Fantasy Junction

Description

1958 Porsche 356A Coupe
s/n 102773, Engine stamped P*68554*
Silver with Red Leatherette

With its iconic shape and race-bred performance, the lightweight and agile 356 Porsche has been continuously sought after by enthusiasts and collectors for their timeless beauty, elegant engineering, and versatile performance. The “A” version of the 356 came to market during Porsche’s rapid growth both as a production car company and a formidable motorsports competitor. The ongoing development of the 356 included the 1600 series engine, aptly named for the 1,582cc engine, which was perfectly matched for the rapidly growing US market. The 356A remains one of the most desirable vintage Porsches in part because of its aesthetic adherence to the original concept, but also because of the quality craftsmanship, performance, and premier engineering – a continued hallmark of Porsche cars today.

This particular 356A is a US delivery car with documentation supporting more than 40 years of California ownership. According to a copy of the Kardex, further confirmed by the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, this 356A 1600 Reutter Coupe was completed February 14, 1958 to US specifications and originally delivered to Virginia McWilliams in Denver, CO, via Hoffman Motors, NY. The car was painted Silver Metallic/5706, trimmed with Red Leatherette/A interior, and optioned with Sealed Beam Headlights, Speedometer in Miles, USA Bumpers, and an Exterior Mirror. The copy of the Kardex shows original engine number *68554* which is stamped on the engine which is in the car today, although the transmission was replaced with a correct type unit many years ago. The black California license plate indicates that the car was in California since at least 1963. By 1977, records show the car was in Oakland, CA, where it resided until January 5, 1978, when Bill Kellogg of San Francisco, CA purchased the car with 124,638 miles. On that date, Kellogg recorded the first of many service and mileage entries in his original pocket notebook, which still accompanies the car today.

The car’s long-term owner, a resident of Berkeley, CA, purchased the car from Kellogg in 1981 and owned it until 2019, documenting the accumulated miles, services, and recent restoration with great care. Inside the notebook, hand written notations indicate tune up, valve adjustments, and carb cleaning, including a visit to Fantasy Junction in our first years of business, for a heater repair and brake adjustment. As miles gradually accumulated into the 1980s, entries for carb rebuilding, fuel line replacements, and new master cylinder, as miles continued to be documented. Miles accumulated into the 1990s until the car was stored in 1996. In 2002, with 29,209 miles recorded, the booklet notation indicates “Not driven x 4 yrs”. At that time, the car was towed to another storage location where it remained undisturbed until restoration.

In 2015, the same long-term owner commissioned a comprehensive restoration, engaging a series of Porsche experts largely facilitated by Deutsche Motor Sport, Concord, CA plus Harry Pellow for the engine rebuild. Work continued for three additional years including paint and body work by Altissimo Custom Paint and Restoration, CA. The restoration began with the car being carefully stripped, all trim removed, and then reviewed for metal work. The team addressed areas of minor rust in the inner rocker panels, fender uprights, door openings, lower door panels, and a small section in the nose. New fender braces were sourced from Sierra Madre Porsche and welded in place, but the original floors proved to be excellent and remain in place today. The passenger side fender and door had been previously repaired, so these two areas were property corrected to factory specifications. All silver body parts including the dashboard were prepped for paint including hammer finishing the body, blocking, and feather-filling as needed. A coat of Urethane primer was applied over proper seam sealer, metal glaze, and primer surfacer to ensure proper contours and consistent surface reflections. The underside and wheel wells were pressure washed and the chassis floor cleaned and lightly touched up with matching undercoating. Silver metallic paint matched to the original Kardex 5706 paint code, was applied using correct microflake metallic. Invoices accompanying the car for body and paint alone total over $21,000.

With the body and paint completed, Deutsche Motor Sport completed the assembly, with attention to details, exterior trim, rechroming parts, and replacing components as needed. Attention to detail included sourcing a correct speaker and grille, proper ivory crank escutcheons, Hirschman red tip antenna, correct lenses and switches, as well as proper gaskets. Per the car’s original delivery specification, a red leatherette interior, carpeting, and headliner were then sourced from Autobahn Interiors, at a cost of $6,445. The engine compartment and suspension were also restored including a Koni steering damper, Remen Bosch starter, new steel brake lines, and fuel tank prep/paint. The engine rebuild was done by the highly-regarded 356 expert Harry Pellow, and included updated engine cases from a later motor. With the the engine rebuild complete, the restoration included preparation for the engine compartment and detailed application of original decals to give the car an authentic presentation. A period correct gearbox was sourced, rebuilt, and installed along with rebuilt front and rear suspension. Throughout the restoration every effort was made to retain the original components including rebuilding the headlights, restoring the steering wheel, and rebuilding all instruments. Attention to detail included installing a correct windshield and side door glass, and new rubber seals. Records totaling over $58,000 with Deutsche Motor Sports attest to the careful and accurate work performed on the car over the four-year restoration process.

In Spring 2019, Fantasy Junction sold the car to an enthusiast who spent an additional $6,200 to improve the car even further. He is offering the car for sale because another 356 he had been pursuing for many years became available shortly after he purchased this car. The work performed in his ownership included a rebuilt steering box, an alignment, rebuilt horn ring mechanism with new horn button, new floor mats, new clutch and engine lid cables, Sigla quarter windows, pickle fork wipers, light relay, glove box insert and NOS matched knobs and escutcheons. Additionally, miscellaneous new seals were installed, and many other small adjustments performed.

Today, this 356A presents beautifully with a cohesive restoration reflective of the time and dedication afforded by the owner and experts. The odometer currently shows 29,890, indicating only 600 test miles have accumulated since the last hand written notation in 2002. The excellent paint shows uniform gloss and proper micro-flake metallic silver finish. The paint has a wonderful warm hue beautifully reflecting the undulating fender lines, delicately accented by chrome trim and touches of color. The doors, hood, and trunk open and shut smoothly, exhibiting exceptionally good fit and solid finish. The deck lid retains the matching number stamp. The doors, very likely original, exhibit exceptionally nice fit, with the lower section of the driver’s side door raised just slightly proud of the rear fender edge. The bumpers and various trim around the car are all in fine condition including the correctly restored headlights, Reutter body badge, distinctive rear deck single grille and gold Porsche 1600 script. The emblems and various plastic lenses are clear and beautifully detailed. The wheels are correctly painted featuring proper chome plated domed wheel covers, retaining the factory look shod with Michelin XZX tires. The exterior delivers a wonderful, purposeful, sporty stance indicative of the performance capability.

The interior is stunning featuring crisply detailed components, displaying continuity of materials and finishes in every area. The silver and red leatherette perfectly convey the sporting intent of the car. The seats and door panels are beautifully tailored with correct piping and detail, accented by delicate touches of chrome trim. The painted and covered dashboard features precisely restored instruments, all in place, showing vivid color and clarity, accented by various switches and knobs which have been either restored or replaced as needed. A handsome finishing touch is the original gearshift knob, lightly hued from the honest miles covered over the past half century. The restored steering wheel retains the painted cast metal horn ring finished off with a stunning Porsche crest. The carpeting, headliner, and side panels are all perfectly matched in color and material. Overall the interior has exceptional continuity, color, and finish. The front storage area is handsomely presented showing a correct date coded spare tire, leather strapping, correct factory serial number and riveted metal serial number plate.

Under the hood, the engine bay delivers a thoughtful and correct presentation using correctly sourced vintage Porsche parts, correct oil filter canister, correct air cleaners, and appropriate decals. The engine has been restored using correct finishes, proper coatings, hardware, and fasteners, with some areas having been powder coated to ensure longevity. The engine compartment is also nicely finished and represents the comprehensive attention to detail afforded when the restoration was completed. The undercarriage is representative of a well-cared for, dry climate example with preserved floor pans, battery box, and correctly restored components as one might expect from a car with this history. Detailed inspection of the components, floor, and structure reveal a solid car reflective of regular service and care documented over the past 40 years.

The car starts reliably and settles into a smooth and resonant air-cooled idle. The gearbox operates wonderfully up and down with smooth synchros, warm or cold. Progressive and even clutch movement, coupled with consistent shift action, are hallmarks of this car. Acceleration is brisk for the period and handling is confident with very good feedback in cornering. Braking is very good overall, as all hydraulics were properly tended to and further tested over the past 600 miles. The structural integrity and driving manners are very much in keeping with the feel and presentation one finds in original, long-term ownership cars. The car comes with numerous files with extensive documentation dating back to the early 1980s, records showing general repair and maintenance, a box of used spare parts, Porsche magazines, tool roll with a mixture of various tools, and restoration receipts documenting the four-year restoration.

Offering known California history, black plates, and iconic colors, this Porsche 356A 1600 Coupe brings together a history of original long-term ownership, excellent recent restoration, and confident driving manners. This 356A Coupe is perfectly suited for the enthusiast who enjoys spirited driving, a fresh restoration, and the pride of owning one of the most heralded and versatile sports cars of the twentieth century.

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