Lot 227: Porsche 356C Fixedhead Coupe

Porsche's first production car, the 356 brought the marque enduring fame around the world and its reliability, performance and wonderfully entertaining handling have guaranteed it a keen following. Inspired by the Fiat-based Cisitalias of Piero Dusio, Dr Ferdinand Porsche had decided to follow the same path with a car using Volkswagen components. The first 356 was sold in July 1948 and production continued right through to 1965 in various guises and with numerous engines. As the company's first production model, the Porsche 356 set a new standard for small sports cars and gained its laurels in all manner of motor sport disciplines including racing and rallying. In October 1955 the 356A model was introduced with numerous improvements and three body styles were now offered, the coupe, the Speedster and the cabriolet, all built by Reutter in Stuttgart. Five engine options were also available, the 1.3 litre 1300 and 1300S, the 1.6 litre 1600 and 1600S and the 1.5 litre 1500 GS. The 356B followed in 1959 with revised bumpers, more interior space and improved brakes and four years later this was superceded by the 356C, the final incarnation of this venerable Porsche. There were numerous minor alterations to the fittings, the major changes being mechanical, including the fitment of all round Ate disc brakes which sat within new 15 inch wheels and improved suspension. The engine was revised with changes to the cylinder heads and its construction and was offered in 1600C, 1600SC and 2000GS guises, the latter for the potent Carrera 2. The type C, the definitive version of the 356, was replaced by types 911 and 912 when production finally ceased in 1965. One of the first 356Cs available in England, chassis number 126488 was delivered new to AFN Porsche in Isleworth on 7th October 1963, where it was used as a demonstration car for five months, before being sold to a Mr R Gordon of Walton-On-Thames. In 2000, the car was reassigned its original registration number of ALC551A, which remains with the car to this day. This car has recently benefitted from a full and comprehensive strip-down restoration by Porsche specialists Sterling Automotive of Berkshire, including a bare-metal respray in its original colour of light ivory. This restoration was conducted to an exacting standard amounting to many hundreds of hours of work, and the car is now in utterly immaculate condition throughout. The cost of this restoration process came to more than £60,000, receipts for which are included in the car's file, along with pictures of the restoration process and a letter of authenticity from Porsche Cars of Great Britain. Since the restoration the car has only completed a handful of road test miles, making it the closest thing possible to a factory-fresh example. This must truly be one of the best examples of this classic Porsche available on the market today. Truly stunning in every way, this is an opportunity simply too good to pass up for any admirer of classic Porsche engineering. A work of art.