There are some cars that are simply iconic. They need no introduction, no description. You already know how special it is (and how expensive it will be). Any Porsche Speedster, of any generation, falls into this category. It is one of the purest expressions of a sports car there is, and decades later, cars like this 1957 Speedster still command all of your attention, even when found in project car form. The listing here on the Gooding & Company doesn’t have a description yet, that will be made public on January 18th, but they provided us with an early look at this genuine one family-owned Speedster garage find. It clearly needs some restoration work but appears to be a very deserving candidate. Bidding is set to start on January 24th, 2022 with an estimated selling price between $275,000 – $325,000. Special thanks to Pauline P. over at Gooding & Co for giving Barn Finds Readers an early look at this incredible find!
The Speedster is also the sort of car that you don’t always need to restore, as it’s appreciated in almost any form. A survivor Speedster would absolutely get plenty of praise at a local PCA gathering or any car show really, so widely recognized is the Speedster profile. Almost any Porsche of this era is likely to need floor repair, especially in unrestored form, so I’d count on at least doing that work. Hopefully, that flaking paint on the door is nothing serious, and not indicative of rust hiding underneath. The Porsche wears old-school Alabama license plates, so hopefully, rust isn’t much of a problem in general.
The iconic Speedster bucket seats are still present, and these seats alone are a hugely valuable feature of an original 356 Speedster. The floors don’t look bad here, but obviously, an in-person inspection is warranted, especially given how much this Speedster is likely to hammer home for. Photos show that the soft top is in tatters but the original frame appears to be in good shape and it’s said to come with its original side screens and some assorted spares. The car was originally painted white, but at some point, it was treated to a full-color change. It appears to have been a quality job though, as it’s held up well over the decades and there aren’t any obvious signs of overspray. It’s nice to see that the car still retains its original steering wheel and doesn’t show any signs of go-fast modifications.
The engine, however, has been removed and disassembled. Photos show a very orderly layout of all the mechanical components that are included. The car comes with a copy of the Porsche Kardex, which reveals that this is the original numbers matching engine. The transaxle is also the original numbers matching unit, even the hood and deck lid are numbers correct. The previous owner tore the Speedster down when it was tired and leaking, with the intent to reseal what needed to be sealed and rebuild what needed to be rebuilt. However, as many of us know, disassembly is the easy part; it’s the spending time and money to refurbish, replace, and rebuild that takes a while. This Speedster looks like a real-deal survivor of a highly coveted car, and we can’t wait to see the excitement around this air-cooled Porsche on the auction block.
Photos – copyright and courtesy of Gooding & Company, photography by Mike Maez.
This is restoration and ownership on a completely different level. Makes me think of the old credit card commercial where they said what’s in your wallet? Instead I say how big is your wallet?
One of the early cars with the four taillights. Went to the tear drop units later in the model year. Our ’57 Cabriolet had the 4 taillights when we started the rebuild and the tear drops when we finished. Owned 2 of these in the ’80s bought for $1,800 total. Sold one half way through a difficult rebuild for 15K so at least didn’t loose my shorts but it was sure was an indicator of things to come, just like the 911 fuel pumps going from $89 to $360.
Looking back, would you have kept the 4 tail light config?
Agree, like what would possess one to alter a work of art, anyway? BLASPHEMY… What next I wonder; in-dash CD player, back-up camera? LOL
In the early 70’s these were very cheap. Used car level. At one time I had a ’57, painted school bus yellow because PO worked in a school bus yard, bought for $900 and three kilos of weed. Companion was a robin’s egg blue ’58, the paint was so oxidized that if you brushed against it it came off on your clothes. same price, 900 bucks (no weed) Then in my driveway, with no top, a pea soup green 56 with a Volkswagen motor. Interior with pillows to make up for lack of upholstery. And that little sucker was just so much fun! More like a toy car; it was slow like an old VW. Some memories you can never duplicate no matter how much $ you have. My prediction for this sweet Speedster is somewhere north of $325,000. It’s only original once. As the proud owner of several ratbox Speedsters, were I to wake up with this in my driveway, I’d have it detailed and drive it like it was stolen.
Have a friend who at 80 years old has been a Porsche aficionado for over 50 years.
I joke that when he parks his restored ’56 356 Speedster in my garage the value of my house doubles!
Another one of those “Crystal ball” cars…
$275,000? Where I live that buys a new house and garage, plus a brand new Miata to go in that garage. A Miata, BTW, is 100X the car this ever was. Snobbery, all this is, nothing more. People need to grow up, look around, and see the big picture. There is much more to this world then your own selfish needs and desires. When you get to be my age you understand that very well. Too bad so many take too long to learn that so very important lesson.
It’s an investment. Instead of parking the money in a safe, low interest account, an alternative is to buy something neat, insure it (fairly cheaply, BTW) enjoy it a bit and eventually get your money back and probably some additional return. Kind of like a second house without the upkeep headache. Unlike a muscle car of which there are bunches and more every day, a 356 is kinda rare and desired by more folks than can be accommodated.
Wow Gary! A bit judgmental aren’t you? What do you own that you covet? How about that home you refer to? Are you glad that it appreciates? Do you spend money on it so it will? And how come you live there with your Miata? Take half the money, live somewhere far more austere and donate the rest to a charity – right? Many people work very hard and do wonderful work and yes, reward themselves with something they love. That’s me. I do a boatload of charity work, and I worked 3 jobs for 3 years so I could buy my used 2002 Carrera. Does that me a bad person in your book?
I don´t think he meant to make a moral judgement. It´s all a matter of perspective. And to compare a Miata with all of the modern improvements in electronics and techology to any great car of the 1950´s is ludicrous. That´s like comparing a modern jet liner to WW1 triple decker. As far as people needing to wake up, well, I would say that applies to different matters entirely.
Gerard, yes, he is intentionally judging people. He has a history of doing this going back years over countless posts.
Steve R
Every man deserves a humble home. 250K (that is minus the Miata) is less than an entry level home here in the Twin Cities. It is a modest smaller home, in fact, probably hard to find at that price. Appreciation? My home has appreciated, more than it should have, making younger people struggle to get a roof over their heads that they can afford. Does that make me happy? Our home was never an investment, we have been here for decades. I never intended to sell it. The only think the appreciation has done for me is raise my annual tax bill. All this buying and selling, be it houses, or cars, prices them out of reach for many people. I am not a communist, far from it, but I feel all this economic completion is hurting the society in general. Sure there are winners, but far more losers and how can that be good? Your Carrera? No where near what this is going to cost. You sound like a good person, hard working. I feel whoever buys this is in a different league altogether. Someone who doesn’t get paid by the hour, that is for sure. I just hope that someone who can dabble in this kind of car also gives back, pays it forward a little. I know some do, but my years have shown me that the mindset needed to get to that position in life makes for a less that giving nature. Sorry I posted, who would have thought people would be so upset over this?
@Steve R, I do not judge people, I judge actions. People, all people, deserve respect, but their actions at times deserve criticism. About the only exception I have in that regard is toward the repeat drunk driver. Those lost souls, are perhaps, beyond redemption.
Very, nice to see you up to your old tricks of fabricating a false accusation. That flies in the face of your self professed claims of being good person. First, good people don’t fabricate lies about people just to make themselves look good. Second, only someone trying to gaslight people need to repeatedly profess how good of a person they are since their actions tell a different story.
Steve R
One of the attributes of a free society is that you can indulge your tastes however narcissistic, shallow, or irrelevant someone else may judge them. While I too would take the house and the Miata even with having 30mil in my account, (uh I don’t) its that I appreciate value in a collector car and it sure isn’t here, nor was it in the Cuda Hemi that went for over 4mil in an R&M auction prior to the ’07 crash.
oh god, Gary. Your one of that elite (lol) group that just doesn’t get it. Never will. PS – I’m 71.
Hey Gary, I appreciate what you said. But even before the economics you stated, how about we stop with the labels? All of us! I’m hated locally because I have a (D) in front of my name, yet I’m applauded for the charity rides I sponsor thru Harley. I’m called a communist because I believe in social medicine yet I’ve got a 20gallon “award” for giving blood. I’m a “freakin Notherner” here in Florida but recognized by the Chamber of Commerce for local civic activities. The list is endless and today’s prejudices are far more damaging than the economics of car collectors. Sorry folks…..back to Barn Finds
@Don C, Sir, you are saying that in FLA having your Christian name is a hindrance to happiness? How can that be? I though people with that name were loved and revered there as the second coming. Are we not to believe what we are told on certain news outlets? I am glad you believe in socialized medicine. I know something about that, and I agree, it is well past due. I am ashamed to say that members of my peer group fought against it in the 40s and for even Medicare in the 60s. Sharing the wealth is not an onerous idea, it is what is needed (in small quantities) to make the greater society function, flourish, and be happy. Don’t we all want that? Keep up your good works, what you posted made me smile.
What about people can do what they want if they have the money? I mean you and I might not. In fact I might be the cheapest SOB alive …BUT…….I’m grateful someone saves these cars.
Scott m. On the cabriolet, no problem as they had the tear drops toward the end of the ’57 model year. Loved the tear drops long before getting the car. This car, no way.
Someone paying that kind of money for any vehicle which can easily be (and in this case has already been) replicated with a kit makes one wonder.
“We all harbor a wish to be immortal”
Ferdinand Porsche
You don’t understand the motivations of the 1%. Think about it for a while, it will come to you.
Is someone making all-metal 356’s (other than a one-off) for about the same money?
Mark. Go buy a Picasso poster.
You just proved my point.
Eyewatering price, but at least it’s not a rusted out POS that’s good for a ID plate and a glovebox door. Still gonna pass. That kind of coin buys me a ****load of GM muscle.
I love the comments. Many of them remind me of the old saying, “when I was young, I ————————————fill in the gaps”
Great reading
Finding one of these is like finding a 10 pound gold nugget!
Gary,
Try hard to not be a jerk – you’ll have more fun and enjoy life more
The 356 replicas are the way to go here with VW underpinnings the experience has got to be damn near the same. Who would want to risk crashing a 300K speedster, when a decent replica can be had or built from a kit for one tenth that or less? I have also seen all steel replicas (well one at least) on Ebay for 60K. As good as the real thing if you ask me. Drug Addict Betty Frailey (Julie Harris) steals and crashes Harper’s (‘Paul Newman’s) 356 in Harper. She dies in the wreck and it serves her right.
We’ve got a lot of whack jobs in this chat (trolls?). 356’s just seem to draw them out of the woodwork. Vic, put these folks in their place. Please.
dougie – silencing people’s opinion is the first step towards the destruction of the First Amendment. There is a reason it’s the FIRST amendment – basically everything else plays second fiddle to it.
My grandmother loved in Montgomery from 1940 to the early 1980s. She ran a boarding house that catered to many of the Air Force men from the nearby air base. I was young in the 1960s and 70s. During that time, I saw a large number of very cool cars parked at her house. I got to ride in an Aston Martin DB4, Jaguar XKE, MGB, many Mercedes ad Fiat convertibles. Grandmother tried to give me a little Fiat convertible that was left and given to her when the serviceman was deployed overseas. This Speedster was probably purchased new by an Air Force pilot from Montgomery. They loved fast sports cars and the faster the better. This specific Speedster has an old style Alabama plate that starts with a 3. That denotes “Montgomery County.” I rest my case.
Love the bee hive tail lights over the tear drop. They are iconic
What gives with this caterwauling? This site is about cars, not complaining!