I’m constantly amazed at the cars that good friend Darrel Burnnet unearths to display at The Automobile Gallery & Event Center in Green Bay. I mean, when we were both up there doing sports on TV, we had no clue as to what a rich car community Green Bay and the Fox Valley Cities have to offer. Today’s spot, a 1958 Porsche 356 Speedster 1600 Super, is a great example, and it was located in a shed not far from The Automobile Gallery & Event Center.
It was a match made in heaven, well, maybe just in a church right now. Had Luke Griesbach’s good friend and fellow Speedster owner Jim Stephenson not happened upon its owner, Chip Weber, at church, this story never would have been written. An introduction led to a conversation which led to a friendship, but friendship didn’t lead to a sale. That would take time….a very long time. In fact, it took five full years before Luke was able to convince Mr. Weber to part with this primitive Porsche. It’s coming up on three years since Luke Griesbach completed the purchase of this very special 1958 Speedster. In the moment, Luke made the sage decision to preserve his possession in the same condition as he found it, in the same condition it had been in since 1984, when Mr. Weber parked it in his shed in Green Bay. Covered in dirt and steeped in character, Luke Griesbach’s 1958 Porsche Speedster 1600 Super hasn’t had a bath in 42 years!
For Luke, the feeling of becoming the new owner was beyond euphoric, “You can spend years trying to track these cars down, and most people never get to experience what it is like to roll a vehicle like this out of a garage,” Luke reflects. “When you pull away, you start to get a feel for what it is like to own a true piece of history. It was a pretty amazing feeling!”
Appearances can be deceiving….especially when wearing 42 years of life experience. Only 645 Speedster 1600 Supers were ever produced across 4 years between 1955 and ’58, making them one of the rarest, revered, and most coveted Porsches ever produced. Adding to its rich heritage, the first new car the “King of Cool” Steve McQueen ever purchased was a black 1958 Porsche Speedster 1600 Super just like this one, which served as the catalyst for his famed racing career.
Like McQueen’s, Luke’s ’58 Speedster 1600 Super wears black, but its past is far more colorful. At various times in its 68-year history, this Speedster was painted Creamy White, Red, and now, for decades, Black. However, the “silver lining” of this story is found in its original color….Silver Metallic. When sifting through the original paperwork, Luke found “A. Johnson” written on the original factory warranty card. Extensive research reveals that this Speedster was owned and raced from 1960 through ’63 by legendary California racer and 4-time SCCA National Champion Alan Johnson, whose illustrious resume included racing Le Mans and Sebring.
OK, now for the million-dollar question: what would something like this be worth? Well, not quite that much, but with its rarity, it typically ranges from $300,000 to over $475,000, depending heavily on condition, provenance, and whether it retains its numbers-matching engine.
Thanks for stopping by and checking out my latest spot. I have plenty more in the hopper, so check back often because you’ll never know what might pop up. Be sure to Like, Comment, Share and have a great week.
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