Such is the perennial popularity of the Porsche 356 that several recreations in kit form have been made over the years, using the underpinnings of the mechanically similar Volkswagen Type 1 Beetle.

Chesil is perhaps the most well-known - started in 1990 by businessman Peter Bailey when he bought an existing project known as the ‘Street Beetle’.

The vendor of this very smart, wide body Speedster replica believes it may be one of these Chesil kits, if not a similarly well-executed equivalent. It's based on a 1981 VW chassis but has been built to an exemplary standard. It really is a stunning evocation of one of the best-looking cars of all-time.

Okay, it’s not a real 356. That’s the elephant now out of the room, because what this is, moreover, is an absolutely beautiful car finished and presented to an enviable standard. It looks as good an evocation as you can get.

A truly, truly beautiful car in fabulous condition throughout. It’s a total stunner.

The Wide Body appearance of the car is matched by a chop-top drophead roof, which gives it a Fifties custom look. It’s insanely cool, and one of those cars that looks as good with its roof up as it does with it down. 

The roof itself is flawless, as, indeed, is the Pearl White GRP bodywork, which is free of any notable damage and gently customised to the vendor’s tastes. It sits on deep-dish split-rim sports steel wheels, which really complete the custom look.

Trimmed in red leather with matching carpets, the Speedster is a charming and wonderful thing that has been finished to a truly exceptional standard, with gorgeous seat facings and a beautiful matching red leather dash top panel. 

It also has rich red carpets and matching door cards, all carried out to an exceptional level of detail and quality of workmanship. It’s superb, and the details are really special, right down to the beautiful wood-rimmed Porsche steering wheel, Speedster badging and genuine Porsche dials. Sure, it’s an evocation, but it’s a wonderful one at that.

Under the rear engine cover is a flawlessly presented 1,300cc VW Beetle engine, fully rebuilt by a known VW specialist in 1986 and transplanted into the car with further reconditioning work. It runs beautifully, with a characterful air-cooled clatter and a standard VW four-speed gearbox, the soundtrack provided by a fruity stainless steel exhaust system that adds a real sense of occasion.

BEFORE YOU BUY 

This sale is subject to the Car & Classic Terms and Conditions. By bidding and/or making an offer, you also agree to the following: 

✓ The seller is registered as a private seller which means consumer rights stemming from EU consumer protection law do not come into effect. However, you are still covered by Car & Classic’s own Terms and Conditions.. 

✓ We request that a non-refundable fee  be paid if you are the lucky winning bidder at auction or if your offer is accepted Please refer to our helpful FAQs and T&Cs for specific rates. 

✓ This vehicle is “Sold As Seen”, on an “As Is Where Is’ basis and without warranty. Photos and descriptions are solely for guidance purposes and it's customary to carry out a full inspection of the vehicle prior to purchase for your own peace of mind. 

✓ VAT is included in the buyer's fee. VAT may or may not be included in the final bid or offer price, as specified in the listing. 

✓ We want a smooth transaction just as much as you do and as such we run all UK-registered cars and motorbikes for sale on Car & Classic through an online HPI check to verify that they show no insurance database markers for damage or theft, and have no finance owing, allowing you to bid with confidence. 

✓ We also check whether vehicles are recorded as being written off as part of an insurance total loss claim at the time an advert is placed on Car & Classic and we helpfully provide write-off category labels (Cat C/D/S/N) for your assistance. However, the presence or absence of a label does not guarantee the vehicle’s status and it is always worthwhile carrying out your own  full vehicle history check before making an offer on a vehicle. 

✓ Buyers are responsible for vehicle collection 

or delivery. Importing vehicles may result in additional customs duties and import taxes so it’s worth checking beforehand.. If requested, we may refer you to a third-party shipping company who can help. For more details and to speak to the team, email [email protected]