1953 porsche American

[chip perry]

Mark, the car didn't come with a Brumos plate frame, but now that you mention it, that's a great idea! I guess I'll start hunting for one on eBay.

I agree with Chris' lament about today's very high State tax rates on automobile purchases!

Any other old pics that folks may have from when Gary Kempton owned the car would be interesting to see on this forum.

[Mark Pribanic]

Mark, the car didn't come with a Brumos plate frame, but now that you mention it, that's a great idea! I guess I'll start hunting for one on eBay.

I agree with Chris' lament about today's very high State tax rates on automobile purchases!

Any other old pics that folks may have from when Gary Kempton owned the car would be interesting to see on this forum.

I have a few from when he showed the car at The Amelia. First in Black, then in Green. I'll find them and post them up.

[Jules Dielen]

What I find amazing, and it shows you how much things have changed (not for the better) in the last 65 years is the sales tax on the America coupe. If you look at the receipt Kurt posted, the sales tax on the purchase price of $3410 was a whopping $45 or 1.32%. Even if he was only charged sales tax on the $1545 he paid (purchase price less trade in value on the MG) it was still only 2.9%. Today it's 6.35% and taxes are so high in CT that GE moved their headquarters to Boston which isn't exactly known for low taxes.

I just got back from a trip to Holland, where sales tax is 21%. I feel lucky here in AZ with 8.1%

[chris romney]

Jules, I'm assuming the 21% was VAT, (value added tax) not sales tax. Is that correct? VAT's of 20-30% on cars are common across Europe, as well as displacement taxes. The US is still a far better place to be a gearhead, particularly if you want to own several cars, or something with power.

[Mark Sabbann]

Any other old pics that folks may have from when Gary Kempton owned the car would be interesting to see on this forum.

Were there two versions of the American Roadster? This one at the 2007 Holiday has a single grille. Ownership unknown.

[Adam Wright]

Any other old pics that folks may have from when Gary Kempton owned the car would be interesting to see on this forum.

Were there two versions of the American Roadster? This one at the 2007 Holiday has a single grille. Ownership unknown.

The first run was I think 13 cars and they were all aluminum. 12371 was the only steel one with a fixed windshield. It was supposed to be the first of an actual run of them but Porsche pulled the plug, and Heuer went bankrupt I think.

[James Davies]

The yellow and green America Roadster above is 10465, the 2nd one built, owned and restored by Ron Roland, the author of one of the best do-it-yourself restoration guides for the 356.

The America Roadster was a work in progress, and Gläser built them in batches of a few at a time, changing lots of details between batches. Phil Carney wrote some nice articles for the Registry Magazine on these cars a while back.