Vehicle Details
- Year: 1957
- Make: Porsche
- Model: 356A Speedster 1600
- VIN: 83209
- Mileage Shown: 4,869mi (5-digit odometer)
- Transmission: Manual
- Title Status: Clean
- Color: White
- Seller Type: Dealer
- Location: Austin, TX 78736
- Dealer Fees: None
- Lot #: V-0026423
Having left the factory on May 4th of 1957, this Porsche 356A Speedster 1600 arrived at Hoffman Porsche of New York finished in White over a black interior with optional sealed-beam headlights. This rare 356 has been meticulously cared for and is said to benefit from a recent rebuild of the carburetors. It has since made its way to Texas where this exquisite example is now being offered for auction accompanied by a copy of the original Kardex.
The Reutter-built Speedster bodywork is said to have been refinished in its original color of White (603) during the 1990s. The finish is complemented with chrome trim and contrasted by gold-finished designations and a black convertible soft top with a matching tonneau cover. The chrome 15” wheels with Porsche-crests hubcaps are dressed in new Vredestein tires. The exterior has been ceramic coated with CQuartz and the seller notes minor paint imperfections as well as an incorrect “Super” badge that was fitted under previous ownership.
The cabin is appointed with black leather and vinyl upholstery which is said to remain in outstanding original condition. Features include a white-finished two-spoke steering wheel and dashboard, a suite of analog VDO instrumentation, gold-finished Porsche lettering, and Coco floor mats. The seller notes some minor crazing on the steering wheel.
The 356A equips a 1582cc air-cooled flat-4 engine with twin carburetors, generating power to the wheels through a 4-speed manual transmission. The carburetors are said to have been rebuilt in preparation for the sale along with all fluids changed.
This sale will include a clean title, sales documentation, owner's manuals, a toolkit, a spare tire, and a battery charger.
Auction Results
- Sold for: $287,000
- Auction End: Jan 26, 2023 09:31:10PM UTC
- Number of Bids: 27
Comments (61)
@boslough It really is a lovely old car, I hope you have many years of fun and enjoyment with it!
Thanks everyone for the informative discussion, and of course your bids. I'll be back with something else soon. Cheers!
Thanks to the seller and bidders. Excited to be the next caretaker of this car! It is moving to Alaska.
Sold for $287,000
Congrats boslough! Thanks everyone for your bids.
Bid in the amount of $287,000
Bid in the amount of $284,356
Bid in the amount of $280,000
Bid in the amount of $277,000
I need to work but this is too exciting. Good Luck!!
Bid in the amount of $273,000
Bid in the amount of $270,000
Bid in the amount of $268,000
Bid in the amount of $264,356
Bid in the amount of $260,000
Bid in the amount of $250,000
Bid in the amount of $239,356
Bid in the amount of $235,000
Bid in the amount of $230,356
Bid in the amount of $225,000
I just had one of my trim guys pop the interior door panels off and I can confirm that both doors are stamped "209".
Bid in the amount of $220,000
Bid in the amount of $210,000
Bid in the amount of $205,000
I was asked by someone to check numbers on the body. I could not find the number by the driver's side bonnet hinge beneath layers of paint. I did find the number 209 stamped on the engine deck lid. The convertible top frame looks to be stamped 277.
Bid in the amount of $201,000
Bid in the amount of $200,000
Bid in the amount of $180,000
Bid in the amount of $174,500
Video showing flaws, cold start and sheet metal around battery area now added to the listing. If anyone has any more photo requests I am happy to oblige!
Good morning all!
I just filmed a cold start video as well as pointing out the minor flaws I know about on the car. I also photographed the battery area in response to a DM I received requesting images of that. I will endeavor to post the video very soon.
Bid in the amount of $171,500
@vzim O I not have the side curtains, sorry.
Nice looking Speedster. Do side curtains come with the car?
Bid in the amount of $170,000
Bid in the amount of $165,000
Bid in the amount of $160,000
Thank you everyone for the kind words. I have reduced the reserve to reflect the non-matching number situation and will see the auction out to the end. Cheers!
Bid in the amount of $150,000
Our team will have a discussion with the seller in regards to whether to proceed with the auction. Please stay tuned and allow us until tomorrow as our office is closed on Sunday.
I am also interested in bidding on the the car and numbers matching does not matter to me.
I agree - still a great car and may yield a nice result. If you do cancel the auction please contact me about the car. Good luck!
@TeamCJ Why not complete the auction? It is still a very nice car. The taillights is a minor issue to change. I can tell that you are an honest seller. You didn't know the engine issue. Let it ride and see what it gets to.
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
@cmaxcliff I finally got a chance to go to the garage and look for the numbers on the casing. Unfortunately I don’t see ANY numbers on the bolt boss, whereas I do see them clearly on the other two Speedsters in my garage. I can only assume they have been ground off in the distant past and that your opinion that the engine has been re-stamped is likely correct.
While this is disappointing, it is what it is. I guess I have a non-matching number Speedster after all! That being the case, I will end the auction and think about my next steps. Maybe I will just keep and enjoy the car for what it is.
Thanks for the expert input, and apologies for wasting anyone’s time because I mistakenly thought I had a matching number car.
Regards to all!
@cmaxcliff Sorry to disagree with you, but my Dad bought it brand new from the dealership when I was four. I started driving it when I was nine and bought it from him when I was fourteen. It never left my sight, and it had a shine down licens plate light
I also do not believe the engine is correct for this car. A cars did not have the indent in the fan shroud like this one has, Also it has the wrong carburetors and air cleaners.
@TeamCJ 1957 was a transition year from T1 to T2 for some T2 features but not all. I believe your 57 is early enough that it would have beehive lights and a shine down license light. Many were changed by owners over the years. 83405 left the factory with teardrops and a shine up. Your car also has the 2 piece rear overrider which should be the 1 piece type so somebody liked that better and changed it. These are small points but the engine is more important for valuation for some buyers.
@TeamCJ The engine numerals should have a star at each end. "Odd" means that I have seen hundreds of these numbers and yours seem odd. Hard to quantify. Every part of your engine that is visible is from a post 1960 engine. Post a picture of the case boss at the junction with the fan shroud. The left case half will have a number of around 5 digits. The right side will have one of these, 1600, 1600S, 616/1, 616/2, 616/7, 616/15, 616/16, or others if it is from a 912. Also post a picture of the case behind the crank pulley.
@Herbtheduck 58 definitely did not have a shine down so that was a modification. The cars are over 60 years old and used to be worth around $1500 or less. Many were repaired badly.
@Herbtheduck Thanks for your comment. I have 3 Speedsters in my garage right now. This 57 and two 58s. The two 58s both have shine UP license plate lights, fwiw.
@cmaxcliff I believe this to be a matching number car. What about the engine stamping “looks a bit odd?” Please elaborate?
As for the tear drop versus beehive lights, if the car originally had beehive lights, perhaps they were changed to tear drop when the car was restored many years ago? I am told that was a very common conversion many people did.
@cmaxcliff I had an original 58 speedster with teardrop tail lights and a shine down lic plate light
Sorry, teardrops with shine down, not beehives. Teardrops had shine-up. Beehives had shine-down license lights.
I like the car but I am 99.99% certain that the engine is re-stamped and not original/matching. First, the number stamping looks a bit odd and in general it has all the appearance of a Super 90/SC. A picture of the top center of the engine case where the fan housing meets will show the engine type of the case. There are some other odd details like the later Euro taillights, later overriders, and beehives with shine down license light. Still a nice car but not matching.
@JohnBlackyoldtimer I just uploaded a photo of the relevant numbers and stampings. I cannot tell you who did the restoration work. My understanding when I first bought this car in December 2016 was that the car had been repainted several years prior to that, possibly as far back as the 1990s. I don't think the car was totally restored, more of a repaint and refresh. I'm sorry that I cannot tell you more than this. What I can say is that it was obviously quality workmanship, as the paintwork has held up very well over the ensuing years and the car is still very presentable! Thank you.
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
@artichoke True mileage is unknown. I would assume it has been around the clock. The car has been thoroughly serviced in our workshop and does not require any repairs.
Bid in the amount of $80,000
Very nice speedster. Can you please provide us with photos of the VIN, engine number and gearbox number and information on when and who did the restoration please? What has been done and has the vehicle been completely stripped of paint and are there any pictures of it.
Any idea of the actual mileage? Any repairs required?