1959 356 Coupe

Win on Sunday, sell on Monday quickly became the mantra of American automotive manufacturers during the 1950s, but it could just as easily been the rallying cry of Porsche as their little 356 became an icon of European motorsport earning accolades (and class wins) at prestigious events such as the Mille Miglia and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

And while today’s Spotlight car didn’t take any class wins at those events, it does have quite the period racing history. Imported into Sweden in May 1959, this 1959 356A Coupe went on to compete in the 1959 Roskilde Ring race in Denmark. Following the purchase of the car by its current owner in 1978, this 356A went through an extensive refurbishment and was returned to track-duty competing in over 100 FIA historic races all the way until 2010.

Finished in Orange with a Black leatherette interior, this example underwent a second restoration from 2015 to 2018 and has been modified with Plexiglas windows, a lightweight Carrera GT-style interior, Carrera GT brakes, and an upgraded Super 90 engine producing up to 110 HP. On the inside, the cockpit is all business with Recaro 1328 bucket seats, a removable four-point roll bar, and a removable three-spoke wood-rimmed steering wheel.

For a track car, the paint is still in very nice condition with only minor nicks here and there. The Super 90 engine, installed in 2018, includes a long parts list and plenty of service records in the gallery along with period race pictures, FIA logbook, and documents galore.

Its not every day you come across an example with period racing history under the same stewardship for 45 years and still ready to hit the track. That’s why I was surprised to see this one bid to only $62,700. Perhaps the fact that the car is still located in Sweden had something to do with the price. But for someone who can get all of their ducks in a row and are not afraid to buy a car overseas, you can find this one in PCARMARKET’s Deal Tank for $140,000, which seems quite reasonable to me.

Two things that go hand-in-hand? Porsche and watches. Every Porschephile I know is also a watch nerd. And like Porsches, watches can be enjoyed at all price points. 

On a recent visit to Pittsburgh, SML subscriber Allan S. tossed me his new Sheffield Allsport watch. Sheffield Watches is a reboot of an old dive watch brand founded in New York in the ‘50s that was synonymous with producing low-price point, quality watches. The weight of the stainless steel case felt robust, as did the feel of the screw-down crown and unidirectional bezel—definitely quality. As for price point, the Sheffield diver punches way above its weight at $108. You can’t buy more watch for the money, period. 

And that’s what Sheffield Watches’ founder Jay Turkbas set out to accomplish, reviving the brand's ethos and creating a watch synonymous with quality, technology, and affordability. Taking inspiration from his original Sheffield watch from the ’70s and his 30-plus years of experience in product development and innovation, he knocked it out of the park with a durable watch capable of exploring the depths of the ocean one day and cars & coffee the next. And all at a price point equivalent to the $13 the watch originally cost back then. Take a moment to give Sheffield Watches a look. I know you’ll be just as impressed as I am.

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