Porsche 356 Rod Emory Outlaw

While this 356 C includes a digital copy of its Kardex warranty card that confirms how it left the factory 59 years ago when it was delivered to Mahag Porsche of Munich, Germany on 6 July 1964 (Ruby Red over Black leather with chrome plated wheels and a set of black Coco Mats), the Emory modifications of course are all the more enticing. For starters, all Emory builds begin with a completely stripped unibody. As required on many older Porsches, all of the rust and other body imperfections are remedied and metal finished so that each build begins with a truly straight, rust-free chassis. In fact, it’s a signature of Emory to show off groups of gleaming 356s in bare metal smartly fit with bumpers, hoods, doors, and engine lids before receiving paint. Like the select few before it, chassis number 160742 received the same painstaking, individual treatment.

Constructed for a Beverly Hills-based client, Emory and his team worked their magic to produce a 356 that appears to be subtly modified at first glance; yet when the details are revealed, the depth of the project becomes clearer. To start with, it received a new color, 6401 Slate Grey. The front of the Cabriolet received bumper-mounted Marchal driving lights, the hood is held tight to the body with leather straps, a GT-style center-fill fuel tank hole has been cut to fill the 18-gallon fuel cell, and the hood handle has been deleted. Side view bullet-style mirrors have moved to the front fenders while the rear retains a mostly stock appearance, with the exception of the dual exhaust system exiting from under the rear bumper. A black fabric soft top and custom tonneau cover round out the exterior. The interior features red leather upholstery on the seats, door panels, and dash pad, while oatmeal square-weave carpeting trims the lower sections. Again, to reinforce the subtlety of this Outlaw, most would notice the wood-rimmed, three-spoke Nardi steering wheel, yet a closer look at the gauges, starting from the left, reveals a triple 904-style gauge measuring oil temperature and pressure and fuel level, a tachometer with a raised redline, and a 160 mile per hour speedometer. All subtle nods to the technical modifications contained within.

A lift of the twin-grille engine lid reveals that there is no conventional, or even modified 1,600 cc pushrod Type 616 engine powering this Outlaw Cabriolet. Per Emory’s build sheet, a 2.4-liter, 911 style twin-plug flat-four powers this 356 with its 185 horsepower sent to the rear wheels through an aluminum-cased four-speed 901 transmission. It breathes through two, dual 48 mm Weber IDA carburetors and a twin outlet, stainless steel exhaust system. A remote oil cooler is employed to reduce engine temperatures that an engine creating two and a half times the stock power will produce. Bringing all that power to a halt are 356 C-style disc brakes hiding behind custom billet center-lock alloy wheels, measuring 15 x 5.5 inches all around. Underneath, 901 independent rear suspension with custom-narrowed trailing arms with front and rear sway bars keep this Outlaw under control at speed.

To say that an Emory Outlaw is simply more than the sum of its parts is a gross understatement. With 185 horsepower and weighing in at approximately 2,000 pounds, it harbors impressive performance with Rod Emory himself commenting that it is, “such a great car to drive.” In September of 2022, its new caretaker returned it to Emory to make sure it was on the button and once again, most recently to prepare it for sale this August in Monterey. While there may be many custom 356s roaming the roads of the American West Coast, Emory Outlaws are without a doubt a cut above. With graceful lines, subtle modifications, and more than ample power this 356 C Emory Outlaw Cabriolet proves that in spades.