Burgundy red and cream, cream taped front. Race No 125
With thanks to photographer Bill Wagenblatt (bill@historicmotorprints.com) on https://sportscardigest.com/2022-velocity-invitational/.
Download this in pdf at http://dmtrg.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Porsche-356-Uwe-Biegner-profile-2022.pdf
Uwe raced his sublime Porsche 356 in our group 2 at the Velocity Invitational in October 2022 at Laguna Seca. That’s the 1947-1955 race cars, the Del Monte Trophy race group, so called because many of these cars competed at Pebble Beach for that trophy in the 50s. It’s our honour to have Uwe and his car on track with us. We caught up with him in the paddock…
“Hello. My name is Uwe Biegner. I’m originally from Germany and I married my wife Diana almost 12 years ago. I come from Mainz, 15 miles west of Frankfurt on the River Rhein. I moved to California in 2012 after marrying Diana. She was also into cars, old Porsches. I was into old Porsches since I was 17 years old. I originally studied technical engineering specialising in aerospace technology, then I went into an entirely different profession, working in a casino [from chips to chips! Ed.].
“I volunteered in Formula One more than 30 years ago and that got me into the idea of racing. I was doing hill-climbing because in the beginning that would’ve been my only car and I did not want to damage it. On a hill climb there is only one car at a time so only the driver is responsible. Nobody else can run into you. In the early 2000s I bought a 59 Porsche coupe from ProDrive in England that was already equipped for racing. I prepare the car myself and still race it at European vintage events, Nürburgring, Le Mans and many others.
“Most of the year we live in San Diego. I have raced at Willow Springs, Laguna Seca, Sears Point and used to race on the base at Coronado which ran for 19 years, closing in 2016. I now work preparing race cars, mostly Porsches and go back to Europe at least once a year. Then we participate at Nurburgring and other events in Europe. In 2022 we visited Goodwood for the first time, but I have never got to race there. Yet.
“So this car I’m racing at the Velocity Invitational 2022 is a 1953 Porsche 356 coupe with the 1500cc engine, pre A, and with the bent windshield. It was sold new in Germany to a Mr Lawson from Los Angeles who was doing service at the USAF airbase at Frankfurt. He raced with the HMSC, a British American gentleman’s club which still exists today. After a few events in Germany 1954 he shipped the 356 to Los Angeles. I never got to meet him but I met his son. Lawson died around 1992 and his son Eric sold the car shortly afterwards to a collector in Huntington Beach whom I know. Then it went to Pete Jacoby in Tucson Arizona.
“In 2013 the car was up for sale and I called the second owner Bill Perone in Huntington Beach. Bill had a bunch of old records from the car all the way back to the early days in Germany. Eric Larson had a few old photos and also a little model of his dad’s 356. The two-tone livery with the tape on the front including the numbers made out of tape are very unique, totally original and help to identify the car. In 2018 at the Porsche Rennsport Reunion at Laguna Seca I had the car displayed (photo, right). A gentleman from Sweden came over and he showed me a photo of it in his collection. The original color was Pasha red (burgundy) and later it had been changed yellowish in the late 60s. I put it back to the original livery you see today.
“The racing Porsche has a 70 hp 1500cc Super engine (type 528) which was the most powerful you could have at the time, 1953. It’s a two piece engine which was essentially a VW engine and modified. My engine is period correct. I am running Avon tires, having had very good experience with them in Europe. The wheels are a standard 16 x 3.25 inches. Velocity 2022 was probably the first time this car has been on a real race track. All the previous races happened on airports and more or less closed public streets a long time ago.
“It’s original only once” 356 Werkstatt
Porsche Zentrum Mannheim » Motorsport Fahrer
Tam’s Old Race Car Site
The interview was with Marcus Bicknell at Laguna Seca in October 2022. marcus@marcusbicknell-com
Uwe Biegner’s 1953 Porsche 356 Coupe is Del Monte Trophy Race Group register No.38. More at http://dmtrg.com/cars/