Porsche 356

Worldwide, thousands of 356 owners maintain the tradition, preserving their cars and driving them regularly. The images on these cards are generally based on colored photographs, and are readily identified by the glossy appearance given by the paper's coating. Today the Porsche 356 is a well regarded collector car that has stood the test of time. The last and current postcard era, which began about 1939, is the "photochrome" or "chrome" era. In 2004, Sports Car International named the 356C number ten on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s. The "linen card" era lasted from about 1930 to 1945, when cards were primarily printed on papers with a high rag content. The 356's engine was later re-used to power Porsche's "entry level" 912 model, produced between 1965 and 1969, after customers complained that the 911, at almost twice the price of the 356, was too expensive. The "white border" era, named for obvious reasons, lasted from about 1916 to 1930.

356 production peaked at 14,151 cars in 1964, the year that the new 911 model went on the market, although the company continued to sell the 356C in North America through the end of 1965 as a lower-cost vehicle (the late Janis Joplin had a 356C cabriolet which was psychedelically painted). Thus began the Golden Age of American postcards, which lasted until about 1915, when World War I blocked the import of the fine German-printed cards. The final model, the 356C, featured disc brakes and the most powerful pushrod engine Porsche ever produced: the 95HP "SC". The "divided back" card, with space for a message on the address side, came into use in the United States in 1907. Coupe and cabriolet models were produced every year up to 1965, with the last 356B Roadster built in early 1963. This "undivided back" is what gives this postcard era its name. While the 356 model changed over time with various mechanical refinements, the basic shape remained the same and was instantly recognizable year to year. Written messages were still restricted to the front side, with the entire back dedicated to the address.

Production of the Speedster peaked at 1,171 cars in 1957, and it was replaced in 1959 by the Convertible D model, which featured a taller, more practical windshield, glass side windows, and more comfortable seats. 1901 brought cards with the word "Post Card" printed on the reverse (the side without the picture). (and its sequel Another 48 Hrs.), and Top Gun. A correspondent's writing was allowed only on the front side of these cards. The now much coveted Speedster (which often sell for over $100,000) was later used in a number of films, including - 48 Hrs. Shortly thereafter the United States government, via the United States Postal Service, allowed printers to publish a 1-cent postcard (the "Penny Postcard"). With it's low, raked windshield (easily removable for weekend racing), bucket seats, and minimal folding top, it was an instant hit. The first postcard in the United States was created in 1893 to advertise the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, Illinois.

The 356 "Speedster" was introduced in late 1954 after Max Hoffman, the sole importer of Porsches into the United States, told the company that they needed a lower cost, racier version for the American market. The idea is that it stands out and cannot be filed away in a folder somewhere. The original selling price of a late 50's Porsche was nearly $4,000, the price of a Cadillac!. Some activists create oversized postcards on poster boards urging action on a particular issue and mail them to public officials' offices. 356 "Carrera" (with a special racing engine), "Super 90" and "Speedster" models are among the most desirable versions; 356 Carrera models often sell for well over $150,000 USD. The study and collecting of postcards is termed deltiology. It was initially available as a coupé, cabriolet (luxury convertible) and later a roadster (a stripped down convertible) and went through several evolutions before being retired in 1965. The art form is called mail art.

had designed. In the art world the postcard can also be translated into an art object. The 356 concept was created by Ferdinand "Ferry" Porsche (Ferry being a nickname), styled by Erwin Komenda, and mechanically derived from the Volkswagen Beetle, which Ferdinand Porsche Sr. While a postcard is usually printed by a private company, individual or organization, a postal card is issued by the relevant postal authority. It was preceded by the Porsche 64, which has lead to some argument over which car is officially the first Porsche, although the Type 64 was never mass-produced and was never much more than a driveable test-mule. It is distinguished by stamp collectors from a postal card in that the postage is pre-printed on the latter, whereas a postcard requires a stamp. The Porsche 356 was a Porsche sports car sold from 1948 through 1965, and Porsche's first production automobile. A postcard or post card is a typically rectangular piece of thick paper or thin cardboard intended for writing and mailing without an envelope and at a lower rate than a letter.

Porsche 550 Spyder. ISBN 0-75252-072-5. Parragon. Porsche: The Legend.

Wood, J (1997).