1957 Porsche 356 A Speedster
Key features
Build Date: March 1957
Model Year: 1956
Paint Colour: Aquamarine Blue (Non-Metallic)
Interior: Leather in Nut Cream
VIN: 83103
Engine: 64930 - 1720cc, SX2 cam, Super 90 heads, Solex PII twin carburettors.
We found this car in a very sorry condition in Texas where a restoration had been started by the current owner, a doctor who had bought it previously from a friend of ours. Our friend had owned the car for a number of years and explained that it had been raced by two brothers who had [badly] converted it to right hand drive for clockwise track use and given it quite a bit of abuse. The car needed a huge amount of metalwork at the hands of the very gifted Lionel. Speedsters should in theory be simpler than coupés, but this one was most definitely the exception to the rule.
After the bodywork was finished, including the creation of a bespoke metal tonneau cover which we think gives the car a beautiful extended streamlined look, we sent the car off to Spike to lay on the aquamarine non-metallic blue paint, a colour that was originally used by Porsche from later in 1957. The rocker deco trim which usually sits below the doors and quarter panels has been deleted, as have the bumper overriders and the bumpers have been fitted with GT trims, but shortened and rounded off rather than wrapped round the ends of the bumpers …which themselves have been moved closer to the body to eliminate unsightly gaps!
The wheels - including the spare - are new old stock 5x15 billet aluminium Boyd Coddingtons, with Carrera 20mm spacers on the rears and 10mm spacers on the fronts, set off by polished brake drums (yes, polished, they’re not chrome), custom-made titanium hub nuts on the rears with chromed R-pins and triple-chromed, filled and machined grease caps on the fronts, Porsche 911 titanium wheel nuts machined to convert them to open nuts and satin nickel-plated 944 Turbo wheel studs with domed heads. Tyres are Michelin ZX.
The headlights are US-spec with smoothed and black satin-gloss painted buckets with 7 inch Marchal cat-eye headlamps.
Painted interior parts such as the replica Werks steering wheel, steering column and the knobs have been done in a Chrysler brown to match the nutcream leather which was trimmed by Ian and Neil. Handmade dashboard trims, finishers and door handle escutcheons add the finishing touches.
The interior was designed by owner Phil, Brightwell’s founder, and Brightwell’s Dave Mcanulty. Phil wanted to create something that the Italians might have done - Pininfarina style - if they had made the Speedster. Instead of standard plain seat pads and carpeted sides and backs, the original bucket seats have central perforated horizontal tuck-and-roll running all the way up and over from front to back. They’re just gorgeous! And in place of the frugal carpeted rear cockpit area there is a leather-trimmed custom luggage compartment with a pair of speakers trimmed in original oval 356A speaker surrounds to match the front speakers. Sound comes from a hidden bluetooth amplifier. Even the engine back and the frunk(!) have been trimmed and painted to match the interior.
A period aftermarket Plasticon hardtop was painted black, pinstriped and also custom-trimmed in pleated leather to match the interior.
The crankcase 64930, was sourced from a private seller in the US, also a Speedster owner, and is just 27 numbers away from the car’s original 64903. Built by PR Services, it’s fitted with 1720cc barrels and pistons, a Neutek SX2 cam, 912 heads and SolexPII4 carburettors (as used on Porsche 912s). Horsepower should be around 110-120hp.
The exhaust is an AA Performance Carrera-Abarth Ansa style four-tip stainless exhaust system.
Dave Mcanulty did his usual methodical job assembling the car, meticulously restoring every part, nut and bolt so that it looks and functions like new. He loves it, Phil loves it and we’re all really proud of it. This car immediately turns heads wherever it goes.
And the icing on the cake is a 356 number plate, 356 FAM.