1965 Porsche 911

Lot details
Registration No: KBD 73C
Chassis No: 300772
Mot Expiry: March 2010

After a lengthy gestation period, the now ubiquitous Porsche 911 entered production in 1964. The design was the work of Dr Ferry Porsche's eldest son, Ferdinand 'Butzi' Porsche and the company's joint founder and chief body engineer Erwin Komenda. The car featured rack and pinion steering and both torsion bar suspension and disc brakes all round. It was powered by a dry-sump, air-cooled, 1991cc, flat six engine which was overhung at the rear and allied to a five-speed manual transmission. Power output was restricted to 130bhp, though with an all-up weight of just 1,080 kg this was sufficient to provide the new car with a top speed of over 130mph and a very respectable 0-60mph time of just 8.5 seconds.

Having competed successfully with the 356, Porsche was quick to do the same with the 911, and laurels in both racing and rallying came quickly and easily from 1965 onwards. Indeed, a mere four months after the first car rolled off the production line, the company entered one for the Monte Carlo Rally. For a lesser organisation this would be a baptism of fire. Porsche fans, however, will not be surprised to know that the car not only completed the event without trouble but finished an astonishing fifth overall.

The 1965 'O' Series 911 on offer started life as a standard road car, and was given a back-to-shell conversion by Gantspeed in 1993 in order for its then custodian to contest historic rally events. The current owner acquired it from Bonhams' Silverstone auction in 2007, soon after which he spent some £4,500 with marque specialist Andy Prill. Work included the removal of the engine and gearbox. The former was serviced and tuned, while the latter was overhauled and fitted with new / revised 4th and 5th gears (the previous ratios being very short). The car has covered less than 1,000 miles since.

The engine with uprated cams and Weber carburetters that is currently fitted (and was apparently last overhauled by leading 911 rally engine man Elkin Robinson in 2004), is believed to comply with certain UK and Irish regulations. We are told the car has the period-correct 5-speed gearbox. Its competitive specification is said to include: dual-circuit master-cylinder, oil cooler, twin electric fuel pumps and ignition coils, under-shields front and back, Minilite wheels, heated screen, Momo steering wheel, Brantz trip, map-reading light and four extra bonnet-mounted spots. The crew is protected by a 6-point roll-cage with side bars, Sparco high-back bucket seats, 6-point harnesses, electrically-actuated fire system and an ATL fuel safety cell.

Previous owners include:

Marque specialist Francis Tuthill during early 1990s

1993 Dave Bennett, for whom Gantspeed carried out the back-to-shell conversion for rallying

1996 Porsche Dealer Principal Adrian Kermode, whose Corkill Motor Sport subsidiary ran the car from 1996-2004

2004 Tony Arnold, with maintenance by XS-Racing until 2006

Pre-1967 Historic Rally category record:

1996 Manx 1st, Corkill Stages 1st

1998 Manx 3rd, Robin Hood Stages 3rd, Scottish 7th, Ypres 7th, Bulldog 1st in class

1999 Pirelli 4th

2003 Manx 1st, Killarney 3rd, Manx 6th,

2004 Circuit of Ireland 1st , Manx 1st, 2004 Cork 1st, Donegal 2nd, Killarney 3rd

2005 Killarney 2nd

The short wheel-based 'O' Series 911s are highly sought after for use in historic motorsport, in which they have a formidable record in the right hands. Building one from scratch to the specification of 'KBD 73C' is an expensive operation, making cars such as the one offered a potentially attractive proposition for anybody looking to start competing or switch to Porsches from another marque.

PLEASE NOTE: Although currently running on Weber carburettors, this vehicle is accompanied by a set of period correct Solex carburettors.

PLEASE NOTE: This vehicle also comes with the rally gear ratios, which were removed in 2007 by Andy Prill. They can be collected from the vendor by the successful purchaser.

PLEASE NOTE: This vehicle has an MOT until March 2010.