This Old Porsche 356 With A Car Phone Is No Phony

There's now a newly rediscovered example of a bespoke 1958 356 A Coupe with fascinating customization choices in the cabin.

The car's owner, Henk Spin, of the Netherlands, bought the classic Porsche about 10 years ago as a project car from Arizona. At the time, he didn't realize it was a unique example, though. After researching the model's history, he undertook an extensive restoration requiring over 3,000 hours in his workshop to bring this special 356 back to its original condition.

What Makes This 356 So Special?

This 356 predates the creation of the Sonderwunsch program. However, even in the 1950s, Porsche was willing to accept special requests. Early in the restoration, Spin noticed weird elements about the car. To figure out what was going on, he went to the automaker's archive in Stuttgart. The experts there were able to find the original build documents. A note indicated it was originally for the Porsche collector Reinhard Schmidt. He ordered eight special vehicles from the automaker in the 1950s and '60s, and each one of them was unique.

This 356 A Coupe wears the special color Porcelain White. It also has the optional 1600 Super engine, making 74 horsepower, up from 59 hp for the standard powerplant at the time. There's extensive customization in the cabin. Most notably, Schmidt specified a phone in the vehicle, which was cutting-edge technology at the time. Remember, even in the early 1990s, a car phone was still a rarity in vehicles.

According to a story in Christophorus, the official customer magazine of Porsche AG, "the post office assigns you your very own wave, as this telephone works without a wire. Yes, even a private person is authorized to have their own ‘telephone wave,'"

Beyond the phone, the special options include an imitation leather finish in the color Acella Red for the door panels, dashboard, and seatback trim. The interior window trim is also red. The seats have white Nappa leather upholstery. The steering wheel and switchgear are beige.

In addition to the odd color scheme, the car has an odd mix of other options. The speedometer is from the high-performance 356 Carrera model. A Junghans clock from 356 A 1600 GS Carrera GT rally car is to the left of the steering wheel. A toolbox is below the passenger seat. An electric pump for the windshield wiper replaces the standard foot pedal for it. There are also lights for illuminating the engine bay and trunk.

Because this was a unique car, Spin had to work particularly hard to return it to the original condition. During the restoration process, he hunted down historical photos, articles, and documents.

“With the help of experts and all the documents, I was able to get closer and closer to the Schmidt car’s original form over the years,”

- Henk Spin

Porsche Still Loves The 356

While the Porsche 911 receives most of the attention as the brand's iconic sports car, it wouldn't exist without the 356 coming first. The model launched in the very late 1940s and evolved throughout the '50s and early '60s. They were successful enough to keep the company going and earned Porsche success on the track.

The company continues to pay homage to the 356. For example, the automaker partnered with the fashion company Aime Leon Dore and restored a 356 B using Midnight Blue leather with tone-on-tone stitching and tartan inserts on the seats. The floor mats and seat backrests had alpaca leather upholstery.

Similarly, the Porsche Santa Clarita dealer restored a 1955 356 Speedster for the automaker's restoration challenge. It had a turquoise-colored body and bronze-finished wheels. Inside, the seats had blue-and-red tartan fabric covering the seats.

Meanwhile, the company Emory Motorsports specializes in building 356 restomods. It even built one with all-wheel drive.