1960 356 RSR 'Outlaw' Sells for $858,000 at RM Sotheby's

The 356 Outlaw that sold for $858,000

For most Porsche purists and enthusiasts, the idea of building a Porsche road/race car that is different from its original is sacrilege, but California-based custom car builder Rod Emory would beg to differ. For over 30 years, Rod, the owner of Emory Motorsports, has been building custom Porsche 356s. Each one is designed to suit the bespoke needs of its buyer. Rod fondly calls them 356 ‘Outlaws’. He has built more than 170 Porsche 356 outlaws to date and is still going strong. Rod hails from a family of custom car builders; he is the grandson of Neil Emory and son of Gary Emory, both renowned Porsche car rebuilders/restorers of their times.

Rod had long desired to explore the performance capabilities of the 356, so when Henrique Cisneros, owner of the renowned Italian car accessory marque MOMO, requested him to build a MOMO-inspired 356 that would be a true ‘Outlaw’, he didn’t hesitate to take up the project. The 1960 Porsche MOMO 356 RSR 'Outlaw' is indeed a force to reckon with both on the road and on the track. It features a twin-turbocharged engine that cranks out an output of close to 400 horsepower, and it also has many other bespoke features that make it different from most other 356 builds. This one of a kind 356 Outlaw was recently sold for an eye-watering $858,000 at RM Sotheby’s.      

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

MOMO Inspiration

The story of this 1960 Porsche 356 RSR Outlaw started when MOMO owner Henrique Cisneros chose to use a custom, performance-oriented classic car to showcase his brand’s capabilities. Because he knew Rod personally and was familiar with his life’s work, choosing Rod for the job was a no brainer.

Henrique asked Rod to pick out one iconic MOMO accessory (past or present) and then build a Porsche 356 around it. Rod chose the five-spoke MOMO wheels that adorned the 935,956, and 962 race cars of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. Given the racing pedigree of that 5-spoke MOMO wheel, the project car had to have a more performance-oriented look and feel, and it also had to drive like a race car.

Photo Courtesy of MOMO Italia

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The RSR Outlaw’s Front

Rod intentionally set out to bring out a raw, unfinished, and racy look in the RSR, and he certainly succeeded. It features bespoke, aluminum bodywork that has been crafted to make the car look beefier, and its riveted fender flares further emphasize that muscular look.  Its hood has a hood scoop, and under its foglights are three intimidating air vents.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

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That Rear!

The car’s rear end was cut short, leaving its classic tailpipes and its turbocharger assembly exposed. Its rear decklid also exposes much of the custom-tuned engine. Adorning the RSR’s bespoke bodywork is polished Charcoal grey paint.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

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MOMO Wheels

The 5-spoke MOMO wheels that inspired the entire build are painted black, and they are wrapped with the track-ready Pirelli P Zero tires.  

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

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Racecar Interior

The raw, unfinished look extends to the inside. The dashboard is still stock, as are its vintage gauges. However, it features a classic MOMO Prototipo steering wheel, a MOMO-branded Tilton pedal assembly, a retro-styled wooden knob for the gear shifter, and red MOMO racing seats with six-point MOMO safety harnesses.  

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

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964 Chassis

Hats off to the progressive nature of Porsche design and engineering. The fact that Rod was able to integrate the body of the 356 with the chassis of a Porsche 964 shows that Porsche doesn’t throw away car designs when launching new generations; they instead improve and build on running car platforms. With its stiffer 964 chassis, the MOMO 356 RSR Outlaw also got Eisenlohr Racing camber plates, Tarett Engineering anti-sway bars, and KW dampers.

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

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Porsche Rothsport Racing Engine

For the engine, Rod turned to Sherwood, Oregon-based Porsche racecar builders Rothsport Racing. Rothsport Racing are renowned for their outstanding custom-built air-cooled Porsche engines. They gave the MOMO 356 RSR Outlaw a twin-turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four gas engine with a Rothsport fuel injection system. The engine pairs with a G50 five-speed transaxle like the ones that were used on the 1987-1989 Porsche 911 Carrera models. Total output comes to 394 horsepower. Given the fact that the MOMO 356 RSR Outlaw weighs just under 2,000 pounds, this car enjoys a dreamy five-to-one power-to-weight ratio.   

Photo Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

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