Talk About Luck: 1967 911 Buried Under a Collapsed Barn
Porsche fan takes a chance on his dream '67 911 that could have been crushed but somehow survived the worst case scenario.
Barn Find?
We've seen plenty of barn finds in our day, but nothing quite like this. A fellow named Mike Savina recently came across a 1967 Porsche 911 that was in fact hidden in a barn, but there was just one problem - the barn had collapsed on top of it. Regardless, that didn't dissuade Savina from pursuing his dream machine, and he recalled his entire story to Pelican Parts Forum administrator Lucca in this fascinating thread.
Karma Pays Off
Savina lives out in Bridgeport, West Virginia. Recently, he offered to let one of his neighbors take some of the dirt off of his property in a nice gesture. Little did he know how karma was about to pay him a visit. When one of the dump truck drivers removing the dirt spotted his 914 and 944 sitting in his garage, he mentioned that he knew where what he thought there were a 1975 911S was sitting.
Photos: Mike Savina via Pelican Parts Forums
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Rare Opportunity
"He goes on to say that the gentleman lived on the same road as him and had this Porsche in a barn/garage that came down in a storm," Savina recalled. "I asked if he would give me directions and he was more than happy to tell me. He believed that the car was still there because people were afraid to talk to the man." Despite the risky nature of walking on someone's property unannounced, Savina couldn't pass up this rare opportunity.
Photos: Mike Savina via Pelican Parts Forums
>>Join the conversation about this classic 911" barn find" right here in the Rennlist Forum!
Change of Plans
"On Friday the 13th, my wife and I take a drive to find the location and there it is, off in the distance, just as described. An old foundation of what was at one time a large farmhouse and some remains of an old building with an '80s white Cadillac peeking out. Just to the side was a camper. My wife was apprehensive, so we decided to abort and just leave a note in the mailbox. On the drive home I called my father. He is always up for an adventure and together we have pulled quite a few interesting cars from places over the years. We decide to go back out that evening."
Photos: Mike Savina via Pelican Parts Forums
>>Join the conversation about this classic 911" barn find" right here in the Rennlist Forum!
Lucky Visit
Father and son proceeded to knock on the door, and they were pleased to find a rather nice gentleman answer. "He begins to tell us about it and how it came to be his and why it was in the rubble. The gentleman has had some health issues, and while in the hospital his home burnt down. Around the same time a microburst took down this building and it collapsed onto the 911. My father asked if the car would be for sale, he said 'well yes. I guess I should sell it since I won’t be able to restore it as I planned."
Photos: Mike Savina via Pelican Parts Forums
>>Join the conversation about this classic 911" barn find" right here in the Rennlist Forum!
Taking the Risk
After walking out to the barn, the pair could only see a headlight, wheel, and hood. They had no idea what kind of condition the Porsche was in, nor if it was a real S or not. Regardless, they struck a deal and Savina admitted he had to empty his bank account to make it happen. Next, it was time to start digging and find out if that risk was going to pay off or just leave him broke and stuck with a trashed car.
Photos: Mike Savina via Pelican Parts Forums
>>Join the conversation about this classic 911" barn find" right here in the Rennlist Forum!
Virtually Unscathed
Unfortunately, Savina quickly found out that this wasn't a real S, it had just been fitted with a host of S parts at some point. But after carefully removing it from the rubble and cleaning it up, he did discover that the car was in surprisingly good shape considering how bad things could have gone.
Photos: Mike Savina via Pelican Parts Forums
>>Join the conversation about this classic 911" barn find" right here in the Rennlist Forum!
Pleasant Discovery
Savina also found out that the 911 was originally a Polo Red car with Pepita seats, thus it had been repainted somewhere along the way. He did discover that the original, numbers-matching drivetrain is still in the car, however. And that's obviously a good thing.
Photos: Mike Savina via Pelican Parts Forums
>>Join the conversation about this classic 911" barn find" right here in the Rennlist Forum!
Good and Bad
Savina has also already started the process of fixing up his cool find. "This will be a long term build, but before I take it apart my intentions are to get it running and driving. Of course, that means floor pans and suspension pan repairs. Ordering the carb kit this week. I was relieved to see the actual condition of the car and shocked when the engine turned freely by hand. It does have a significant amount of rust in the floors and suspension pan though."
Photos: Mike Savina via Pelican Parts Forums
>>Join the conversation about this classic 911" barn find" right here in the Rennlist Forum!
Cool Story
The good news is, Savina plans on keeping this particular 911 forever. And who can blame him? After all, it probably has one of the coolest discovery stories we've ever heard. And once he gets it fixed up, he can tell that story over and over to anyone who'll willingly listen!
Photos: Mike Savina via Pelican Parts Forums
>>Join the conversation about this classic 911" barn find" right here in the Rennlist Forum!
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