We are pleased to offer here the 75th production 356 Speedster in what has come to be known as the ‘Pre-A’ series, comprehensively rebuilt and presented today in an elegant colour scheme of black over red with red square-weave carpeting, correct ivory plastic steering wheel, shift knob, and dash knobs. Chassis 80075 was delivered from the factory in Zuffenhausen on 8 November 1954 for shipment to Porsche’s American distributor, Max Hoffman, in New York.
Prior to delivery, this car would have been prepared to U.S. standards, including installation of sealed-beam headlamps and non-metric instruments. The factory Kardex notes that this example was originally painted Glasso Blau, one of only three standard Glasurit Glasso enamel colours applied by Reutter on 1954 Speedsters. The interior was upholstered in optional Kunstleder Acella, a basket-weave textured leatherette, which could be ordered for the 356 into the early 1960s.
In 2001, this Speedster was imported back to Europe by an enthusiast who would keep it for five more years. In 2006, it was acquired by a Porsche collector who commissioned a full restoration to its current beautiful presentation. The gleaming black paint, black folding top, and tonneau are offset by correctly painted 4J X 16-inch steel wheels and charming whitewall tires. The instruments have since been converted to metric units. A chromed spare wheel and blackwall spare tire reside in the front boot. Furthermore, the engine was fully rebuilt in 2009; it should be noted that the original 1500 engine has been replaced with a later, 75-horsepower 1600 Type 616/15 engine from a 1963 356 C. The Porsche Certificate of Authenticity confirms that the transmission is original.
This very attractive Pre-A Speedster makes it easy to appreciate why Porsche Speedsters were one of the most popular sports cars of the fifties. Indicating 18,828 kilometres, it currently carries German historic road registration CW 0773. It is supplied with a copy of its factory Kardex and a Certificate of Authenticity issued by Porsche Switzerland, as well as restoration and service receipts.


