To be sold at the Gooding & Company Amelia Island Auction on March 8, 2013. For further details please visit www.goodingco.com or contact a vehicle specialist at 001.310.899.1960 or specialist@goodingco.com.
Engine Specifications:
1,600 CC 4-Cylinder, Horizontally Opposed Air-Cooled Engine
Twin Zenith Carburetors
75 BHP at 5,000 RPM
4-Speed Manual Transmission
4-Wheel Drum Brakes
Independent Front Suspension
Swing Axles with Torsion Bars on Rear
About this Car:
On December 2, 1961, Richard Steppler walked into the Volkswagen—Porsche dealership owned by Dr. Guy Beretich in Pordenone, Italy, and bought himself an early Christmas present – this magnificent green 356 B Porsche. Eventually Mr. Steppler passed the car to his nephew, Richard Kubacki, and it is known that the car stayed in Europe, largely Munich, Germany, and Monte Carlo until 1968, when it was shipped to Chicago. At some point the car was repainted silver and in 1988 the current owner purchased it in Milwaukee with 79,000 miles on the clock.
The 1600 Super was created as a high- performance option to the regular 1600, offering 15 more horsepower with larger valves, increased compression, and improved performance. Featuring the more sought-after T6 body style with twin-engine grilles on the deck lid, and an outside—rather than in the trunk—fuel filler, this best-of-breed 356 B 1600 Super is highly desirable.
Under its new ownership the car was systematically stripped and returned to its original color – the stunning Glasurit Symna Green you see it dressed in today, complete with wheels of the same color. The brakes were overhauled, the engine updated, and the top half of the motor rebuilt with new heads so that the car could run on unleaded gas in the US. Despite these vital improvements, the car’s originality was respectfully maintained, and the Porsche still has the original radio, luggage rack, date-stamped wheels, six-volt electrical system, and complete tool kit with rare Porsche-inscribed wrenches. In addition, much of the interior of the car is as it was the day it left the factory with the same steering wheel, gently worn brown leather seats, soft top, headlights, dash panel knobs, clock, and almost all of the glass, excepting the windshield.
Such unusual preservation and exquisite aesthetics helped catapult this 356 B into the limelight – claiming many first-, second-, and third-place trophies, plus over 30 award plaques, many at Porsche Club of America events. The Porsche also made appearances in An Eye for an Eye, a movie set in Chicago in 1991, and an advertisement for Cellular One.
This documented matching-numbers car had 125,000 original miles at the time of cataloguing and comes with the rare, signed, early Porsche Certificate of Authenticity and a framed wall- hanging featuring the original title and sales receipts—showing the purchase price from the dealership in Italy, with the Italian tax stamps dated 1961. Also included in the sale are many Porsche-stamped parts, the original boot plus a traveling boot, the original car cover, trophies and awards, brochures for the T6 model, and photographs taken of the car on a movie set.
The rare color combination, powerful Super engine, popular T6 body, and legendary reliability make this exceptional, fully documented 356 B the perfect Porsche enthusiast’s choice and a fun rally participant.
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