Every few months, a quick search for things like “cars underwater” can yield some pretty fascinating material. Most of the time, it’s just about a town dredging a local waterway, but every now and again, some solid gold appears in the form of an incredible discovery in a lake or riverbed. This time, it’s a 1954 Porsche 356, otherwise known as being one of the elusive early models referred to as a Pre A coupe. Found in Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, very little has been said about the rare 356 since its extraction. Find coverage of the discovery here on the Porsche Club of Great Britain website.
The Porsche was discovered by a scuba diving team practicing in the lake approximately 10 meters from the shore. What makes less sense is how it got there, as the part of the lake where the car was found has no accessible roads or other means of entry by car. The interior, engine, gearbox, and license plates were no where to be found, making it seem likely that this poor 356 was dumped as a stolen vehicle. Or, was it a parts car for a 356 that an owner deemed more desirable than what was simply a cheap, used sports car at the time?
Who knows, and the lack of follow-up on the story suggests no one really knows what happened to this car before or after its discovery. The beehive taillight lenses are obviously gone, and while the engine lid is askew, at least it’s still there. There’s no glass yet and the roof has buckled a bit, but it could have been so much worse considering how long this car was likely underwater. Amazingly, the front and rear bumpers were still with the car.
While the recovery team undoubtedly took every precaution when removing the fragile specimen, it’s difficult to preserve the areas that were already weak, like the driver’s side fender. Compared to the photos underwater, that area definitely got tweaked a bit further than it already was. So, now the question becomes, where is this car? What happened after it was recovered? It’s shocking to not see any reference to the Lake Lucerne 356 and its subsequent revival; have any of you seen an update on this car?
O.K. Who was the U-boat commander that sank this one, LOL?? :-)
Sometimes Joel, you just gotta say what the heck…
it belonged to the guy who was tracking down the billions in gold the nazis put in lake constant
For UK Porschephiles – is the storage space on this called Das Boot?
Das Boot was phenomenal. My pal’s dad – conscripted Sudeten Czech – couldn’t watch it; he’d spent the war in U-boats – and had an Iron Cross, presumably for surviving. The film less so, but the TV episode of the boat being depth-charged (30 minutes) is an exercise in tension.
People who really have seen combat, do not watch war films, at least not in my experience. It is not entertainment for “them”. Ideally, people who do watch them will understand the horror of it all and demand that it never happens again, but that never, if ever, happens. Our society has a lot of growing up to do.
Submariners in the UK navy had the highest casualty rate of all the armed services during WWII. Respect.
The one line from Das Boot that I try working in when I am able is when the US Navy diesel mechanic set about getting the engine room of the German submarine running again and fast. He told his CO “The last guy who worked on this didn’t know a spanner wrench from his sister’s…”. Brilliant assessment.
Another is from MASH: “Colonel go for laugh – no get..”. Ha ha.
Ridden hard and put away wet! Would make great yard art for a Porsche aficionado.
More photos here: http://porsche-356-club.ch/PorscheClubs/pc_356schweiz/pc_main.nsf/web/27C19D11EF400784C1257D7E0075B76C
Thanks for the link Lou
Sitting beside a road. Can’t see in summer time.
Dare I ask where this beauty is located?
Under a tree.
In Germany. Unter der Linden…
WHAAAAAT? If you haven’t tried to save it, why? Let me guess, the owner says they’ll get around to it someday.
Interesting find, thanks for doing a feature on it. After stabilization I think it will wind up hanging from a ceiling or wall in its current state as a conversation piece. Maybe at a restaurant, restoration supplier or Porsche enthusiasts shop. It’s perfect for that.
Steve R
Don’t be surprised if it drives again one day…
https://barnfinds.com/sunk-samba-1957-vw-23-window-bus/
This one isn’t there (yet) as it’s almost 400ft below however when the access to early Beetles dries up someone will take a dip
http://www.forum.vwacb.com/index.php?topic=598.0
when i see this, i get ptsd from the 23 window i had stolen in 1989. never saw it again
“hanging from a ceiling…at a restaurant”
Waiter, there’s a barnacle in my soup!
Can barnacles even do the backstroke?
In Texas people sink old cars in lakes for catfish to live and breed in. You take the engine and all that out. Then you always know where to fish. Catfish like to make homes in stuff like that.
Future car collectors… any good fishing spots around here?
Hey thats my home. I went to a local school upstream and found this rust bucket for me and this misses and home squatted the appropriate time to get it. Its a shame humans intervening in our cod life.
I hope the new owners appreciate the upkeep performed bu us. Items updated:
Pool in front trunk
Pool on engine area
Pool in interior section.
Rock garden in floor
Cleaned skeleton in trunk
Enjoy this domicile 👍
Already on the GullibleWing website listed at $6,000,000.
Only worth that if Adolph’s body is inside.
Nah, Addie is in Argentina winking at pretty girls from his wheel chair. He is a very spry 140 year old. He is too senile to remember what a turd he is, though.
Cool write-up and story. You just know some dinkus with more money than brains will probably pay multiple 6 figures for this rusted out lake find.
Gotta save’em all!
Wet-look patina finish is already done,
so throw on some beehive rear lenses
and a couple of other bits and pieces,
Then drive it as it is !
OK, since no one has said it, allow me…
This Porsche is already underwater before you sink a dime on it! (Pun intended.)
I don’t think that comment holds any water.
For the restorer who’s wet behind the ears.
Let’s see how many puns this article receives. (I’ve lost count already!)
Yet this is not referred to as the “Porsche Bathtub”???
The Bugatti in the Lake! Maybe I’ll take flak for this, but if somebody with oodles of money can take this on, then I’m ok with that. It won’t be me, but their pocket change will go to restoration professionals and other worthies that support the hobby. Do I wish this was still do-able by a shade tree mechanic? Absolutely. If I was a billionaire or multi millionaire and did it for fun, took a massive loss and returned it to the wild just for the hell of it? Priceless
I wonder if the new owner says that it was found in a lake. Most likely the ad will read minimal rust survivor.
Did anyone notice the fisheyes in the paint?
“In climate controlled storage for the last XXX years”
I don’t trust them rear-engined cars, always fish-tailing in the wet…
Undercarriage and engine pics?
Early water cooled.
Did anyone else catch “Das Boot”? Good (i.e. baadd) pun!
Great mother in law car. She will love it.
Heretofore, I thought these were all air-cooled. See how educational these finds. Can be.
Is this the same Swiss lake thata Bugatti was fished out of a few years ago?
Owner claims it ran when parked.
You mean ran when sunk!
It cost more to fish it out than what it is worth.
Your underwater with this one before you even get started.
You would find yourself drowning in debt.
If you do decide to restore this you should opt for the herringbone upholstery .
Keep searching for the underwater cars you may find a Marlin, a Barracuda, or a Stingray.
If you look in Biscayne Bay you might find a base model Chevy.
OK, I’ll stop now.
I know this sounds crazy, but I remember reading about a cobra (in worse condition then this) was dredged up while digging a canal. A TOTAL restoration resulted in incredible results. I can’t imagine how many cubic dollars were spent bringing it back.
“Tan when parked”
Submerge a barn around it.
Was at a cool million, but the price is sinking fast. Better clam up while the owner is fishing for offers!
You’d have to be a wealthy land shark to tackle this project.
You’d have to be a wealthy land shark to tackle this hole in the water.
“May have some flood damage.”
With the engine, gearbox, interior, tires, bonet, doors and licence plates missing I say it was stolen. No roads around so in my best criminal mind I say strip it, roll it onto Sven and Ole’s boat and go for a cruise. Pull wheels and push her overboard. Not sure if these have numbers on the frame. The President of the Porsche 356 Club of Switzerland assisted with the salvage operation. And so far he is not talking. And thanks for all the humor gang!
I’m fully immersed in the depths of Chuck’s wit and have a sinking feeling he’s knot finished yet.
William:
My father and his First-Shot shipmates always said that the only Pearl-Harbor-attack movie to watch was “Tora, Tora, Tora”. No film was in second place.
can you say insurance
Carefully preserved in a low oxygen environment.No sun fading present.
Probably not the first time someone has ended up underwater with a P car??
Car has a very distinctive white stripe down the center of the red car. I wonder if someone will be able to ID it.
Chop-shop sounds reasonable.
In that part of Europe, I assume the lake freezes, Maybe the crooks towed it out there with their 4×4 and left it to drop in with the thaw. It’s a big lake, and maybe that part of it is isolated enough that it does not get any ice-fisher or snowmobile traffic.
Park it and cover it with snow from the snowblower you brought with you, then just drive away. Come spring, it sinks.