Inspiring 356 Pictures

[JR]

I agree!
Dick

[Pat]

Another shot of Frieda

[356]

Beautiful cars
~Vance

[356]

[roy mawbey]

Roy

[356]

[Pat]

Looks like the photo above (40122) was in the early 50s on the Autobahn. I remember my Dad driving his 48 Packard on the autobahn in 50-51--only traffic were American servicemen and a few 3 wheel trucks. My job was to watch for MPs patrolling the road for speeders.

[Porschinelle]

Hi Roy
Hi Pat


The 356/2 GT was the first Porsche race car 11 were built for the Porsche factory team but also for dedicated customer
The customer cars up to the end of their race life in 1954 (a long life for a racing car) were constantly up graded by the Porsche factory to the last factory race cars standards
In August of that same 1952 year Gilberte accept to lend over to Helmut Polensky whose own factory race car was not ready her car to race the terrible Liege Rome Liege race
Helmut Polensky with W

[Porschinelle]

Helmut Polensky with Walter Schulter as co-pilot won the race

picture who was used by Porsche publicity dept (Huschke von Hanstein)

After that race the Polensky and Thirion families became friends to such an extand that both bought a house in the same village in the South of France and Helmut wife Ingeborg became the favorite Gilberte co-pilot

[Porschinelle]

On the above pic Gilberte (right) and Ingeborg at the start of the 1954 Tour Auto where they won the ladie's cup on a 356 GT/2 factory car (not her 061)

[roy mawbey]

Thank you Gerard on the story behind that Autobahn photo. I did wonder about that and why it was taken. I remember many years ago a lady racing driver Betty Haig who was into Porsche cars in big way speaking to me about her. I have some PCGB magazines with photos of her in the early 1950's le-Mans race?

Pat I bet you had a good time with your dad driving on those roads back then!!

Roy

[Porschinelle]

Hi Roy

Indeed Gilberte Thirion raced from 1952 until 1957
Most of the time she drove her personnal 356 GT/2 Gmund 061
In 1952 this car wear the registration plate 1211 changed to 933669 in 1953
The reason was that the plate 1211 belong to her father who wa

[Porschinelle]

Hi Roy

Indeed Gilberte Thirion raced from 1952 until 1959
Most of the time from 1952 to 1954, she drove her personnal 356 GT/2 Gmund 061
In 1952 this car wear the registration plate 1211 changed to 933669 in 1953




The reason was that the plate 1211 belong to her father who wanted it back for his own car
In Belgium still to day plate numbers belong to individual
You just keeping on with the same number even if you change your car
Obviously 1211 is a very rare plate as being in Thirion's family since many many years
933669 was her personnal plate number hence the change in 1953
Sometimes she also drove a Porsche factory 356 or the Ecurie Nationale Belge spyder 550 and also a FIAT 1100 that she shared with Annie Bousquet in the 1953 Mille Miglia
She won many many rallyes and short distance races but never enter the Le Mans 24 hours race
In 1954 she bought together with Annie Bousquet a Gordini in order to race into long distance races but although they were registred they were not allowed to start by the AAA (American Automobile Association) the 1954 Sebring 12 hours (reason too dangerous for ladies)
They enter the same Gordini into the 1954 Mille Miglia early May 1954 and into the Spa GP end of May
Their friendship fade away and Gilberte bought back Annie's share into the Gordini and never race again with her

[Porschinelle]

Gilberte and Annie in their 1100 Gordini at the 1954 Mille Miglia

[Porschinelle]

Just re reading what I wrote, realise that I made a mistake in Gilberte plate number
correct number is : 937669 not 933669

On the contrary of Gilberte your friend Betty Haig did race the Le Mans 24 hours in 1951 on a Ferrari 166 she share with Yvonne Simon
They finish the race 15th overall ahead of more powerfull cars