Vehicle Description
1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A Cabriolet
• VIN 60068
• Engine No. 31211 - Matching
• Completed March 30, 1953
• Factory Kardex - Build Sheet
This Pre-A Cabriolet, numbered 68 of 394 produced, presents an
excellent opportunity to have a complete restoration done.
Originally imported to the U.S. by Hoffman Motor Cars in New York.
Originally delivered to US Standard and finished in Strawberry Red
exterior with no interior color recorded.
The exterior body is currently in primer and is basically complete
with the components, as seen in the photo gallery, including
exterior trim, bumpers, bumper guards, lighting fixtures, and an
original bent-window soft-top frame. The cabin is equipped with
front seats, a steering wheel, an ashtray, door panels, and kick
panels. Additional components comprise of the rearview mirror,
window winders, door glass, and other related items. 16-inch
date-coded wheels are fitted with Dunlop tires. The undercarriage
is solid and rust-free.
The project is mechanically complete, featuring the original Normal
1500cc engine that is disassembled, a manual 4-speed transmission,
and a four-wheel drum braking system. Additional engine components
include crankshaft, pistons and cylinders, fan shroud, starter,
generator, peddle assembly, distributor, flywheel, valve covers,
Knecht air cleaners, and engine tin. Complete with a Porsche Kardex
and a spare tire. This is a very rare opportunity to acquire a
Pre-A Cabriolet project.
The earliest 356s were built at Porsche's facility in Gm�nd,
Austria, but by 1950, the firm had outgrown the one-time sawmill,
and production was transferred to Zuffenhausen. Coachwork was
entrusted to Reutter and formed from steel rather than aluminum.
The Pre-356 Cabriolet joined the line-up that same year, and while
relatively spartan, the model underwent steady mechanical and
cosmetic improvement. By 1953, the 356 boasted mounted bumpers, a
one-piece "bent" windscreen (to replace the previous split-window
arrangement), a synchromesh gearbox, and the option of a larger
capacity 1500cc air-cooled flat-four engine that offered a marked
increase in performance. These early Porsche 356s were
retrospectively dubbed 'Pre-A' upon the arrival of the 356 A Type-1
in 1955.
