Very early 356 in the UK??

49barndoor · Post by **49barndoor** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 3:21 am

I just got a book with a 356 in it which is suposed to be the first Porsche imported in to the UK.
Its a RHD 51 cab reg No. RPB 742 and from the pics its still about.
Any one know it?

rocket280 · Post by **rocket280** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 7:01 pm

You are right dan UUW14 is the car that belonged to betty haig and before that my dad. Back in the late sixties early seventies my old man used to restore jags and healys as well as buy and sell the odd classic car . He found the porsche in an old storage container at santa pod before it was a drag strip. It was an american air base during the war and for some years after. The car must have belonged to a yank stationed here in the uk. By the time my dad found it the air force man was long gone. My dad bought the car along with a few other british cars and a load of old junk for next to nothing. His plan was to restore it but as he recalls it was completly rotten even back then. Word got around to betty haig about this car my dad had and she believed it to be the oldest in the country at that time and possibly the first porsche to get a british licence plate. She offered him a staggering amount of money for it. An offer he could not refuse. It was trailered away and then restored. It has appeared in a few books published in the 80s and I believe she died about 15 years ago. The question is who has it now? Is it still in the UK? She paid my dad £25 for it .

MdR · Post by **MdR** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 10:59 pm

rocket280 wrote:She paid my dad £25 for it .

Twenty five quid!!!
I wonder what that amount is worth now compared to the value of the car plus the resto costs?

Rustbucket · Post by **Rustbucket** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:33 pm

Cool !
Must have been a cool find for you Dad..........
Nice to know they were rusting out back then too though!

Dyno Soar · Post by **Dyno Soar** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:14 am

higs356 wrote:Oldest genuine original RHD porsche I know of is a 51 coupe . I know the story behind it and how it was ordered from the factory and pretty sure its the earliest .

...its not in the UK. Given the post war depression and the slight alergy to all things German in the late 40s I'd be surprised if the first number of RHDs didnt end up in SA , Aus and Sweden. (I think Sweden was RHD then)

heres some dodgy bloke sitting in the 51 coupe

Hey Higgy.. recognise this!

Thats one hell of a cool car eh?!

higs356 · Post by **higs356** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:39 pm

Deja Vu

Yes ...that is a great car and its surprisingly quick too and Greg doesnt back off the pedal.

Wheres the pictures of the rest of the show ?

Dyno Soar · Post by **Dyno Soar** » Mon Nov 28, 2005 9:44 pm

I have some great shots. Unfortuantly I lost some when downloading to my laptop which crashes very frequently. My heart sank and had to walk away from the damn thing

Then when I was uploading them on a very slow pipe to my imagestation account so everyone could see it crashed again so.. I had to walk away before busting the damn thing.

I'll try again later today.

I am off hunting 356's this morning, I have 3 to look at and then 2 VW Buses.

I'll set up a deal for a few months time. However with prices being so high even here it seems I may have to buy one already done which will save alot of money on my part.

We shall see..

Lots of pics are comming. No worries.

higs356 · Post by **higs356** » Tue Jun 06, 2006 10:50 pm

I wonder if anyone has the VIN# of Betty Haig's car

Dont you just love finding gems like this ...

I was digging through my records tonight from the Aus 356 register

The first RHD 356 was manufactured 9th July 1951 VIN 10110 . It was a fish silver grey cab with Blue leather and was part of a consignment of 2 cars ...the other was a Maroon RHD coupe imported by Norman Hamilton.
Hamilton was in Europe investigating large scale water pump manufacturers when a car drove into the hotel car park he was staying in ...he got talking to the driver ...Richard von Frankenberg (Porsche race driver in the 50s)...who drove Hamilton to the factory ...Hamilton ordered the 2 cars and then signed distributor rights for Australia . The agreement was signed by Hamilton, Ferry Porsche and the co secretary Porsche's brother -in-law in 1951 .

vwmagazine.co.uk · Post by **vwmagazine.co.uk** » Sun Jun 18, 2006 9:30 pm

yes indeed, mine is a 52 vin 12060 and is due to get a super-restoration when I finally get my new "garage", I mean "house", in August.

I thought Simon's was the oldest at 1950 then there is the red LHD 51 which some company down near Bournemouth was selling early on in the year, then there's mine as far as I know.

Mine won't be done for a few years though as I will make sure it's done proper and I have a few more skills to learn yet!

Cheers,
Dave