1959 Porsche 356 B 1600 S Cabriolet
- Engine
- 1.6L air-cooled flat-four OHV, twin-carbureted 'Super' tune, 75 bhp (DIN)
- Colour
- Light Ivory
A 1959 Porsche 356 B 1600 S Cabriolet (chassis 152629) delivered new in Light Ivory over red leather, optioned with both a hardtop and soft top and the twin-carbureted Super engine for the US market. After early ownership changes in Chicago, the car passed to aeronautical engineer James Kerr and his wife Shirley, who drove it to California before engine trouble in 1966 consigned it to storage for 45 years. Following acquisition from the Kerr family, it underwent a meticulous two-year restoration completed around 2013, earning a Zuffenhausen Award at the Porsche Parade with a near-perfect score.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$242,000
- 1959-12-05 → 1960-01-05Private saleDr. Keith Neecefull documentation
Original purchaser who took delivery in Chicago; traded the car in to a local Ford dealership within a month, likely seeking a more practical vehicle for winter conditions.
- 1960 → 2011Private saleJames Richard Kerr and Shirley Ann Kerrfull documentation
Aeronautical engineer and his wife purchased from the Ford dealership where his father was Sales Manager; relocated from Illinois to San Diego in late 1963. An engine issue around 56,000 miles in 1966 led to the car being placed in extended storage, where it remained for roughly 45 years.
- 2011 → 2011Acquisition unknownKerrs' sonpartial documentation
Sold the car on behalf of or following the Kerr family after its long period of storage.
- 2011 →Private saleSan Diego enthusiastpartial documentation
Purchased the car from the Kerrs' son; subsequently passed it to a Florida-based Porsche collector.
- Date unknownPrivate saleFlorida Porsche collectorpartial documentation
Commissioned a two-year restoration beginning in 2012 aimed at preserving original components while addressing bodywork, interior, mechanical, and cosmetic needs.
Competition
- 2013Porsche Parade2013 Porsche Parade296 out of 300 points; Zuffenhausen Award
Concours-style judged event held in Traverse City, Michigan, attended shortly after completion of the car's restoration.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2012RestorationMultiple specialists: Alton Jones (bodywork/paint), Jean-Noël Gieffeuille (interior/top), Paul Willison Werkstadt (mechanical)
A comprehensive two-year restoration commenced with the objective of retaining as many factory-original components as possible. Work encompassed bodywork repair and a fresh Light Ivory repaint, a fully renewed red leather interior with period-correct carpeting, new convertible top and boot, complete mechanical overhaul of the engine, transaxle and brakes, instrument restoration, new windshield and wiring harness, and re-plating or polishing of all brightwork.
Bodywork and paint carried out in Columbia, South Carolina; interior and hood work in Pittsboro, North Carolina; mechanical overhaul in Lake Park, Florida.
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