Porsche’s 935 race car was phenomenally successful in its day and, by abandoning the 911’s signature front wings for a more aerodynamic ‘flat nose’ or ‘slant nose’ it also created demand amongst 911 owners for similarly-equipped road cars. Porsche eventually responded when the owner of watchmaker Tag-Heuer got his cheque book out but there were also a variety of body kit manufacturers who stepped in to satisfy the demand, and this car wears an example of their work. 

Porsche’s official version was a Turbo but, as this car is based on a 1980 SC 3.0 Targa, it has a blend of the race car’s looks with the appeal of a targa roof. It was originally a US car and was imported in 2016 from Michigan and has been in storage ever since, with only some light recommissioning carried out so far. The car starts and runs and is ready to be prepared for its first MOT. If you’re looking for an affordable way into classic 911 ownership then this could be the ideal route and you could be registered as the first UK owner.

As with any fixer-upper, it’s important to see the potential in a project and so look beyond the fact that some of the carpets have been removed and consider what remains. Aside from the aftermarket wooden steering wheel and gear knob and a later CD player, the interior is all original. Although it’s clearly in need of a good valet, it’s all in good order with the seller reporting that all of the electrics work.

The seats are showing some patina, particularly the driver’s, but should be able to be revived without too much effort and, although the dashboard shows some signs of exposure to the sun on the top, the dials and fascia are in good condition.

Much as with the cabin, you probably wouldn’t want to throw your best clothes in the front boot until it’s had a serious clean but the spare wheel is present, if detached from its tyre. Overall, some work to do with some elbow grease and fresh front carpets, it should be well on the way back to being usable.

With its distinctive appearance and, in eye-catching red, this is a car that is sure to attract attention wherever it goes. On close inspection, the red paintwork is showing a few bubbles and stone chips and the front bumper looks to have been resprayed at some point but overall it remains presentable. There are a few areas of wear to the black trim which are consistent with the car’s age but the black-centred wheels are still in good order and wear tyres with good tread, although of unknown age.

The seals on the targa top appear to still be in good condition and the all-important added ingredient of pop up headlights work just as they should. Opening the doors, you can see that the kick plates have been removed and unfortunately seem to have gone astray. However, the underside of the car looks all to be solid and has a partial cover of underseal.

Under the bonnet which sports the obligatory whale tail spoiler to match the body kit, the engine bay remains very original. With a fresh battery in place, starting is no problem and there is a pleasingly gruff noise from the exhaust. While it’s not been tested at speed, when being moved for photography, the car reportedly ran without issue, changing gear smoothly and braking from relatively modest speeds with no problem at all. The only slight foible is that the brake pedal needs to be properly secured as it can currently be pulled back out of position. When in place, it operates just fine. Overall then, mechanically, it seems like a solid base for a project.

A classic 911 project which, with the right attention, will provide its next owner with an eye-catching 935-inspired car with the added benefit of a targa roof.