1958 Porsche 356 Speedster
- Engine
- Porsche 912-derived flat-four with counterweighted crankshaft and dual Solex carburetors, approximately 25% more power than original 356 unit
- Colour
- Meisen Blue
A late-production 1958 Porsche 356 T2 Speedster, one of only 1,129 built before production ended that year, originally supplied to a Volkswagen dealer in Natchez, Mississippi. After roughly fifteen years in that ownership, the car was acquired in late 1988 and underwent a meticulous five-year restoration documented in the 356 Registry. In its subsequent long-term custodianship, the engine was upgraded to a Porsche 912 unit while retaining a period-correct appearance, and the car was refinished in Meisen Blue with a matching interior.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$319,000
- —Auction saleSold US$295,000
- 1988 →Private saleSecond owner (persistent admirer)partial documentation
Acquired the car after approximately 15 years of seeking it out, then undertook a thorough five-year restoration to original specification, documented in the 356 Registry publication.
- Date unknownFactory deliveryVolkswagen dealer in Natchez, Mississippipartial documentation
Original recipient of the car when new, a VW dealership located in Natchez, Mississippi.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownCurrent long-term owner and marque specialistpartial documentation
Reported to be the third owner since new; upgraded the engine to a later Porsche 912 unit and had the car refinished in Meisen Blue with a new top and interior.
Competition
No competition history extracted from the catalogue.
Maintenance & restoration
- —Restoration
Comprehensive five-year restoration to original specification carried out after the car's acquisition in late 1988; the work was documented in an article in Volume 19 of the 356 Registry.
Restoration authored or featured by Robert Stroud in the 356 Registry publication.
- —Engine rebuild
Original engine replaced with a unit sourced from a later Porsche 912, featuring a counterweighted crankshaft and Super 90/SC 912 Solex carburetors with factory-specification air cleaners; all surrounding 356 sheet metal and ancillaries retained to preserve a period-correct appearance.
Upgrade yields approximately 25 percent more power while maintaining the visual appearance of a stock 356 A engine bay.
- —Bodywork
Full refinish in Meisen Blue with a new Navy hood and interior; OEM tan square-weave carpeting fitted along with a restored Nardi wooden steering wheel, a refinished dashboard with correct VDO gauges including a date-coded 1958 tachometer converted to electric operation.
Work carried out during the current long-term ownership period.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.