Vehicle Description
chassis #: 108405
engine #: 84363
gearbox #: 28812
paint #: 608 (silver metallic)
Just out of a previous 15 year ownership, this long-term California
car sports the extremely rare, from new, combination of a 'Sunroof
Coupe' mated with the very desirable '1600 Super' engine. According
to some estimates, only 5% of the total production run of 356
Coupes were ordered with the factory sunroof option (+/-140 in
1959), and of those, far fewer still were Supers.
The car sports a high quality, 15+ year, restoration in the
original colors of silver metallic paint over black interior, which
has held up very nicely with glossy unblemished paint and unworn
upholstery. Recent service from legendary Porsche mechanics at
Schneider Autohaus of Santa Barbara, CA include an engine rebuild
3k miles ago (costing $10,500) and brakes 100 miles ago, receipts
of which are on file.
The Kardex, a copy of which is posted in the photo gallery, shows
that this is a very late production (delivered to Max Hoffman in
New York 9/7/59), matching numbers, US delivery, 356A Coupe with
factory sunroof. Also posted are screenshots from 356a.com that
show the chassis and engine numbers correspond with original 1959
1600 Super specs from new.
The car comes with the original (recently refinished) bumper
overriders, spare, jack, some small tools, handbook, and a bunch of
spare odds and ends (like a cool period gas can and seal beam
headlights).
This is a rare opportunity to purchase such a unique and desirable
late Porsche 356A that needs nothing mechanically and isn't so
overly restored that you'd feel guilty driving it regularly.
As the period 1950's U.S. Max Hoffman-Porsche advertisement shown
in the picture gallery accurately states: "You...in the Porsche
driver's seat are at the exact center of gravity of a perfectly
balanced automobile. You enjoy complete harmony with the Porsche's
movement, just as the Porsche (with its superb rear-engine power
plant, servo-mesh transmission, torsion bar suspension and giant
sized brakes) responds instantly to your every command. Driver and
motor car become one, in a thrilling partnership of road
mastery."