Importantly detailed under the “Special Equipment” section of the accompanying copy of the Kardex warranty card, chassis number 110843 offered here was configured from the factory as a “Carrera GT”. That makes it one of approximately only 29 examples of the lightweight B-Series 356 Carrera GS Coupé to originally feature the Porsche 550 Spyder-derived four-cam type-692/3 engine making 115 PS from 1.6 litres.

Wearing Silver Metallic paint over a Black vinyl interior—and configured with a larger 80-litre fuel tank, stone guards for the headlights, plus a dimmable interior mirror—this car was completed in December 1959 ahead of delivery to the United States in March via famed importer Max Hoffman in New York. The “Carrera GT” would reside in Miami under the care of Mr RE Seco before being bought by fellow Floridian John Norris. Prominent Porsche collector Jeff Keiner kept chassis 110843 in the state until selling to Tony Peck of Long Island, New York. Under his ownership the current engine, a correct-type replacement, was rebuilt by famed four-cam specialist Bill Doyle of the Rennwagen Motor Company in Fresno.

A trip across the USA beckoned when the 356 was acquired by Robert B Cole in Burlingame, California in 1992. The proprietor of Cole Classics retained possession for two years before, via the Blackhawk Collection in Danville, chassis 110843 was finally bought by the vendor and returned to its birthplace of Germany in September 1994.

The 356’s journey home culminated in October 1995 with a visit to the Porsche factory in Stuttgart, where the Solex carburettors were rebuilt and myriad electrical remedies performed. More recently, between May and November 2020, the engine was removed and checked over by German marque specialist Wolfgang Reile of Classic Power, based in Haubersbronn, who also renewed the brakes pads and lines, wheel bearings, and gearbox oil in work costing €11,000.

Supplied with inspection reports (available to view on file) compiled by leading marque experts Jochen Bader and Rolf Sprenger, this extremely rare motorsport special is ready to form a prized part of a Porsche-themed collection.