VEHICLE SPOTLIGHT | 1948 PORSCHE 356 BUCK

1948 PORSCHE 356 BUCK

Porsche constructed the early examples of the 356 at its makeshift facility in Gmünd, Austria, between 1947 and 1949. These vehicles featured hand-hammered aluminum bodies designed by Erwin Komenda. The automotive buck was used to create the body of the 356, serving as a point of reference and allowing metalworkers to test-fit the complex panels. A buck speeds up the process of forming the body but also greatly improves accuracy. When Ferry Porsche moved the company back to Stuttgart, production resumed with steel-bodied vehicles instead of hard-to-source aluminum.

COURTESY OF Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG