The Official 356Talk Forum

So another 1951 coupe is coming up for auction on Feb 9, 2018, just a few numbers away from Pete Archibald's black coupe 11111 that sold this past year for a cool $1 million. This one is chassis 11101 and is owned by a well-known pre-A enthusiast in Europe.

https://www.artcurial.com/fr/lot-1951-p ... 0-3279-105

Thoughts? The Fish silver grey is nice, though it looks a bit blue in the photos to my eye. Probably the lighting and color balance in the photos. This has a bit more patina than 11111 did, which I really like. Looks like it was restored to be driven, not shown.

There's also a 1954 coupe from France, chassis 52697.

https://www.artcurial.com/fr/lot-1954-p ... ow-3279-97

Shine down looks to be located a little low? Lovely color fish silver is the best

The early cars had low-mounted shine-downs Jules. Only the Swiss-delivery and US-delivery cars in 1951 had them mounted higher due to our taller license plates (Swiss mounted higher than US). Eventually by late 1952, all cars had them mounted high like the Swiss as a way to standardize and make things simpler on the production line I think.

Photo below is from mid-to-late 1951 showing a standard German car next to a very early export bumper US-delivery car. These were the extra-high, early versions of the export bumpers.

The brake light tail light spacing is also different due to the bumpers.

Learned something new again today! thank you guys!

At some point in 1952 they started punching holes for the turn signals in the rear sections to be used for both body bumper and export bumper cars, making a "figure 8" hole.

Could the one taillight rubber actually cover the other hole??

Yes Vic, that's exactly right.

Just sold for $930k plus commission. another million dollar 356....

WoW !! #11111 had its original engine ... Nice that people are appreciating these early cars !!

price all in

george kehler wrote:WoW !! #11111 had its original engine ... Nice that people are appreciating these early cars !!

Not, it has a 1300 cc engine modified into a 1500 cc.

And the auction result is very high regarding the quality of the car. As you told in USA, it's a nice driver........... not a concours car.

Olivier AUVRAY wrote:

george kehler wrote:WoW !! #11111 had its original engine ... Nice that people are appreciating these early cars !!

Not, it has a 1300 cc engine modified into a 1500 cc.

And the auction result is very high regarding the quality of the car. As you told in USA, it's a nice driver........... not a concours car.

11101 had a non matching 1300cc modified to a 1500, 11111 is the black split window coupe that sold late last year. i believe that one still had the original engine.

...nice driver King, not a concours trailer Queen. )

As announced in the auction.

#11111 has its original engine and #11101 does not. Struck me as a high price considering this fact as well as general condition. But, these are rare rare cars. I should have kept the ‘51 cab I found several years ago but now is beautifully restored by Reinhold Plank ......