Daily Slideshow: Glöckler-Porsche 356: Beauty Is More Than Skin Deep

Looks Aren't Everything

Porsches have always been renowned for things of beauty, not just speed. Spectacularly styled creations like the 356 and 911 are pure rolling pieces of art, in fact. Cars that have stood the test of time and become styling icons. And yet, the ugly duckling you see before you isn't what anyone might call "beautiful." Still, the Glöckler-Porsche 356 plays an important role in Porsche history as a car that helped shape the brand's now legendary racing program from the very start.

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Making Something Good Even Better

Walter Glöckler, a Frankfurt-based car dealer, and motorcycle racer was one of the earliest adopters of Porsche. He played around with them incessantly, to the point where he had built six 356 race cars by 1948, nearly as they rolled off the assembly line. The focus was more on speed than looks, obviously, as the hand-crafted and somewhat unsightly aluminum bodies weighed under 1,000 pounds. 

>>Join the conversation about Glöckler-Porsche's 356 right here in Rennlist.com.

Supporting the Cause

The result of Glöckler's work was quite successful, as the cars began racking up under-1000cc race wins across Germany almost immediately. Meanwhile, Porsche wasn't really in a position financially at the time to pursue racing endeavors, but they took notice of Glöckler's efforts. They offered full factory support for the team until 1953 when Porsche was making enough money to begin their own racing program.

>>Join the conversation about Glöckler-Porsche's 356 right here in Rennlist.com.

In the Eye of the Beholder

Over the years, Glöckler-Porsche took on many, shall we say, eccentric styles. They were designed to go fast, with no concern for anything else, after all. Using a mix of Porsche and Volkswagen parts, they all looked quite odd. But their success on the track is undeniable. This particular Glöckler was the seventh built, designed to take on the 1954 Mille Miglia. It's an odd duck for sure, but one that's worth an almost uncountable amount of money today.

>>Join the conversation about Glöckler-Porsche's 356 right here in Rennlist.com.

Famous, yet Not so Famous

Porsche engineer Ernst Fuhrmann himself built the Type 547 quad-cam engine, sourced from the 550 Spyder. But delays building the car meant it never made it to the starting line of the legendary Mille Miglia. Instead, the ugly duckling saw duty in the Liège-Rome-Liège rally, where it limped to the finish line with mechanical issues. Today, one lucky unnamed person owns the car, and it pops up at various shows and events around the world. Where we're pretty sure few Porsche fans even know what it is, despite its significance in the brand's history.

>>Join the conversation about Glöckler-Porsche's 356 right here in Rennlist.com.

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