Rare Porsche
PROUDLY WEARS ITS AGE 9
Thornley Kelham, a UK classic car sales and restoration specialist, is selling a rare car with a very unique choice for the eventual buyer.
The company is offering a rare Porsche 356A coupe for sale on its website – a matching numbers, hard-to-find, righthand-drive example that originally rolled out of the factory in May 1959.
Adding to its already unique status, it appears to have been delivered to former England and British Lions rugby union winger, Frank Sykes, who later emigrated to the United States.
Originally delivered in Silbermetall (silver metallic) paint, the 356A travelled to the US – most likely with Sykes when he emigrated – before finding itself in storage for the past 30 years.
Over the past three decades, the 356A developed a ‘‘unique’’ patina, a blend of bare metal, red, and its original paint colour, emphasised by a previous attempt to begin the paint removal.
After feedback from ‘‘several knowledgeable enthusiasts’’ who saw the car at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace regarding its hard-earned exterior appearance, Thornley Kelham decided to offer two options to potential buyers: a full, concours-standard restoration of the 356A or a complete mechanical restoration that retained the unique patina.
The full ground-up restoration would be completed by the company’s restoration operation at its 32,000 square feet, state-of-the-art facility that features in-house bodywork, paint, engine and fabrication shops.
Returning the car to its original paint and trim combination, the work would include a complete interior retrim, chassis strengthening and drivetrain rebuild.
The second – and far more interesting – option would work to retain ‘‘as much of the patina as possible’’ by carefully replacing sections of rusted bodywork and undertaking a full mechanical and interior restoration.
The body would also be clear-coated to preserve the unique patina for years to come.
Thornley Kelham says buyers would be presented with ‘‘a structurally sound, perfectly reliable rolling piece of automotive artwork, proudly wearing the story of its 60 years.’’
‘‘Often in the world of rare and significant classic cars, the stories that they tell are just as meaningful as their condition,’’ says Simon Thornley, co-founder of Thornley Kelham.
‘‘We have deliberated long and hard over whether or not to maintain this 356’s marks of age, or to return it to as-new condition, but ultimately we felt it was a decision best made by the buyer.
‘‘Our team has completed a number of 356 nuts-and-bolts restorations, and we’ve carefully analysed the structure, body, mechanicals and interior of this example to know that no matter which route the buyer chooses, we can produce a rare Porsche 356A that looks good, drives well and works every time.’’
What would you do? Go for the full restoration or keep the unique look?