1959 Porsche 356

1959 Porsche 356A Cabriolet Porsche's first production sports car-the 356- debuted to the world in 1948 and vastly altered the public's opinion of what a sports car was. Over the car's 17 year run, the design continued to evolve but the general ethos stayed the same- small, lightweight car with a flat-4 engine hanging out the back. During this run, numerous body styles were offered but without a doubt one of the most popular was the Cabriolet. A gorgeous, simple design, the 356 Cabriolet was a no frills sports car that let those behind the wheel get in touch with the true essence of motoring while enjoying the experience of having the top down along with it. This 1959 Porsche 356A Cabriolet was sold new in San Diego, CA to a Naval officer stationed in Southern California who quickly passed it along to an architect who was also local to him. Then, in 1965, when the car was just 6 years old, it was purchased by the consignor who has gone on to enjoy the car for nearly 60 years. Because of this, there is a trove of documents dating back to 1965 that includes the original owners manual and a set of Dunlop racing tires from 1965! Finished in a unique shade of Copper Bronze, the car was repainted from its original shade of White in the early 2000s and the owner picked this beautiful color, which he first saw on a 1974 911 Targa. When the car was refinished, it lost its bumpers for a sleeker, race car look- but the overriders remain which have kept the paint and body in excellent condition and mean you can actually use this car and park it without worrying about a minor bumper tap ruining your original sheet metal. The interior is finished in red vinyl on the seats and door cards, and quintessential Porsche square weave carpet in tan is fitted to the floors. Black Coco Mats have been placed up front and fold down rear seats offer fantastic practicality. A leather wrapped 2-spoke steering wheel sits in front of the driver and frames a 120 mph speedometer and 6,000 rpm tach. Sitting in the rear of this 356 is a variant of Porsche's legendary air cooled flat-4, which benefited from a rebuild in the early 1980s with numerous performance modifications. A big bore kit added power and most importantly- torque low down in the rev range, and a competition clutch and flywheel were also installed to help the car rev up faster. At the same time, the original generator was replaced with an alternator, which dramatically improved reliability and means that your headlights actually produce a reasonable amount of light when it gets dark out! Michelin tires encase the chrome 15 ventilated wheels and provide smooth touring, while also having plenty of performance for a car of this nature. All it takes is one look at this 356 Cabriolet to fall in love with it and when you consider the car's remarkable 3-owner history, it becomes all the more appealing. Finding another car that has been in the care of the same owner for nearly 60 years is no small task and it is clear that