Description
Details:
Oldtimer Australia delighted to offer for sale the ‘holy grail’ of factory right hand drive classic Porsches – a 1956 Porsche 356 Carrera GS 1500 Speedster.
This car is one of only three factory right hand drive Porsche 356 Carrera Speedsters ever built. Interestingly, all three of these cars were sold new in Australia. Of these three cars one has found its way to the UK, leaving this car and one other in this country.
According to the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity and the Kardex on file, this factory right hand drive car was completed on the 23rd July 1956. Its original colour scheme was ‘aquamarine blue metallic’ (paint code 5607) with a beige leatherette interior.
The car was sold by Hamiltons and its first owner was Mr D O’Neil. It is understood that Mr D O’Neil was indeed well known businessman Mr Denis O’Neil.
The car was raced in period and it finished third in class (1, 101 – 1, 500cc) in the 1956 Australian Tourist trophy race held at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne on the 25th November 1956. It was entered by Monaro Motors and driven by HC Old.
By 1958 the car was owned by Arnold Williams from Brisbane and it was entered under his name in the 1958 Lowood Trophy Meeting held on the 31st August 1958. Running number eight, Williams drove the car to a third place finish.
There are some fabulous period photos on file of the car at various race meets.
The car passed through two further owners before being acquired by Brisbane based Porsche enthusiast Greg Lund in c1972. By now the car had lost its original Carrera engine and Lund bought what he thought to be a ‘standard’ Porsche 356A Speedster, without an engine. Lund initially installed a Volkswagen engine and he used and enjoyed his car before deciding to restore it towards the end of his ownership. Lund’s curiosity was piqued when he noted that ‘356AGS’ was stamped on what turned out to be the original gearbox. He then contacted Porsche to ask for details about his car. There is a copy of a letter on file from Porsche, replying to Lund’s letter dated 19-9-1989, confirming this car was delivered new July 1956 and its original engine was a Carrera 4 Cam type 547/ 1.
Lund sold the car to Porsche 356 enthusiast Greg O’Keeffe in the early 1990’s. It was subsequently owned by Warwick Miller before being sold to David Bowden in 1998. Dan Bowden entered the car in the 1999 Targa Tasmania where it finished first in class.
The Bowdens sold the car to the current owner in 2018. Following a lot of detective work he located the original engine for the car. It had been sitting in the back of a Volkswagen shop in Melbourne for many years and then found its way to Porsche 356 specialist Nick Clemence in California, USA.
It is understood that the original engine was parted with the car by Gilbert Kerr, who was the owner of the car prior to Greg Lund. The current owner purchased the engine from Clemence and subsequently had it rebuilt by Kingsley Smith Auto Repairs in Nambour, Queensland during the second half of 2019. The engine was finally reunited with the car in March 2020.
It only stayed in the car for another month before it was replaced with a 1, 600cc Type 616/ 1 T2 from a 1958 Porsche 356, which at the time was still mated to the original gearbox. The original engine was placed on a stand to preserve it. The plan was to fit the engine back in the car when it was restored.
The current owner used and enjoyed the car but never got around to restoring it.
Oldtimer Australia has recently organised for the original quad cam engine to be fitted back in the car. That work was completed by classic Porsche Specialist Brad McKernan, from McKernan Restoration in Brisbane.
Today the car runs and drives well, however, the paint is showing its age. There are what looks to be humidity blisters on all panels. Given the car’s rarity and significance, it deserves to be taken back to its original and stunning colour of aquamarine blue.
The car is shod with the unique Carrera 15×4. 5-inch all-steel wheels shod with period correct Michelin XWX tyres, size 185/ 70VR15. These tyres were fitted in May 2018 and are still in very good condition.
The interior in a Carrera Speedster is just like in any Porsche 356 it is minimalistic. The tachometer is mounted in front of the driver with the speedometer to the left and oil temperature/ fuel gauge to the right . . . as one would expect in a car which was essentially designed for racing. All the instruments in the car present well and are in good working order.
The interior itself is in good condition. The seats provide ample support and only the base of the driver’s seat is showing some signs of wear. The upholstery is in good condition with no tears or cracks in the leather. All the carpets are in excellent condition.
The car runs and drives really well. The Carrera engine ‘sings’, particularly above 3, 500 rpm. The increased performance, compared to a standard Speedster, is definitely noticeable. The gearbox is smooth up and down the box and the synchros work well. The car rides and handles exceptionally well and the steering is very direct.
Accompanying the car is a hard top (there is no soft top), an excellent history file which includes a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity and a Kardex. There is also a jack and tool kit.
As the expression goes “. . . if you know, you know”. It is not often an opportunity like this to acquire a car as rare and important as this one presents itself.
Highlights:
- One of only three factory RHD Porsche 356 Carrera GS 1500 Speedsters ever built.
- Matching numbers as confirmed by the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity.
- Excellent history file.
- Use and enjoy ‘as is’ or cosmetically restore to original colour scheme.
Price: Enquire
