The Porsche Outlaws from SoCal’s Emory family/Valley Customs are well-known in the coolest vintage 356 circles. We spotted a matte black example in Amelia Island and fell hard.
The Outlaw Porsches are similar to Singer 911’s — rest0-modded originals that become something altogether more special, unique and fun to drive and own.
This Pre-A 356 Coupe is even more enhanced — with a serious racing upgrade for the chassis, engine, exteroir design and cabin. It is truly easy on the eyes and a joy to drive. We envy its future owner!
1955 Porsche 356 OUTLAW
RM Auctions Arizona
15 – 16 January 2015
1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A ‘Emory Special’ Coupe
- Chassis no. 54089
137 bhp, 1507 cc SOHC horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine with two Weber 48 IDA downdraft carburetors, five-speed manual transaxle, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes. Wheelbase: 82.7 in.
The Porsche 356 has become an icon, and today, almost every example is deemed a candidate for salvation. Many are rebuilt as pleasurable drivers, while others are exactingly reconstructed and contend in international concours. However, more than a few owners dismiss the idea of a just-like-it-left-the-factory restoration. They enjoy customizing their Porsches in ways that Zuffenhausen could and would never have conceived. Their non-conformist ideas have roots in the true hot-rod and custom shops that had emerged in Southern California.
Gary Emory’s father, Neil, owned Valley Custom Shop, one of the best-known, but Gary’s interests carried him to those strange little German cars. For years, he ran the parts department of a major dealership, immersing himself in all the nuances of the marque. He liked to add small custom touches to his own cars, as well as customers’, and he even created a small badge with a Maltese cross to replace the 356’s stock rear torsion bar cover. He called his cars “Outlaws.”
Tom Burkart is the founder and managing editor of Car-Revs-Daily.com, an innovative and rapidly-expanding automotive news magazine.
He holds a Journalism JBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Tom currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his two amazing dogs, Drake and Tank.
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