1951 Porsche 356 Pre-A Split-Window Coupe

This 1951 Porsche 356 Pre-A is a Reutter-built split-window coupe that was delivered new through Sonauto of Paris, France, and is said to have been purchased in the 1990s for the collection of Swedish financier Eric Douglas, who reportedly commissioned a refurbishment that was completed circa 2001. Work during the project is said to have included a repaint in metallic blue, a re-trim of the interior in gray leatherette and cloth, and the installation of a replacement 1.3-liter flat-four. Additional features include bumpers mounted flush to the body, a non-synchromesh four-speed manual transaxle, four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes, 16” body-color steel wheels, and a Siemens radio. This 356 split-window coupe was acquired by the current owner in 2023 and is now offered on their behalf by the seller with a copy of its Kardex, an owner’s manual, a tool kit, and a clean Oregon title in the name of the owner’s LLC. The earliest examples of the Porsche 356 featured a peak at the leading edge of the roof aligning with the crest of a two-piece windshield that gave way to a single-piece bent windshield in early 1952. The early-production slim bumpers are mounted flush against the lower edges of the body and are accented by grooved aluminum trim strips.