It was July 16, 1975.
Ronald Andrews arrived at Holbert Porsche Audi in Warrington, PA, to take delivery of his new 911 S.
He knew exactly what he wanted. The 1975 S, with its 2.7-L magnesium-case engine, weighed in at 2,370 pounds, about the same as the fabled Carrera RS 2.7. It was an unusual color, Desert Beige, and equipped with comfort in mind, with factory A/C, Sportomatic transmission, chrome-trim accent package and power windows. Rare then and desirable today, it had no “weight and complexity adding” sunroof.
The car first came into my life on October 5, 2022.
Before we get into that, it’s worth noting that dealership owner Al Holbert was a five-time champion of the IMSA GT series, best known for driving the Löwenbräu Special Porsche 962. He was the fifth driver to complete the informal triple crown of endurance racing, winning the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Does this make the car any more desirable? Not particularly. But it does add some interest to the car’s backstory.
Swap-Meet find
The 911 was for sale in Pennsylvania at the Hershey swap meet, about 100 miles from where it had been sold new.
I had our 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider S4 at a shop having a Bluetooth stereo installed when I got a call. “I’m an SCMer,” the voice on the phone said. “I’m at the Hershey swap meet. Aren’t you looking for a Sportomatic? One just pulled into the for-sale lot here and it looks nice. Here’s the contact info.”
The car showed 47,187 miles and the seller said he’d owned it for about 10 years. The previous owner had kept it stored most of its life. A few receipts seemed to back up the low miles. Decades ago it had received one glass-out repaint, to a high quality in the original color. It had no rust or apparent accident damage.
I had little time to think about my decision. Reliable Carriers had trucks there at the RM Sotheby’s auction and, “lucky me,” one slot just happened to be available on a truck headed to the Pacific Northwest. But it was leaving the next morning. Did I want the car? So much for a pre-purchase inspection. The asking price was $46,900, and I paid pretty close to that.
Semi-automatic
Because of my clutch-leg challenges, I had been looking for a Sporto. They were not easy to find, especially in well-kept condition. I have never seen another with its original tweed interior. The cloth upholstery of this era was not particularly durable compared to vinyl or leather, which only reinforced my belief that the mileage was original. SCM Contributor Lowell Paddock did a visual inspection, and he liked the car. Rupert Banner of Gooding Christie’s did a walk-by as well.
When the car arrived, it was attended to here in town by A&P Specialties and Matt Crandall at Avant-Garde Collection (911r on BaT). The car was a solid driver, but it had needs. We refreshed the suspension and electrics. We had the ride height set to European specs.
Then, of course, we discovered that it had the typical head-stud problems that have long plagued these engines. New Mahle pistons and sleeves were installed, and the transmission linkage adjusted. An Elephant oil cooler was added. Because I like everything on my cars to work, I even had the clock rebuilt.
I was told by the local specialists that because the car was born with A/C, it’s easier to convert it to a modern compressor and refrigerant, as all the necessary holes in the body for the various parts and hoses are already there. It’s the one thing we didn’t get to.
Ultimate Driving Machine
As I have written before, once refurbished, this car was a dream to drive. With its new shocks, when I drove it 150 miles to the Oregon coast and back, it felt glued to the road. It quickly became my son Bradley’s favorite, and he took it on two 1,000-mile Porsche tours.
With no power steering or brakes, the driving experience is raw and unfiltered. Most notable is the delicate and accurate feedback from the steering. Every Porsche enthusiast I have spoken with has commented that the narrow “G-body” cars represent the ultimate 911 of the classic era.
So, with all of this done, why are we now having 911r sell it on Bring a Trailer at no reserve?
It’s simple: What’s raw and direct and intoxicating to an 18-year-old is pretty tiring to someone who just celebrated their 75th birthday. I have already replaced the 1975 911 S with our new 2005 996 C4S. On these 1,000-mile tours, I enjoy the power assists, the Tiptronic, the A/C and even the upgraded Bose sound system.
If Bradley wants a raw experience, we still have the 2006 Lotus Elise. Or even the 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Veloce. And the long years of rehab with my clutch leg continue to pay off with progress — so there is still three-pedal hope in my future.
In our time with the 911, we have put just over 5,000 miles on it. If circumstances were different, I would keep this car and convert the A/C and just drive the heck out of it.
But I can’t justify having two 911s right now, only one of which I am comfortable driving long distances. As I thin out the collection, I’m making my choices mostly based on which cars I am actually driving, and the kinds of touring events I most look forward to.
After all, it’s about the car making me happy, isn’t it?
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