Hemmings Find of the Day – Porsche 356 prototype

Ah, we meet again, Mr. Waibel. I last saw your Porsche prototype in the Imperial Palace’s collection in April, for sale for $275,000, and it seems you found a buyer, because now Cooper Classics in New York has your prototype for sale on Hemmings.com for an undisclosed sum. From Cooper’s description:

1948 Porsche Prototype Custom Sports Cabriolet *One of a Kind Historically Important Porsche* This incredibly rare one-off aluminum body prototype Porsche custom Sports Cabriolet is finished in Metallic Green with a Tan Interior. It was built in 1948 by the renowned Swiss Coachbuilder and one of the principal creators of the early 356 cars – Hans Waibel. Waibel had close ties to Dr. Porsche before and after WWII including building two prototypes and a commission to produce two show cars in 1948. The car is truly a forefather to the later factory 356 cars with such details as a curved windshield. It carries a unique provenance with ownership history including some of the major players in early Porsche history including M. Debrunner, president of VW AG Switzerland, and Ruprecht von Senger. Von Senger financed and established the early Porsche dealership network in Europe much like Max Hoffman would do later in the U.S. in 1953. The car was last registered in Switzerland in 1959. It was put into storage for some 20 years and eventually sold to Michael Rizzuto, a restoration specialist in the United States . Mr. Rizzuto sold the car in unrestored condition to film producer Monty Montgomery in 1988. Mr. Montgomery commissioned a full restoration and upon completion in 1992 it was exhibited at Pebble Beach. The car remains in beautiful condition to this day. This is truly a historic automobile and an authentic predecessor to the factory Porsche 356 Cabriolets that were to be built in later years.

I wonder now where and when we shall meet again?