Vehicle Description
1957 Porsche 356 Speedster Replica
Some iconic cars are very hard to find. Whether it be from rarity,
low production numbers, or out of this world costs when you do find
the example you like. Enter the repli-car. Nearly 750 companies
produced any number of models over the years. Many were made from a
fiberglass mold that was taken from the original. What better way
to have access to almost any classic, where you can build from
frame up, as per your wishes, materials and skill level. Only
limited by your imagination and budget.
It's easy to understand why they built this handsome 1957 Porsche
356 Speedster replica: it looks great! Originals were frequently
neglected and abused, never mind their legendary finicky nature, so
it was probably a smart idea to recreate the look in fiberglass and
put reliable running gear underneath. Iconic and outrageously
expensive for the original, we give you a replica that checks all
the boxes!
Exterior
The Porsche 356 colloquially known as the "bathtub" Porsche is a
product of a fiberglass mold from the original and built in
California by Vintage Speedsters in which the original owner took
possession in 2013. It is bathed in a beautiful pale yellow, and of
course has no rust, nice chrome and a like new blue contrasting
canvas convertible top. Its round design, looking very much like
the original, has body matching bumpers with a chrome strip in the
center of the front and rear bumpers. Round screened headlights and
small pointed oval "squinty eye" taillights for the back. A luggage
rack on the rear deck and dual exhaust peek out the bottom back of
the car. On either side is a trim spear nice and thin and it runs
right through the door handles. On the bottom is a black trim that
is bordered on top and bottom by a thin stainless trimming. A
wonderfully rounded shape, gracefully curved around the front
windscreen is also trimmed with chrome framing. Steel punched
wheels are on all 4 corners, and shiny moon caps are in the centers
all around.
Interior
With the top down, and tonneau, (in blue canvas), covering we see
more nicely contrasting color with the leather interior bathed in
beige. Bomber style low back but wilder buckets are inserted and
floating on like new thick pile blue carpeting. A wide sill is
filled by the beautiful doors and their beige leather panels with
some center embossing and a stitched-on pouch for some extra
storage. In the center of the hump is a leather booted shift lever,
and a leather handled and booted handbrake. In the back is actually
a small bench seat but is unusable when the top is down. It is also
beige leather and has some tuck and roll inserts just like the
buckets in front. In front, the dash front is fiberglass in pale
yellow and the top is covered in beige leather to match the seats
and door panels. In front of the driver is a curved semicircular
eyebrow with a trio of round gauges in blackface and white numeral
format. These have shiny bezels on their edges. In front of the
passenger is a Porsche badge and just next to the door on the
dashes a small curved "Jesus" bar! Below the dash we see an
aftermarket AM/FM/CD player and there are some speakers mounted
into the door panels. A very nicely put together interior right
down to the tan edging on the blue carpeting.
Drivetrain
In back is a 1600cc flat 4 cylinders fed by 2 single barrel Weber
carbs. There is a 4-speed manual fluid drive on back, coupled with
a 3.88 rear axle. Custom dual exhaust is on and looking great and
drip free underneath (try to find that on an original 356!).
Undercarriage
This car is mounted to a 1974 VW chassis and in fact derives its
title from said chassis. Undercarriage is very clean and rust and
drip free. Floor pans are nice and solid and are original VW with a
complete floor pan panel is the center of this car. Independent
suspension is all around, and front disc braking is on and rear
drums are present.
Drive-Ability
Even though it is not an original which I would not drive due to
its value, this one is a driver and an eye catcher. It fires right
up and handles great, accelerates nicely and sounds very nice to
complete the package. Bias free braking on the panic stop and all
other functions were in working order. A fun driver, reliable and
great.
With an original example being out of the reach of most, those who
can still have with this replica, which is very nicely done.
Looking very much like the original, and sounding great, (which is
important to this writer), it has nicely appointed letter interior,
a blue canvas top which is like new, and all the trapping of its
expensive original from where this car was cut.
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.
