1961 Porsche 356 B Super 90 GT

OVERVIEW

1961 Porsche 356 B Super 90 GT Coupe. Chassis: 115382
Chassis: 115382

The 356 was Porsche’s first production automobile, and by 1961 it had developed into a formidable sports car that had made the small Stuggart company a household name. In both stock and modified forms the 356 enjoyed tremendous success at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the 1000 km Buenos Aires, the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio, the Carrera Panamericana, as well as many other important rallying and road racing events.
The Super 90 GT was designed to replace the more expensive and complex DOHC Carrera GT. Other than being equipped with the more reliable and easier to service push rod 1600cc engine, the Super 90 GT was otherwise identical to the Carrera GT in terms of specification. Features including special gear ratios, RSK-type brakes, aluminum bonnet, decklid and doors, Plexiglas windows, non-wind up side windows, factory roll bar, no bumper guards, 80 liter gas tank, lightweight carpets and GT aluminum edged bumpers were all part of this elite and purpose built car. Thanks to all of these factory options this rare model weighed over 200 pounds less than the standard production car. The lighter weight and powerful Super 90 engine immediately made it the choice for those who wanted to win.

Although less expensive than its 4-cam counterpart, the Super 90 GT was clearly priced for the racing enthusiast at a staggering $5,551. Perhaps because of this, Super 90 GTs are exceedingly rare, twice as rare as Carrera GTs, with just 5 being constructed during 1961.

Built by the coachbuilder Reutter, this particular example left the Porsche factory in March of 1961 and was delivered originally to Sweden. It was equipped from the factory with optional alloy wheels, a locking steering column, and ventilated chrome brakes.

This amazing 356 was the subject of an extensive bare tub rotisserie concours restoration in Germany, and is in exceptional mechanical and cosmetic condition. It is easy to see the exceedingly high caliber of the work and the correctness of equipment and details involved. All mechanicals including the engine and transmission were built to as new specs, and the car is now presented in stunning Aetna blue with a black interior.

We have performed considerable sorting and fine tuning to this car since its restoration in 2005, with a specific emphasis placed on drivability and minimizing noise for long distance touring. The carburetors were tuned and synched, the shift and throttle linkage adjusted, the car aligned, valves adjusted, and 3M Clearguard installed on the front edges. Considerable other work was done to perfect the car cosmetically and mechanically.

Documentation included with the car are: the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity (confirming this as a factory built Super 90 GT), a copy of the Porsche Kardex build sheet, correspondence from Porsche confirming the car’s original delivery with a Super 90 power plant, a Historical Technical Passport approving this car for FIA class GTP-1 (1947-1961), restoration and repair receipts, and photo documentation relating to the work performed at Canepa.

Super 90 GT’s are highly coveted by vintage racers and collectors. In its current form this 356 is ready for competition, road rally, or concourse events. Here is an extremely rare opportunity to own a piece of Porsche racing history.