1977 Porsche 911S Targa - Freshly restored

1977 Porsche 911 S Description

1977 Porsche 911S Targa Chocolate Brown over Cork interior - Freshly Restored and numbers matching – 800 miles on rebuilt engine - Owned by PCA member. Comes with COA from Porsche

This 911 was acquired in 2014 from the original owner in Welcome, Minnesota and restored by the gentleman I bought the car from in a period of 2 years. The car had been parked in the garage for years without moving and survived with absolutely no rust.

Here is the in-depth description of the work that went into bringing the car back to life:

This was a 2-year project with literally every part of the car being disassembled and evaluated, with anything needing attention being refinished or replaced. I would not hesitate to drive this car across the country tomorrow, the car is just that good.

Following is more detailed information.

Mechanicals:

The car starts, stops and drives exactly as you would expect from a car of this quality. It pulls hard and revs smoothly. The clutch is strong, the car brakes easily and in a straight line, and it runs cool with excellent oil pressure even in the 100+ degree Texas summer heat. The car shows no signs of prior accident repair and is 100% rust free. The mileage of 105,224 is thought to be original but is undocumented and, quite frankly, irrelevant on a restoration this extensive. All of the cosmetic work, and much of the mechanical work, was completed by the previous owner at his private facility by his in-house technicians (it was part of a 54 classic Porsche collection). Some of the specialty work was performed by Porsche professionals.

Each mechanical system of the car was fully inspected and repairs were performed as necessary.

They began with the brake system by rebuilding the calipers and installing new rotors, pads and lines as necessary. They also addressed the steering and suspension with new wheel bearings and front strut inserts. The fuel tank was removed and cleaned. Each part of the electrical system was evaluated and multiple switches, relays and other parts were replaced. A new battery was installed. The car rides on brand new Sumitomo HTR A/S P01 tires.

The engine, which started but ran poorly, was taken to Callas Rennsport in Sealy, Texas for a complete top-end rebuild. Michael Callas was considered one of the finest Porsche mechanics in the country prior to his sudden death last year and this was the last engine he personally built. It runs spectacularly. The car also received a brand new OEM clutch at this time. There are less than 800 miles on the rebuilt engine.

The original exhaust system, including the troublesome thermal reactors, was removed. In trying to keep the car as original as possible, a factory European exhaust system of the same vintage was acquired at significant expense, refurbished and installed.

Recently, the car was taken to Eagle Racing in Dripping Springs, Texas for some final details work. While there the suspension and ride height was adjusted and a 930 tie rod assembly was installed. It received a 4-wheel alignment, the shifter linkage was replaced and adjusted, the pedal cluster bushings were replaced, the starter was replaced, and the car received a final tune-up.

Exterior:

From every angle, the car presents beautifully in its original color of Chocolate Brown (paint code 408). The professional, glass-out respray is glossy and beautiful with no dents, scratches or door dings. If you've ever heard good cars described as "10-footers" and great cars described as "5-footers" then this car is a 1-footer. There are less than 400 miles on the fresh paint and it's absolutely beautiful.

Every seal and piece of rubber on the car is brand new and was replaced with genuine Porsche parts. The headlights, taillights, front turn signals, and parking light lenses have all been replaced. The Targa top was professionally restored and presents as new.

While the previous owner wanted to keep the car original, he also wanted to make it stand out. To that end, he decided against installing a standard decklid and instead kept the period-correct ducktail that came on the car when he received it. He also refinished the original Fuchs wheels in an RSR-style finish and added bright green Porsche side scripts (immediately earning the car the nickname "the caramel apple"). The result is a car that could easily be returned to factory original but which has just enough eye appeal to turn heads wherever it goes.

Interior:

The interior of this 911 is absolutely beautiful.

Prior to paint, the interior was completely stripped right down to the metal floors. Every piece was evaluated and either refinished or replaced. A new carpet set was installed from AppBiz along with new Porsche script floor mats from Loyds. The front seats were reupholstered in correct tan vinyl with perforated inserts. Every interior panel was cleaned, refinished, or replaced. Dozens of trim items were replaced. A "vintage" Blaupunkt CD player was installed in the dash with new front and rear speakers. New sunvisors were installed. And on and on and on...