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Have you ever heard of a Carrera 2 Roadster? I haven't, I have also never seen a 1959 Convertible-D GS Carrera although I did hear somewhere that 3 were actually produced and 2 of them I believe are still unaccounted for. Through the production run the 4-cam was available in all 356 models except this one. The factory could have easily ordered a run of at least 50+ Carrera roadsters throughout its 3 year run. A more civilized open car with a real top frame and roll-up windows but yet more sportier than a Cabriolet? Sounds like a perfect combo to me. Does anyone know why this 4-cam version was not produced? Thanks! Justin
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Justin Rio -
Guys,
I'm not certain that there is a definitive answer. What I know is this:
There were two 4-cam Convertible Ds. One a 1500cc and the other a 1600cc. Consecutive chassis numbers. Both are unaccounted for at the moment (or at least I do not know where they are).
There were two full Roadster 4-cams. One is unacccounted for. The other was wrecked and got a spare body and was fixed by Porsche and is known.
Most do not know (but we will have this in the new book) is that there is a third Roadster built from a spare chassis but with a regular Roadster number and a pushrod motor, built with "some Carrera parts".
Why Porsche did not order more of these, I do not know except that Drauz was perhaps not up to the challenge ormaybe, simply, few Ds or Roadsters were raced as they were a bit heavy.
Steve Heinrichs -
Steve,
A Big welcome to our small but friendly forum! Thank you for clearing up and confirming the exact number of units that were produced. I like your theory of the Drauz CO perhaps being unwilling or unable to commit addional floor space for a seperate line of 4-cam Roadsters. As you well know unlike the 356A series there were several more specialized structural changes like the unique front fender braces for the oil coolers as one example.
Though the Roadster was not the ideal race car out of the box like the speedster it certainly lends itself to be stripped and lightened to the same degree as the speedster; right down to the removable windshield frame. As counter intuitive as a "GT Cabriolet" is it was still offered as a GS model option. So the "too heavy" to be a race car theory doesn't quite add up. When you really think about it, its amazing that this 4-cam version was never really produced. Just as in the pushrod world it would have taken its place right next to the GS/GT Speedsters in collectability. Thanks and Welcome once again! JustinJustin RioComment
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I don't think they would have needed a different line. Anyway, Speedsters were already lighter and amazingly as relates to "D"s, the last Speedster was finished about two weeks before the last D. Som Porsche had thought about 4-cams in the D, done two, and passed. Why lighten a D when you already could see the end and had Speedsters?
There was one lonely GT Cabriolet.
SteveComment
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Hi Steve,
Is the lonely Cabriolet you are referring to the red one with the hard top at the Porsche museum? Well, it sounds like we may never know the reason. Hell, if you don't who else ever will???
One thing is for certain if either one of those two examples still exists the owner(s) has THE most rare and limited production 4-cam to ever come out of Germany. What a discovery that would be!!
Okay, heres one more 356 model for you Steve; is there any record of a T-5 or T-6 Notchback Carrera 2 ever being produced?
Thanks! JustinJustin RioComment
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Nope. It was a steel B one---silver.
I believe there were no 4-cam notchbacks.
SteveComment
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Just saw this thread and will tell this tale ..one ...more ....time.
In the late '70s, I was in my shop office with Dick Durrell....early on the east coast, later in Germany. Dick had a T-6 Roadster and I had a rusted "parts car" (remember those?) C-2 Coupe. We spoke of a mating of the two, but just for fun Dick called Porsche that day and I believe was connected to Jurgen Barth and asked "Were there ANY Carrera Roadsters built by Porsche?" Dick was quickly told emphatically- "NO!"
It seemed reasonable after that exchange there was no reason to think any Roadster was built AS a 4-cam.
Not too many years ago, I saw that Peter Hoffmann had one and that the few other anamolies (like the Ds) became legend-rumors. Aren't we glad Steve gained access to the records so someone with a Teutonic typewriter and a blank Kardex or build sheet didn't 'create' a VERY valuable 'barnfind'?Comment
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Bruce/guys,
Peter's car is very cool. I'm not sure he still owns it. What is particularly interesting to me is that his original Roadster4-cam was wrecked and one of the spares was used to repair. So, it is kind of a two numbered car.
The other Roadster 4-cam is lost.
Steve HeinrichsComment
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Thanks for sharing that one more time Bruce! I hadn't heard it.
So Steve, a singular Unicorn 4-cam roadster did or does exist?
Thanks again guys! JustinJustin RioComment
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There were two. One repaired with a spare.....Peter's and one other...lost.
There was also a single GT C. Cab.
Steve HeinrichsComment
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Steve, how about the 58/59 red "GT" cab the factory has? I remember it having a GT deck lid?Comment
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Sorry---I did misspeak a bit as I was not near my stuff when I responded.
The lone GT (steel) was an early 'B' finished April 1962.
Whatever cab you may have seen is not a GT; there was only the one.
Steve HeinrichsComment
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Hi Steve
if my memory serves John Bond Jr owned a Carrera Rdster about the same time that his Abarth was his daily driver. He worked at Alan Johnson P+A i think he said it was a birthday car.
cheers
jComment
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Jacques,
I don't know if Bond ownedone of the 4-cam Roadsters. I do know he had a 904 never raced and, even today, few miles on it.
Steve Heinrichs
ps---I do not have my Abarth files nearby so don't know about that either.Comment
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Hi
1003 i thinkComment
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