Any Porsche 356 in 2015 is almost unbelievably tiny and basic, so the Speedster with its stripped down cabin and tiny glass areas is almost the perfect caricature of a 1950s sports roadster.
1958 Porsche 356A 1600 Speedster by Reutter
RM Auctions
Amelia Island
14 March 2015
1958 Porsche 356 A 1600 Speedster by Reutter
- Chassis no. 83814
- Engine no. 75350
60 hp, 1,582 cc OHV air-cooled horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine with dual Zenith carburetors, four-speed manual transmission, independent front suspension with laminated torsion bars, parallel trailing arms, and tubular shock absorbers, independent rear swing axles with torsion bars and tubular shock absorbers, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 82.7 in.
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Fully restored in attractive colors
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One of just 1,129 T2 Speedsters produced from 1957 to 1958
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Includes books, a tool kit, and a Certificate of Authenticity
Porsche’s iconic 356 Speedster first appeared in 1954, after U.S. distributor Max Hoffman convinced the factory that it needed a product with which to compete with lower-cost British imports. What Porsche delivered was a bare-bones roadster with a base price of just under $3,000, exactly what Hoffman needed to get customers in the door. Unlike the luxurious 356 Cabriolet, with its fixed windshield and numerous comfort features, the Speedster was very basic, with side curtains instead of roll-up door glass, a removable windshield, ventilated thin-shell non-reclining bucket seats, and little else.
Photo Credit: John Afravi ©2014 Courtesy of RM Auctions Inc.
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