Porsche's classic 911 needs no lengthy introduction: it's a timeless design, beautiful to behold. Five decades after the model was conceived, it is easily the most recognized sports car on the planet.
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Crown jewels of the marque since the days of the venerable 356 were the Carrera models, celebrating the fury and glory of the immortal 1950s Latin-American road race, the Carrera Panamericana. The first 911 to bear the legendary moniker was the 1973 "Ducktail" Carrera RS, a blue chip collectible of the highest order, with asking prices of $250,000.00 not being uncommon.
Due to stricter government regulations, the 2.7-liter U.S. Carreras of 1974-75 suffered greatly in the performance department. Finally, in 1976, the factory launched the fantastic Carrera 3.0, continuing the tradition of the 200+hp road-and-track rockets; however, none were destined for Porsche's U.S. showrooms.
Consequently, the 1976 Porsche Carrera 3.0 Targa featured here, VIN *9116610378* must be among the rarest 911s in this Country. Serving as a factory test platform for the upcoming SC models and equipped with the new, turbo-derived and, as time has shown, bullet-proof Typ 930 3.0-liter engine, a mere 479 examples were built!
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Luckily, this Carrera made the trip stateside with its original owner, Herr Geier of Munich, who had purchased the car new at the factory in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen. After enjoying it as a Sunday driver for a few years, in 1983 the Kraut moved to sunny Southern California, opting to take his favorite toy along. The car was officially imported and conforms to stringent DOT and EPA laws.
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DOT sticker in glovebox and factory manuals, one in German, one in English!
Let's have a close look at the car now, beginning with the trunk.
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Original gray felt is protected by an embroidered carpet. Porsche tool kit is still present, and so are space saver spare and tire jack.
Check out the attractive, European H4 headlamps, their bezels painted to match.
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Removing the trunk upholstery reveals spotless "nose" area and equally clean bulkhead. No corrosion or accident damage here!
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Porsche's "Targa" model truly represents the best of both worlds, combining the advantages of a coupe with those of a convertible. Yes, you can enjoy the superior safety of a rigid body shell and unbridled open air fun!
Removing the Targa top, folding it, storing it safely inside the lockable trunk: it takes one person less than a minute.
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Targa top is in fine condition, inside and out, the material showing no rips or tears; the original seals are good as well.
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Since 911s built after August 1975 benefitted from the incredible THYSSEN full bodyshell zinc galvanizing process, Porsche's notorious rust problems were all but eliminated. This car has no rust and has never needed rust repair! The coachwork is straight, smooth, free of any dimples or ripples, with perfect shut lines ("gaps") of doors and hoods.
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Complementing the stunning coachwork is the 911's hallmark footwear: forged alloy FUCHS wheels. This particular car wears fully polished, 16-inch "sevens and eights" with centers painted to match the car, which looks very classy, indeed! Rims are fitted with a set of brand new, expensive BF GOODRICH G-Force super high performance radials of the dimension 205/55/ZR16 up front and 225/50ZR16 out back.
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Repainted once, a couple of years ago, in its original, beautiful Ice Green Metallic color (factory code 266), the Carrera 3.0 simply looks stunning! Finish has been lovingly color-sanded and buffed to a high luster. There are no dents or scratches deserving that name, just some minuscule imperfections from use; certainly nothing to lose sleep over. When we took these pictures last week, the car received its share of admiring looks and "thumbs up" compliments. Enthusiasts--many of whom experienced these fine cars when they were new--seemed magically drawn to our vintage Porsche and we had to take our time to answer curious questions.
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Porsche has always been garaged and covered; consequently, its original interior presents itself in outstanding condition.
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Classic Porsche dash has not changed much over the years. After all, it's difficult to improve upon perfection! Apart from an updated Stereo, everything looks bone stock, including steering wheel and shift knob.
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Dash top shows absolutely perfect, with not a hint of the all-too-common fading, warping, or heat cracking.
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The pilot's view: classic white-on-black dials with fluorescent orange pointers could not be improved upon if one tried. Odometer shows 77,201 miles. Apart from the clock, all gauges work perfectly, as do all lights and switches. Options include power mirrors and headlamp washers.
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Original front seats, covered with the finest bovine hides available, are in an amazing state of preservation. Curiously, perhaps, carpeting on some Ice Green Carreras is dark blue, closely following the color scheme of Ferry Porsche's very own '73 Carrera prototype (Excellence Aug. 2007, p. 104-108).
Note superb door panels.
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Inviting rear compartment. Yes, you could take the kids along for a ride in your 911, if Mom insisted. Better yet, fold the rear seatbacks forward and gain additional space for luggage.
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Ready for a test drive?
So are we, however, we first want to take a close look at engine and undercarriage.
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Thanks to tender loving care, engine bay looks sanitary. Even the original, gold foil stickers are still present.
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Clearly visible are the 3.0's large intake runners for the factory C.I.S. injection. Case has been replaced with a 3.2 unit, top end is factory stock. The specialists at TLG Auto in North Hollywood just inspected and tunes the car for us and issued a clean bill of health. Here are the results of their compression check:
- Cylinder #1: 165psi
- Cylinder #2: 175psi
- Cylinder #3: 160psi
- Cylinder #4: 160psi
- Cylinder #5: 175psi
- Cylinder #6: 170psi
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Needless to say, the motor runs very strong, sans annoying oil leaks, smoke on start-up, or any other ill habits to report.
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Virginal undercarriage looks fantastic. Thanks to the superb, double-sided, factory zinc coating, it is destined to resist corrosion for many years to come.
Note air conditioning condenser mounted underneath.
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Undercarriage details. What looks like surface rust is actually residue of the factory-applied, protective Cosmoline wax sealer which, as it ages, turns from slight yellow to a dark caramel color.
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Perfect rocker panels.
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Thursday, November 12, was another sunny day in southern California and we were looking forward to our test drive. We were not disappointed!
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Thanks to the electronic fuel injection, the Carrera 3.0 always starts easily. It idles and runs smoothly, the transmission shifts like butter, the brakes are exceptional, and the handling is sure-footed.
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With its convertible-like feel, piloting a 911 Targa on a beautiful day is a real treat. It's almost a vacation behind the wheel, until you get serious with the loud pedal!
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The difference between the 3.0 and the "regular" 2.7 mill is startling, to say the least. The unmuffled, unrestricted 3.0 Euro screams like a Turbo and accelerates like a bat out of hell, subjectively as brutal and almost as quick as its blown US brethren. We've not had this much fun playing with a Nine-Eleven in a long time!
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The Carrera 3.0 really shows its mettle during fast freeway runs. Smooth-shifting Typ 915 5-speed transmission--remember, early Turbos had to make do with a 4-speed!--provides its share of assistance when it comes to passing speed. With tremendous acceleration, going from 65mph to 100mph takes mere seconds.
Be it as an everyday car or an early-Sunday-morning canyon scraper, this Porsche provides an utterly satisfying driving experience. The unique sound emanating from its exhaust pipe is an aural narcotic reminiscent of another era.
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The true beauty of owning a vintage 911: it's a fast-appreciating, classic sports car you actually can use as its creators intended. 911s are not known to be garage ornaments! Only 479 examples of this particular model were ever made; how many survive today, 33 years later, is anybody's guess. Certainly, a factory Carrera 3.0 has always been a very special automobile; it is highly regarded among true Porsche aficionados and collectors alike.
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Here's a unique opportunity to acquire one of the fastest and rarest of all vintage 911s. Don't let it pass you by!
Addendum:
We sold this Porsche in January 2010.
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