1948 Gmund 356-001

It always makes me think that the headlights may be on the wrong end?!?  

But you're right, quality work!

My favorite thing about that archival footage of 356-1 is, of course, the MG TC chase car drifting around the corner behind it. 

As for this car. ... I am already on-record as a big, big fan of the 001 recreation(s?). I like them more than the Speedsters, because they're so art deco, so rare. That doesn't change. But, best case, I'd much rather have a 1915/dual Solex air-cooled version, detailed to mimic the original as closely as possible, than the screamer on offer here. 

Looks like it's beautifully done. And (of course) no shade on Subaru conversions. (And I know I'm in no way close to being in the right tax bracket anyway). But not for me.

I hope it sells for big dollars and makes its next owner ecstatic. 

Wow!!  Very impressive!

wow, that is pretty all right.

Attached some pics from a coffee table book I have. An original, perhaps THE original.

@El Frazoo you are indeed correct. I had the pleasure of making rather close acquaintances with Porsche 356/1; or the 1948 Porsche 356 Roadster owned by the Porsche Museum; while attending the Pebble Beach Concours in 2008.  

In 2011, Hans-Peter Porsche (son of Ferry Porsche) brought his 1949 Porsche 356/2 Coupe to display on the lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours. 

He can been seen sitting in the car in the photos attached. 

Back in '49 that must have looked like a space ship to a lot of folks.

Lane Anderson posted:

Back in '49 that must have looked like a space ship to a lot of folks.

(Insert southern accent) Dang!, that's a funny lookin little alien automobile.  

I really like how the bumpers on that '49 coupe look. Not too wide and they hug the body nicely. In the '60s the bumpers on the 356 coupes expanded several inches and come off the body more and IMHO take away from the sleekness of the car. The car is still beautiful but the bumper is the weak spot for me.

Was the 49 couple a mid-engine or rear?

edsnova posted:

Was the 49 couple a mid-engine or rear?

@edsnova

It looks like for the Gmund 356/2 they moved the engine back making it a rear-engine car instead of the mid-engine as in the Gmund 356/1. This made the 356/2 shorter than the prototype. The engine was moved back for "useability".

I found this decent article on the 356/2:

http://www.supercars.net/blog/1948→1951-porsche-3562-gmund-coupe/

And this cool video showing a little bit of the restoration of a 356/2 that won the 1951 LeMans race and was later sold and chopped into a roadster. The owner's estate sold it to a collector who took it to Rod to turn it back into a coupe. There were some other links at the end but I didn't want to go down that rabbit hole as I'm supposed to be making dinner right now. If I start watching those videos I may not stop for a couple hours.