A GT-Style 356A Bucks The Trend

I really liked this 356A, like REALLY liked it. I mean, just look at the picture above. Originally a Reutter-bodied sunroof coupe, this 1956 356A has been modified into a GT-style 356 with a louvered decklid, leather hood straps, aluminum bumper trim, quadruple beehive taillights, and dual exhaust outlets. It rides on body-colored 15” alloy wheels and has had a front disk brake conversion.

Inside, the car features aluminum Speedster-style seats upholstered in gray leather surrounded by red carpets and grey door panels. Windows have been replaced with Lexan units and leather window pulls. The interior has been modified with a four-point roll bar, Simpson multi-point harnesses, and a fire extinguisher. A three-spoke RSK-style steering wheel, green VDO instruments, and a pair of Smiths stopwatches round out the inside.

Powering the car is a Type IV flat-four built by FAT Performance with twin Weber carburetors, finned aluminum valve covers, a custom exhaust system, an auxiliary oil cooler, and a 12-volt electrical conversion. The replacement Type 741 transaxle features a short-shift kit and taller fourth gear. A replacement ZF steering box and a GT-style fuel tank have been installed.

The market for 356A Coupes has softened after seeing a jump midway through 2021. Average prices are approaching the $120k mark with recently restored, excellent examples still fetching upwards of $200,000.

This example sold at a final bid of $175,000, putting it up with some of the recent highs achieved for fully restored cars. The work on the car is as good as any restoration, and the attention to detail with modifications is fantastic. At this price, both parties should be happy. The seller got a top-of-the-market price, and the buyer got the car for most likely less than the sum of the work completed. What a ride.

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