1963 Porsche 356 C Carrera 2 2000 GS Coupé

Extremely rare and desirable, one of only six right-hand drive CoupÚs of its type built Bali Blue with black leather interior and sunroof. Matching numbers 4-cam Carrera engine (type 587/1 plain-bearing) with 130 bhp Engine rebuilt in 2006 by Manfred Knebel and has been maintained by marque expert, Lee Maxted-Page, in recent years Concours condition and very rare. A remarkable opportunity Featuring a 130 bhp, 1,966cc, DOHC, air-cooled horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine fuelled by a pair of Solex 40 PII-4 carburettors, a four-speed manual transmission, independent front and rear suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes, the 356C Carrera 2 (2000GS) was undoubtedly the top of Porsche's product line in 1964. At virtually double the price of a standard 1600cc pushrod 356, they were very expensive and consequently only sold in small numbers. According to the reference book by Carrera historians Sprenger and Heinrichs, only 101 Type-C Carrera 2, 2-litre Coupes were constructed from 1963 to 1965 and it's believed that only six of these left the factory in right-hand drive. The main reason for the GS2000's extra cost was its highly complex four-cylinder, 2-litre, quadruple-camshaft engine which had been destined for the legendary competition focussed, 550 Spyders and had continued to be developed before being fitted to the 356 in 1962/3. Equipped with a stronger Hausermann clutch and taller gearing, these Carreras were capable of reaching 60 mph in about nine seconds and managing a top speed of 130 mph, with the engine revving to its 7,000-rpm redline in fourth gear, pretty quick for the early sixties The coachwork was very similar to that of the standard coupes but had a number of subtle modifications. Among them was the use of front bumper guards (without exhaust ports) at both ends. There were also changes to accommodate improved engine cooling, the most important of which was the installation of a pair of small auxiliary oil radiators, mounted one to a side behind the horn grille openings in the nose. The horn grilles themselves were deleted to improve airflow. These new Type 587 two-litre engines could be distinguished from the earlier 1600 pushrod units by their rectangular camshaft covers and 12-volt electrical systems. A pair of Solex 40PII-4 downdraft carburettors sat on top and they were fed by a single electric fuel pump. The fuel tank was slightly larger (110 litres) than that of the pushrod 356 C. To ease access to the spark plugs, small access panels were installed inside the rear wheel wells. The transmission was a fully synchronized Type 741 four-speed gearbox and the improved performance mandated better stopping ability so the new car was equipped with Porsche's new ATE disc brakes at each corner, the first Porsche ever to feature four-wheel disc brakes. Ordered new in the special order colour of Bali Blue (6412) with a black leather interior and sunroof, this extremely rare and desirable Porsche 356C Carrera 2 2000 GS Coupe is, we believe, one of just six right-hand drive Coupes of its type built. Just five owners have had the chance to enjoy this special car and it remains complete with its original matching numbers 2000 cc 4-cam Carrera engine (Type 587/1 plain-bearing, 130 bhp). It was originally supplied to successful 1960's Ferrari privateer racing driver Chris Kerrison, who also owned, at that time, the famous ex-Stirling Moss/Graham Hill Le Mans Ferrari 250 GT SWB Berlinetta Competizione #2735GT. Kerrison campaigned the Ferrari extensively throughout Europe between 1962-1964 and whilst the Porsche was not itself raced during this period, he kept the car registered on German plates in the UK and covered the road miles between European circuits and events in it. In 1978, the car was acquired with 20,000 miles recorded by its second owner, well-known Essex-based Porsche Club member, John Hearn. Hearn also opted to keep the car registered on foreign plates until finally selling it in 1982 to respected German-based 4-cam Porsche engine specialist, Manfred Knebel. The car remained in Germany in the ownership of Knebel for over 20 years. During this time he maintained the car himself and fully rebuilt the engine in 2006 just prior to selling it to its fourth owner, John Ruston, who imported the car into the UK and registered it for the first time on British plates. In Ruston's ownership, #127338 was regularly maintained by the acknowledged expert, Lee Maxted-Page and successfully competed in the 2007 Tour de Espana-Portugal, achieving 2nd place overall in the regularity section. Our vendor purchased #127338 in 2010 to add to his significant private collection and during his ownership, it has once again been looked after by Lee Maxted-Page. As you would expect, this stunning 4-cam Carrera is in truly fabulous condition and, indeed, was entered into the 2012 Salon PrivÚ Concours d'Elegance, Class C -