I’ve driven a Porsche 356, specifically a 1956 A 1600, which was an extremely sweet car with surprisingly modern habits. Essentially a thoroughly reworked Volkswagen Beetle, the 356 transcends any of those admittedly humble roots. Valkyrie Racing went out and chose violence by putting tank tracks and skis on a 1956 Porsche 356 for a leg of a one-woman expedition led by Renee Brinkerhoff.
- Car: 1956 Porsche 356 A
- Location: Denver, CO
- Photog: Valkyrie Racing
- Camera: Unknown
From what I understand, this car has been Valkyrie Racing’s mascot car for Brinkerhoff’s world tour that has included La Carrera Panamericana, Targa Tasmania, and Peking-to-Paris, all in the name of ending child trafficking. In its many guises, the Valkyrie 356 has been intensely, achingly cool, and La Carrera Panamericana is something I dream of competing in.
Legendary U.K. Porsche specialist Richard Tuthill plays a large role in preparing the 356 for its global events, and this specialty car with tracks and skis is no different. When it comes to rally-spec Porsches, Tuthill is the only person to turn to. Thanks to some serious talent, the 356 has been turned into this micro-monster for the Antarctic leg of its global journey.
Kieron Bradley, another U.K.-based team member, has spent 18 months re-engineering the 356 to fit its tracks and skis. Apparently, the stock suspension could not handle skis, even under light load. So a new brace and system was designed to attach the skis. The final piece is navigator Jason de Carteret, world record holder in polar navigation and leader of more than 50 polar expeditions. Polar exploration can be deadly, so this amount of preparation is only appropriate. Best of luck to these folks on their journey and major props for an extremely unique car.
