Written on April 22nd, 2010 at 12:10am by 993C4S
Written on April 3rd, 2009 at 12:10am by 993C4S
For the true Porsche collector there is a short list of must have cars. Depending on your age, preference and taste the list may include anything from a recent example of the Carrera GT to an early 550 Spyder. However, there is but one car that represents the very spirit and romance of the Porsche success story. The Gmund 356.
I won’t go into a full history of the Gmund 356 in this post, but it is believed that there were a total of 47 units produced between 1948 and 1950. Four Gmund coupes were built in 1948. Twenty-five were produced in 1949 and 18 were produced in 1950. This brings the total number of cars produced to 51. Broken down, there were 43 coupes and 8 cabriolets (47 production units + 1 prototype Porsche Gmund No. 1 + three race cars).
1949 Porsche Gmund 356 For Sale
Today, there are seven Gmunds accounted for in private collections and the Porsche Museum. It is thought that there may be another 10 or so cars in varying states of repair and restoration in Europe and the rest of the world. By my math that means this car is one of possibly 17 remaining in existence and is currently for sale.
Features of the 1949 Gmund 356 Coupe #45
- chassis #45
- motor #43
- body #35
The coupe’s most distinctive feature is its split windshield. It has mechanical brakes and is powered by an 1100 cc, 40 horsepower air-cooled engine, with two Solex carburetors. The Gmund features original chrome and upholstery, which gives it just the right patina. The engine has been rebuilt and the car has been repainted in its original color (based on an original early paint sample).
Of the Porsche Gmunds known to be in existence, there are two with higher serial numbers: 055 now in the Porsche Museum and 057 in the United States. Three of the Gmund coupes were given serial numbers in different order because they were adapted for racing.
If you’re interested in this car, I suggest you act quickly. A car this rare will move fast and unfortunatley, given today’s market conditions it’s very possible it will end up in Europe. Wouldn’t it be great for this car to remain in the US? At least then I could go and look at it once and a while.
If you are interested in learning more about the car or simply want to view more pictures, take a look at the listing at The Road Scholars.
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Reader’s Rides-Porsches for Sale
[Source: Excellence Was Expected
, The Road Scholars, Excellence The Magazine About Porsches]
Written on January 26th, 2009 at 3:32pm by 993C4S
As a Porsche “Purist” I tend to like my cars as close to stock as possible, just like the good doctor intended. However, that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a simple mod here or there or even the outright construction of an Outlaw Porsche 356.
Popular Mechanics just posted a write-up on a 1964 Porsche 356 Turbo. That’s right, a 356 Turbo. It would seem that Chris Toy wasn’t satisfied with the performance from the Porsche’s original 1.6 liter motor and thought he could do much better with a 3.3 liter turbo from a ’79 Porsche 930 stuffed into the rear-end (stuffed to the point of taking up part of the back-seat too).
Troy say’s he “wants the car to be a sleeper”. As a result, there isn’t much in the way of outward appearance mods (except for the very aggressive and wide tires) to let the unsuspecting know about the beast that now sits precariously above (behind and in-front too) of that rear axle. Outside of 911 disk brakes and a few bushings, Troy hasn’t done many other mods to the car at present.
I don’t know about you, but the idea of pushing 310 horses across 35+ year old suspension technology would make me think twice before hitting a curve at speed.
For the full article and more pictures check out the original post at Popular Mechanics
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1955 Porsche 356 A `Silver Bullet` Custom Hot Rod
[Source: Popular Mechanics]
Written on March 27th, 2008 at 12:10am by 993C4S
I’m a bit of a “Porsche Purist”, what others may call a snob. For the most part, I like my Porsches to be original, true to what the manufacturer intended with little to no modifications. As an example, my 1973 911T was all original (including paint and interior) with no modifications. My current 1997 993 C4S is exactly the same, all original, no modifications (except the options from the factory).
However, that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate anything else. I understand the need and desire for modifications. My 993 would, in some people’s opinion, benefit from a suspension modification (lower it to ROW specs) and get rid of what is routinely referred to as the “SUV” ride-height. Based on cars I’ve seen with this mod, I tend to agree and just might do this to my car. Compared to the subject of this post however, this type of suspension modification is infinitesimally small. Not surprisingly, it takes things a little too far for my taste.
Jeff Dutton’s 1955 Porsche ‘Silver Bullet’ Custom Hot Rod.
Built on a 914-6 chassis with a body based on a 1955 356 Continental, it is fitted with a 3 liter, 279hp RS-spec engine, and a 915 gear box. Momentum created by the racing spec’d engine is temporarily halted with addition of “full-trick” 934 brakes. The polished disc wheels are 17” in diameter and match the other accents/trim on the car.
Putting technical specs aside, which are impressive, I would prefer to focus on the aesthetics of the car. According to an article I read in Keith Martin’s on Collecting Porsche
, the idea behind the car was to create an “Outlaw Porsche” (chopped hotrod) that still remained true to the original design theory and production of legendary Porsche designer Erwin Komenda. While I agree that it is still recognizable as a Porsche, I’m not sure I would have spent the money (hundreds of thousands is the claim) to build this car. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves and you be the judge. Click on anyone of the thumbnails for a larger image and take a look at the Fantasy Junction listing for even more images.
The car is currently offered for sale, on consignment, at Fantasy Junction. According to Chris Christianson, of Fantasy Junction, the current owner placed the car on consignment in early February and has set the asking price at $175,000. I tried to research previous owners; unfortunately, all I found were references to an attempted previous sale in 2001 at RM’s Monterey auction where the car was bid to $55,000 and did not sell.
Builder of the Porsche 356 Outlaw
If you’re curious about the original owner/builder of this car here is a little more info I found while researching for this post.
Jeff Dutton comes from a family filled with impressive automotive accomplishments. In 1911 Jeff’s grandfather, Albert Octavious Dutton, began a coachwork-building business that specialized in the creation of bodies for Rolls Royce, Franchini, Isotta, etc. As Albert’s reputation grew, so did the shop’s capabilities. In 1953 Dutton’s became the first Porsche factory-appointed repair shop in Australia.
Today, Dutton’s has expanded to include a new dealership that stocks both classic and current model Porsche, Ferrari, Maserati and other hi-end luxury brands. In addition, Jeff’s son has branched out with the creation of DuttonDirect (an on-line luxury directory and magazine that covers automotive, marine, aircraft and lifestyle products). Dutton’s success has given him the means to pursue his passion of collecting, creating, driving and racing Porsches.
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Outlaw Porsche Turbo 356
[Source: Fantasy Junction, Keith Martin on Collecting Porsche
]
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