1959 Porsche 356A Super Cab Review and Buyer's Guide

The car described here sold for $34,100, including buyer’s premium, at RM’s Arizona Biltmore auction on January 18, 2002.

Color is, of course, an emotive and personal thing, but to my eye it was a pleasure to see this early Porsche painted in something other than white, red, silver or black. However, there did seem to be a touch too much green in the Stone Gray, and it appeared, through a stone chip, that this car might have once been Signal Red.

The car appeared very correct throughout, had excellent door and panel fit (the doors closed with that nice bank-vault “ka-lick” that Porsches are famous for) and was cosmetically hard to criticize.

Being a Cabriolet added to its collector value over a coupe but the more sporting Speedsters are still the darlings of the 356A models. The 1600 Super engine hanging out the back is another bonus. While the 1600 Normal produced 60 DIN brake horsepower at 4,500 rpm, the Super unit was good for 75 horsepower at 5,000 rpm. Fifteen or so horses may not seem like a lot, but it makes a difference in the lightweight Porsche’s scat, upping the top speed from 100 mph to 110 mph and chopping the 0 to 60 time down to the 11-second range. Suspension remained unchanged, with well-developed swing axles at the rear and transverse torsion bars all around. Although some claimed this made for tricky handling, to the adventurous Porsche enthusiast this was yet another skill to be mastered and enjoyed.

As with most all cars of the ’50s, foreign and domestic, rust is the enemy. Rocker panels, door posts, floor pans and the myriad nooks and crannies that give Porsche coachwork such rigidity and integrity are all vulnerable to the dreaded tinworm. This car suffered from no such problems, though, and this was reflected in the selling price.

The new owner of this Porsche bought a nice example at a fair retail market level. The fact that it was offered at an auction that had most people waiting and watching for six-figure bidding may have helped it stay at a rational price level, as happened with several other very clean and show-ready sports cars at the Biltmore that day.—Dave Brownell

Additional notes supplied by Jim Schrager:

This car appeared familiar to me, and upon checking my archives I found it had sold at Barrett-Jackson 2001 for $38,000, and then at Kruse Auburn in Spring of 2001, to a dealer, for $28,090. Thus begins another auction mystery.

Whilenot a Porsche Club concours winner, this is a handsome car, with no apparent needs. Why has it failed to find a permanent home? Will we see it again on another auction block, or has it finally landed, as it deserves, in the hands of an appreciative enthusiast?