The most important Porsche in South America: The Werks 1958 Carrera 1600 GT/GT No. 12303

[Richard Emerson]

Such a great story. That car should always stay in your country!

[Mark Pribanic]

WOW, just WOW! What a thorough and fascinating story!

As someone else said, this should be published in a magazine or book.

Thank you for sharing this with us Pablo!

All the best!

Mark

[Jim Nelson]

Fabulous story, well told. Thank you for sharing.

[Pablo Esguerra]

Thank you all for taking the time to read the story, it truly is a fascinating one! I'm glad so many of you enjoyed it.

[Pablo Esguerra]

Pablo,

Many thanks for the complete story of the 1600 Carrera cp participating in the race(s) in So. America in 1958-1959.
Is there any history of any Speedsters entered in the Caracas Gran Prix for Sports Cars during those years?

My 1500GS (the 1st of 4-steel-bodied) Speedster was entered in 1-of them by the VW/Porsche dealer(?) there and
the former Service manager shipped the car to the USA via Houston, TX, but I found it on a used car lot in San Antonio
during my vacation trip in 1960 w/my 1958 Normal Speedster (purchased from Glockler in Frankfurt, GR), made a deal
for purchase. It had Firestone racing tires on the front, standard brakes; etc. I made a tow bar to flat tow it 1200
miles home w/my 1st Speedster and I still have the Carrera 60-1/2 years--driving it w/a pushrod engine since the
engine has been apart for a crank rebuild. My 84061 Speedster is back in a German collection.

There's much more to the car's present history, but I'm really trying to track down it's activity during its time in So. America. I hope there is some background available of who drove the car and/or where it finished.

All the best,
Dick (83948)

Hey Dick, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I'll certainly look into that. There are some Facebook groups from the old racing days in Venezuela. Maybe I find something. I will let you know if I do.

[Tim Herman]

Great story Pablo. Thanks for sharing. This should be in the magazine.

Btw, the 1952 Gläser cabriolet 12305 still exists, just a couple numbers off the 12303 Gläser cabriolet. Not many others from this short run of duplicate chassis numbers from 1952 and 1957-58.

Indeed, I have Glaser Cabriolet 12305

[Mike Horton]

Yes, a Great read!

Thanks for sharing it with your fellow 356 addicts here, and new friends, and please share, along the way, any progress of this unique coupe, we love it.

[Jacques Lefriant]

Hi Jeff
from your analysis i agree with you that in 1958 the 692:2 serial nos preceeded the 692:3 to me it would be logical that 95002 was installed in late 1958. If 12303 was built in early 1958 no serial no 1600 engines would have been available 95000 or just 692:3 might have been the original engine. It would be interesting to see if 95002 has an internal no. usully found oposite to the serial no.
j

[Tom Tate]

Great story and terrific comments by members. This is what the Registry is all about, well done.

[Michael Doyle]

Excellent story Pablo with great documentation and history. Thank you for writing and showing it here. I assisted in the Springer/Heinrichs Carrera Book .. so I can relate to the car very well. I have seen numerous photos of this ‘58 Carrera GT coupe over the years and now connect the dots on its races and heritage.

The Chassis number 12303 was in a group list of “Spare Chassis” meant as replacement bodies for crashed cars, or for use as making test model cars, such as this one. The first prototype 56/57 GT coupe was constructed on a Spare Chassis and so was Paul Strahle’s personal Carrera coupe at a similar time. Each had 123xx VIN numbers.

The factory Werkes Racing Dept. would have fit Weber 40 DCM carburetors most likely to the original 692/3 GT engine. My Werks ‘57 Carrera GT coupe had them on its 547/1 GT engine to win the 1957 Reims 12 hour. Most of the Spyder 547 motors ran them as well.

For consideration, please tell the owner restoring the car that I do Carrera GT interiors and can also provide a recreated Reutter original Headliner in correct light grey color and hole pattern. Maybe you want one too for your T6B S90.

The best to you and to those commenting here. All said is a very good read.

Michael Doyle

Ps: My friend and Book author Rolf Sprenger passed away a couple of weeks ago. RIP to Rolf and Steve Heinrichs. Both fantastic men in their special and unique ways.

[David Stoehr]

Pablo
Such great detail - excellent.
I own 1957 Carrera Speedster 83444; It was a werks car owned by Von Heinstein (Werkseigen).
I wonder, from your research, if you had come across any of its race history ? The Kardex reports the following engines:
Original engine 90843 then 93121 then 65565 now 90861.
Thank you
Kind regards
David (83444)

[Stephen Stuart]

What a fantastic story and so well documented!

Would be great to see the other works document mentioned (gear change) ...

Thanks!

[Mike Smith]

Jeff Adams,
The book shows 12303 with a finish date of January 24, 1958 and the original engine to be 95002, the second 692/3 1600 GT engine. Engine 95001, the first (by serial number) went into GT coupe 105558 which had a finish date of December 1, 1958 - 10 months later.

I owned 105 558 car for 10 very enjoyable years - Race, Rallied and Shopping
It was brought out of Argentina and I purchased it at the Spanish 356 International (1987) from David Santana Mellor
The Engine that came with it was a Spyder engine (90 022) - that engine is now in the `Other` Sauter