Porsche 356 Carrera Speedster

The vehicle in detail

Introduced in 1954, the Porsche 356 Speedster featured an easily removable windshield, lightweight bucket seats, a basic folding top, and side curtains – measures taken to reduce both cost and weight. Popular among club racers and weekend drivers, the Speedster played a key role in establishing Porsche’s presence in the US, with 4,145 examples built through 1958.

According to a copy of its factory Kardex, this 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster is a transition model completed by the factory on December 16, 1955, and dispatched to Hoffman Motor Company in New York. Finished in Signal Red over Black leatherette, it was equipped with a Type 616/2, 1.6-liter “Super” engine, sealed-beam headlights, tachometer in miles per hour, and coupe-style seats. The Kardex lists its first owner as Kenneth Tatton, with a dealer service at Hoffman logged in September 1956. While its earliest history is not known, this Speedster was acquired by Santa Barbara, California personality and historian Thad MacMillan in October 1971. Retaining its original, numbered hood and deck lid, this Speedster was repainted dark blue and fitted with a higher-performing Type 616/7 unit from a 356 B Super 90 – fitted with an Isky cam and paired with a Bursch exhaust. Used for many years as a regular driver, this Speedster is offered with a 356 B workshop manual, Kardex copy, and service records dating to 1985. A candidate for light recommissioning or restoration, this well-documented example offers a rare opportunity to return one of Porsche’s most iconic models to the road.

*Please note that this vehicle is titled 1956.