The Porsche 356 is one of the most memorable pre-911 cars from the marque, it’s the car that was tweaked for American tastes by North American importer Max Hoffman – a man who convinced Ferry Porsche that the 356 needed a name as Americans wouldn’t by a car with a number. The “Speedster” was the result, other changes to the 356 include a reworked body, interior and instrumentation to bring the base cost of the car down to a point where it could compete with the likes of Jaguar and Austin-Healey.
As a result of these cost cutting measures, price tag on the 356 Speedster went from $4,284 USD to just $2,995 USD, suddenly making it an accessible sports car for a much larger percentage of the population. This car is one of those early originals, the “Pre-A” designation is for 356s that were built before the “A” model revision came into place in late-1955. The “A” cars had larger 1600cc engines and a slew of other modifications but many true marque enthusiasts prefer the simpler, Max Hoffman originals.
This 1955 Pre-A is fitted with a period correct 70 bhp, 1500cc, SOHC, air-cooled flat four-cylinder engine with two Solex 40 carburettors. It also has the factory spec four-speed manual transaxle, four-wheel independent suspension, and four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes fitted. The engine isn’t the original, it’s a slightly upgraded sports variant that produces an additional 15hp at the rear wheels – this means that it won’t fetch quite the same price at auction as a number matching example, making it a solid opportunity for investment.
