1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster
- Engine
- 1.6L air-cooled flat-four OHV, twin dual-choke Weber carbs, ~100 bhp (later 616/2 'S' unit)
- Colour
- Metallic grey
A 1955 Porsche 356 pre-A Speedster, one of only 1,233 produced across 1954–1955, this example left the Zuffenhausen factory in March 1955 and was ordered by US importer Max Hoffman for delivery to California. A later 1600 S engine of 1958 type was fitted for improved performance, and the car subsequently underwent a comprehensive restoration resulting in metallic grey paintwork, red leather racing seats, and a purpose-built engine tuned with Joma specialist components producing a verified 100 bhp.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €341,600 (≈ $376K)
- 1955-03-01 →Factory deliveryMax Hoffman (importer)full documentation
Vehicle was ordered by the US importer for delivery to California, as documented on the original factory Kardex order sheet.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Modification
The original engine was replaced with a 1600 S unit (Type 616/2) sourced from a 1958 car, a commonly adopted upgrade for increased power output.
- —Restoration
A thorough, comprehensive restoration was carried out, resulting in a metallic grey finish with lightweight racing seats trimmed in red leather, matching door cards, and a coordinating hood.
- —Engine rebuild
As part of the restoration, the 1600 S engine was extensively overhauled using period tuning methods, incorporating Joma specialist parts including a bespoke camshaft, ported valves, and Weber twin-choke carburettors, with all reciprocating components dynamically balanced. A subsequent dyno test confirmed 100 bhp.
Dyno test results are held within the car's documentation file.
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