Porsche 356 'Pre-A' 1500 Reutter Cabriolet (1953)

The earliest 356s were built at the Porsche’s facility in Gmünd, Austria, but by 1950 the firm had outgrown the one-time sawmill and production was transferred to Zuffenhausen. Coachwork was entrusted to Reutter and formed from steel rather than aluminium. The 356 Cabriolet joined the line-up that same year, and while relatively spartan, the model underwent steady mechanical and cosmetic improvement. By 1953, the 356 boasted mounted bumpers, a one-piece “bent” windscreen (to replace the previous split-window arrangement), a synchromesh gearbox, and the option of a larger capacity 1,500-cc air-cooled flat-four engine that offered a marked increase in performance. These early Porsche 356s were retrospectively dubbed ‘Pre-A’ upon the arrival of the 356 A in 1955. Cars built for the 1953 model year were the first to feature the attractive quadruple “beehive” tail-lamp arrangement.

This example was supplied new in domestic German market specification on the 14th of April 1953 to Porsche dealer Hahn Motorfahrzeuge GMBH of Stuttgart. Delivered in ivory (code R504) and fitted with a red leather interior, this car is one of the rare "Knickscheibe"; fitted with the single-piece, 'bent' windscreen made for only two years between 1953 and 1955. Only 394 "curved window" Cabriolets were built in 1953, from a total production of 1,165 made.

This 1953 Porsche 356 is a Pre-A cabriolet that was built on April 14, 1953 and is said to have spent time in California and Germany prior to being imported to the UK in the mid-2010s. Finished in cream over black upholstery, the car has been fitted with a replacement 1.5-liter flat-four and four-speed manual transaxle. Additional equipment includes 16″ steel wheels, Koni shocks, a black convertible top, a curved single-piece windshield, and a Telefunken radio. The car was acquired by the selling dealer in 2023 following approximately eight years of storage, and subsequent service involved tuning the twin carburetors as well as replacing the front wheel bearings and rear axle seals.

The Reutter-built bodywork left the factory in Ivory (R504) and has since been refinished in its current shade of cream. Features include a curved single-piece windshield that was new for the 1953 model year as well as a black convertible top, color-coordinated bumpers, quad taillights, an antenna, and a single exhaust exit. Gray-finished 16″ steel wheels wear baby moon hubcaps and are wrapped in wide-whitewall tires, while a matching spare is secured in the front compartment. Koni shocks have been installed at each corner, and stopping power is provided by four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. The front kingpins and wheel bearings along with the rear axle seals were replaced in November 2023, at which time a brake fluid flush was performed.

Originally trimmed in red leather, the cabin has been reupholstered and houses front bucket seats and a fold-down rear bench trimmed in black leatherette accompanied by color-coordinated door panels. Charcoal square-weave carpets line the floors, and additional appointments include a Telefunken radio, a glovebox, and translucent sun visors. The ivory-finished steering wheel features a horn ring and fronts green-letter VDO instrumentation including a 200-km/h speedometer, a 6k-rpm tachometer, and gauges monitoring oil temperature and fuel level.

The replacement 1,500cc flat-four was installed under previous ownership, while work performed in November 2023 involved tuning the twin carburetors, replacing the fuel filter, changing the oil, and refreshing the gearbox fluid. The engine has been re-stamped. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a replacement four-speed manual transaxle. This example is available to view at our showrooms outside London immediately.

• 1953 Porsche 356 Pre-A Cabriolet
• 1 of 394 Examples Bodied by Reutter Karosserie
• A rare example of the 'Knickscheibe'' 'bent-window' 356
• Offered from a significant Porsche 356 collection
• UK Registered