“Porsche is the simplest definition of the term Gran Turismo—a machine that is ‘grand’ for ‘touring’—a status symbol of connoisseurs who know automobiles and appreciate fine points of design and craftsmanship.” —Car and Driver, 1960
As he completed his design for what would become the Porsche 356, little did Ferry Porsche know his seemingly simple shape would catapult the family firm into one of the most well-respected sports car manufacturers in the world. A shape so iconic it has remained largely unaltered even as it closes in on its eighth decade in production, it is a design of such simplicity and perfection that any deviation from the norm would be, and has been, considered automotive sacrilege.
The most potent mechanical variation of the 356 was the Carrera model, which was powered by the slightly detuned, Fuhrmann-designed four-camshaft, 1,600-cubic-centimeter racing engine. Available in both “GT” race specification and “GS” touring specification, Porsche made sure that their new engine could be marketed on a platform to individuals who were looking to spend time on the track, as well as to those who were looking to drive down the Autobahn in style.
While many Porsches of this type were campaigned on the track, it appears that this 1959 Porsche 356 A Carrera 1600 GS “Sunroof” Coupe was specified by its first owner, Robert Blackwood, of Atlanta, Georgia, for long-distance touring. Per both its Porsche Certificate of Authenticity and Kardex build record copy, chassis 108399 was delivered—via the noted Brumos Porsche of Jacksonville, Florida, which had become an official Porsche dealership only months earlier—with an extensive list of factory options including a Blaupunkt radio with two loudspeakers, a rear luggage rack, an electric clock, an 80-liter fuel tank, a factory-installed roll bar, and an incredibly rare and highly desirable sunroof. When considering these options, in addition to its Carrera 1600 GS-specification drivetrain, this Porsche would certainly have been one of the priciest and most desirable examples delivered stateside that year.
The car passed through a handful of owners before being purchased by a Porsche enthusiast in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who commissioned a concours-quality restoration. Beginning in 2002, chassis 108399 underwent a complete restoration by the late Porsche specialist Gary Kempton, of GK Restorations in Florida, while Porsche specialist Vernon Crotts was purportedly tasked with rebuilding the numbers-matching engine (number 93126, with matching-numbers transmission 28925). The car was reportedly disassembled to the last nut and bolt before being painstakingly reconstructed to concours standards. Repainted in its original shade of Porsche Silver Metallic (5706), with an interior finished in dark blue leather, this example exudes a subtle elegance that does nothing to distract from the body’s flowing lines.
Upon completion, the Carrera was exhibited proudly and successfully, reportedly winning Best in Show at the 2010 Saint Louis Regional Porsche Car Show and invited to appear alongside other world-class four-cam and racing Porsches at the 2011 Rennsport Reunion IV & Porsche Race Car Classic, hosted at The Quail Lodge in Monterey, California. Acquiring chassis 108399 in 2013, the Dare to Dream Collection has continued this Carrera’s pampered care, including servicing by the eight-time Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance winning-firm RM Auto Restoration of Blenheim, Ontario.
Of all the Porsche 356 iterations, the Carrera 1600 GS models are among the most valuable, the most thrilling to drive, and the most beautiful to behold. Meticulously restored and presented in Porsche’s quintessential color, this is a prime example of Stuttgart’s finest. Revered for its innovative engineering and timeless styling, the 356 A Carrera 1600 GS “Sunroof” Coupe is, quite simply, automotive perfection incarnate.
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