MULTI-GENERATIONAL

Multi-Generational

The story of two Porsches and 3 generations of the same family who’ve kept them going since 1979.

Spanning 3 generations of the same family, Brent Hanke’s black 356 is one of the best “lived in” examples you could hope to see of Porsche’s first sports car. It’s not hard to find these in restored condition, there are plenty of tastefully patinated ones around and we’ve all seen our fair share of outlaw builds too.

The Hanke family 356 is an heirloom car, and that means something quite different. Nothing is obviously modified, nothing too contrived, just a solid survivor with a maintenance routine and a set of owners who can whisper to its needs like they were born to it, and some of them actually were. The story began in 1979, and Brent recalls it well.

“I remember being picked up from school in the car, it was also the first car I ‘drove’ around the block, sitting on dad’s lap. He used it once in a while to drive to work, sometimes cussing the car out to get it started after sitting too long.

Years before that he founded Autosport Limited, a small shop with a focus on German auto repair and full restorations. He was pretty detail oriented, so the restorations were pretty legit, expanding to vintage Jaguars, Mercedes, and Porsches. Our 1959 356 was originally a customer owned car that my dad used to service, until he purchased it himself.”

It’s a special story, but the 356 isn’t the only character in it. Garaged alongside it is a 930 Turbo in a matching shade of black, also bought by Brent’s father in 1979. He didn’t quite buy it new, the car was already 3 years old, but Turbo connoisseurs will know that to mean it was among the very first produced, with the original 3 litre engine and the seldom seen “Turbo Carrera” emblem on the back.

“My dad loved the Turbo” continues Brent. “It was on all his business checks and letterheads. I have pictures of me and my brother with the car when we were kids including one of me in the driver’s seat. It was his pride and joy.”

“I remember being picked up from school in the car, it was also the first car I ‘drove’ around the block, sitting on dad’s lap."

“He later sold the Turbo in 1986 and always regretted it. He would often say, ‘I wonder where that car is’."

Back in 1979, owning a 356 and a matching 930 Turbo under one roof would have represented two polar opposites of the Porsche spectrum. One was a race-derived rocket ship from the era of Star Wars and the Apple II, the other was a tasteful two door coupe developed in a former sawmill in the austere years of post-war Europe. As a pairing, they make for quite the metaphor for 20th century progress.

“He later sold the Turbo in 1986 and always regretted it. He would often say, ‘I wonder where that car is.’ When he died, I found a file with all the documents on the car as well as a brochure from the Councours d’Elegance where he first saw it. I used the VIN from the documents and found the car for sale in the Netherlands. At first, I only dreamt of buying the car, but eventually I knew I had to have it. I had the car delivered to the US, and Marco from TLG Auto helped me to fix all the ‘wrongs’. My brother and I then spent some time together on delivery day going over the car, reliving memories of dad taking us on spirited drives, and toasting to his memory”.

Despite the years of separation, the two cars look uncannily at home alongside one another. The 930 is now back on the road after its long holiday in Europe, and Brent’s own children are getting acquainted with how their father’s childhood was spent in and around the very same cars.

“They do enjoy helping me with them. I’ve had the opportunity to show my kids how to adjust the carbs and the timing on the 356, and we’ve fixed a few oil and fuel leaks too. On the 930, the boys and I went through the brakes and replaced the master cylinder. Right now we’ve only been on drives in the country but one day I’d love to take the family to Monterey in the 930, just like I remember doing with dad.”