FROM MY REVIEWS IN THE 356 REGISTRY:

Paul Frère has written some of the most important books for the Porsche Library, including PORSCHE 911 STORY, now in its 6th edition, and THE RACING PORSCHES.  He is also the favorite road tester or new Porsches for ROAD & TRACK.  He won LeMans in 1960, driving for Ferrari.  However, reading his new autobiography, MY LIFE FULL OF CARS (list $39.95), it is apparent that he is much more of an all rounder.  He won his class in the Mille Miglia in 1953 driving a Chrysler Saratoga.  The race is interesting in that it was a standard car with Torqueflite but absolutely without brakes for the last 400 (of 1000) miles.  Frère was racing it, after Jaguar turned him down with a Mark VII.  He beat a privately entered Mark VII by 2.5 hours.  In 1956, he was offered a 300SL by Neubauer, Rennleiter of the Mercedes team, and a Dauphine 850 by Renault.  Having recently been injured in a big time accident in a Ferrari sports racer, he opted for the Renault – “which was quite quick for such a little car: however, it retained the disastrous standard rear suspension with the result that I rolled it and ended up in a field.  The car was not hopelessly damaged, though the front wheels toed slightly out; it was put back on to the road with the help of spectators and went on to finish the race…  Gilberte Thirion, the Belgian girl driver … drove brilliantly to win the class.”  Gilberte Thirion was better known for her exploits in a Gmund 356SL.  In 1957 Frère again drove a Dauphine, this time with a modified suspension (still basically a VW/Porsche swing axle), took second in class by 3 seconds after a clutch adjustment and beat his time in the Chrysler.

Frère owned both a 356A super and then a 1960 S-90.  He thought the 356A an overall better car.  Specifically, he didn’t think the camber compensator helped the handling, but made the car ride poorly. MY LIFE FULL OF CARS has less 356 Porsche content than a 356 aficionado would want but is fascinating precisely for it’s broad range. 

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