1957 Porsche 356

Spanning fifteen years in production, Porsches now-legendary 356 grew from humble VW-derived origins into one of the most celebrated sports cars of all time. Porsche engineers relentlessly developed the 356 to keep it at the forefront, earning its street cred on racing circuits and rally stages around the world, and enjoying a cult following for decades to come. As the 356 became increasingly collectible, so did concours-level restorations, judged down to the last nut and bolt by obsessive experts. As a sort of rebellion to the high-level concours restoration, long-time Porsche specialist and award-winning restorer Gary Emory applied the hot-rodding techniques passed down from the previous generations of his legendary family-run shop to his beloved Porsche 356. These unique custom 356s, coined Outlaw Porsches by Emory, range from mild to wild, and are beautifully finished, incredibly quick, and highly collectible. The low, aggressive aesthetic and hot performance of the Emory Outlaw has inspired an entire movement, with countless individuals using the 356s vast potential to create a classic Porsche of their dreams.

This 1957 356A Coupe is a great example of the Outlaw Porsche aesthetic, inspired by the cars first pioneered by the Emory Family. This particular car was initially built by TruSpeed Motorcars of California, as an opportunity to apply their racing experience to a classic 356 road car. Using a 1957 356A Coupe as a donor car, the beloved bathtub look is accentuated thanks to its super low stance on Empi wheels shod with chunky 185-section rubber. To the low-slung shell, TrueSpeed fitted a 914 engine, said to be punched out from the standard 2 liters to a whopping 2.6 liters using FAT Performance internals, reportedly good for 182bhp keeping in mind the car weighs approximately 1600 pounds! A later all-synchro transaxle was built by the late Mike Robbins of Indianapolis, and the car is updated with a hydraulic clutch. The front axle is converted to disc brakes, along with myriad other details and custom touches.

The most recent owner acquired the car from TruSpeed in approximately 2010 and continued to refine and tweak the theme. Now finished in satin black with white accents, the body features early-type beehive taillights, cool drilled bumperettes, a split rear screen, and a custom side-hinged engine cover. Inside, there are custom door cards with drilled alloy accents and handles/winders, which tie together with the drilled alloy shift lever and exterior bumpers. Square weave carpets are a nod to the original, and period-style low-back bucket seats replace the factory chairs, trimmed in black vinyl with black and white tartan inserts. Separate padded headrests are affixed to the rollbar, as are Simpson lift-latch harnesses. The engine, which was rebuilt by the 901 Shop in Stuart, Florida, breathes through twin Weber carburetors and is dressed with a white-painted 911-style shroud kit that improves cooling and lends a super-tidy look to the engine bay. The final flourish comes via the custom exhaust, driving home this cars aggressive character.

Belting out a reported 180-plus horsepower and sporting a pared-down, lightweight body, this custom 356 coupe is bound to be an absolute riot to drive. A wonderful example of an Outlaw-style 356, this car can readily be enjoyed as-is, or serve as the basis for additional mods and custom touches as you see fit.

Offers welcome and trades considered