PORSCHE 356 CRUISE-IN AT THE PETERSEN

The Petersen is far and away the best car museum Southern California has to offer and one of the most important automotive galleries in the country, host to exhibits either curated from their Vault collection or cars brought in on loan to craft something special. 

Cruising In

Of the events they hold throughout the year, their weekend Cruise-Ins that take place on the top level of their parking structure bring together the best of the local car culture.   

This past weekend was stellar with the 5th Annual Porsche 356 Cruise-In.

If you get up early enough on a Sunday morning in LA, you’re treated to a mostly empty freeway and are likely joined by classics, hot rods and the occasional super car heading to their respective cars and coffee or any such events. 

I arrived at The Petersen just after 7am, stunned to see the number of 356’s already lined up.

Enthusiasts and owners alike rubbed elbows over coffee and bagels. 

As cars continued to file in, the fog eventually lifted, giving way to all manner of 356es—some polished, some patina’d, all set to just the right amount of sun. 

The turnout was smaller than in years past. However, it made for a more intimate experience with the owners.   

In the Beginning

The Porsche 356 was designed as a prototype in 1948 by Ferry Porsche, inspired by his father Ferdinand’s design of the VW Beetle and in 1951 it would become the first car bearing the Porsche name. 

The post-war roadster utilized the air-cooled flat four engine from the Beetle.  It brought about the iconic Speedster and eventually stopped production in 1965, lending inspiration for the production of the first 911.   

A little-known fact is that over half of Porsche 356’s delivered to the United States were sold in Southern California.

Crushing It

Among the cars on display, set off to the side of the line up in a striking “Orange” paint job, was a time capsule of a 1965 356SC. 

Those familiar with the car will know its prominent former owner, comedian and modest car collector Jerry Seinfeld, whose considerable share of his roughly 150 cars being Porsches themselves. 

As someone close to Seinfeld put it,”  this car was a  diamond sitting underneath a pile of larger diamonds.”

The host of Spike’s Car Radio, Spike Feresten,  who wrote for the likes of David Letterman, and Jerry Seinfeld's lawyer and new owner Paul Zuckerman were on hand, showing the car and gave a roundabout  on how it came into Zuckerman’s possession and the level of uniqueness of this Chick Iverson 356.

Chick Iverson was a dealer out of Newport Beach and had this car in his show room, the car was never titled and had a paint code that didn’t match with any other car, it’s simply “Orange”. 

This car has it all—from the wood wheel, the chrome rims the machine turned door seal plate—to the Talbot mirror, of which 356s were delivered without. 

Waxing Poetic

Perhaps the coolest tidbit shared was if looked for in the right places underneath the car, the waxy substance Cosmoline remains on some suspension components.

Cosmoline is a petroleum-based product was put under the whole of the car so they wouldn’t rust as they were crossing the ocean on delivery. 

Once cars would arrive at  dealership, mechanics would use kerosene and water to remove the Cosmoline. However, they were instructed by Chick Iverson not to remove the Cosmoline as this car was never to be driven.

Details like the Cosmoline, combined with the fact that it has less than 7,500 miles driven make this untouched 356 the most original preservation car in the world.   

A true time capsule.