How many Porsche 356 SL are there in Belgium?

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One of the rarer cars that could be seen on last weekend’s InterClassics show in Brussels, was a Porsche 356 SL, with SL for Super Leight.

Just 4 of these racers were built between 1950 and 1951. They came with aerodynamically improved and significantly lighter (aluminium, naturally) bodies and used improved suspension to make them stiffer and higher power outputs. They weighed 120kgs less than a standard 356.

Perhaps it is no surprise then that the 356 SL is the car that drew Porsche to Le Mans for the first time in 1951, immediately winning its class for under 1100s. In September that year another 1.5-litre powered SL set a land speed record at the Montlhery circuit near Paris when it covered just under 11,000kms in 72 hours time, averaging well over 150km/h.

The car on display at InterClassics was one owned by the Porsche Museum, but we have come across a Belgian car that’s been in restoration for many years. This car was owned by speed freak Dolf Deridder for decades before being sold after his death. It was owned by – we believe - a mister Mertens afterwards, who sent us the picture below some five years ago, after which we lost track of him and the car. Who knows more about it?

(Words Jeroen Booij, pictures InterClassics / Jeroen Booij archive)

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