Half-million mile 1958 Porsche 356A Speedster for sale

By: Alex Affat, Unique Cars magazine

Date: 18.12.2019

Is this the highest-mileage 356 on the market? Very possibly!

Porsche’s earliest 356s are a consummate classic, a blue-chip collectible that for years has been fiercely fought over in auction houses around the world.

Most are presented in the most pristine condition, many receiving extensive nut-and-bolt restorations or rare original examples having been driven sparingly.

This 1958 Porsche 356A Speedster currently listed on the American online auction site Bring-A-Trailer, is no such pampered trailer queen however.

At the time of writing, it’s got a current high-bid of US$200,356 (AU$292,843) with just shy of 16 hours to go. And it’s travelled a staggering 527,000 miles. That’s 848,124 kilometres in the Queen’s language, or enough to circumnavigate the globe just over 21 times.

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The 1600 356A Speedster was purchased new from Sagan’s VW/Porsche in New York, by an engineer named Mike Robbins.

Robbins original ownership spanned 54 years until 2012 – during which he clocked up over 500,000 miles and fitted various "upgrades" including disc brakes from a 356C, McAfee alloy wheels and an electric fuel pump. The little Speedster has also had a number of replacement engines fitted – with its original motor sold to the owner of another black Speedster in 1961.

Robbins drove the enduring 356A to 47 out of 56 Porsche Club of America Parades, and since trading ownership in 2012 – the car has lived a semi-retired existence in a closed garage; and is offered with its original numbers-correct transaxle (currently bearing a ‘type 741’ transaxle), a copy of the original title, a number of personalised plates its worn over the years, a large collection of spares and tools, and a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity.

The car was delivered new in black with coupe-seats trimmed in red leather; with Speedster script, bonnet handles and side spears removed from factory.

It’s an extensively documented and an extremely well-known car within North American Porsche circles.

Neat AU$300,000 would likely nab you a much more original/well-restored example on local shores, but if anything – the car shows that people will more than happily pay for provenance and a good story.

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