When the car arrived it was indeed still in its original paintwork, but the paint was so thin that it rubbed through to the primer beneath while being hand polished. The interior was all original as well but also a bit tired and in need of attention. As the inspection went on, it appeared that the suspension was completely original and had never been touched. The engine ran, but poor leak down numbers meant that it surely would need to be removed and rebuilt. It was a good car that had the potential to be great, but every area of the car needed some attention to reach its full potential.
The engine was the first item addressed. It was removed and completely rebuilt, and the chain tensioners updated. The exterior was next. The body was straight and solid, so the windows and trim were removed and any dings were straightened before it was repainted in the original Blood Orange color. Once out of paint, the suspension was completely rebuilt with new components. A client saw the car at that stage of completion and had to have it, but with some special requests for the interior.
First, the headliner was cleaned, new carpets and door pockets were installed, and a perfect dash pad was sourced. The client requested a stereo that would be easily removable without modifying the original interior panels. The team made a set of front speakers that easily slipped in and out of the pockets in the lower kick panels and a rear speaker that attached to the luggage strap hooks on the rear package shelf. The head unit has a removable faceplate with a cover that mounts over it to match the dashboard, concealing the fact that it is even there. A set of houndstooth sport seats were sourced and installed along with a smaller diameter, thicker wrapped steering wheel with the “Hockey Puck” horn button was installed to give the interior a sportier aesthetic.
The finished result was a spectacular driver’s car that was fully sorted both inside and out. Since its completion in 2013, it has been used sparingly by its last two owners who collectively added a mere 10,000 miles on the odometer. Today, it still presents beautifully throughout and performs flawlessly thanks to the fastidious care of its most recent owners.
For anyone in search of a fantastic long hood 911 with an interesting backstory that is in need of nothing but a new owner and some twisty roads, this is the car for you.
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