In just a few days we will be auctioning a fine example from the first generation of 911s. Purchased new in 1969 off of a California dealership lot, this three owner Targa has all of the trappings anyone eager to get into an air-cooled 911 would desire. Plus, the open-top Targa happily bridges the gap between the tightly-closed cockpit of the coupe and the undesirable weight gain and body flex of the late-eighties cabriolets.
Repainted Guards Red in the 1980s, paintwork remains in good condition but does have some small areas of rust bubbling. However, the original chrome brightwork, aluminum roll bar, and 14” polished steel wheels with colored Porsche crest hub caps beautifully compliment the bright hue of Guards Red. Contrasting the shiny trim and vibrant paintwork is the removable black vinyl roof panel and matte-black decklid cover. The decklid grille is adorned with some beautiful vintage badges and with the sale is a ski rack possibly from the sixties or seventies. Aside from the repaint, the exterior remains true to its initial appearance with all of the lighting fixtures and sealed-beam headlights.
Inside, plush black carpeting covers the floorboards and is likely inauthentic as the current owner believes the pile to be different from contemporary 911s. However, the black leather front seats and vinyl rear seats are genuine and show moderate signs of wear upfront without any tears. The black vinyl dashboard is nearly perfect and, most importantly, has no damage between the speaker perforations. An aftermarket Alpine radio with speakers is currently fitted inside of the dash. The instrument cluster is also as it was from the factory. However, the odometer has been adjusted after a necessary engine replacement in 1977.
The replacement engine is identical to the factory-supplied powerplant and reportedly even came from another Targa. An electric fuel pump and an aftermarket ignition box were previously installed in lieu of the standard equipment. The current owner, since the 2000s, put the car into storage after a tune up but continued to drive the Porsche on a monthly basis. As of now, it has benefitted from a new oil change, and the carburetors have been adjusted with the jets cleaned out to ready it for auction. The factory four-speed transmission still smoothly supplies power to the rear wheels.
The front trunk still contains the grey Perlon carpeting and spare wheel. Invoicing and maintenance records dating back to the original year of purchase are included with the sale. Along with those records are the factory issued driver’s manuals and some informational literature accrued over time. A clean California title and the first six-digit blue license plates are combined along with the sale.
