Al had always wanted a Porsche. After watching them being raced in Denver and in California, he was hooked and finally bought his dream car, a 1958 356A Speedster.

 

It was the spring of 1958 and Al took a trip to Vern Hagestad VW in Denver. He had currently been working for Denver's Lowry Air Force Base with the Martin Company as a civilian contractor to the US missle program. At first, he had wanted a silver one, but the salesman at Hagestad told him about a new "orange" code 5711 that was now available that he thought would look great with a beige interior, and Al agreed. After ordering and then waiting for it to go through NY, and then to Hagestad, Al finally took delivery of chasis number 84215.

 

The car would go with Al from Denver to Orlando, back to Denver, west to California where he married Sally in 1960, back east to Arkansas, Alabama, Maryland, and finally New Jersey where it stayed for many years. Al and Sally drove it everywhere, including long trips from the west coast to NW Pennsylvania during even the winter months to visit Sally's family. The car had been to many sport car races, PCA events, and countless road trips with the odometer rolling over 100K a few times in the process.

 

It wasn't until 2005 that his son, Cary, renewed his membership in the Porsche Club of America as well as the 356 Registry in order to rekindle his interest in the Speedster again with the hope of finally having it restored. Al finally gave in and contacted Heritage Motorcar Restoration in Largo, FL to do the job, as Al had owned a house near there. Cary and Al trailered the 356 from NJ to FL, and the long restoration process began.

 

HMR did a complete mechanical and physical restoration that took nearly three years to complete. The 356s first showing was at the PCA Parade Concours in Charlotte 2008 where the car won both People's Choice and Judge's Choice awards. The Porsche family also asked Al if he would allow them to display 84215 during the Concours Banquet, which he gladly did.

 

Since then it's been to another PCA parade in Savannah and has been featured in Excellence Magazine, as well as local PCA regional publications. Al continues to enjoy the car today.