Project Black
A tribute to good design.
This factory restoration is not so much the story of a vehicle. This story is about design. More precisely, about Porsche Design – the company that Ferdinand Alexander Porsche founded in 1972 to realize his conceptions of good design. Nine years earlier, Ferry Porsche's eldest son had his first major success as an industrial designer: the Porsche 911. A model that became iconic and has played a key role in shaping the Porsche legend to this day. To mark the 50th anniversary of Porsche Design, Porsche Classic is honouring this achievement with a restored 911 S 2.4 Targa from 1972, the year Porsche Design was founded.
Expressing 50 years of Porsche Design.
Retrospective: down to each part.
The 911 T 2.4 Targa is dismantled down to the last screw. Every component is checked thoroughly and, if necessary, refurbished or replaced.
Reduction: down to the last paint particle.
The body is immersed in a bath where paint and primer are removed without leaving any residue. Since this work step also removes the rust, the true condition of the metal components is now apparent. Missing parts are restored to pristine condition as sheet metal is laboriously worked by hand. To craft and install them, the experts rely on traditional methods requiring special skills: spot welding, metal active gas welding (MAG) and brazing.
Shaping: according to all the rules of the art.
To repair the body, the same original body techniques that were used in production in 1964 are again applied. To achieve maximum precision, we use the latest generation of frame straightening benches and computer-controlled laser measuring systems.
Avant-garde: Immersion in the CDC bath.
For state-of-the-art rust prevention, the body-in-white is taken to one of the most advanced CDC lines: that of Porsche AG in Zuffenhausen. Integration of such capabilities into series production is unique in the world. To complete the body work, the perfect paint job is done in Black Uni. In addition, the Fuchs rims are re-anodized.
New interpretation: of bar and roof.
As a special highlight, the Targa bar was coated in Satin Platinum instead of the original in Brushed Stainless Steel. The Targa logo appears in Matte Black.
Craftsmanship: combining the new and the old.
Checkered surfaces contrast with the black leather in the interior of the unique car. At the same time, they resonate with the modern special model. A Classic Black / Cool Grey check pattern in Sport-Tex can be found, for example, in the door panels, in the lower area of the instrument panel and in the central panels of the seats. The strength and elasticity of the current fabric demanded all the skills of our upholsterer, especially when upholstering the 50-year-old seats. There is a “50 Years of Porsche Design” badge on the passenger side.
Artfully upgraded: engine and chassis.
While the 911 T 2.4 Targa had to be content with 130 PS in its original state, the experts from Porsche Classic fully upgraded the engine and chassis to the S version. The model, top-of-the-line in its time, achieved 190 PS at 6,500 rpm with a displacement of 2,341 cm3 and featured mechanical fuel injection. Similar to the modern special model, there is a “50 Years of Porsche Design” badge with a facsimile signature by F. A. Porsche on the grille of the engine cover at the rear.
Top priority: the final acceptance.
The 911 S 2.4 Targa was thoroughly tested before it could be given to Porsche Design as a gift. Every detail is examined on the test bench, according to methods that are also used in part for current series vehicles. We also work out the entire tuning with the same amount of effort as with a new vehicle. The final road tests were personally carried out by the Head of Porsche Classic Factory Restoration, Uwe Makrutzki.