Highlights

A highly coveted, final-year Short Wheelbase (SWB) survivor.
Unrestored, complete rust-free, not re-welded, original unibody from dry-state California.
Rare, factory-matching numbers 4-speed manual (‘901/0’) transmission.
Sympathetically upgraded to 160bhp 911S spec with same Engine 2.0 liter type 901/13 for a superior, modern-day sports car driving experience.
Stamped service book, Kardex and COA
Large history file of maintenance totalling $50,000 (brakes, carburettors, clutch, synchronizers, alternator, heater, suspension) to original specs besides an electronic ignition system.
Newly serviced
Improvements and maintenance make it ideal as a touring and event car.
Older repaint (~50 years ago) in pretty Ice Green metallic, while entirely preserving the original factory-painted black sections (engine compartment, front trunk and underside)
In UK since 2009 with 2 owners.

The Appeal

For purists, the earlier the 911, the better the 911. The SWB car with the 2L flat six is the one closest to Ferdinand’s vision, but it was only built for four short years to August 1968. This 911 is one of the last built and began life as a 911 130bhp coupé Karmann US, it has sympathetically evolved into a very usable touring and event car with a 911S 160bhp specification engine.

Unlike RHD, this LHD vehicle is a great investment as it is exposed to continental European and global buyers. The car was initially dispatched to California, then brought to the UK and acquired by the seller in 2016.

Beyond that engine upgrade, there are new Weber carburettors, alternator, and it is fitted with electronic ignition, as well as new brakes. The Type 901/01 original 4-speed gearbox has been overhauled and fitted with a new clutch. These are clever improvements that don’t significantly alter the looks or originality but make the car much more usable. It rides on a set of original 15-inch Fuchs alloy wheels. The car is said to run and drive very well.

The vendor says:

“The classic car market now prioritises originality over restoration. Collectors recognise the rare quality of an example that has never met major restoration and has no need for it. The driving experience is surprising, with the vocal sound of a highly breathing air-cooled engine, associated with modern power. The short wheelbase is very noticeable; the car is short, light and quite powerful for its featherweight. Its compact design is clearly distinguishable from a long wheelbase.”

History & Paperwork

First registered 1968
VIN number 11835432
Originally supplied to California
Remained in USA until 2009
UK registered from May 2009
MOT and tax exempt by age
V5C
Large history file
Reported €50,000 investment
Factory stamped service book and driver’s handbook

New maintenance:

Engine service
Brake fluid changed
Caliper seals changed
Spark plugs

The Condition

Older repaint in good order with some minor age to note
Reported to have been resprayed 50 years ago
Finished in Ice Green metallic (also called “Diamond Green metallic ref 250”)
Chrome finish Fuchs alloy wheels in good overall condition
Vendor states that chassis has not been restored and welded
Black 2+2 interior in fair condition with some running repairs over the years
Fitted with original front and rear seatbelts
We are told that the interior is highly original with patina
Features period classic radio

The vendor emphasises this car’s originality and older respray, but that feels like it underplays the condition. It is certainly usable and ideally suited for touring and events, but it is also a very tidy, nicely presented example. You could improve it, but patina is the trend in today’s classic car market.

We are told that the car's underside and interior are original, with the former never welded and the latter only receiving minor ongoing repairs over the decades.

The current market is teeming with vehicles that have been stripped down and then rebuilt in an attempt to reproduce the car's original condition, using numerous new parts that are not identical to the originals, or used parts that do not correspond to the year of production, employing reproduction methods of varying degrees of accuracy, with welding everywhere where it is not supposed to be. Costs for these kind of restorations climb well above £30k for a result of a car not built by Porsche but by a local body shop.

The vendor says:

“Original underneath from the factory. The paint, now almost 50 years old, shows a couple of small cracks on the front hood and some small chips on the front fenders. The bodywork has good shut lines and no rust at all, having spent most of its life in the dry Southwest USA.” The black leather interior, with its original patina, has undergone only minor part repairs many decades ago, primarily due to the Californian sun (headliner and dashboard top cover).”

Mechanics

1,962cc flat six 160bhp S specification engine
Original 4spd Type 901/01 gearbox
Gearbox overhauled
New clutch
New Weber carburettors
Alternator replaced and fitted with electronic ignition
New Brakes
Newly serviced prior to sale

This car left the works as a 911 2.0 130hp coupé Karmann US and delivered by the Porsche dealership in Burlingame, California, in November 1968 to a medical doctor with his practice in Fresno.

The vendor says:

“About 50,000 euros of work done. The original power unit was only 130hp. To meet needs nowadays, the engine has been upgraded at the millennium with a type 901/13 same period 2.0 S specification 160hp engine components (red shroud), showing mechanical aspects have not been neglected, having always been properly maintained, as well as the gearbox synchronisers and clutch of the original ‘901/0’ four-speed manual transmission. The maintenance and upgraded 2.0S-spec engine have been optimised to be the ultimate "event" car—the perfect vintage rally or tour companion.”

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