The Elegant Side of the Shine Speed Shop Shines through on this Sexy 1953 Porsche 356
Goodguys and Porsches may seem like an unlikely pairing. Yet, once you lay eyes on Ron Sweet’s voluptuous, Jimmy Shine-built ’53 Porsche 356, conventional rules and labels fade into irrelevance.
What we have here is a stunning example of mid-century German industrial design from the golden age of the automobile. Dr. Ernie Nagamatsu, a good friend of Ron’s, found the carcass of the Porsche 356 decades ago, and after a five-year, expertly curated restoration, this Bauhaus beauty now shimmers as vibrantly as ever and became a Top Five finalist for the Meguiar’s 2025 West Coast d’Elegance honor.
Ron is a retired mechanical engineer and father of two, and this ’53 is the ninth Porsche he’s owned. “Ernie and I are partners in the car,” Ron told us. “He is a well-known vintage racer and has driven at tracks all over the world. Wherever he went he always inquired about vintage Porsche parts and amassed a big collection over the years. He donated the shell and the parts he collected to build this car. I took it from that point and finished it as you see it now.”
Ron contacted Jimmy Shine at Shine Speed Shop, and they embarked on a sympathetic strategy to restore the car to its former glory. This early Porsche is known as a “Pre-A” 356 coupe and is identified by its “bent” windshield, a tricky feat of engineering back in the day. According to our research, around 1,900 cars were built in 1953 and few survive today.
The coupe is now running a Tom Lieb-built, 2387cc four-cylinder engine backed up by a four-speed transmission. It’s equipped with many rare hop-up components from legendary air-cooled parts supplier Scat and puts out around 200hp. The car retains a factory correct torsion bar suspension, ZF steering box, and rolls on custom, 15-inch EVOD wheels with Carrera brakes and Michelin tires.
The car was treated to some metal magic from Jimmy and Paulo Dosdoglirian, which included a handmade aluminum deck lid and tucked bumpers. It then went to Hitoshi Umekage at Cambra Speed Shop to be sprayed out in PPG “Adria Bleu” with a smidgen of platinum pearl blended in.
Inside is a combination of sumptuous black leather, white Bakelite controls, and beige square-weave carpeting. A darn near priceless Telefunken radio was located and is now the centerpiece of the dash. The interior is simple, functional, and easy to use, all tenants of Bauhaus ideology.
Ron is an affable guy, and it was great fun talking to him. Along with Jimmy Shine and shop foreman Branden Johnson, they were the perfect curators of this car. Because of their hard work, this old Porsche 356 lives on, wowing crowds and keeping old-school German design alive.
Photos by Michael Christensen and Damon Lee
