The First Porsche

Jim Perrin recounts the history of the first car to wear the Porsche nameplate Porsche 356 Registry March/April 1998 - Volume 21, Number 6 Reprinted with permission from Porsche Panorama, June 1988

The photos were taken by Stan Michael, a U.S. serviceman who was at the factory with a friend to take delivery of their new 356 Porsches in the winter of 1952-53. On their tour of the factory they saw No. 1 in the repair area, undergoing what appears to be brake and engine work. This would leave us to believe these photos document the updates made during Mr, Shulthess' ownership, as mentioned in the article.

Mr. Michael also photographed a machinist milling an aluminum V6 block and noted the name "Studebaker" on the man's blueprints. At the end of the tour the Porsche sales people generously offered to develop and print his pictures overnight. Next morning, his photos were delivered - minus the Studebaker V6 project pictures. Many thanks to Olaf Shipstead for providing these photos.

The engine for the new Porsche sports car was basically the air-cooled, flat four-cylinder powerplant of the VW. The bore and stroke were 75 mm by 64 mm, resulting in a displacement of 1131 cc. Modifications included work to the heads to improve breathing and raised compression. The car was originally fitted with one carburetor, as the VW had. When introduced to the press, however, it already had special intake manifolds with two downdraft Solex carburetors. The original VW engine produced 25 hp at 3300 rpm. In its issue following the Swiss Grand Prix in 1948, the British magazine Motor reported that the new Porsche roadster with twin carbs produced 40 hp at 4000 rpm.

Ferry Porsche and his chief body designer, Erwin Komenda, are credited with the streamlined roadster design. It is a simple, elegant shape, similar in general appearance to the later production 356's. The front is characterized by the VW-type oval headlight assemblies used on all 356's, no grill, a low bumper (as originally built) integrated into the design at the lower edge of the front end, and a large opening for the front hood compartment. The windshield is a two-piece unit with flat glass sections and no frame at the top. The car was provided with a very simple top which, judging from an early photograph, appears to have been for emergency use only.

The fender line is carried smoothly from front to rear, with cut-outs for the front and rear wheels. The tires were 5.00x16 in size and large hubcaps were used. Although the name "Porsche" and several small horizontal trim strips were used at the front of the car, no trim was applied to the sides of the body. The body tapers gently to the rear with a bumper integrated into the design at the lower edge. There is a very large rear deck lid which opens to give excellent access to the engine. A series of slots running the length of the two side edges of the rear lid provide air intake openings. (Later the car received an air intake grill in the center of the deck lid.)

The interior was equipped with a bench seat rather than buckets. The seat back was curved behind the driver and the passenger, although a third person could squeeze in between. The dash was very simple, with instruments in front of the driver and a glove box on the right. The shift lever for the four-speed transmission was located on the floor. The large steering wheel had three main spoke assemblies.

Following the press showing at the Swiss Grand Prix, the July 21, 1948, issue of The Motor featured a story titled "The New Porsche Sports Car" (subtitled "A First Descript in Received from Max Troesch, M.S.A.E., Zurich"). In discussing the front and rear suspension, Troesch said, "This combination, in conjunction with the very small overhang and concentration of weight at the back, gives remarkably steady, straight running on bad roads, and, due to the raised roll center at the rear of the car, plus the low center of gravity, the car has really remarkable road-holding, combined with a pleasant softness of springing and very light, accurate steering. "He goes on to discuss the series of production coupes already planned for construction at Gmund.

Another review of the first Porsche appeared in the July 17, 1948, issue of Automobil-Reuue: Robert Braunschweig also tested the car at the Swiss Grand Prix and observed, "During the practice period of the impending Grand Prix, we extended this vehicle around the Bremgarten circuit and became very confident with it in a very short time." lie continued, "This is how we imagine modern road motoring to be, where the advantages of modern springing and the resultant driving comfort are combined with the adhesion of an equally modern, low and handy sports car."

Obviously, the new Porsche met with an enthusiastic reception from the motoring press.

The interior was equipped with a bench seat rather than buckets. The seat back was curved behind the driver and the passenger, although a third person could squeeze in between. The dash was very simple, with instruments in front of the driver and a glove box on the right. The shift lever for the four-speed transmission was located on the floor. The large steering wheel had three main spoke assemblies.

Following the press showing at the Swiss Grand Prix, the July 21, 1948, issue of The Motor featured a story titled "The New Porsche Sports Car" (subtitled "A First Descript in Received from Max Troesch, M.S.A.E., Zurich"). In discussing the front and rear suspension, Troesch said, "This combination, in conjunction with the very small overhang and concentration of weight at the back, gives remarkably steady, straight running on bad roads, and, due to the raised roll center at the rear of the car, plus the low center of gravity, the car has really remarkable road-holding, combined with a pleasant softness of springing and very light, accurate steering. "He goes on to discuss the series of production coupes already planned for construction at Gmund.

Another review of the first Porsche appeared in the July 17, 1948, issue of Automobil-Reuue: Robert Braunschweig also tested the car at the Swiss Grand Prix and observed, "During the practice period of the impending Grand Prix, we extended this vehicle around the Bremgarten circuit and became very confident with it in a very short time." lie continued, "This is how we imagine modern road motoring to be, where the advantages of modern springing and the resultant driving comfort are combined with the adhesion of an equally modern, low and handy sports car."

Obviously, the new Porsche met with an enthusiastic reception from the motoring press.

 
In Private Hands

In the months when the 1948 prototype roadster was being built, however, money wasvery scarce for Porsche.The sale of the roadster to Rupprecht von Senger of Zurich for 7,000 Swiss francs was arranged even before the car wasshown to the press. Subsequently the car was in private hands from 1948 until 1958 when it was repurchased by the factory.

Porsche No.1 had many owners and a colorful history during its first decade. In 1987, Porsche talked with Hermann Schulthess and Peter Kaiser, two early owners of the car, and their memories provide a rare insight into the early history of the first Porsche. Though Von Senger purchased and paid for the Porsche roadster on June 8, 1948, it was not delivered to him until September of that year. Von Senger sold it to a Mr. Heinz who resold it again in 1948 to Peter Kaiser for SFR 7500. Kaiser entered various racing events in the Porsche he called "Pesko,"selling it in 1951 to AMAG of Zurich, the Swiss Porsche importer, for SFR5000 because the motor was no longer competitive, welded aluminum seams were opening up, the seats were uncomfortable, the inside seemed too narrow and poor spring suspension was evident. Mrs. Rosemarie Muff was the next owner of the car whose historic significance was not yet appreciated. She sold it, still in 1951, to Hermann Schulthess of Zurich for SFR 3000.

During a trip over the St. Gotthard Pass, a vehicle occupied by six nuns crashed into the roadster and pushed it into another car in front, severely damaging both the front and rear sections. When AMAG repaired the car, they "modernized" the front and rear sections to resemble the series production Porsches of the time. (This may be when the front and rear bumpers were removed.) In 1952 Schulthess took the car to Porsche at Stuttgart to have hydraulic brakes and a 1500-cc engine installed.

Among the competition events Schulthess entered with the car were the Porsche Rally of Switzerland in 1953 and the Rally Duebbendorf at about the same time. A Zurich master baker named Igoria became the next owner. He first spotted the car at AMAG's repair shop while it was being inspected. Igoria took a fancy to the open two-seater and talked Schulthess into a trade for his own 1300 coupe. The next day, after discovering that the prototype Porsche did not come up to his expectations, Igoria wanted to cancel. Schulthess, on the other hand, insisted on the deal already made, since he was happy to get rid of No.1. The car was left in Igoria's garage, destined to become a wreck, until Franz Blaser, a mechanic from Laachen saw it there on his way to work. He bought the tired little roadster and tried to restore it completely. In 1958, Richard von Frankenberg, the late founder and first editor of Porsche's house magazine Christophorus, brought the archetype Porsche home to Stuttgart. He went to Schulthess, intending to buy the first Porsche for the factory, was referred to Blaser and traded him a 356 Speedster for Porsche No. 1. Safe from misadventure by highway mishap or accidental neglect by those who might have failed to appreciate its meaning, the prototype Porsche found its true home in Zuffenhausen. For a time it wore an ivory paint scheme with curvy red accents at front and rear, but by 1975 in time for the grand celebration of the 100th anniversary of Professor Ferdinand Porsche's birth, Porsche No.1 was once again silver and more closely resembled its original appearance. Porsche No. 1 reaches its 50th year universally appreciated for its significance in automotive history. It occupies a place of honor in the Porsche Museum in Stuttgart, a lodestar for Porsche enthusiasts from around the world.