Click here to view high resolution photos 1958 Porsche 356A Carrera GT Speedster VIN: 83622 Extremely rare and desirable "Four-Cam" GS/GT Speedster Original matching-numbers 1500 GT engine Delivered new through U.S. distributor Max Hoffman Fully restored to the highest concours standards Recent mechanical freshening totaling close to $50,000, now fully sorted Includes rare steel Speedster hardtop Includes Kardex, Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, and history documents Created and built from the vision of America’s most prolific importer Max Hoffman, the Porsche 356 Speedster filled a void that the clever automotive industrialist thought was lacking: a lightweight, few frills, open top sports car. With barely over 4,000 of these built over the span of 5 years, the infallible driving characteristics of Porsche’s early roadster, along with its fantastic styling, drove its massive surge in popularity, rooting Porsche’s foothold in the United States. Finding iconic owners such as Steve McQueen saw the Speedster’s popularity shoot into the stratosphere, and today these low-slung 356s are some of the most sought-after variants built by Porsche. Some of these were even more exotic, with only a handful of Speedsters powered by the complex and powerful engineering marvel, Dr. Ernst Führmann’s “Four-cam” engine, a passion project which turned into one of Porsche’s most recognizable engines. The powerful yet compact design by Führmann was a radical design that incorporated a host of advanced engineering applications, all in the name of being a racing powerplant. The aluminum-alloy cased, double overhead camshafts, roller-bearing crankshaft, dry sump lubrication, dual ignition, and a pair of distributors driven off the intake camshafts with dual switches in the cabin to test each individual coil. The “Four-Cam” first appeared in Porsche’s mid-engined 550 Spyders of the early 1950s. Developing approximately 110 horsepower in race tune, nearly twice as much power as the manufacturer’s own pushrod engines of similar size, the engines found themselves utilized heavily in the Carrera Panamericana road races in 1953, 1954, and 1955. The Führmann engine proved to be exceptionally competitive, after winning time and time again against larger and more powerful competitors. With this competition-proven performance, Porsche decided to then install a de-tuned version of the racing version, named the Type 547/1 engine (now known as the Carrera), in road-legal Porsche 356 coupes, cabriolets, and Speedsters, dubbing them the “GS.” This 1957 Porsche 356 Carrera 1500 GS/GT Speedster was completed on the 23rd of July in 1957 according to the authoritative Heinrich/Sprenger volume on Carreras, and was delivered to luxury-importer Max Hoffman’s New York dealership in “lightened” form. Finished in Silver metallic with a black leatherette interior, the front floor was covered with black rubber mats, and the rear floor area was covered in “crushed black vinyl.” The deep Speedster bucket sets with aluminum frames included Beige (Perle) corduroy inserts. The thin black canvas folding top with its bows were completely removable. The car’s factory Kardex reflects one service carried out on October 25th, 1957 at the same dealership. Although the Speedster is listed in the Heinrich/Sprenger tome, its history until the early 1980s is limited until the car was acquired by the late noted Four-Cam authority Weldon Schogham. A bill of sale states that Scrogham sold the car on the 28th of December in 1981 to import service shop owner Reid Vann in St. Louis, Missouri. At the time the car did not retain its original numbers-matching engine, number 90858, but the bill of sale interestingly included a few handwritten notes regarding the prior owners of the correct engine. Vann tracked down the correct engine to another individual in an attempt to bring the correct engine home to his Speedster, but that owner was not willing to part with the engine at the time. Vann then reached out to the late Four-Cam expert Al Cadrobbi of California, who supplied a series-correct and slightly later engine, number 90869. During this time it was noted by Vann that new floors had been installed. On January 8th, 1988 Vann sold the Speedster to James W. “Bill” Brown of Lincoln, Nebraska, who commissioned Joe Harris at Sanders Antique Auto in Rockford, Illinois, to finish the metalwork and repainting of the car as part of its restoration. Offered for sale in 1995, the Speedster was described as restored, but with engine number 90869. The sale included the original matching-numbers crankcase (90858 GT), which had been acquired by Dick Koenig of the Rocky Mountain 356 Club. Brown stated that the car had new floors, “longitudinals”, battery box, and rockers, but retained its original panels, doors, decklid, and lightweight GT interior, among other parts. Dick Weiss, a long-time Ohio Valley Porsche Club of America member and veteran 356 owner, inspected the Speedster on behalf of John Hanning of West Chester, Ohio. Satisfied with Weiss’s assessment, a copy that is included, Mr. Hanning purchased the Speedster in 1995 and in April of 1996 commissioned extensive transaxle work. Importantly, Weiss noted the GT equipment fitted to the car, including the 60-millimeter ventilated brake discs, 15-inch alloy wheels with steel centers, rear wheel spacers, and an 80-liter GT fuel tank was retained. Weiss also noted that a replacement transmission, number 23509, had been fitted and was rebuilt to original specifications. Some time later, the numbers-matching gearbox, 15632, was located, the numbers-matching engine, 90858, was rebuilt, and the pair were reunited together with the Speedster. Both the matching-numbers engine and transmission are with the car today. In 1998 the Speedster passed from Hanning to John Dixon at the Taj Ma Garaj in Dayton, Ohio. Dixon commissioned marque specialists Die Werkstatt in Dayton, Ohio to carry out a complete restoration that spanned the course of 3 years, with the GT-specification engine enjoying the expert hands of the renowned Bill Doyle at Rennwagen in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. During his time as the Speedster’s caretaker, Dixon acquired a removable rollbar and an extremely rare steel Speedster hardtop with a wraparound 3-window. In 2019, the most recent caretaker acquired this Speedster in exquisite concours-level condition, famously known for their large collection of automobiles spanning all eras, treated this car to an extensive amount of mechanical freshening. Speed Sport Tuning of Danbury, Connecticut was charged with close to $50,000 of servicing which included a professional conversion of the Four-Cam engine to full-synthetic engine oil, as well as timing, carburetor, and brake adjustments. To ensure that the Carrera was dialed in 100%, extra care was given to fine tuning and improvements throughout. Upon arrival at Canepa the Speedster was thoroughly inspected both cosmetically and mechanically during the “Canepa Difference” process, and was found to be in excellent condition. Regardless, the Speedster was given concours-level detailing which included a complete foam-pad polishing by the artisans at Canepa, enhancing the luster of the Silver metallic paint and creating a finish worthy of any concourse event, and sitting on correct “open” lightweight steel-and-alloy wheels dated-coded “2-57”. Ready for its next owner, perhaps looking to top off their collection of rare and exotic collector cars, this Speedster also includes its factory Kardex, a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, period-correct driver’s manual with Carrera supplement, a rollbar, “Atlantis” brained tow rope in a correct blue vinyl storage bag, a period-correct Blaupunkt jack and tool roll, a rare “Touring” kit containing cables, bulbs, fuses, and gaskets, and the rare metal Speedster hardtop. This 1957 Porsche 356 Carrera GS/GT Speedster, with its matching-numbers engine and transmission and in exceptional concours-level condition, is the perfect addition to any collector looking to add a famous “Four-Cam” example to their stable.