Beschreibung:

The ex-Glenn Hoffman, Bob Schreter 1957 Porsche 356A Speedster Coachwork by Reutter Chassis no. 83100 Engine no. P801530 (see text)1,582cc OHV Flat 4-Cylinder Engine 2 Weber 40 IDF Carburetors (see text) In excess of 90bhp at 5,500rpm 4-Speed Manual Transaxle 4-Wheel Independent Suspension 4-Wheel Drum Brakes *Comprehensively documented history *Finished in original color scheme of white *Many performance upgrades *Racing detail features including alloy 6 louver Carrera deck lid *Offered with history file, restoration records, and Kardex THE PORSCHE 356 SPEEDSTER The Speedster's inspiration was credited to John von Neumann, Porsche's West Coast distributor, who had chopped down a Gmünd-built Coupe in the late 1940s to create a lightweight competition car. Explaining such a car's appeal Neumann once said: 'Guys want to go, on a Saturday night in June, down Sunset Boulevard with their elbow over the door and the girls can see them in the car.' Plus ça change ... Instantly recognizable by virtue of its low, wraparound windscreen, its smaller and entirely retractable top, lower door waistline and twin bucket seats (all of which served to emphasize its sporting image), the Speedster was, in effect, an 'economy' model from Porsche intended to compete with the less-expensive British sports cars. The Speedster was powered initially by the 1.5-liter version of Porsche's horizontally opposed four, gaining the new 1.6-liter, 60bhp engine with the introduction of the improved 356A for 1955. Priced at $2,995, the Speedster was the lightest of the 356s, enjoying a commensurate performance boost that meant 100mph was possible. Combined with its renowned handling characteristics, the Speedster became an instant success in the burgeoning American sports car racing scene. Its combination of style, performance and value for money made the Speedster deservedly popular. Today the model, arguably the most handsome of the 356 variants, enjoys iconic status. THE MOTORCAR OFFERED This sporting Speedster can trace a history back to day one, with a copy of the Kardex on file showing it to have been supplied on March 27, 1957. As it is today, it delivered in white paint, but had a red leatherette interior, and options of an antenna and sealed beam headlights. The agency through which it was sold was Autohaus Kahrmann in Fulda, one of the four main companies supplying the home market, and based north-east of Frankfurt, they remain in business to this day. Very early on in its life it must have joined its spiritual home in the USA for it is known to have been over here from at least the start of the 1960s, if not before. In the early 1960s it was owned by Glenn Hoffmann of Harrisburg, PA, who raced it in E Production class, initially using a pushrod engine before converting the car to run with a 1500 Carrera unit, at that same time its rear deck lid was switched for a lightweight Carrera unit, as well as a high revving tachometer and other racing bits, most of which were purchased from the legendary Carrera Speedster racer Bruce Jennings of Townson, Maryland, who has been described as utterly fearless on the race track. One of the most remarkable stories of Jennings comes from a crash at Watkins Glen, where his car was hit at 100mph propelling it to flip numerous times in the air, and yet despite being read his last rites by a priest he was racing again the following weekend! Jennings most famous race car nicknamed 'Mehitabel' passed from him to Miles Collier and resides in the Revs Institute today. From photos of the car in this period, Hoffman also mirrored Jennings guise for his cars, the Speedster gaining metallic burgundy painted 'scallops' to the front fenders. From Hoffman the car passed to Bob Schreter of Rosswell, Georgia, he continued to race the Speedster in the late 1960s including north of here at Lime Rock and on Hillclimbs too. He would recall winning 'a lot' in the day. Staying in Georgia it moved on to Milton Bailey of Atlanta in the early