Porsche 356 Pre-A Split-Screen Coupé

This is a 1951 Porsche 356 Pre-A split-screen coupé, completed in December of that year and one of the earliest Reutter-bodied cars from Zuffenhausen. It is finished in its original 511 Light Grey, a colour the page says was applied to only three coupés, all exported to the United States. It is believed to be the sole surviving split-screen in that shade.

The car was first supplied through D'Ieteren Frères in Brussels, then spent decades in California, including 42 years with a single owner who used it daily until 1987. It was imported to the UK in 2009 and restored over more than five years by Sportwagen (bodywork) and Maxted-Page & Prill (mechanicals and interior), finishing in September 2014. The original 1,286cc engine was rebuilt to 1,500cc specification and paired with a period Type 519 full-synchromesh gearbox. The interior has been recreated in blue cord and dark blue leather.

The restoration won the Vic Elford Prize and Best of Show at the 2015 Hedingham Castle Show, and the car appeared at the Warren and Heveningham Hall concours in 2023. It is left-hand drive, shows 780 miles on the page, and comes with a historical file covering ownership, specification and restoration.