1957 PORSCHE 356 SUPER

The first Porsche was a 1957 356A coupe. This car was far from original it had B windows and a B nose crest apart from this the body was in a reasonable state. The car was fitted with a Super 90 motor. This made the car a real Hot Rod. The wheels was not original nor was the steering. The car was a lot of fun and I spent very little money on it. I fitted New Brazilian rims and rebuild the two Solex carburetors. The engine smoked a little but that did not bother the performance The car was tested on the Kayalami straight during one of the 100 mile an hour events at 103.4 mph (166.5 kmh).

This car was in my possession for about a year (1983) when we decided to sell and buy a 911.

The driving impressions of the 356A

Here are some of my impressions with regards to driveability

You must keep in mind that the older cars should not be compared to the technology available today .

Performance :

This ‘57 could move. The acceleration was smooth and the revs shot up to 6500 very easy. The gear changes was of the smoothest around and at all speeds there was no difficulty to select the required gear. This car outperformed many big engined cars and gave a lot of 80’s hatchbacks a big surprise. Especially with the 90 HP motor. Like all 356’ es in South Africa they all suffer from heat when driven hard for long periods of time . We have roads that go on for ever!! This car could still do it’s 110 MPH (177 KMH) !!!! Think back to the 50’s THAT WAS FAST!!!

Handling :

The 356 was good in this category. The car was precise to go where you pointed it. The rear end would come out if you really overdid it and like all porches once the tail go over the edge it’s gone, sit tight and enjoy the spin and hope you do not hit any thing. These cars do not like cross winds.

Braking ability :

The 356 had standard drum brakes all round. They were much bigger than the Beetle brakes. These cars could stop well if the brakes were in perfect order. You had to concentrate to stop the car on the extreme end of top speed. When you are young who cares!!!!

Overall:

These cars are still very close to my heart. There is very little in classic cars of the 50’s that can be driven and enjoyed to the extend that a 356 will give.

The Technical specification of the 356A

Engine capacity- (cc) : 1600

Horsepower - (HP) : 90 S.A.E.

Torque - lb/ft : 98

Maximum REVs - (RPM) : 6500

Maximum Speed MPH : 110

Weight in Kg's : 905

Forward Gears : 4

Brakes : Drums allround