The 356 A Speedster is one of the most coveted of all Porsche models, and inarguably among the most significant and iconic sports car designs of all time. Over its four short years of availability (1954–1958), the minimalist, and affordably priced, Speedster was a tremendous success in roadgoing and competition trims.
By late 1955, the model had become so ubiquitous at racetracks across the United States that it usually took a Speedster to beat a Speedster; 60-horsepower “Normals” and 75-horsepower “Supers” competed in different classes, and both versions proved reliable enough to drive back-and-forth to the track.
Speedster number 84742, offered here, is the 371st of those 552 examples produced during the model’s final year of availability. Still equipped with its numbers-matching 1.6-liter “Normal” engine, four-speed transaxle, and presented today in its factory-correct Ivory (5704) paintwork over black leatherette upholstery and oatmeal square-weave carpeting, this fantastic and well-documented 356 A Speedster is certainly the one to grab.
Chassis 84742’s accompanying factory Kardex shows that it was configured as a US-market car in Ivory (5704) paintwork with sealed beam headlamps, instrumentation in miles, and US-market bumpers for delivery to Max Hoffman’s NYC-based Porsche distributorship. However, the car’s original service booklet shows that it was instead sold new by a dealer in Chichester, Sussex, UK
Indicating approximately 320 miles. It certainly remained in England until at least May of 1961, when it then indicated approximately 39,250 miles.
An exhaustive compendium of invoices on file shows that 84742 next appears in Orinda, California during 1967, under the fastidious ownership of one Donald E. Flenner. By 1977, it had been acquired by Alvin Hansen (Hansen Restorations) of Medford, Oregon and he seems to have begun restoration efforts immediately upon receipt.
In 1984, this Speedster returned to California and its comprehensive (and nicely kept) restoration was then completed by a local consortium of Porsche shops. When complete, the car was registered under the plate “Super58,” and from there moved to Kansas in 1988, where it was subsequently registered as “TYB466.”
Aside from its well-maintained previous restoration, numbers-matching engine and gearbox, and tremendous documentation, this final-year Speedster is made ever more appealing by the presence of its Koni shocks, Royal Doulton Vinylex laminated windscreen, Glaspar hardtop, and twin Zenith 32-NDIX carburetors.
Since entering the White Collection in June 2014, this eminently attractive 1958 356 A 1600 Speedster has been sparingly enjoyed, though always admired; it has been started and run to operating temperature monthly during the consignor’s nine years of custodianship.
1957 
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