1952 Porsche 356 Model 51 Split-Windshield Coupé
- Engine
- 1.5L air-cooled flat-four, 60 bhp (original Type 527; currently fitted with rebuilt Type 527 unit with plain-bearing Type 546 crankshaft)
- Colour
- Dark green ('Dunkelgrün' / Moor Green, Reutter code R506)
Chassis 11247 is a February 1952 Porsche 356 Coupe of the short-lived Model 51 type, distinguished by its split V-shaped windshield, body-mounted bumpers, and twin stop-lamp arrangement — features abolished with the Model 52 that followed just weeks later. Delivered new in Dunkelgrün to a Berlin customer through the Eduard Winter agency, the car eventually migrated to the United States before undergoing a comprehensive bare-metal restoration by Reinhold Plank of Aircooled in Brixen, Italy, returning it to concours condition after roughly two and a half years of work.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €460,000 (≈ $506K)
- 1952-02-01 →Factory deliveryIngeburg Grieffull documentation
First registered owner, based in Berlin; the car was dispatched to the Eduard Winter agency in Berlin shortly after factory completion. Original paint color noted on the Kardex as Olivgrün, possibly a custom order.
- 1996 → 2003Private saleTom Birchpartial documentation
American 356 enthusiast who discovered the car stored in a Wisconsin garage in poor condition — rusty, damaged, repainted red with a modified interior. Retained it unrestored until selling it as a project.
- 2003 →Private saleDealer in Bergamo, Italypartial documentation
Purchased the car from Birch as a restoration project and subsequently sold it to a collector near Milan.
- Date unknownUnknown intermediate owners in the United Statesnone documentation
The car passed through multiple unidentified hands after leaving Germany, eventually arriving in the US at some point before 1996.
- Date unknownPrivate saleMilan-area private collectorpartial documentation
Bought the car in its as-found state from the Bergamo dealer and later offered it to Reinhold Plank for restoration.
- Date unknownPrivate saleReinhold Plankpartial documentation
Owner of Aircooled restoration workshop in Brixen, Italy; undertook an extensive bare-metal mechanical and cosmetic restoration over roughly two and a half years, with the result driven only 123 km post-completion.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1957ModificationRittersbacher
The original 1,488 cc Type 527 roller-crank engine was replaced with a smaller 1,300 cc Type 506 unit originally manufactured in 1951.
Work carried out at Rittersbacher in Grünstadt per the Kardex record.
- —Modification
The car was repainted red and fitted with a black and white interior, later-style teardrop tail-lights, and front horn grilles, deviating substantially from its original specification.
Modifications occurred during the car's time in the United States, exact date unknown.
- —RestorationAircooled
Comprehensive bare-metal mechanical and cosmetic restoration carried out over roughly two and a half years. Floors, tunnel, longitudinals, door skins, nose, and rear clip skins were refabricated; all major body panels confirmed original. Engine fully rebuilt with a plain-bearing Type 546 crankshaft substituted for reliability. Suspension, brakes, and steering all rebuilt; new wiring harness fitted. Interior recreated in beige leatherette with fabric seat inserts by a specialist upholstery firm, with original switchgear, instruments, steering wheel, and trim components refurbished. Work was fully documented photographically.
Restoration overseen by Reinhold Plank using Reutter factory archive build sheet to verify original colours and materials. Interior upholstery executed by Ferraresi Interni Auto.
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