Today’s news of the death of actor Luke Perry had me thinking a bit about what was, undoubtedly, his breakout role. As Dylan McKay in “Beverly Hills, 90210″ Mr. Perry was projected into literally millions of living rooms each week, for 199 episodes, becoming a 1990s teen idol. His character drove the totally cool and totally weird Porsche 356 seen above.
This is certainly a strange car. It’s an amalgamation of 356 parts from a few different generations of the iconic sports car. The body of the car is most definitely a 1961-64 “T6” chassis, as indicated by the shape of the front trunk, the long hood handle, and the twin grilles on the engine lid seen in this shot.
Based on some scuttlebutt online, this Porsche appears to have been a real 356B coupe with the top cut off and a Speedster-style windshield added later. It was likely built by the production company for use in the show. When you’re producing a showcase for attractive young actors, it’s best to have them in cars without tops, right?
60s Porsches were practically free in the 1990s, so the show probably just found a cheap sports car and chopped it up. I can’t help but wonder where it is now.
I was a little too young to *get* 90210, but I vividly remember this badass dude and his badass black Porsche. I won’t go so far as to say it was influential in my becoming a Porschephile, but I’m positive it must have been for some.
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Anyway, this is a weird way to eulogize someone, but I suppose it’s something.
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