This factory restoration is not so much the story of a vehicle. This story is about design. More precisely, about PorscheDesign – 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 PorscheDesign, Porsche Classic is honouring this achievement with a restored 911 S 2.4 Targa from 1972, the year PorscheDesign was founded.
A classic Targa celebrates 50 years of PorscheDesign.
When F. A. Porsche designed the 911, he laid two cornerstones: he created an iconic sports car and catapulted himself onto the Mount Olympus of designers. With PorscheDesign, the company he founded in 1972, he also ventured beyond sports car production and made design history. Above all else, the “Chronograph I” is considered his greatest stroke of genius – the first watch with a black case and black dial. It wasn't a gimmick, nor was it for aesthetic reasons.Rather, F. A. Porsche found inspiration in the black dashboards of racing cars, which minimize irritating reflections from the windshield.
As an homage to F. A. Porsche, a special pair of vehicles was to be created in which the colour black dominated: the new special model “Porsche 911 Edition — 50 Years of PorscheDesign” and a unique piece as a historical counterpart. The choice was made in favour of a 911 T 2.4 Targa from the year PorscheDesign was founded. Different than usual, this time it wasn't about restoring the original condition of the vehicle. The designers and employees working on the factory restoration had the task of carefully transferring the specifications of the new car to the classic one, thereby combining the original and the modern. After all, not all modifications fit the overall philosophy of a vehicle or are technically feasible.
Timelessly connecting past and present.
As with every factory restoration, this one also begins with coming to terms with the past. The 911 T 2.4 Targa was in poor condition and had missing parts. While such a starting point is usually rather unfortunate for our specialists, it proved ideal for this project. In fact, this made it much easier to abandon the internalized striving to preserve the original and instead focus entirely on design. The overarching question persisted of how the design of the “Chronograph 1” could be expressed in a 911 T 2.4 Targa and reconciled with elements from the new special model “Porsche 911 Edition -- 50 Years of PorscheDesign”.
Answers to this question came mainly in the form of exclusive details such as the “50 Years of PorscheDesign” badge with a facsimile signature by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche and custom features. In addition, the engine has been fully upgraded to the S version. After all, the unique piece must not only be timeless, but also fast.Expressing 50 years of PorscheDesign.
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 PorscheDesign” 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 PorscheDesign” 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 PorscheDesign 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.