Original Glasspar Top for Porsche 356 Speedster
Item Details
- Seller: ronn356
- Location: Hillsborough, NC 27278
- Lot #: P-0037687-DT
Available for auction is a Glasspar fiberglass top that was made for the 356A Porsche Speedster. The seller states the top was purchased by the original owner in about 1968 and used briefly on his 1958 hillclimb Speedster. Glasspars originally came in white, as seen in the photo from 1968.
Around the year 2000, the top was repainted black by its next owner. Despite this change, it remained on the same car, which had been painted red by that time. In 2023, Don Fowler, a renowned expert on 356 models, authenticated the top as an original Glasspar.
The top retains key pieces, such as the rear quarter windows and operating mechanisms, the rear plexiglass window, all of the rubber trim, all aluminum brightwork, front clasps, and the side curtain windshield mounts. The seller notes the original side curtains were evident in the 1968 photo but are not included.
The black interior liner is in very good condition but the top's exterior shows several areas in which the paint is cracking and the brightwork needs polishing. The rubber is in very good condition, but the seller notes the bottom rubber will need to be reglued to the top's base. The rear window displays no cracks; however, there are minor surface scratches that can be buffed out.
The convertible top includes an aluminum rack on which it can be stored vertically, as well as a wooden buck on which it can be stored horizontally. The seller states the top is in good operating condition but displaying some patina due to age. Don’t miss your opportunity to own a rare authentic Glaspar fiberglass top as these do not come up for sale often. The buyer is responsible for shipping, handling, and transactional fees.
Auction Results
- Sold for: $8,500
- Auction End: Dec 17, 2023 09:42:20PM UTC
- Number of Offers: 2
Comments (34)
@ Rhstevenson: Congrats on winning the auction of the Glasspar top. You will soon be the new cool dude at cars n' coffee!
I'll email you on details about shipping, etc. We'll work it out and get it to you no prob.
Talk soon,
=rds
Thanks Ronn356 . Looks like we will have a nice Christmas. Any thoughts on who I can get to crate and ship? Any help would be appreciated
Sold for $8,500
@Rhstevenson: You've stepped up and I appreciate that. Please check my PM to you and I think that we'll all have a nice Christmas!
I split the difference with you!
Offer in the amount of $8,250
Offer in the amount of $7,500
Thanks to everyone who expressed interest or placed a bid on my Glasspar convertible top for a 356 Speedster.
Happy roads to all who venture forth!
@amahatme: no time to lose on this!
Bid in the amount of $6,950
@ugi356 - thanks for your interest!
Bid in the amount of $6,700
@amahatme: thank you for your bid!
Bid in the amount of $6,250
@ugi356: thanks for stepping up. I encourage anyone who is truly interested in this to make their bids now; time is of the essence!
Bid in the amount of $5,999
@amahatme - thank you for your bid!
Bid in the amount of $4,250
@ugi356: thanks for your bid, and good morning to the last day of bidding on this Glasspar Speedster top!
Bid in the amount of $4,000
@A1959356D: That's the same top that was used on the car in 1968, then repainted black by the next owner (when he painted the very same car red). The quarter windows are easily removed, and the second owner may have done that. However, when I purchased the car (with the top on it) in 2022, the quarters were back in place. His photo of his car is not very clear whether the quarters are in place, but they are removable.
I don't need the top, Therefore I am selling the Glasspar.
The red and black speedster photo appears to not have the rear quarter windows , is that the same top?
is the quarter windows removable, or is it just the photo and my computer????
Regarding shipping, what I have found out is that shipping a top can be potentially more expensive than shipping an engine, even though the engine weighs far more. What I would advise anyone who wins this is to simply come get it and carry it home in your pickup or in an enclosed trailer. Plan B would be to get some quotes from different shipping brokers to obtain comparisons about shipping. I can help with that.
@Shaharay thanks for your bid!
I'm in the process of getting an estimate to ship this top in a protected wooden crate and I'm using the west coast as a destination, since it is furthest away from where I reside in NC. It would be a ballpark estimate for shipping & insurance, as I haven't yet built the crate. It would be mounted on a pallet for door-to-door delivery.
Bid in the amount of $1,000
The top was stored on the red car from the time that the former owner had it painted black, probably 2000. I don't know about before that. The top fit that car very well, easy on and off; no issues with distortion, which can happen with fiberglass if not properly stored. However, since these cars were hand-made, I can't vouch for the same fit on another Speedster. A fiberglass boat shop would be a good source for advice on any changes needed.
I have a friend who owns a prominent boat shop, and he thinks that the top is in excellent shape. He repairs cracks and scrapes all day long from wily teens abusing their jet skis and boaters who can't dock while holding a can of whatever. He said that the paint defects are easily repaired.
When I bought the car, I put the top on my vertical storage rack and used a moving blanket to cushion it while being stored. I built the horizontal jig to use as a brace for when the next guy would want to paint it (if they wanted to change the color), as well as another way to store it. The jig is 48x48, so I am planning to palletize it and create a wooden box around it to protect it during transport. I am including the vertical storage rack with the sale of the top as well as the jig. I do not have the Glasspar brochure, just the images of it, which I can share.
@drdanc, @RG356: thanks for your bids!
Bid in the amount of $500
Bid in the amount of $130
@tcmiami305: thanks for starting the bidding!
@jentex: Thanks for your comment. As you may know, IF one wins another current auction of a 57 Speedster, they throw in a Glasspar top. However, that whole kit n' kaboodle is in pretty raunchy shape. Mine's a WHOLE lot better, and you don't have to buy the car to get it!
Ronn, Wow...rarest of the rare. I have not see an Original Glasspar one since I had my 57 Speedster. Even has all the parts and a nice headliner. Good luck finding a good home for it.
Bid in the amount of $100
Hello, everyone, and welcome to my auction of my 356A Speedster hardtop, made by Glasspar. Very rare! This one dates from 1968 and is in VGC.
Having said that, there are some imperfections in the exterior paint surface, stuff that is common with fiberglass. I tried to take a photo of a crack in the paint as seen in image 17, but it started to rain! What appear to be "pimples" in the paint are actually raindrops. Image 18 shows some chips along the front lip; they show up yellow, which is the color of Glasurit primer.
Ask me some questions if you have any. Good luck to interested bidders.
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