Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 80592
As a family run company in the 1950s, Porsche generally did not
solicit or receive outside advice, even from their own importers
and dealer network whose success depended on retailing cars well
suited to their customers' requirements. In the early 1950s, Max
Hoffman, the sole United States importer of Porsche automobiles,
had a suggestion for a type of car that he thought would sell well
in the US, specifically in California. Porsche honored his request
for a basic car; one that would be lightweight and simple, with an
open top utilizing components and running gear serviceable at VW
dealers across the country. The car ultimately developed - the
aluminum-bodied 1952 356 America Roadster - was a success even if
the meager sales total of 16 examples didn't reflect that.
What the America Roadster achieved, besides a few SCCA class
victories, was the idea that this type of car would be a sales
success in the US if it could be built to a price. By 1953, Max
Hoffman and John Von Neumann, newly installed as Porsche's West
Coast distributor, urged Porsche to begin a new, price-conscious
project Typ 540 - ultimately called the 'Speedster.' With Von
Neumann's direction on what was unnecessary, luxury items were
deleted. A tachometer was not standard equipment, nor was a heater
or roll-up windows. Sun visors and padded seats were optional. When
it ultimately retailed at Max Hoffman's Manhattan showroom in 1954
for $2,995, the 356 Speedster was the sales success that Porsche
dreamed of, especially on the West Coast, where it became a
boulevard race car for some and a class-winning SCCA race car for
others.
It can be difficult to remember that, when new, a 356 Speedster was
the affordable Porsche. Some were raced or modified but all were
driven as Porsche intended: with spirit and vigor. An aura of cool
has always surrounded Speedsters and it is amazing that many, like
this 'Pre-A' example, have survived largely intact and are
presented today in such beautifully restored condition. According
to a copy of its Kardex, this 1955 356 'Pre-A' Speedster was
delivered through Max Hoffman's New York distributorship on 26 May
1955 finished in 601 Red paint and a Black 'Kunstleder' upholstered
interior. While the Kardex does not list any special options, it is
quite common for Speedsters to be built without much optional
equipment as, again, it was considered the spartan Porsche when
new! While mostly blank, Porsche's warranty card for a US-bound
Speedster would normally show sealed-beam headlights and a
speedometer scale in miles. Additionally, the Kardex contains small
bits of interesting information noting that this Speedster's Bosch
ignition lock key was coded 'C 089' and its door keys '5525'.
Little is known of this Speedster's early days, however, it should
be noted that, while restored back to its fantastic build spec of
Red over Black upholstery, it received a period correct 1500 cc
Type 546 engine originally from a 1954 'Pre-A' 356. Of very similar
spec to this Speedster's original 1500 cc engine, it must be said
that finding an engine so close to the original in serial number
and type is commendable! This very attractive and well-preserved
restoration netted 80592 an AACA Senior National First Prize award
in 1998, and without a doubt more than its fair share of envious
looks while receiving it. Today, the 356 Speedster remains the
iconic Stuttgart sports car - even after six decades of Porsche's
911 model. This extremely fine Pre-A is a wonderful example of
these early, American-inspired 356s that are today uniquely
treasured as the lightweight and perfectly balanced jewel of an
automobile they were engineered to be.