How One Collector Commissioned the Only Stretch Limousine From a 1953 Porsche 356

John Dixon already owned a building full of Porsches when he decided his daughter’s wedding needed something more personal than a rented car. Around 2001 he asked Don Boeke, the Dayton customizer known as The Egyptian, to turn a tired 1953 Pre-A 356 into a four-door limousine.

Boeke and his crew chopped and grafted components from several stripped 356 chassis, retaining the original curved window front end, a rare find that had come directly from a French market car via the Sonauto importer. As a result, this show-stopper extends much beyond the 152-inch stock length of a standard 356 coupe; the back half retains the instantly recognizable beehive tail lights and engine cover, but the middle section is entirely new metal.

A coat of Grand Prix White paint wraps around the expanded body, complete with matching body-colored bumpers and 15-inch steel wheels outfitted with those excellent wide-whitewall tires and Porsche crest hubcaps that offer a certain something. In addition, there are some snazzy custom “Limousine” script badges on the front fenders and back panel. The front doors remain mostly unchanged, while the rear pair of doors hinge in the back and open into a distinct passenger zone separated by a glass wall. The period semaphore indicators remain on the B-pillars, a tan fabric sunroof panel stands above the rear seats, and a baggage rack rests atop the engine lid. Chrome window surrounds and refinished Reutter badges complete the look.



Inside the back cabin, you’ll discover a bench seat with fold-down backs opposite a wood-trimmed divider that now stores an indoor-outdoor thermometer, a Veigel clock, and recessed holders perfect for champagne flutes. The rear side windows have Venetian shades, footrests slide out from the floor, and the seats, door panels, and floor are still covered in the gorgeous tan leatherette with cloth inserts. The floor is carpeted in the same color throughout. Up front, the bucket seats are made of the same materials, and the body-colored dashboard still houses the original-style VDO instruments, with a blanking plate covering the radio aperture. Air suspension controls are discreetly placed in the glove box, allowing the car to be modified on the fly to accommodate passengers.



Power comes from a flat-four sourced from a later 912, which Yuri Rojas refurbished in Dayton, rebuilding the pistons for greater grunt, installing a hotter camshaft, and twin dual-throat carbs. The four-speed manual transaxle is still chugging along in the back, giving power to all four wheels via a pair of hydraulic drum brakes. The increased length and weight made air suspension a practical feature for transporting people and luggage without sagging the entire vehicle. Following the wedding, the limousine was housed at Dixon’s Taj Ma Garaj collection in Dayton before being sold at the estate sale by RM Sotheby’s in 2019 for a sizable $207,200. From there, it was driven to the American Muscle Car Museum in Melbourne, Florida, where it now bears a Florida title despite having barely traveled about 120 miles. Check out the BaT auction here.
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