1967 Porsche 911 S Coupe

Chassis No. 306438S
Engine No. 960588
Transmission No. 103583

The 911, as much as it embodies a sports car to the general public today, wasn't always seen in a positive light by the Porsche faithful. Too big, too heavy, too much a GT said those used to the Porsche 356. It's hard to understand the sentiment today, especially when viewing a sporting 911 S sunroof Coupe such as this example Irish Green over Black. An early, short-wheelbase 911 (as the 1964-1968 911s are known) like this, is an elegant and simple design without the adornments – however celebrated – of wings, fender flares, wild colors, and turbocharging. Slippery aerodynamics, classic muted colors, and high-revving, normally aspirated engines were the order of the day, as it is with chassis number 306438S.

According to its Porsche–issued Certificate of Authenticity, this 911 S was finished on 24 November 1966 and optioned with an electric sliding sunroof, Becker Grand Prix radio with a loudspeaker and antenna, a Talbot door mirror, fittings for two headrests, along with a set of 15-inch Dunlop SP57 tires fit to its 4.5-inch Fuchs alloy wheels. The 911 S was the highest specification and sporting 911 of its day featuring a Weber-carbureted, 160-horsepower 2.0-liter flat-six, a five-speed transmission, full instrumentation, adjustable Koni shock absorbers, anti-roll bars, fog lights, a leather-covered steering wheel, and a Webasto electrically-operated gas heater among other items as standard. The history file records previous research indicating it was first delivered to Hamburg, Germany before being purchased by an American working in Germany and subsequent export to Washington state in 1977.

By the late-1990s, the sunroof coupe was purchased by an individual with the intent to complete a restoration; however, it sat neglected for the next 11 years. In 2009, it changed hands again, this time to someone with the wherewithal and expertise to return it to the condition in which it was first delivered to Hamburg. The body had deteriorated during the 2000s, yet the necessary body panels, sourced from a 1967 912, were installed by Redstone Restoration Services of Sisters, Oregon with body work completed over a two-year time span followed by paint in single-stage enamel in its original lustrous shade of 6606 Irish Green. The matching-numbers engine and transmission were fully rebuilt and restored by Rothsport Racing and Randy Ledbetter respectively. Most importantly, the engine retained its original 911 S-only Weber 40 IDS carburetors, restored by Rothsport to their exacting standards. In fact, for the most part, the restoration involved many vaunted names within the early 911 restoration community including Harvey Weidman (Fuchs wheels), Queen City Plating (brightwork and hardware), and Autobahn Interiors (trim work). Naturally, the exceptional work from these luminaries and the coordination and assembly of it all by German Master Tech of Bend, Oregon led to a number of awards including a second in class at the highly competitive Concours on the Avenue in Carmel by the Sea and a first in class at PCA's Legends of the Autobahn – both during Monterey car week.

Naturally, during these showings, offers for the car were made and with that the car changed hands in 2013 and shortly later listed for sale with well-known DK Engineering, purveyors of Ferrari and blue chip collector cars. In 2017, it was acquired by the current owner during a public sale in Belgium. During their ownership, again based in the United Kingdom, it has been under their care of Charles Ivey with oil changes in 2019 and 2021, followed by bodywork repairs that year, and fresh Pirelli N-Spec CN36 tires in 2022.

Today, this rare matching-numbers Irish Green 911 S Coupe is offered with a binder of restoration photos along with historical and original documentation. Furthermore, it includes its 4.5 inch-wide Fuchs trunk-mounted spare, jack, a tool kit and manuals. Rare is the opportunity to acquire a matching numbers first-year 911 S Coupe, especially one with high-level concours placings, proving that such cars remain well-regarded and sought after — especially a well-restored and documented example such as this.