Porsche Classic restores genuine 911 ST for 2016 Techno Classica
Today marks the opening of the 2016 Techno Classica, the annual historic automotive celebration held in Essen. To coincide with the opening of the show, Porsche Classic has unveiled its latest completed project: a perfectly restored, Porsche 911 2.5 S/T.
Just 24 genuine 911 S/Ts – based on the Porsche 911 2.4S road car – were built in period, with this particular car having enjoyed a class victory at the 1972 24 Hours of Le Mans with none other than Jürgen Barth at the wheel.
Despite its incredible history – including appearances at Sebring, Nürburgring and the Targa Florio in 1972 – this particular Porsche 911 was found by a US collector a few years ago in what Alexander Fabig, head of Porsche Classic, describes as “a really dilapidated condition”.
Costing 49,680 Deutschmarks in period (a 61 per cent hike over the standard 2.4S), this Porsche 911 2.5 S/T had, at some point in its life, been updated to G-Series specification and had also suffered accident damage, crudely repaired by a previous owner.
Like many classic Porsche 911s, the dreaded rust worm had also set in, eating away at the rear arches. The body shell, therefore required extensive work by Porsche Classic, Zuffenhausen’s restoration arm having to carefully repair the rare flared arches while fitting new panels where appropriate.
To protect the newly rebuilt shell from further corrosion, Porsche put the 911 2.5 S/T through the same process as its latest production cars using cathodic dip painting to protect the body before the shell was finished in the original Light Yellow (paint code 117 for those, like us, who find that sort of detail fascinating).
The end result looks truly stunning but, as Fabig points out, the project was not just a showcase of Porsche Classic’s skills. “This project is unparalleled and of great historical significane,” he explains.
Much of Porsche’s reputation has been built on its racing successes, with the lessons learned on the Porsche 911 2.5 S/T directly feeding into the development of the original Porsche 911 Carrera 2.8 RSR.
In turn, the 911 RSR breed has continued to accrue myriad international victories since its inception while also allowing Porsche to transfer the knowledge it gains on the track into its road cars, like the latest 991 GT3 RS.
In issue 130, we got behind the wheel of genuine, factory-built Porsche 911 2.5 S/T. To read our high-octane test drive in full, order your copy online for home delivery, or download it straight to your digital device now.
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