• Year of manufacture 
    1956
  • Mileage 
    12 624 mi / 20 317 km
  • Car type 
    Other
  • Chassis number 
    57228
  • Drive 
    LHD
  • Condition 
    Used
  • Location
    United States

Description

BaT Auction Preview: Superbly constructed “outlaw” style Porsche 356 coupe featuring premium components and custom features. 400 miles of post-restoration sorting and refinement. Never shown publicly or displayed at any event, this outlaw is ready for any major Porsche concours, or vintage tour.1956 Porsche 356A Outlaw CoupeVIN – 57228Exterior Color – Dark Sea BlueInterior Color – Saddle leatherEngine – 2.4 liter 914 176hp w/188 lb. ft. torque at 4k rpm (dyno sheet supported)Gearbox – 901 Porsche 5-speed with dog leg first gear and 901 torsion bar mountCurrent Miles – 12,624 TMU Title – Clean California Title registered on YOM plates through 2022Superbly constructed “outlaw” style Porsche 356 coupe featuring premium components and custom features. 400 miles of post-restoration sorting and refinement. Never shown publicly or displayed at any event, this outlaw is ready for any major Porsche event, concours, or vintage tour.Exterior HighlightsPaint applied by PPG trained experts John Holden (a Hagerty approved collision repair center) and Kim Nelson (2004/5 Cayenne PPG Deep Sea Blue)1956 front clip from EASY Porsche with custom made cowl vent at base of windshield1959 rear clip welded in and progressively widened by 2” to conceal wider rear tires356A sunroof section welded into existing roof with 356B weep hole C-post exitsOriginal 1956 doors with excellent closures and tight gapsBattery box dropped ¾” to allow space for correct size spare tireFront valance reinforced in Carrera GT-styleEngine lid tray channeled on the inside to clear 911 engine fan shroudEngine lid louvers formed in factory steel hood2.4 GT lettering custom made specifically for this carBoth bumpers custom shaped and tightly spaced to match front and rear body contoursBoth bumpers with reshaped deco strips rounded and radiused at end tips by Lighthall ClassicsRocker panel molding trim removedNew floors and longitudinals welded in with expert seam linesLater year strengthened ribs welded to the chassis below tie rod holes Chassis aligned and trued on factory bench prior to any metal workOriginal unrestored Ray-Dot side view mirrors (not reproductions)Square door handles (original to 1952-1957 Porsches)Fuel filler GT Werk GT style through the hood openingGT Werk side windows and plexiglass articulating quarter windowsPOC vintage engine lid badge (rare and in excellent condition)Fuchs deep six date coded wheels, three of which are the rare valve stem ‘hearts’ typeMarchal driving lights custom recessed into front with rare hidden back post mountsIntegrated & combined 3rd brake light with LED backup light in ‘shine-down’ assemblyTwin LED beehive taillightsYOM license plates (front and rear)Very powerful LED headlightsInterior HighlightsDual setting, 2-position heated LS Recaro leather seats trimmed by Autos InternationalComfortable seating for 6’ 2” person by relieved longitudinals with further seat travelSparco 4-point seatbelts with clip-off release behind seatbackCup holders and accessory shelf built into custom lowered center tunnel2.4 GT logo custom embroidered into both seat headrestsInterior upholstery work performed by Roy Nielson including square weave carpetingCustom fabricated (narrowed) transmission tunnel Custom expanded facility for tunnel wiring plumbed into the newly formed tunnelCup holders, seat heater switches, and accessory shelf built into custom center tunnelArticulated custom rear parcel shelf which lays flat for topside suitcase storageAdded storage underneath articulated custom rear parcel shelfRigid right side storage compartment custom made for ‘grab and go’ itemsOriginal LL steering wheel restored by Bruce Crawford904 left side instrument cluster and all instruments fully restoredSpeedometer reads accuratelyTwo USB ports for charging, LED illuminated for ease of useStorage compartment built into enlarged right footwell area with easy access coverManual cooling fan switch to run auxiliary cooling fan when in high-heat trafficIlluminated fog lamp interior switchCNC machined alloy hand crank for sunroof Integrated break-away larger T6 B rearview day/night mirror with welded mountMechanical HighlightsElectrical system converted to 12VOriginal wiring harness re-manufactured with extra circuits addedUpgraded fuse boxes housing modern fuses Porsche 912 Electric fuel pump Dual master cylinder set up with custom alloy bracket for reservoir Cast alloy Offenhauser oil/case vent collectorMazda oil cooler with fan and custom formed protective guardCustom 2 speed wiper system with switch facility for additional washer system if desiredWiper motor is located in the inner fender behind custom inner panel914 scissor-jack with custom mount on inner fender with hand or cordless tool fittingSuspension and Chassis HighlightsFront valance lower edge reinforced and spot welded to simulate factory GT appearanceLengthened rear inner trailing arms at shock attachment eye for shock clearanceBoxed (reinforced) rear jacking pointsBoxed (reinforced) front trailing arms and “C” links (front uprights)356C Disc brakes, 356C sway bar and ZF Steering boxUpgraded M disc brake calipers front and rearBilstein B6 46mm performance shock absorbers front and rear with internal rear stops Powder coated suspension arms and transmission mountCustom welded in seat belt anchor points welded to chassis before undercoating appliedGT Werk front tow hooks concealed under front of carCustom electric fuel pump box integrated behind right battery box access coverKoni steering stabilizerEngine and GearboxFat Performance 2.4 “Durability” engine (based on 2.0 Liter 914 casing)8.5:1 2375cc engine with 442 cam2.0 liter 914 heads with 44 x 38mm valves and 911 fan82mm crank, L/M rods, JE Pistons, and 96mm cylindersTwin 44 IDF Weber carburetorsPertronix ignition and 75 amp alternator Engine tin custom formed and painted to match body color ($4,000.00 cost)A1 Ceramic coated exhaust (no heater or heat exchangers, chassis components in place)Tiger A1 polished muffler901 5-speed with dogleg first gear with 901 Torsion bar mount (gear spec sheet on file)Gearbox rebuilt by Reinhold Reidel, Reidel RacingFS Clutch KitShort Shift kit (911/192E type) shift travel reduction by 20%General HistoryEvery Porsche enthusiast dreams of building their ideal Porsche 356. And while the original cars were ground-breaking, in terms of all out performance, improvements came slowly before the 911 replaced these early cars. An iconic sports car in its original configuration, enthusiasts and experts have since prepared unique versions of their ideal 356 outlaw, each one capturing the spirit of the original but expanding on it with improvements in performance suspension, handling, and comforts. Rarely do such examples convey all these attributes so exquisitely, serving both visual and performance metrics at the highest levels of excellence. Such is the case with this remarkably prepared 1956 356 Sunroof Coupe. Current Condition and OwnershipPrepared with the utmost level of build quality, this 356 outlaw is an exceptional example of imaginative artisan craftsmanship and superb metal fabrication. Far from a 356A shell with upgrades, the level of design detail, crisp cosmetics, and superbly integrated performance has made for a truly breathtaking Porsche. The exterior paint is flawless, smooth, glossy and beautifully applied. The owner was so careful to get the paint right, he and the paint team spent countless days achieving the level shown on the car today. Panel gaps are excellent with evidence of care not just in the fit but in the tight closures, correct contours, and consistent gaps created by Lighthall Classics. The reflections are fluid throughout the car, moving from front to rear in liquid-like fashion. Even the added 2” width to the rear of the car is brilliantly concealed in the subtle power bulge of the car as the rear fender gradually changes crown over the rear wheels, smoothly shaping the nearly undetectable wider rear end. The extensive body details, recessed fog lamps, tightly contoured and shaped bumpers, beautifully selected original RayDot mirrors, cowl ventilation, headlight stone guards, and polished Fuchs wheels convey the perfect look for this hunkered down 356 cleverly hiding the 2.4 liter 176hp motor. The interior features a myriad of enhancements that are so ingeniously integrated into the original design, it is hard to find many of the features as the builders were careful to blend these features into the original look and feel of the 356. The leather covered Recaro seats, matching leather door panels, beautifully stitched square weave carpets, and cleverly concealed storage area behind the front seats are just a few of the amazingly conceived details of this build. The heated seats not only offer comfort and great support, they can move back into the body much further than stock seats, having had the side rails modified and the center tunnel narrowed and lowered specifically for these seats to comfortably fit long legged drivers. The results of the combined improvements, vintage instrumentation, and stunning original LL steering wheel, make for a visually exciting and comfortable cockpit. Cosmetics for the engine bay and front storage compartment are equally superlative, with these areas also enhanced by specialized features, custom fabrication, and refined attention to detail.As evidenced in the finished car the workmanship is exemplary in every respect. A cost-no-object exercise in aesthetic perfection and performance excellence, the litany of Porsche specialists that performed work on the car is exhaustive and documented in the thousands of dollars in receipts from top level professionals included Sherms plating, Roy Nielson, Stoddard, Fat Performance, GT Werk, Autos International, Bob Cannon, and Reidel Racing to name just a few of the Porsche performance vendors that contributed to this outstanding build. Chassis and underca