2018 is the year that Porsche celebrates its 70th anniversary, and the company is pulling out all the stops to make it a memorable one. It all started with the Porsche 356 No.1 roadster in 1948, and the company announced they’ve recreated the iconic car in time for the anniversary. Although the model has been developed for cosmetic purposes, experts have gone to painstaking detail to make sure it reflects the original’s essence. The 356 Roadster was built by Ferdinand Porsche and came with a four-cylinder air-cooled rear-mounted engine.
The process was carried out over eight months, with Porsche Museum specialists starting off with a 3D scan of the roadster body. This ensured that every detail and dimension was accurate. The virtual results were then superimposed onto scans of period drawings, which showed a few deviations. Consulting the original photos and drawings allowed the designers to get a full picture of the car.
After the dimensions were corrected, the designers started building the replica. They used wooden gauges, a block of foam and metal-working techniques to create an aluminium body. The original paint was also duplicated through samples being taken from under the dashboard. Smaller details include the floor mats being knotted with the same technique as the original.
The replica contains no engine, meaning it was only built for display. The mesh frame, pipe rear axle and Volkswagen Beetle front axle enable the car to rolled onto show stands. It was created as part of a world tour that Porsche are undertaking. You can see the replica 376 Roadsters at a number of venues in 2018:
- Porsche Museum in Stuttgart – June 8th
- Goodwood Festival of Speed in UK – July 12th – July 15th
- Porsche Rennsport Reunion in Laguna Seca – September 27th – September 30th
- Guangzhou International Motor Show in China – November 15th – November 25th
Image credit: https://carbuzz.com
