1959 Porsche 356A Cabriolet

Description

Offered in Coupe, Cabriolet, and Speedster body styles, the Porsche 356A represents early Porsche engineering while simultaneously building the baseline for the later 911 model. Featuring a rear-engine, lightweight construction, and compact dimensions, the 356A was a premium choice for the everyday buyer, and now a strong addition to a collection with motorsport pedigree and that classic Porsche feel!

This 1959 Porsche 356A was delivered on October 20, 1958 to Hoffman Motors Corporation in New York finished in Meissen Blue paint. The car was refurbished in 2019 under previous ownership. Power comes from a recently overhauled 616/1 flat-four engine featuring higher compression pistons and a larger camshaft, sending power to the 15” ventilated wheels through a 4-speed manual transaxle. Standard equipment includes four-wheel drum brakes, a manually operated soft top, fold-down rear seats, and lap belts with Porsche-crested buckles.

The seller states that this 1959 Porsche 356A is a numbers-matching example, confirmed by the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity and the Kardex report.

This 1959 Porsche 356A Cabriolet is now offered with a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, Reutter Certificate of Production, Kardex report, book of records, and a clean Texas title in the current owner’s name.

Highlights

• Refurbished under previous ownership in 2019

• Finished in Meissen Blue paint

• Black convertible soft top and cover

• Tan leather interior upholstery, painted dashboard

Factory Equipment

• Air-cooled 1.6L 616/1 flat-four engine

• 4-speed manual transaxle

• Four-wheel drum brakes

• 15” ventilated wheels with hub caps

• Single-grille engine lid

• Gold Porsche 1600 badging

• Paint-matched bumpers with chrome overriders

• Manual side windows

• Fold-down rear seats

• Locking glove box

• Lap belts with Porsche-crested buckles

• VDO instrumentation

Modifications

• Auxiliary electric fuel pump

• Koni shock absorbers

• LED headlights and taillights

• Coco floor mats

During the 2019 refurbishment, the following engine modifications were performed at Competition Engineering in Lake Isabelle, California (see Additional Documents for invoice):

• Billet camshaft

• Super 90 40mm intake valves

• 83.5mm JE pistons (9.25:1 compression)

Servicing & Documentation

Digital copies of the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, Reutter Certificate of Production, Kardex report, engine rebuild records can be seen in the Additional Documents section.

• The seller states that the vehicle has been rewired by Porsche Austin under current ownership

• Refurbishment under previous ownership is said to have included the following:

  • Engine and transmission rebuilt

  • Brakes and suspension serviced

  • Refinished in factory-correct Meissen Blue paint

  • Brightwork and badging re-chromed

  • Interior reupholstery with tan leather and beige square-weave carpeting

  • Convertible soft top and boot cover replaced

  • Michelin ZXZ tires with 2019 date codes installed

Ownership History

This 1959 Porsche 356A was purchased by the current owner via online auction in 2021 following a refurbishment in 2019.

From the seller, “This 1959 Porsche 356A Cabriolet is one of two cars I purchased in 2021 from an elderly gentleman only being sold due to the manual being too difficult for him to continue to drive. He owned a Speedster and Cabriolet for 40+ years, and they are in perfect condition, and he was going to sell them to Petersen Museum, but he wanted an individual, so I lucked out!”

Known Imperfections

Information from the previous listing in 2019 states that there is evidence of repaired front-end damage. Detailed photos of the vehicles exterior, interior, and underbody condition can be seen in the photo gallery.

Additional Information

The clean Texas title lists “VIN Certification Waived” under the Remark(s) section.