Porsche did not necessarily intend to create one of the greatest-ever sportscars when it developed the 356 Speedster; the objective was to offer a simple, attainable model for the dedicated club racer.

The provenance of this example, known locally as “The Monterey Speedster,” perfectly encapsulates not just the spirit of utility—and versatility—baked into the Speedster’s humble design, but also the astounding passion for motorsport harbored by its original owner, Bill Hewitt.

Essentially willed into being by Max Hoffman, the bare-bones 356 Speedster proved to be extremely competitive both in the showroom and on the track.

The model quickly became so ubiquitous (especially in Central California) that it usually took a Speedster to beat a Speedster; 60-horsepower “Normals” and 75-horsepower “Supers” competed in different classes, and both versions proved both dominant and reliable.

Already a noted motorsports photographer and SCCA racer by the time of the model’s debut, Monterey resi...