1955 Porsche 356 1500 Coupé (Bent-windshield / Reutter)
- Colour
- Palm Green (R526)
A Porsche 356 1500 'Bent-windshield' Reutter Coupé completed on 30 June 1955 and dispatched new to the United States, where it accumulated 44,000 miles before being stored in a California barn from 1968 onward. Recovered some years later and exported to France, the car proved complete, rust-free, and undamaged. Between 2013 and 2014 it underwent a meticulous bare-metal restoration by 356 specialist Ever Green Cars near Milan, emerging in period-correct Palm Green with beige upholstery and a restored Telefunken radio.
Ownership
- —Auction saleEstimate €225,000 – €275,000
- 1955-06-30 → 1968Factory deliveryOriginal US delivery recipientpartial documentation
Car was delivered new to the United States and used regularly until 1968, accumulating roughly 44,000 miles.
- 1968 →Acquisition unknownCalifornia barn storage ownernone documentation
Vehicle was stored in a rural California barn after 1968; it deteriorated over time but remained complete and unmodified.
- 2014 →Acquisition unknownCurrent consignorfull documentation
Owner took delivery after a two-year bare-metal restoration completed in 2013–2014, chose the Palm Green colour scheme, and has since used the car sparingly for tourist rallies and weekend drives near Cannes. Documentation includes FIVA card, restoration photo file, tool roll, original jack, and matching luggage.
- Date unknownAcquisition unknownFrench owner post-exportpartial documentation
Car was exported from California to France a few years before the auction; an inspection found it complete, undamaged, and rust-free before commissioning a full restoration in Italy.
Competition
- —Tourist rallies near Cannes
Car participated in several informal touring events in the Cannes area following completion of restoration, with minimal overall driving.
Maintenance & restoration
- 2013RestorationEver Green Cars
Full bare-metal restoration lasting approximately two years; bodywork stripped and refinished in Palm Green (R526), interior retrimmed in beige using period-correct materials, and all mechanical components overhauled. Original colour was Pearl Gray with red leatherette.
Workshop located in Casalmaiocco near Milan; work spanned 2013–2014 and consumed hundreds of labour hours. A FIVA identity document dated 2014 and a photographic restoration file were produced.
- —Inspection
Following recovery from the California barn and export to France, the car underwent a thorough inspection and appraisal confirming it was complete, free of rust, and without structural damage.
- —RestorationGerman audio specialist
Vintage Telefunken radio overhauled and returned to working order.
Carried out as part of the broader interior restoration to factory-correct specification.
- —Modification
A manual hand-priming fuel pump was fitted by the owner to assist cold starting after extended winter storage periods.
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