Vehicle Description
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1st place Concours Restoration Group Award at 2018 Porsche
Parade
1st in Class Restored Category, with Gmund Achievement with 299.8
points
Award-winning 4-year restoration
California car for most of its ownership history
Original matching numbers 1,500cc flat four engine
Meticulous collection of receipts, restoration photos
Copy of Kardex, Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, tools, jack,
and spare
"Pre-A" 356s hold a special place in many Porsche driver's hearts,
setting the stage for the future 356 lineage, a design that would
be used for more than 15 years. Simple yet elegant, sporty and
comfortable, the 356 was a reachable way for someone to get into a
capable sports car that was able to drive long distances and win
races in. This 1953 Porsche 356 1500 Coupe is just that. Elegant
lines paired with an exceptional period-correct color choice,
completely restored and winner of Porsche Parade's Gmund
Achievement award, all with an incredible story of Southern
California history.
Imported by Max Hoffman, this 356 was purchased by an owner in San
Diego, California in the mid to late 1950's who subsequently sold
it to his son. The son drove it for a number of years before
selling it to one of his friends, also believed to have lived in
the Southern California area. The 356 changed hands among friends
for a while before the son re-acquired the car. In 2010, the son's
estate handling his affairs was approached by a Southern California
native who was a restorer and fan of 356s, having owned many
coupes, roadsters and speedsters throughout his career. The car was
mostly complete but had been disassembled in preparation for a
restoration some years back, but luckily most of the cars parts
(including the matching numbers engine) had stayed with the car. He
purchased the 356 and took it back to his warehouse where he would
wait and decide what route he would like to go with the car.
In 2015 the restorer made the decision to carry out a
no-expense-spared concours-level restoration on the Pre-A coupe. He
stripped the paint off of the 356 revealing a solid and original
car, with no evidence of accidents with only minimal rust. Adding
more to it being a solid car was that it still retained all of its
matching body panels, each stamped with number 13. Setting to work,
he replaced the floors and longitudinals, as well as the front
fender edges. The doors, hood, and decklid were all fitted and
adjusted to match the factory settings, and the entire car was
completely metal finished. Once the metal work was completed, it
received coats of red primer exactly how the factory did with Pre-A
production. An original swatch of period-correct Adria Blue paint
was sourced and matched, then spraying the color and accenting the
356's elegance even more.
Wanting both a stunning visual car as well as a performer, every
mechanical system in the car was fully addressed for functionality
and originality. The matching numbers 1,500cc engine was rebuilt
with original pistons and cylinders, and uses correct dual Solex 32
carburetors. The transaxle is the correct 519 style, expertly
rebuild by noted transaxle specialist Vic Skirmats. The rest of the
car received the same level of attention to detail: brakes and
suspension were rebuilt to factory specs, and all of the car's
hardware was correctly plated and installed. This meticulous care
for authenticity ensured that nothing was left to chance in being
the best it would be. Parts were replaced when needed, but extra
special attention was paid to preserving and restoring as many
original parts when possible.
Taking extra care in making sure that the car was extremely period
correct, an original unrestored 1953 coupe was found and used for
interior patterns. The correct style of grey corduroy was sourced,
the vinyl pattern was meticulously matched to an original swatch to
ensure the correct style. The carpet is the correct earlier boucle
style, while the seats are correct in that the passenger side
features a restored Kleiper recliner, while the driver's seat has
boomerang hinges. Throughout the entire process items were restored
piece by piece, ensuring nothing was overlooked and everything was
in concours-presentable condition.
Completing the restoration in 2018, it was a stunning example of a
Pre-A 356. He took the car to 63rd annual Porsche Parade in 2018,
held at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. His attention to detail
and authenticity paid off, where his Adria Blue 356 was awarded 1st
in Class for the Restoration Division, and then also recognized as
the Concours Restoration Group winner, the highest award for a
restored Porsche, achieving a score of 299.8 points of out 300! Due
to this, it received a Gmund medal for the highest level of
restoration achievement. In August of 2018 it was shown at the
Carmel Concours on the Avenue, winning First in Class and was
contender for Best in Show. The 356 was also shown at the 2018
Werks Reunion, held by Porsche Club of America, which despite heavy
competition still won First in Class against 18 other 356s entered
for judging.
Upon arrival at Canepa the 356 was inspected thoroughly from front
to back. There was little surprise that this car was a multiple
award-winning car, with the attention to detail and quality
finishes throughout readily apparent. With the mechanicals
well-sorted and the cosmetics in just-restored condition, there was
little question of why this car has won so many First in Class
finishes. Painted in the stunning period-correct Adria Blue, this
"Pre-A" Porsche 356 will undoubtedly go on to win more shows with
its new owner, and provide a loyal and reliable companion on the
road along the way.
