1956 356A 1600 Coupe

Making its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September of 1955, Porsche’s 356A may have looked very similar to the 356 it replaced, but it came with many significant changes. For one, the 356A came with a larger 1,582cc engine with dual Zenith carburetors producing about 59 horsepower. The suspension was also updated with softer springs, stiffer dampers, and 15-inch wheels, incorporating wider tires. The new 356A was a success for Porsche, with about 6,000 “T1” coupes and 7,200 “T2” Coupes produced during its four-year run.

This 1956 356A 1600 Coupe is an earlier T1 car finished in its original color combination of Silver Metallic over a Red leather interior. It was the subject of a multi-year restoration by SV Auto of Ontario, California, and was completed in 2021. Work completed during the restoration included replacing the battery box, left rocker panel, inner hood frame, floor pans, and fender liners. The interior was restored with new Red leather upholstery and beige square weave carpets, and the gauges were refurbished by North Hollywood Speedometer.

The engine, a replacement 1,600cc flat-four, received new rod and crankshaft bearings, Mahle pistons and cylinders, a resurfaced flywheel, a reground crankshaft and camshaft, and an upgraded Dansk muffler. The Solex carbs were overhauled along with the generator, started, and distributor and the 4-speed transaxle was also rebuilt at this time.

If you’re looking at this Coupe and thinking, “I’ve seen this before,” you have. It failed to sell at a high bid of $150,000 on Bring a Trailer in March of this year, which was about right, if not on the high side, for a non-matching numbers car with a few small issues that needed to be addressed. Eight months later, we see this car on PCARMARKET with the same minor issues, such as wrong door pull handles and Super hubcaps, again failing to sell but this time at a high bid of $140,000. Seller might want to listen to the market here.

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