1959 Porsche 356 Outlaw- 8 Year Professional Outlaw Build- Completed by Kirk Stowers and Braddy Refenning, 901 Shop in Florida- Wimbledon Green over Metropol Blue Interior- Jake...
1959 Porsche 356 Outlaw
- 8 Year Professional Outlaw Build
- Completed by Kirk Stowers and Braddy Refenning, 901 Shop in Florida
- Wimbledon Green over Metropol Blue Interior
- Jake Raby Built 2.3L 4-Cylinder Engine
- Proven 170HP, Dyno Tuned
- Motec Fuel Injection
- Custom B&B Exhaust
- Porsche 901 5-Speed Manual Transmission
- Porsche 911 Disc Brakes and Full Suspension
- Air Conditioning
- 12-Way Power 928 Seats
- Power Windows and Power Sunroof
- Cruise Control, Back Up Camera, and Satellite Radio
- 1k Miles or Less on the Rebuild - Trailer Queen (odometer not reset after being built)
- Ceramic Coated
- $400k plus 3-Year Wait to Build a Comparable Car!
Outlaw moniker is a relatively new thing in the Porsche world. Thanks to the style of build that Porsche builder Rod Emory began using, the “outlaw” style and name have been tacked on to many Porsche builds. Credited as the creator of the outlaw style, Mr. Emory took inspiration from both his grandfather, father, and other areas of car culture to produce unique Porsches that have a special flair. There are builds done in an “outlaw” style that are old Porsches which some may consider rough around the edges or well used, while others like the car you see here are built in a style that leaves no area overlooked and are finished to the highest standard.
This particular 356 was built by Kirk Stowers and Braddy Refenning of The 901 Shop, which is a Porsche focused shop that not only completes amazing builds, but is also involved in Porsche Motorsport. Having a car built by the 901 Shop is a feat in itself, but thanks to their expertise, this car is a feat in engineering and amazing build quality. The final product of this build is a handsome, masterfully built 356 Outlaw. Upgrades abound from top to bottom, with each being integrated in a way that does not detract from the 356's original styling. We dare say that many car enthusiasts may not even spot many of the subtle changes made to the car.
A few of the subtle styling changes we would like to highlight start with the exterior, in the form of front and rear bumpers which have no bumperettes, a glass sunroof, lower side moldings which have been centered between the fenders, pre-A 356 tail lamps, deleted rear reflectors, louvers added to the rear decklid, and a B&B exhaust having been added, which exits in the center of the rear bumper.
Oftentimes when undertaking a build like this car, deciding what color to paint the car is a monumental task. We think the owner of this car did very well with the color combination. As odd as it sounds, the Wimbledon Green over a dark blue interior makes for a stunning, sophisticated car. Wimbledon Green is known in Porsche enthusiast circles as a very rare color, and was available on 911, 928, and 968 models at various times between 1993 and 2008. The color is stunning, and truly accentuates the bulbous shape of the 356. The paint was clearly applied professionally, and shows amazing depth and clarity. Lots of time was clearly taken to make sure that all the body panels fit just right, and with the chrome trim throughout the car also lining up just as it should, it's hard to resist staring at the finished product. This was unabashedly a build with no budget.
The stance of this 356 is something to admire. Sitting with the rear wheels tucked is no surprise, but the front wheels also sit in very close proximity to the front fenders. The 911 suspension that has taken the place of the original components probably make dialing in a satisfactory ride height a bit easier, but also allow for the car to handle well. Standard looking chrome Porsche 10-slot wheels with “baby moon” hubcaps are wrapped in Michelin tires, and have been slightly widened from the standard 5.5” width to provide a larger contact patch with the road to handle the extra oomph from the engine in this particular 356.
By today's standard, the 356 interior was quite spartan. This build takes the simple interior yet another step further with well integrated “modern” features. Keeping with Porsche components, 928 seats trimmed in Metropol Blue leather take pride of place inside the car. A modern stereo with Bluetooth connection, reverse camera, cruise control are a few of the creature comforts. Also, air conditioning has been added, which consists of a panel housing the vents, and is nicely integrated at the bottom of the dashboard. Other highlights include a modern headlight switch, power windows and sunroof, perforated leather headliner, deleted rear seat, and speakers mounted at the rear of the car.
From the driver's vantagepoint, a beautiful wood-rimmed three spoke steering wheel frames the usual 3-gauge placement, though the gauges have been updated while retaining the stock look. The rev counter and speedometer now read higher numbers than the original gauges would have for this particular car. Metropol leather can be found throughout the interior, providing a nice contrast to the Wimbledon Green dashboard. The door cards are beautifully trimmed, and include chrome door pulls and window cranks.