1955 Porsche 356 Pre-A 1500 Continental Coupe

• VIN 53460
• Engine no. 34787 - Matching
• Transmission no. 15584
• One of only 860 Continental Coupes Built
• Completed on April 28, 1955
• Porsche Certificate of Authenticity

One of only 860 Continental Coupes produced, this bent window 356 Pre-A Coupe is finished in its original color, Azure Blue (5408), with Grey upholstery and originally imported by Hoffman Motors in New York to the first owner on October 28, 1955. In 1955, the purchase price of a new Porsche Continental Coupe was $3,445; by comparison, a fully optioned 1955 Cadillac Series 62 four-door sedan was $3,977 – making the Continental a pricey and elitist item.

The Azure Blue paintwork has a lovely patina and retains its original components, including brightwork, glass, and trim. The interior is finished in Grey leatherette with charcoal square weave carpets and a body-colored dash and door caps. An original VDM steering wheel sits ahead of the original VDO instrumentation, along with a Telefunken AM/FM radio. The undercarriage is nicely detailed and in very good condition. The 15” are painted in body color with chrome baby moon hubcaps mounted to Michelin XZX 165 SR15 tires.

Although little is known about the original purchaser of this Porsche in the United States, at one point in the mid-1960s, a German collector purchased the 356 in the US and shipped it back to Germany. The 356 was in his possession until he passed in 2009. Shortly after, the 356 was acquired by its next caretaker, who maintained it and completed a service every year. Most recently, European Collectibles has rebuilt the braking system, detailed the underside, and tuned the engine.

Mechanically equipped with the matching 1,488cc flat-four engine (Type 546/2) paired to a manual 4-speed transmission with a 4-wheel independent suspension and 4-wheel drum braking system, it is complete with a Porsche Kardex, spare wheel, and jack. This is a great opportunity to acquire a one-year-only Continental Coupe equipped with its matching driveline and finished in a rare Azure Blue factory color.