356A

I had someone else's old restoration 356B coupe up around 65-70. The drum brakes were certainly not on par with anything modern, but they were very predictable and not problematic once you learn the required stopping distances. Tailgating is obviously a bad idea... Steering and stability were decent, although the rain gutters make a lot of wind noise.

An unrestored Speedster I drove last month was positively scary, due to a sloppy original suspension, steering and gearbox. That car is being restored now -- desperately needed it. I didn't take that one over 40.

I also recently drove a beautifully restored Convertible D, and felt a lot more confident (big bore kit had put it ~100 bhp). It's no Corvette, but it felt quick enough for a 1900 lb car. Oddly, I think the open cars are better in the curves because you don't have all that steel up top for the suspension to cope with. Lower center of gravity, etc.

With 356s, my experience isn't all that vast, but I would say if a car is original I wouldn't trust it until everything is gone through, bushings replaced, etc. They are incredibly precise machines when up to spec. I'm having a 1600 Speedster restored this summer -- gearbox/differential is actually a zero-mile original that was removed from the car when new in 1956 and replaced with a racing 'box. IIRC, the gearing on the original wouldn't get it past 100 mph anyway.

 

I have a 356SC, so it has disc brakes. Probably had it around 80 on the straight at the parade laps at Summit Point...but I wasn't really paying attention, just having fun.

I'd have no issues with taking mine up as high as it would go, it's solid as a rock.

 

I have a old video (think VCR) of me driving my 1963 1600S coupe up to an indicated 115 or so some morning headed to a track day. Neat video listening to it pump all 75HP up and over the hundey.

I would have taken that chassis to 150 if the engine would have let me.

 

i would cruise at 65+ in my old 58 coupe...felt very comfy and safe....i did also have my 550 up to 125+...got pretty light in the front!....fastest i've ever gone on swing axles!!!!!

 

Morry when you say original do you mean its still got shocks, brake cylinder and steering linkage etc from when it was new ..... if so it's about time these were refreshed.

I have a 1955 Speedster that is restored and gets run at varying speeds - obviously it can take a moment or two to get there but they are just so much fun ! 80+ heading to Hershey a couple of years back for the PCA swapmeet - went well little bit of vibration but nothing out of the ordinary. Been thru the corkscrew at luganu seca on a fast parade lap with my better half screaming and she's got back in since.. Brakes - are also pretty good but I actually don't use them so much as the car handles the bendy bits darn well ....

 

Good point, the 4-cyl Porsches have and always will be momentum cars.

dbw:
I don't blame you for not wanting to go over 125 in a swing axle car, even if it's a 550

Another thing I forgot to mention is to be sure you have a little less air pressure in the front tires, it seems to help things a bit.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/automobiles/collectibles/01PORSCHE.html?pagewanted=1&ref=autoreviews

356 feature in NYT today.

 

Yeah, I saw that while visiting long island this past week. Was cool to be able to show my grandmother a picture of what I had.

 

Hello Morry,
I have owned seven 356s over the years (I started a long time ago). Every one of them was comfortable at redline in top gear. For the normals that equates to 90 mph and a highly modified 356A coupe' I had would run up to 6,500 rpm or nearly 130 mph. The 1954 356 felt the least comfortable on it's 16 inch wheels. I was given a ride in a Gmund Coupe' many years ago and it was very comfortable at 85. I have a 1962 roadster that we have owned for twenty years. I have a fresh S-90 engine in it. I am still breaking it in but have twice run it up to 5,000 rpm (around 100mph). It is rock solid. I suspect the problem with your speedster is common with many very nicely restored cars - it probably has the right horn button and the matching engine but no one has paid any attention to the suspension. I think that the cars feel goofy with 5.5 inch wheels and many of the other "upgrades" people feel the need to do. These cars really are jewels and work way better than they should when assembled according to the factory specifications and tolerances.
Ron Hetherington
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