1963 Porsche 356 B Carrera 2 2000 GS

Among the last of those 278 B-Series Carrera 2 GS Coupes produced by Porsche, chassis 122629 was completed at Zuffenhausen on 3 December 1962 and destined for the United States clad in Ivory (6204) over blue leatherette with blue carpets. By 14 December, it had been delivered to John von Neumann’s famous Los Angeles-area Porsche distributorship, Competition Motors, and sold new to its first owner—a Dr. Clifford Earl Easley of Torrance, California. For his part, Dr. Easley is likely to have paid around $7,500 for the privilege of owning an example of Porsche’s most radical, powerful, and expensive production car then available. By 1999, this Carrera 2 had turned up in the care of a noted early 911 and 356 Porschephile from northern New Jersey. Around this time, the car is believed to have been entirely refinished in its factory-correct color combination, although the German square weave carpets were updated to a pleasing gray shade. Different Porsche 356 owners’ registry entries from 2002 and 2003 note 122629’s subsequent condition as “concours, restored.” Additionally, at this time this Carrera 2 GS was updated with an attractive suite of “Deluxe” type improvements including Marchal headlamps and fog lamps, lap belts, an Eberspächer gasoline heater, and wood-rimmed steering wheel. In 2006, it was acquired by another New Jersey-based Porsche enthusiast, and registered with the cheeky historic plate, “4 CAM.” During his nine years of ownership, this Carrera 2 was regularly looked after by the award-winning Porsche specialists at Paterek Brothers, and in 2006 they fitted a complete set of factor-correct, ultra-rare Porsche ATE annular brakes. Observation of 122629’s present equipment shows that it still is powered by the numbers-matching, 2.0-liter, Type 587/1 engine unit as listed on its factory Kardex. At the time of the 2000 GS’ 1962 release, the 547/1 was Porsche’s most radical production version of the Fuhrmann-designed, double-overhead cam, air-cooled, four-cylinder “boxer” engine. Exceptionally compact and power-dense, the 587/1 can propel the 2000 GS Carrera 2 to around 60 mph in only 9.2 seconds and onto a maximum speed just shy of 125 mph. Chassis 122629 was purchased by the White Collection in 2015, and since then has been sparingly enjoyed, though always admired; it has been started and run to operating temperature monthly while in the collection. Its future caretaker could undoubtedly present this car with pride at regional concours d’elegance and marque gatherings. It is accompanied by an owner’s manual and service books, tools, a Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, and a selection of invoices from previous ownership. Sure to bring a smile to the face of any fervent Porsche enthusiast, this handsome Carrera 2 2000 GS Coupe represents a pivotal expression of Zuffenhausen’s famed Carrera nameplate, epitomizing the manufacturer’s continued dedication to building competition-bred performance cars.