One of 12 delivered new to the section SAS (Surveillancegroep Autosnelwegen) of the Dutch Rijkspolitie in 1962 1962 Porsche 356B 1600 Cabriolet Rijkspolitie Coachwork by Reutter Chassis no. 156096 Engine no. 811648 The car offered here is one of the first batch of 12 Porsche 356B Cabriolets out of a total of some 40 delivered new to the Rijkspolities SAS section. Only three are known to survive: one in the USA, one in the Porsche Centrum Nederland, and this example in private hands. In 1962, the Rijkspolitie (Dutch Police) set up its Surveillancegroep Autosnelwegen (Motorway Surveillance Group) to patrol these new high-speed highways. At that time there was no speed limit on Dutch motorways and no guard rails either. Accidents were frequent and often fatal. Seeking a solution to this serious problem, a Rijkspolitie delegation consulted the German Police in Nordrhein Westfalen on how best to manage Hollands 500-kilometre motorway network. The autobahn was, after all, a German invention. Since 1956 the German police had adopted a policy of overtaking surveillance using Porsche sports cars. Motorists deemed to be driving at excessive speed were monitored, overtaken and forced to stop. This high-profile presence and firm action had a powerful deterrent effect. Commencing in November 1960, this approach was trialled by the Rijkspolitie using a single Porsche 356 Cabriolet. The trial was successful and resulted in the creation in 1962 of the SAS, initially with 12 Porsches. The vehicle offered here is one of those 12 356B sports cars. An elite force, the SAS underwent a rigorous selection procedure: they were required to have good driving skills and road traffic expertise, to be in excellent physical condition and be at least 25 years old. They also had to be married, preferably with children, it being considered that these responsibilities would inhibit them from taking unnecessary risks. As one would expect, this group of Porsche-driving motorway cops, with their white cars and matching helmet, tunic and long overcoat, attracted a lot of media attention. A period copy of de Auto magazine featuring a Rijkspolitie 356 is on file. The car we offer was delivered new by Pons Automobielhandel, Holland to the Rijkspolities Sectie Bijzondere Verkeerstaken (Special Traffic Tasks Section) and first registered in the Netherlands on 21st March 1962. It spent the next four years in police service, known by the call sign ALEX 2707, and was assigned to the Van Rijn/De Steen surveillance team for the entire period. Their field of operations was highway 2/26/4/4a. ALEX 2707 stayed with the Rijkspolitie until 1966, by which time it had travelled more than 190,000 kilometres and received a replacement engine (Porsche certificate on file). At the end of its service all the police equipment was removed and the car sold as a standard 356B Cabriolet. The Porsche is believed to have remained in the Netherlands, where it was purchased in 2004 by the current vendors father, who bought the 356 not knowing it was a former police car. A short while later, the Dutch Police contacted the owners family to tell them they had an ex-police Porsche 356 and asked if it would be possible to come and look at the car. It was only then (circa 2005) that the quest began to obtain all the original police parts for this Rijkspolitie Porsche. It was to prove exceedingly difficult to find the Rijkspolitie equipment that had been removed prior to sale, and the restoration was not finally completed until 2012. The car is now equipped with all the original fittings with which it was delivered new, and was even re-sprayed after restoration because the white paint used was not the correct shade for this particular 356. The engine has been changed again and is now a Type 616/16 dating from 1964. Fully overhauled 1,000 kilometres ago, it is a 1,600cc SC unit producing 95bhp. The odometer was zeroed at time of restoration and is currently reading 30,400 kilometres. Original Rijkspolitie features (not all connected) include the original blue AUR beacon; STOP sign; Storno radio telephone (VHF); radio antenna; Pye amplifier; twin internal rear view mirrors; control buttons; ammeter; rear-mounted loudspeaker; correct stickers; and Rijkspolitie clothing including helmets. Apart from the addition of oil pressure and oil temperature gauges and tripmaster, the car is exactly as it was when delivered new to the Dutch Police. Accompanying documentation includes the aforementioned Porsche certificate listing the cars original specification and recording its returns to Porsche for routine maintenance. This document also records that the 356 was fitted with the transmission from a Super 90. The car also comes with a copy of the first Dutch registration; the original Dutch plates HG-12-27; copy plans of the interior police equipment; Storno radio owners manual; period photos (digital) from the Rijkspolitie; Belgian Car-Pass showing post-restoration odometer readings; and Belgian registration papers. A rare and fascinating piece of Dutch motoring history.
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 09:22:57 +0000
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