner in 2008
Late model differential
Correct Ruby Red paint
Tony Smetona, a noted restorer based in San Clemente, bought the
car from an owner who had stored the 356 on the side of his home.
Passing by and noticing it, Smetona inquired about the car and
shortly became the car's rescuer. Taking it back to his shop, he
had full intentions to restore it as soon as he was able to and
turn it into a one of a kind 356. As it turned out, Tony would find
himself getting married soon after bringing the car back, followed
by purchasing a house and having children. The 356 then took a back
seat, staying in his possession for almost 20 years in his shop,
before setting to work on restoring the Super90 back to its former
glory in 2007.
The Porsche 356 Super90 was an amazing power upgrade from your
standard 356 coupe, producing more horsepower than the base model.
Now this car, with its custom buildout to 1883cc from the stock
1600cc and with additional special internals, produces 125
horsepower from the Super90 engine. Add on GT items such as
plexiglass windows, GT seats and seat belts, and you have a Porsche
that not only looks the part but will walk away from the other
normal 356s in both the looks and performance department.
With the 356 being his passion project, the car would take Tony
almost 2 years to complete. Stripped down to metal and repainted in
its correct Ruby Red paint, that is where the similarities would
end. Creating a homage 356 to the GTs, Tony would add GT seats
covered in black leatherette with clotch inserts and GT belts to
accompany them. A center hood fill cap would be fabricated and
added, as well as the GT-specific headlamp covers. GT-style wheels
with Pirelli rubber and a black roll bar completed the aesthetics
of the 356.
Even though Super90s made 90 horsepower from the factory, this
wasn't enough for Tony. Sourcing special parts to support the quest
for power, a host of internal items were acquired and applied to
the engine. Custom JE pistons, ported heads, stainless steel
valves, chromoly pushrods, SC rods and crankshaft, Solex
carburetors modified to 43mm, a fully modified OEM exhaust for
"sport appearance" and more, yielding 125 horsepower at 6,200 rpm
and a stout 117lb/ft of torque at 4,800rpm.
Smetona noted that the 356 would go on to take Best of Show in 2008
at the Dana Point Porsche 356 Club of Southern California Concours
event. Tony would then sell the car in 2012 to its next owner who
would keep possession of the car until 2014, where it would then
find its most recent owner. Driving it sparingly, the owner noted
that most of the miles were attributed to running in the Colorado
Grand and the Copper State rallies, with the odometer now showing
4,908 miles since the restoration completed.
Since arriving at Canepa, the 356 was thoroughly inspected and
evaluated. Wasting no time, the car would begin going through the
"Canepa Difference" process, which would bring it back to show
condition. The chassis was hand cleaned, as well as the trunk,
interior and engine bay. The brilliant Ruby Red was polished using
a multi-step process with only foam pads and polishes, so that now
the paint looks ready for a concours event. The 125-horsepower
engine starts up with no hesitation, pulls strongly and is ready
for its next tour. Now prepared for its next owner, this Porsche
356 Super90 is ready for any long-distance rally, or just a rally
to the store. Either way, you'll be smiling while you're
driving.
