Vehicle Description
Chassis No. 89620
Engine No. 700087
Transmission No. 50333
As featured in the September 1961 issue of Christophorus, Porsche's
in-house magazine, a notable shift occurred in the spring of that
year within the exclusive circle of coachbuilders tasked with
constructing Porsche bodies. Joining the ranks of Reutter, Karmann,
Drauz, Beutler, Gl�ser, and Heuer was a new name: Anciens
Etablissements D'Ieteren Freres S.A. of Brussels, Belgium. Founded
in 1805, D'Ieteren was among Europe's most storied coachbuilders.
The article wryly noted that the company had been producing
carriages "before their shafts were sawn off, leaving the horses
without a job."
D'Ieteren had taken over Roadster body construction from Drauz, and
while the company was concurrently involved in selling and
assembling Volkswagens and Studebakers, its work on the 356
Roadster was regarded as a passion project-an undertaking fueled by
pride and craftsmanship. D'Ieteren began building Roadsters during
the 356 B T5 production run and ultimately completed 472 examples
of the model that had originally succeeded the Speedster in 1959.
By September 1961, they transitioned to producing the updated 356 B
T6 variant, identifiable by its signature twin-grille engine lid-an
enlarged rear deck with two vertical ventilation slots. Additional
refinements included a widened front trunk lid and the newly added
external fuel filler door on the right front fender.
This final iteration of the 356 Roadster, often referred to as the
"Twin Grille Roadster," is widely considered the most desirable and
collectible among Porsche enthusiasts. According to Porsche's
chassis records, D'Ieteren built just 248 examples of the T6
Roadster, making it one of the rarest air-cooled Porsches of its
kind. Chassis number 89620 is one such example. Originally destined
for the U.S. market, it was finished in Ruby Red with a Black
leather interior and outfitted with the sole factory option of
reclining seats (Liegesitze). The car was first delivered to J.
Ralph Parker of San Jose, California.
Documentation on file reveals a small string of two additional
California owners before the rare Roadster was acquired by Jim
Rinker. In the late 2000s, Rinker was in the midst of restoring
chassis 89620 when his good friend Bill Tripodi notified him of his
search for a red (preferably darker Ruby Red) 356 B Twin Grille
Roadster originally fit with a 1,600-cc Super engine, a tall order
to be sure! Much to Tripodi's luck the 356 he so desired was in
Rinker's hands undergoing metal finishing by Urs Gretener, one of
the finest metal craftsmen in the industry. Over the next three
years the restoration of the Twin Grille was looked after by the
best in the business under Tripodi's watchful eye. The
matching-numbers Super engine rebuild and restoration was completed
by John Willhoit with a counterweighted crankshaft, later
connecting rods, 91-mm pistons and cylinders, and a number of other
top shelf components at Tripodi's request to enhance the low and
mid-range torque characteristics. The result heightened far more
than the torque curve with the engine now producing 105 horsepower
and 120 lb-ft of torque beginning at 3,200 rpm. At the same time
the matching-numbers four-speed transmission was meticulously
rebuilt by Jon Bunin Werkstatt.
Black Spinneybeck leather was selected to adorn the interior trim
work. The dashboard features a rare new old stock Motometer outside
temperature gauge, restored VDO gauges, and switchgear. To protect
the interior from the elements the Roadster top was restored with
fresh black German canvas. All five date-stamped (10/61) wheels,
including the spare, were completely renewed in correct chrome
finish with Super hubcaps and shod with 165-15 Pirelli Cinturato
tires. The details within the trunk-often overlooked-were correctly
finished down to the correct one-year-only Porsche toolkit and
restored Bilstein jack. Furthermore, to this day, the Roadster
retains the correct books and serialized Porsche-issued Service
Book.
It should be no surprise that Tripodi's Twin-Grille captured nearly
every important Southern California 356 concours award after the
completion of the restoration in 2014. In chronological order, it
took home First in Class at the 2014 La Jolla Concours, First in
Class and Best in Show at the 2015 Dana Point 356 Club Concours,
First in Class at Palos Verdes the same year and received a record
breaking score of 299.6 out of 300 total points at the Huntington
Beach 356 Club Concours in 2017-naturally taking home First in
Class and Best in Show once again. Small wonder that many believe
this to be one of the finest, if not the finest, 356 B Twin Grille
D'Ieteren Roadsters on offer in recent memory. With just 237 miles
on the restoration since completion, it presents an amazing
opportunity to acquire a concours-winning, expertly restored
example of one of Porsche's most celebrated open-air icons-ready to
be shown, enjoyed, and admired at the highest levels.
