Matching Period-Correct Specification | Restored Example | Rare Bent-Window Pre-A
Few automobiles capture the purity and charm of early Porsche engineering quite like the legendary 356 Pre-A. Born from Ferdinand Porsche’s vision of a lightweight and agile sports car, the first 356 models emerged in 1948 from a modest workshop in Gmünd, Austria, before production was relocated to Stuttgart in 1950 due to increasing international demand. There, the cars received their now-iconic steel bodies crafted by Karosserie Reutter, laying the foundation for one of the most important sports cars in automotive history.
Porsche 356 for sale offered her
The example offered here represents the final and most evolved generation of the coveted 356 Pre-A series, produced for the 1955 model year shortly before the introduction of the 356 A T1. By this stage, Porsche had refined the original design with the elegant one-piece “bent-window” windscreen, replacing the earlier split-screen configuration and giving the car a more modern and streamlined appearance while retaining all the unmistakable charm of the earliest Stuttgart-built cars.
According to a copy of its original factory Kardex, this highly desirable Porsche 356 Pre-A 1500 left the factory on 21 February 1955, originally finished in the elegant and period-correct Fish Silver Grey (5406B) over a red interior and delivered new to the United States market. Powered by a 1,488 cc flat-four engine, the car embodied the lightweight philosophy and engaging driving dynamics that would establish Porsche as one of the world’s most respected sports car manufacturers.
While the early history of the car remains largely undocumented, it is known that during the early 2000s the Porsche was imported to Italy from California in running and driving condition, still retaining many original components and details. Following partial bodywork restoration, the project was temporarily paused before eventually being acquired in 2015 by its current owner, who commissioned a comprehensive recommissioning focused on both aesthetics and usability.
The restoration included the installation of beautifully crafted new red leather upholstery with matching carpets, together with a complete mechanical overhaul. More recently, the car benefited from additional high-level cosmetic work aimed at returning the body to its correct and highly elegant original shade of 5406B Fish Silver Grey, while new correct-style 16-inch wheels and tyres were fitted to restore the proper factory stance and appearance.
Considerable attention was also devoted to the mechanical specification. Although the original matching engine is no longer present, the car is now fitted with a correct-period 1956 Porsche KD-series engine, upgraded internally with larger-displacement pistons to provide stronger performance and improved drivability. In addition, the gearbox has been updated to a later and more robust unit better suited to the increased power output, significantly enhancing reliability and usability in modern driving conditions. Importantly, the original gearbox accompanies the car, allowing a future owner to easily return the vehicle to a more factory-correct configuration if desired.
Today, this Porsche presents beautifully throughout. The bodywork is exceptionally elegant, the red leather interior remains in outstanding condition with minimal use since restoration, and the upgraded mechanical configuration transforms the car into an engaging and remarkably enjoyable early 356 to drive.
Highlights
- 1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1500
- Final evolution of the desirable Pre-A series
- Rare bent-window model
- Factory color: Fish Silver Grey (5406B)
- Delivered new to the United States
- Correct-period 1956 KD-series Porsche engine
- Upgraded larger-displacement pistons
- Later upgraded gearbox fitted for improved reliability
- Original gearbox included with the car
- Red leather interior with matching carpets
- Restored and mechanically overhauled
- ASI Certification
- ACI/CSAI Fiche
- Photographic restoration documentation
Elegant, highly collectible, and increasingly sought after worldwide, this beautifully restored Porsche 356 Pre-A represents a rare opportunity to acquire one of the purest expressions of early Porsche design and engineering equally suited for concours events, historic touring, or inclusion within any serious collection of significant post-war sports cars.
Price on 178.000€
12-month European Union-wide warranty included. Extension to 24 or 36 months available by prior arrangement.
For further information regarding this Porsche 356 Pre A for sale in Italy including detailed photography, full documentation, international shipping arrangements, or to schedule a private viewing please contact us directly. Because in the end, we never truly own these cars we simply preserve them for the next generation.
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