A pair of red and rare Porsches that have never seen an Australian Porsche showroom will be going under the hammer at Shannons Winter Classic Auction on Monday June 2.
Neither the Porsche Junior tractor of the late 1950s, nor the mid-engined Porsche 914 built in the early 1970s were ever sold in Australia, however a small number of these now rare and increasingly collectable classics have been imported privately over the years by enthusiasts of the marque.
The bright red 1958 Porsche Junior Type 108 Short Tractor being sold by Shannons was one of more than 125,000 single, two, three and four-cylinder diesel-engined Porsche tractors built from the mid-1950s until the early 1960s.
Powered by a single cylinder air-cooled 822cc engine, this Junior was purchased from a farmer in Southern Germany, where it underwent a comprehensive restoration before being privately imported into Australia by the present owner in late 2006.
Unlike early Porsche cars, most Porsche tractors have long disappeared after tough working lives on farms across Europe, with surviving examples proving popular with Porsche collectors around the world.
Perhaps the best-known owner is Porsche CEO Dr Wendelin Wiedeking, who employs both a ‘Junior’ and a two-cylinder ‘Standard’ on his hobby potato farm near Stuttgart.
At its expected hammer price of $20-$25,000, the Porsche tractor would make a fascinating addition to an eclectic Porsche collection.
Also rare in Australia are the four-cylinder Porsche 914 and much rarer six cylinder 914/6 roadsters.
This progenitor of the Boxster was originally introduced in 1969 as an affordable sibling to the 911 and went on to become a sales hit – particularly in America, where its fashionable ‘targa’ styling and mid-engined layout captured the imagination of a generation of sports car enthusiasts.
The 914 being auctioned by Shannons is a fully-restored example that has been carefully and progressively upgraded since arriving in Australia in the early 1990s.
Starting life as a four-cylinder 914, the Porsche was professionally rebuilt to 914/6 specification with a six-cylinder Porsche engine, a 5-speed Type-901 gearbox and was converted to right-hand drive for its Sydney owner.
Following a bare metal respray, the interior was re-trimmed in black leather and its suspension was upgraded to handle the extra power.
Shannons expect this rare six-cylinder 914 to sell for $20-$28,000.
For media information and publication quality photos, please contact:
Michael Browning (03) 9879 9111 / 0418 324 328
For further auction information, contact:
Christophe or Greg on (03) 8543 2288 or 0413 567 308.