I can’t say enough about the 300SL. I feel like like each individual W198 has its own look, its own aura. Coming up for auction…
1 CommentTag: 1955
We used to run a feature called “Heap of the Week”, and while it’s something we decided we weren’t generally known for, it was a fun feature. It allowed us to look at vehicles that had potential or were potential struggles; rare cars or just cars that are rarely seen. It’s another expression of automotive enthusiasm – anyone can walk down to a Porsche dealership with enough money and buy what will certainly be a classic someday if you keep the miles low enough and condition good. However, to take something neglected and return it to pristine shape? That’s the domain of a different type of enthusiast, one who sees the potential through the years of neglect and anticipate a result that could be considered near impossible. There’s also a different sect of enthusiasts who appreciate patina; the worn perfection of years of neglect, but also the specter of countless stories. Throw a particularly rare model into the mix, and you have what could potentially be a show stopper:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1955 Mercedes-Benz 170 SV-D on eBay
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The very rare and very head-turning 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1500 Continental Cabriolet that we featured back in October has come back up for sale again as a reserve auction. This car was featured in a recent issue of Excellence Magazine so perhaps the seller hopes to capitalize upon that exposure in the search for a new owner of this lovely machine. This is, without question, the most striking 356 we’ve ever come across as well as a unique piece of Porsche history.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1500 Continental Cabriolet on eBay
The below post originally appeared on our site October 31, 2014:
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We’ve shown quite a few 911 Speedsters over the past few months, either in the guise of the 3.2 Carrera or the 964 Carrera 2, but I cannot recall the last time we featured the original, the car those 911s were intended to recreate in spirit: the 356 Speedster. Here we have one of those rare examples: an Aquamarine Metallic 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster. Released in 1954 the first Speedsters were quite a success, though the overall run would be short-lived as interest waned and the Speedster was replaced in 1958 with the Convertible D, followed by the 356 Roadster. With a spartan interior, minimalist top, and removable windscreen the Speedster was intended to appeal to weekend racers and those who wanted a no-frills, lower-cost, Porsche and during those initial years that’s exactly what it did, especially in the sunny environs of California. The short life the model lived has made the 356 Speedster a highly sought after collectible with the earliest examples being particularly noteworthy. Because we come across them so rarely they are almost always worth our attention.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A Speedster on eBay
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I can’t even imagine the heads that would turn back in 1955 when this car rolled down the street. Now, I wasn’t alive in 1955 so perhaps I’m mistaken, but a bright orange convertible must have been a very rare sight. I know I haven’t seen many, if any, come across auctions of any marque, let alone a Porsche 356. Porsche has never shied away from producing cars in bright colors so that fact shouldn’t surprise me, yet here I am pretty surprised by this car. And before we wonder, this is the original color: a paint-to-sample Orange that Porsche specially had formulated to suit the original buyer’s desire. What better car to showcase on Halloween! This 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1500 Continental Cabriolet is one of the most highly sought after models in the Porsche portfolio. While the 356 Cabriolet was produced for many years, those branded as the Continental Cabriolet were only produced for the 1955MY in the American market before Ford claimed naming rights to the Continental. While that may be a somewhat esoteric distinction, it is nonetheless a marker that separates these cars from other Cabriolets produced during this period. As a vintage piece of Porsche history this has it all!