More Pics of This Perfect Classic 911 S Targa

Birth of a Legend

Classic Porsches are restored on a continuous basis these days as values and interest continue to rise. But not just any old Porsche can claim to be the first Targa delivered in the automaker's home country of Germany. That distinction belongs solely to this stunning machine, which was recently rejuvenated by Porsche Classic after it was found in dire straights by a collector.

Photos: Porsche

Long Forgotten

The car's owner, a long-time collector and Porsche enthusiast discovered the car in the U.S. "The Targa stood there for almost 40 years in a doorless garage, covered by a plastic tarpaulin. The owner at the time had seemingly just forgotten about the car," said Uwe Makrutzki, Head of Porsche Classic Factory Restoration at Porsche AG. "The 911 S Targa was delivered to the Porsche dealer Hülpert in Dortmund on January 24, 1967," Makrutzki added. "The restoration is a special project for us - after all, one of the first 911 Targa models has found its way back to Zuffenhausen."

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about this Porsche restored 911 S Targa right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Rarely Optioned

As a soft-window version, this early Targa has a soft rear window instead of the glass window that was available from 1967. Only 925 units with the S engine, short wheelbase, and soft window were produced by Porsche between the end of 1966 and 1968. After serving as a demonstration car for the Porsche dealer, this car was sold to a customer in the U.S. in 1969. The open-top 911 was then parked in the aforementioned garage in Long Beach from 1977 to the end of 2016.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about this Porsche restored 911 S Targa right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Lots of Extras

Despite its poor condition, the Targa was complete and fitted with optional extras such as a Webasto auxiliary heater, tinted windshield, Blaupunkt Köln radio, leather seats, halogen fog lamps, and an exterior thermometer. Regardless, finding some replacement parts for the 911 proved difficult. "Replica parts from third-party suppliers are out of the question for us. Luckily we can reach into our 'treasure chest' in such cases," Makrutzki said.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about this Porsche restored 911 S Targa right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Big Challenge

One big challenge in restoring this car stemmed from the outer skin of the Targa roof. "Today's material has a different grain and is more robust than the original. But our customer did not like it. For this reason, we had a visually identical cover produced especially for this project. In spite of their decades of experience, our experts still had to work gradually towards achieving the right finish, that is to say, its bonding and stitching," Makrutzki explained.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about this Porsche restored 911 S Targa right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Back to Original

After around 1,000 hours of bodywork, the 911 Targa was painted by hand in the same color that it donned before its delivery over 50 years ago - Polo Red. Because the owner does not just want to store the sports car away but also drive it, he decided on the application of a painted-on paint protection film with a slight matting effect. This technology does without adhesive and can therefore be removed without any residue, even after many years.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about this Porsche restored 911 S Targa right here in the Rennlist Forum!

Next in Line

It took a total of more than three years until the first 911 S Targa delivered in Germany was finally restored to a like-new condition with the manufacturer's know-how - including that charming patina. However, the car's owner has already delivered his next project to the Porsche Classic workshop, which is currently awaiting its own restoration - a very early 928.

Photos: Porsche

>>Join the conversation about this Porsche restored 911 S Targa right here in the Rennlist Forum!

For help with maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section of this forum.