1965 Porsche 356 Replica

1965 Porsche 356 Speedster tribute with 99, 000 km in good condition. The idea for a Speedster version of the bodywork originated overseas. The ingenious Max Hoffmann, (to whom we also owe Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider and Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster) Porsche's importer for the American East Coast, asked for a cheaper open-top version of the overpriced 356 America Roadster. His intended customers needed something more basic and economical; he wanted to offer them an uncompromising sports car for less than $3, 000 at the time, about half the price of a contemporary convertible. Porsche relented when Hoffmann's pressure was compounded by that of John von Neumann, Porsche's West Coast importer. Starting with the 356, the engineers developed a dry 2-seater by eliminating the rear seats and excess mouldings. They fitted a low wraparound windscreen, an oddly shaped soft top, clear acetate windows, chrome stripes along the side that neatly ran through the door handles, lighter and more enveloping seats, and a simplified dashboard with only three VDO dials behind the steering wheel. Only three colours were available; white, red or pastel blue. The gearbox ratios were shortened and matched to the 50 hp 1500 or 70 hp 1500 S engines. Thus lightened, the car had a very responsive dynamic behaviour and scorching acceleration that delighted customers. It was a car to be used every day and at weekends, taking everything off, going racing and even, often, winning. Hoffmann's gamble had also been won when a flood of requests arrived at Zuffenhausen in 1955 and it was adapted to T1 and T2 specifications and the choice of colours and engines expanded to include 1600 and twin cam Carrera. It was so regretted when Porsche stopped making it in 1958 in favour of the more luxurious convertibles after more than 4, 000 examples had been produced in about four years that replicas began to circulate immediately. More or less beautiful, many used the floorpan of a banal Beetle with a fibreglass body to experience similar sensations, moreover at a much lower price. It also had a successful film career after James Dean (who drove a white 1500S as much as possible), like other young Californians, fell madly in love with it. It appeared in numerous successful films and TV series such as Detective's Story (1966) with Paul Newman; very often it was replicas that "starred", as in Top Gun (1986) alongside Kelly McGillis. A prepared Porsche 356 tailing an Alfa Romeo 1900C SS Zagato in Sweden, at the Kristianstad Grand Prix, 7 August 1955. Porsche 356s were used in races from the very beginning, they were designed to be used on a daily basis as well as in races by their owners. Therefore they worried and sometimes beat far more powerful cars due to their handling and lightness. The number of races disputed is impressive and impossible to quantify exactly, but it is also on these victories that the Porsche sports legend is based.

The Porsche 356 prepared for the 86th Liège-Rome-Liège For example, the 356 won the first European Rally Championship in 1953 and then again in 1961 (winning the German Rally with the Walter-Wencher crew); the Liège-Rome-Liège four times, 1952, 1954, 1957 and 1959; the Alpine Cup in 1953 and 1956, the Press on Regardless Rally in 1956 and the European Mountain Championship from 1960 to 1963 in the GT category.

Still in the GT category, the car won, among others, the Berlin GP in 1954 and 1955, the Nürburgring Eifelrennen 1955, the Montlhéry Cup in 1956, the Nassau Tourist Trophy in 1959 (in Carrera version). He won the SCCA National Championship in class F (production) with Bengt Söderström in 1955 and with Lake Underwood for the following 2 seasons (1956-57). With the Swede it also won the E-class in 1956. In endurance, in addition to victories in the 1. 1-litre category in 1951 and 1952 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Veuillet-Mouche, the 356 finished top of the first edition of the 9 Hours of South Africa in 1958, as well as at the 1, 000 kilometres of Catalonia on several occasions (in 1958, 1959 and 1963). Porsche 356s also boasted a constant presence at the Mille Miglia. In 1952, the first year of production, a 1500 was driven in the race by Count Giovanni Lurani, finishing 46th overall. The following year, a 1500 Super was raced by Hans Herrmann by the official Porsche team. It was also popular with female drivers, as the Ladies' Cup at the Tour de France Automobile between 1954 and 1961 was always won by a 356.