Incredible restoration of a rare 4-cam model.1957 Porsche 356 GS Carrera CoupeChassis No. – 58295Engine No. – *P90785*Transmission No. - 12488Exterior Color – SilverInterior Color – Wine Red Leatherette Engine – 1.5 Liter Type 54/71 Four-Cam Flat-FourTransmission – 4-Speed Manual TransaxleCurrent Miles – 59,735 TMUGeneral OverviewWith its iconic shape and race-bred performance, the lightweight and agile 356 Porsche continues to be sought after by enthusiasts and collectors for their timeless beauty, elegant engineering, and versatile performance. The 356 came to market during Porsche’s rapid growth as a production car manufacturer and a formidable motorsports competitor. The ongoing development of the 356 included increased displacement for the 4-cylinder air-cooled engine, but the top-of-the-line offering would become the impossibly rare GS Carrera Coupe. Introduced in 1955, the Carrera was powered by a 1.5 Liter Type 54/71 four-cam flat-four engine designed by Dr. Ernst Furhmann for use in Porsche’s competition cars. In 1957, the Carrera models included the GT and GS (de Luxe) with the GS offering comfort refinements for touring use. With approximately 200 Carrera Coupes built, the 356A Carrera GS has become one of the most desirable vintage Porsches, exemplifying all the traits of the original design, including rarity, superb performance, and landmark engineering. History of this Carrera GSAccording to copies of the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity and Kardex accompanying this car, production for this Carrera GS was completed January 15, 1957. The car was finished in Silver Metallic and trimmed with Wine Red Leatherette/B interior and delivered with USA bumpers and sealed beam headlights. Additional documentation has also been provided by Karosserie Reutter including a Certificate of Production verifying the chassis number, exterior finish, and interior finishes for all components including carpet, dashboard, and headliner. Reutter body production date December 14, 1956, is consistent with all five date stamped wheels which are mounted on the car today. After the car was completed at the factory, it was delivered to Competition Motors, Hollywood, CA and sold to the first owner. Though ownership in the earlier years has yet to be confirmed, the car is believed to have remained in California until it was sold to the next owner in 1975. The 19-year-old enthusiast who purchased this GS was not only fortunate enough to have purchased the car, he would retain it for a remarkable 45 years. Over the years his ownership included refurbishment in the 1980s and again in 2010 with a mechanical refresh which included the installation of the four-cam engine currently in the car. The replacement engine is numbered 90785, produced just 61 digits after the 90724 unit originally installed. According to documentation provided by the current and prior owners, the engine was rebuilt by four-cam guru Bill Doyle in 2012, and the matching numbers transaxle was rebuilt by Vic Skirmants, 356 Enterprises including the discovery of the desirable Spyder “D” second gear, ideal for the high revving four-cam engine. In 2020, the car was purchased from the long-term owner. The new owner commissioned a restoration with attention to accuracy including refinishing the exterior in the original Silver Metallic and reupholstering the interior with the correct Wine Red leatherette, correct headliner, and German square weave carpet following the detailed specification documents provided by Porsche and Reutter. The restoration included sourcing numerous correct parts, proper hardware, and finishes befitting a car of such historic import. Additional engine work was also performed in 2023 by Grubbs Motorsports, Garland, TX. After the restoration was completed, the car received a class award at the 2023 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and the Palmetto award at the 2023 Hilton Head Concours. Additional recognition followed with the PCA Maverick Region President’s Choice award at the 2023 Concours, the Founder’s Day People’s Choice award, and the “Best In 356 Class” award. In 2024, the car was featured on the cover of the February/March edition of PCA Maverick magazine. The current and consigning owner purchased this car in 2024. Condition and PresentationToday this beautiful and rare Porsche 356 Carrera GS presents in excellent condition throughout. The metallic silver paint has smooth coverage, excellent overall gloss, and correct micro-flake metallic per original specifications. The body panels are properly finished with excellent panel gaps, proper fit, and crisp closure. Both the hood and engine lid retain their correct two-digit numbers which match the chassis stamping indicating these key parts are the original Reutter body panels assembled with the car. The chrome and polished finishes are excellent overall including a matched set of correct date coded wheels and spare wheel. The hubcaps, correct headlights, and beehive taillights are just a few of the fine and accurate features of this car. The overall exterior presence is impressive down to the unique gold Carrera front fender and rear script which are the only visible clues revealing the rare and desirable performance equipment originally built by Porsche. The interior is exceptionally fine with attention to detail at every corner. The overall interior composition is both visually cohesive and accurate. The seats, dash pad, door panels, and German square weave carpet combine with the vintage ivory steering wheel and knobs throughout the cabin. The dashboard features a Blaupunkt push-button radio, green number VDO gauges including an 8,000 rpm tachometer, and a 1950-1966 Deutsche Sportwagen Meisterschaften gold medallion. The engine compartment is correctly finished with exceptionally fine details completed during the award-winning restoration. Features of the four-cam include a roller-bearing crankshaft, dry-sump lubrication, and twin Solex carburetors with correct air cleaners. The front storage compartment is correctly presented, consistent with the rest of the car including a matching 11/56 date stamped spare wheel and tire, factory stamping for the chassis, and a corresponding aluminum manufacturers plate bearing the same chassis number. The underside of the car is in excellent condition revealing the correct matching numbers four-speed transaxle, Koni shock absorbers, and four-wheel drum brakes. There are no signs of structural compromise to the floor or suspension support structures. The floor pan and longitudinals are believed to be the original factory panels, and believably so given the dry California climate where the car has been documented for the past 50 years. This Carrera GS starts, runs, and drives as one might expect from a superbly presented example of one of Porsches finest performance cars from the 1950s. Once warm and off choke, the idle falls in nicely, indicative of proper tuning. The gearbox has smooth operation with just the right “feel” to the shift linkage and a wonderfully matched Spyder “D” second gear which is ideal for the four-cam as it pulls longer on higher rpm with progressive acceleration. The drum brakes bring the car down evenly from highway speeds, but are typical of the era, inviting attentive driving when tightly spaced in modern traffic. Road manners are smooth with a hint of buoyancy over bumps, an endearing feature one learns to leverage when driving a 356. With the added four-cam power and wider rev range, this Carrera GS is a pleasure to drive, show, or enjoy on weekend Porsche touring events. With approximately 200 examples built, documentation spanning 50 years, long-term California ownership, and an award-winning restoration, this Carrera GS is sure to offer the next fortunate enthusiast a unique and enduring ownership experience as part of the Porsche performance legacy. Items Included with the CarThis Porsche comes with a copy of the Porsche CoA, a copy of the Kardex, a copy of the Reutter Certificate, various marque books, a notebook documenting the car and ownership, a set of coco mats, two award ribbons, various trophies and award plaques, and file folders containing service invoices and owner notes documenting current and former ownership dating back to 1975.