Brundage in 1954

[Geary Miller]

I have a 54 Sunroof that is a Factory werks car that was sent to Brundage in 1954, In Prescotts Kelly's column it said that 145 VWs were sold but does not mention 356. Does anyone know how to contact H.L.Brundage Jr.? I know he went with his father to pick up cars in the early days and my car came from Florida. My car is 52257 but started with 52241 and was changed at the factory when the Sunroof was added. They built 22 Sunroofs in 54 and I believe mine was the first built at the Factory.Before July of 54 the Sunroofs were sent to Goulde for sunroof installation and the Sunroofs were longer from front to rear. I believe that they made the Sunroof shorter because of wind cavatation. The Sunroof also had a tan vinyl headliner which is the first non cloth headliner that I know of. Also the color on the certificate says Derby Red and the interior is Leather Rosanil which I assume is the grain type [the headliner is a fine point grain ]. Any info would be appreciated, Geary

[Greg Bryan]

Geary had posted this item in the Q&A forum - I have moved it here for more exposure.

[Adam Wright]

G-
Jan Brundage lives in FL, I have his number somewhere, I will see if I can dig it up.
I interviewed him when I did the story on the Steel America Roadster.

See ya at Hershey.

[James Davies]

Hi Geary,

Resurrecting an old thread here, but you might be interested in looking at photos of 1954 cabriolet 60540 which also has (or did have) a red Rosanil leather interior. It straddles the 1953 and 1954 model years, having features of both. It's paint and interior are definitely 1954 though, as you can see on the COA.

http://www.carpictures.com/vehicle/12DI ... -Find-1953

This barn find sold on ebay two years ago for $82.3k.

[Vic Skirmants]

I have to ask: why would Porsche change the chassis number when installing the sunroof???

[James Davies]

Good question! I have no idea, but I suspect it is reflected on the Kardex?

One further point, Porsche had installed factory Golde sunroofs on a number of cars in mid-1953 according to Jung's Reutter book. Were these the fabric-covered ones?

[Mark Pribanic]

I have a 54 Sunroof that is a Factory werks car that was sent to Brundage in 1954, In Prescotts Kelly's column it said that 145 VWs were sold but does not mention 356. Does anyone know how to contact H.L.Brundage Jr.? I know he went with his father to pick up cars in the early days and my car came from Florida. My car is 52257 but started with 52241 and was changed at the factory when the Sunroof was added. They built 22 Sunroofs in 54 and I believe mine was the first built at the Factory.Before July of 54 the Sunroofs were sent to Goulde for sunroof installation and the Sunroofs were longer from front to rear. I believe that they made the Sunroof shorter because of wind cavatation. The Sunroof also had a tan vinyl headliner which is the first non cloth headliner that I know of. Also the color on the certificate says Derby Red and the interior is Leather Rosanil which I assume is the grain type [the headliner is a fine point grain ]. Any info would be appreciated, Geary

Would like to see some pics of your 356! It took me 15years to locate a Brundage Motors Plate frame. I put it on my 1958 panel bus as a tribute to Brundage/Brumos racing!

[Geary Miller]

Wish I could find one. I sold the sunroof but would still like one if you ever see another. Geary Miller

[Jim Liberty]

I am just finishing a '54 #51665, and have one in the que. #51857. One of the most beautiful shapes in the car kingdom. …..Jim.

[Erik Thomas]

I have the ( looks new ) 1954 Florida licence plate that came north with a '54 coupe with 1100cc engine. The car was clobbered with a tree in a big hurricane in Massachusetts that fall, and the mechanical pieces of the car went into the Formcar Porsche project a few years later. I think the Coupe was purchased from Brundage. Seems the licence plate is all that remains..

[Mark Pribanic]

I have the ( looks new ) 1954 Florida licence plate that came north with a '54 coupe with 1100cc engine. The car was clobbered with a tree in a big hurricane in Massachusetts that fall, and the mechanical pieces of the car went into the Formcar Porsche project a few years later. I think the Coupe was purchased from Brundage. Seems the licence plate is all that remains..

Erik can you post fotos of the plate and any foto's you may have of the car?

Danke!

[Wes Bender]

I have to ask: why would Porsche change the chassis number when installing the sunroof???

Maybe they changed out the whole car?

[Jason Buxbaum]

The subject 52257 is at auction tomorrow Bonhams Scottsdale 2022, and they have a story in the documents about the car having two kardex. I agree with Vic if a car was modified for some reason post production they would add the note to the kardex that it received a modification.

[Spencer Harris]

Nice catch Jason. This is a great collection of '54 coupe photos & detail, (though nothing of the underside).
https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/27328/lot/54/

Offered with a tool kit and the aforementioned documentation, this early Pre-A 356 Sunroof Coupe beautifully demonstrates the pure and clean design of these early Porsche cars.

It would be nice to see the documentation regarding the chassis no. 52257 and the body panels stamped with 41. The chassis number stamping looks suspect to me - maybe a replacement panel & re-stamp, and I'm not familiar with the Derby Red color.

80 Chassis No (Large).jpg (440.1 KiB) Viewed 633 times

[James Davies]

Agree Spencer. I would request to see the Porsche KG chassis data tag next to the fuel tank to put it to rest. And check the dashboard stamping. Clearly the Reutter door hinge tag is from 52257 and is original. But if all the removable panels are from 5xx41, and the main chassis stamping replaced/restamped, then I would have serious questions about the identity of this car.