Fantasy Junction

Description

1956 Porsche 356A Outlaw Coupe

VIN – 57228
Exterior Color – Dark Sea Blue
Interior Color – Saddle leather
Engine – 2.4 liter 914 176hp w/188 lb. ft. torque at 4k rpm (dyno sheet supported)
Gearbox – 901 Porsche 5-speed with dog leg first gear and 901 torsion bar mount
Current Miles – 12,624 TMU
Title – Clean California Title registered on YOM plates through 2022

Superbly constructed “outlaw” style Porsche 356 coupe featuring premium components and custom features. 400 miles of post-restoration sorting and refinement. Never shown publicly or displayed at any event, this outlaw is ready for any major Porsche event, concours, or vintage tour.

Exterior Highlights
Paint applied by PPG trained experts John Holden (a Hagerty approved collision repair center) and Kim Nelson (2004/5 Cayenne PPG Deep Sea Blue)
1956 front clip from EASY Porsche with custom made cowl vent at base of windshield
1959 rear clip welded in and progressively widened by 2” to conceal wider rear tires
356A sunroof section welded into existing roof with 356B weep hole C-post exits
Original 1956 doors with excellent closures and tight gaps
Battery box dropped ¾” to allow space for correct size spare tire
Front valance reinforced in Carrera GT-style
Engine lid tray channeled on the inside to clear 911 engine fan shroud
Engine lid louvers formed in factory steel hood
2.4 GT lettering custom made specifically for this car
Both bumpers custom shaped and tightly spaced to match front and rear body contours
Both bumpers with reshaped deco strips rounded and radiused at end tips by Lighthall Classics
Rocker panel molding trim removed
New floors and longitudinals welded in with expert seam lines
Later year strengthened ribs welded to the chassis below tie rod holes
Chassis aligned and trued on factory bench prior to any metal work
Original unrestored Ray-Dot side view mirrors (not reproductions)
Square door handles (original to 1952-1957 Porsches)
Fuel filler GT Werk GT style through the hood opening
GT Werk side windows and plexiglass articulating quarter windows
POC vintage engine lid badge (rare and in excellent condition)
Fuchs deep six date coded wheels, three of which are the rare valve stem ‘hearts’ type
Marchal driving lights custom recessed into front with rare hidden back post mounts
Integrated & combined 3rd brake light with LED backup light in ‘shine-down’ assembly
Twin LED beehive taillights
YOM license plates (front and rear)
Very powerful LED headlights

Interior Highlights
Dual setting, 2-position heated LS Recaro leather seats trimmed by Autos International
Comfortable seating for 6’ 2” person by relieved longitudinals with further seat travel
Sparco 4-point seatbelts with clip-off release behind seatback
Cup holders and accessory shelf built into custom lowered center tunnel
2.4 GT logo custom embroidered into both seat headrests
Interior upholstery work performed by Roy Nielson including square weave carpeting
Custom fabricated (narrowed) transmission tunnel
Custom expanded facility for tunnel wiring plumbed into the newly formed tunnel
Cup holders, seat heater switches, and accessory shelf built into custom center tunnel
Articulated custom rear parcel shelf which lays flat for topside suitcase storage
Added storage underneath articulated custom rear parcel shelf
Rigid right side storage compartment custom made for ‘grab and go’ items
Original LL steering wheel restored by Bruce Crawford
904 left side instrument cluster and all instruments fully restored
Speedometer reads accurately
Two USB ports for charging, LED illuminated for ease of use
Storage compartment built into enlarged right footwell area with easy access cover
Manual cooling fan switch to run auxiliary cooling fan when in high-heat traffic
Illuminated fog lamp interior switch
CNC machined alloy hand crank for sunroof
Integrated break-away larger T6 B rearview day/night mirror with welded mount

Mechanical Highlights
Electrical system converted to 12V
Original wiring harness re-manufactured with extra circuits added
Upgraded fuse boxes housing modern fuses
Porsche 912 Electric fuel pump
Dual master cylinder set up with custom alloy bracket for reservoir
Cast alloy Offenhauser oil/case vent collector
Mazda oil cooler with fan and custom formed protective guard
Custom 2 speed wiper system with switch facility for additional washer system if desired
Wiper motor is located in the inner fender behind custom inner panel
914 scissor-jack with custom mount on inner fender with hand or cordless tool fitting

Suspension and Chassis Highlights
Front valance lower edge reinforced and spot welded to simulate factory GT appearance
Lengthened rear inner trailing arms at shock attachment eye for shock clearance
Boxed (reinforced) rear jacking points
Boxed (reinforced) front trailing arms and “C” links (front uprights)
356C Disc brakes, 356C sway bar and ZF Steering box
Upgraded M disc brake calipers front and rear
Bilstein B6 46mm performance shock absorbers front and rear with internal rear stops
Powder coated suspension arms and transmission mount
Custom welded in seat belt anchor points welded to chassis before undercoating applied
GT Werk front tow hooks concealed under front of car
Custom electric fuel pump box integrated behind right battery box access cover
Koni steering stabilizer

Engine and Gearbox
Fat Performance 2.4 “Durability” engine (based on 2.0 Liter 914 casing)
8.5:1 2375cc engine with 442 cam
2.0 liter 914 heads with 44 x 38mm valves and 911 fan
82mm crank, L/M rods, JE Pistons, and 96mm cylinders
Twin 44 IDF Weber carburetors
Pertronix ignition and 75 amp alternator
Engine tin custom formed and painted to match body color ($4,000.00 cost)
A1 Ceramic coated exhaust (no heater or heat exchangers, chassis components in place)
Tiger A1 polished muffler
901 5-speed with dogleg first gear with 901 Torsion bar mount (gear spec sheet on file)
Gearbox rebuilt by Reinhold Reidel, Reidel Racing

General History
Every Porsche enthusiast dreams of building their ideal Porsche 356. And while the original cars were ground-breaking, in terms of all out performance, improvements came slowly before the 911 replaced these early cars. An iconic sports car in its original configuration, enthusiasts and experts have since prepared unique versions of their ideal 356 outlaw, each one capturing the spirit of the original but expanding on it with improvements in performance suspension, handling, and comforts. Rarely do such examples convey all these attributes so exquisitely, serving both visual and performance metrics at the highest levels of excellence. Such is the case with this remarkably prepared 1956 356 Sunroof Coupe.

Current Condition and Ownership
Prepared with the utmost level of build quality, this 356 outlaw is an exceptional example of imaginative artisan craftsmanship and superb metal fabrication. Far from a 356A shell with upgrades, the level of design detail, crisp cosmetics, and superbly integrated performance has made for a truly breathtaking Porsche. The exterior paint is flawless, smooth, glossy and beautifully applied. The owner was so careful to get the paint right, he and the paint team spent countless days achieving the level shown on the car today. Panel gaps are excellent with evidence of care not just in the fit but in the tight closures, correct contours, and consistent gaps created by Lighthall Classics. The reflections are fluid throughout the car, moving from front to rear in liquid-like fashion. Even the added 2” width to the rear of the car is brilliantly concealed in the subtle power bulge of the car as the rear fender gradually changes crown over the rear wheels, smoothly shaping the nearly undetectable wider rear end.

The extensive body details, recessed fog lamps, tightly contoured and shaped bumpers, beautifully selected original RayDot mirrors, cowl ventilation, headlight stone guards, and polished Fuchs wheels convey the perfect look for this hunkered down 356 cleverly hiding the 2.4 liter 176hp motor.

The interior features a myriad of enhancements that are so ingeniously integrated into the original design, it is hard to find many of the features as the builders were careful to blend these features into the original look and feel of the 356. The leather covered Recaro seats, matching leather door panels, beautifully stitched square weave carpets, and cleverly concealed storage area behind the front seats are just a few of the amazingly conceived details of this build. The heated seats not only offer comfort and great support, they can move back into the body much further than stock seats, having had the side rails modified and the center tunnel narrowed and lowered specifically for these seats to comfortably fit long legged drivers. The results of the combined improvements, vintage instrumentation, and stunning original LL steering wheel, make for a visually exciting and comfortable cockpit. Cosmetics for the engine bay and front storage compartment are equally superlative, with these areas also enhanced by specialized features, custom fabrication, and refined attention to detail.

As evidenced in the finished car the workmanship is exemplary in every respect. A cost-no-object exercise in aesthetic perfection and performance excellence, the litany of Porsche specialists that performed work on the car is exhaustive and documented in the thousands of dollars in receipts from top level professionals included Sherms plating, Roy Nielson, Stoddard, Fat Performance, GT Werk, Autos International, Bob Cannon, and Reidel Racing to name just a few of the Porsche performance vendors that contributed to this outstanding build.

Chassis and undercarriage
The underside of the car has been very well prepared with excellent seam lines, exceptionally fine metal workmanship, with no detail left behind. The finished chassis was tested, aligned, and trued on a factory bench after all metal work was completed and all welded features including seatbelt anchors completed before the undercoating was applied. Workmanship excellence is evident in every corner of the chassis which has never been exposed to inclement weather since the car was completed.

Driving impressions
The results of all this effort is all the more rewarding when this 356 is fired up and driven. The car has excellent performance and very well-balanced power delivery. Unlike a lot of outlaws, the power is smooth and progressive with fantastic gearbox action, great brakes, and while 176hp is robust, the engine noise and vibration are not overwhelming so one can have conversations while driving and enjoy leisurely cruising with the sunroof open and side glass down. Even more impressive, pushing the car just a bit more when entering the freeway and moving through the gears, the 2.4 liter engine eagerly launches to 60mph and then immediately settles into modern freeway traffic even at higher speeds, hunkering down on corners taking advantage of the wider stance and superbly balanced suspension improvements. For those who have enjoyed driving stock 356 models, this car will introduce you to a whole new level of driving pleasure that can be as easily enjoyed on casual mountain roads or pressing further into the crisp and willing performance edges of its capability.

Included with the car
The car is accompanied by a reproduction 356 owner’s manual, copious receipts retained by the current owner and constructor, a few spare electrical and mechanical parts, a car cover, and front and rear California year of manufacture license plates mounted on the car with registration into 2022.

The above vehicle information is complete and accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time it is posted to this website. Corrections or additional information is always appreciated. All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge, and any emission testing charge. Vehicles are subject to prior sale. All advertised to be true but not guaranteed. We assume no liability for errors or omissions.

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Fantasy Junction  •  510-653-7555  •  1145 Park Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608