Asking $39,500.00
Reduced to $33,500.00 for Quick Sale
Professor Ferdinand Porsche initially started the company called "Dr. ing. h. c. F. Porsche GmbH" in 1931, with main offices at Königstrasse in the center of Stuttgart. The company offered motor vehicle development work and consulting, and did not initially build any cars under its own name. One of the first assignments the new company received was from the German government to design a car for the people, a "Volkswagen" in German.
The first Porsche, the Porsche 64, was developed in 1939 using many components from the Volkswagen Beetle. The Beetle was first called Type 12 in 1931 then Porsche 60. The name was not used until 1967 by Porsche/VW. During World War II Volkswagen production turned to the military version of the Volkswagen Beetle, the Kübelwagen, 52,000 produced and saw action in all German fronts and Schwimmwagen, 14,000 produced. During a contract bid for a new tank Porsche lost to Henschel & Son who subsequently produced the Tiger I. Ferdinand Porsche was hurt by this, knowing Adolf Hitler personally. Porsche would assist in the designing of the Tiger tank series and the Elefant tank.
After the war Ferdinand designs Beetle to the French as war reparations. Volkswagen factory fell inside the British occupied zone. Ferdinand lost ownership of Volkswagen and a British major, Ivan Hirst was put in charge. Ferdinand was not allowed at the reopening of the Volkswagen factory. December 15 the same year (1945) Ferdinand was arrested but was not tried for war crimes. During his 20 month imprisonment, Ferdinand Porsche's son, Ferry Porsche, decided to build his own car because he could not find an existing one that he would buy. The first models of what was to become the 356 were built in a small sawmill in Gmünd, Austria and had aluminum bodywork, hence the modern Porsche company was born. The prototype car was shown to German auto dealers, and when pre-orders reached a set threshold, production was begun. Many regard the 356 as the first Porsche simply because it was the first model sold by the fledgling company. Porsche commissioned Zuffenhausen-based company Reutter Carosseri, which had previously collaborated with Porsche on Volkswagen Beetle prototypes, to produce the 356's steel body. Porsche constructed an assembly plant across the street from Reutter Carosseri; that assembly plant is now known as Porschestrasse. The 356 was road certified in 1948.
Not long afterwards, on January 30, 1951, Ferdinand Porsche died from complications following a stroke.
In post-war Germany parts were generally in short supply, so the 356 automobile used components from the Volkswagen Beetle including its engine, gearbox, and suspension. The 356, however, had several evolutionary stages, A, B, and C, while in production and many VW parts were replaced by Porsche-made parts. The last 356s were powered by entirely Porsche-designed engines. The sleek bodywork was designed by Erwin Komenda who also had designed the body of the Beetle. Porsche's signature designs have, from the beginning, featured air-cooled rear-engine configurations (like the Beetle), rare for other car manufacturers, but producing automobiles that are very well balanced.
This very nice example is in excellent running and driving condition, and is ready for local cruise ins or your next spriited Sunny Day drive. The paint, Correct Black Vinyl Interior, and plating are all in very good condition, and the car will never leave you by the side of the road. The correct grey Square Weave Carpet is obviously newer, it has the correct B hubcaps and the useful optional luggage rack. The car lived in California until 2004 and is collector owned. The car starts right up, runs smooth, shifts well, stops well, and will provide years of driving enjoyment. Fly in and drive it home!
