1956 Porsche Speedster - Achtung, Baby!

And you can't have a hot rod, German or otherwise, without some power under the hood, even if the engine is mounted out back. Balser's 1915cc Type I engine, comprised of a 69mm stock stroke crank and 94mm pistons, is fed by a pair of 40 IDF Weber carbs mounted atop a set of EMPI heads. Underneath, a 1 1/2-quart sump adds extra oil capacity while up top, a 911-type fan and alternator replaces the VW's stock fan housing, which gives the engine a late-model Porsche engine look.

With the pan/chassis completed, the body was covered with DuPont Centari paint (a Dale Jarrett #88 red) and set in place. The single-blade bumpers, which were color-matched to the car, were moved in close to the body (within a 1/4-inch), another typical example of hot-rod fitment. While the car is parked, the vintage '56 California rear license plate is tucked up and out of view with the help of a Dan Fink Metalworks Retract-A-Plate (the plate comes into view when the ignition switch is hit).

Another outlaw trait is the exposed gas cap, this one coming from Moreland Choppers (Solana Beach, CA) and mounted in the middle of the hood. In keeping with the race theme, a 'glass Carrera-style louvered decklid (with 37 wide louvers) was bolted in place, and a pair of Speedster rear-view mirrors were color-matched to the car and mounted on top of each front fender. Even the stone-guard headlight grilles (from Parts Obsolete, McMinnville, Oregon) are race-inspired items.

Old roadsters had simple interiors, as does David's. The clean 550 dash houses four Classic Instrument gauges (the fuel and oil pressure in 2 1/8-inch while the tach and speedo are 5-inch models) finished in the Vintage Series colors (cream with red dials). Banjo steering wheels were used on some early Porsches, but this leather-wrapped version from Lecarra is more along the style of a '37 Ford, long popular with the hot-rod crowd.

Mark Luhr's Custom Upholstery (Santee, CA) covered the seats in tan vinyl and added tan-colored German square-weave carpet, too, but also created a set of red floor mats to give the interior a splash of color. The seat's lapbelts, an aircraft design from Nolan White, were finished with red material to match the car's exterior. And though the tub has a working fabric top, Balser wanted something a little different to top his car off. So a hard tonneau, whose design was "lifted" from the tonneau of an '89 Porsche Speedster, was fabricated from 'glass, made to smoothly flow into the tub's cockpit design, and than color-matched to David's ride.

If you look closely at the photos, you'll notice there aren't any Porsche badges to be found on David's Speedster. It's not because he feels his replicar isn't a Porsche, but rather more like a hot-rod roadster, all stripped down and void of flash. But that doesn't really help because just by pulling into any market parking lot or just cruising down the highway causes onlookers to nearly twist their heads off their shoulders as they try and get a glimpse of the bright red tub as it drives by. Subtle indeed! KC

David BalserEncinitas, California1956 Porsche Speedster