1971 Porsche 911T 2.2 Litre Coupe

Details

Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale an Australian delivered factory right hand drive 1971 Porsche 911T. This particular example is fitted with the desirable 5-speed manual gearbox and the 2.2 litre engine. It is understood only 17 of these cars were delivered new to Australia in 1971.

We have documentation on file from Porsche Australia confirming that this car was delivered in its current and absolutely stunning colour of tangerine (colour code 2323 ‘blutorange’). This car also retains its original ‘matching numbers’ engine.

Very little is known about the early history of this Porsche 911T. It is understood the car was sold new into Adelaide by then Porsche concessionaires Rainsfords.

The current owner acquired the car almost 20 years ago from The Healey Factory in Melbourne. Based on the modification plate fitted in the car it must have spent some time in Queensland prior to finding its way to Melbourne and the current owner. The Queensland Modification Plate is dated 10/10/03, with codes LK1 & LK2, which is for LK1: Seat and seatbelt installation/removal and LK2: Seat and anchorage certification. This looks to have been certified in Townsville in North Queensland and is for fitting the aftermarket Recaro seats and seat belts. The car is also fitted with an aftermarket steering wheel.

Throughout the current owner’s time with the car, it has been very well maintained by respected Porsche specialist, Auto Coupe in Eltham Victoria. There are invoices on file dating back as far as 2004. At that time, it was noted the odometer read 8,575 miles. In April 2007, when the odometer read 17,887 miles the gearbox was rebuilt and in May 2007 when the odometer read 18,007 miles, the carburettors were rebuilt.

In 2012 the car was given a major service, which amongst other things included the removal of the front suspension to replace the lower control arm bushes, replacement of the lower ball joints, upgrading the steering tie rod assemblies, replacement of the sway bar bushes, replacement of all the CV joints & boots, cleaning & inspection of the drive shafts. At that time the odometer read 27,322 miles.

Since 2017 the car has been sparingly used and it has only covered around 2,000 miles in that time.

Porsche 911’s look good in pretty much any colour, however, we think that tangerine is about as a good as it gets! The colour really suits the car and it definitely stands out.

Today this Porsche 911T presents really well. The car carries an older repaint that is still vibrant with a nice deep gloss finish. Walking around the car first impressions are good. The chrome work and classic Fuchs wheels create a really nice contrast to the orange paint. Upon closer inspection there are a few minor defects as you would expect on a car that has been used and enjoyed. Most noticeably, there are some small bubbles on the lower section of the passenger side door. According to the owner the bubbles were there when he purchased the car almost 20 years ago and they have not gotten any worse. The chrome work is most likely original and generally in good condition, though there are some light scratches on the trim around the windows. The rubber strip on the front bumper is not a perfect fit. The rest of the external trim, including the lights, lenses and the badges are in good condition. The glass is all in good condition, as are the wheels which are shod with 185/65/R15 Michelin Energy XM2 tyres at the front, date stamped wk29/12 and 205/60/R15 Michelin Energy XM2 tyres at the rear, date stamped wk25/12.

Inside the car, one of the first things you’ll notice are the aftermarket Recaro seats and the smaller non-original steering wheel. The seats are in very good condition, are very comfortable and provide excellent support. There is a small wear mark in the fabric on the top of the driver’s seat and similar smaller mark on the top of the passenger’s seat, both most likely caused by the seatbelt. The rear seats appear to be original. We did notice a small split in the base of the passenger’s rear seat, but otherwise they are in good condition. The dashboard is in good condition and has not been damaged by the sun. There is a small crack in the speaker cover that sits on the dash. All the instruments, with the exception of the clock, are in good working order. The door cards are in good condition but there is a crack visible on the drivers arm rest.

The front compartment is neat, clean and tidy and the carpet is in good condition. Under the rear lid, the engine bay is also clean and very well presented, consistent with a car that has been used but well maintained.

These Porsches were made to be driven and we were keen to find out if this particular example would meet our expectations. We are pleased to say it didn’t disappoint when we took it out for a test drive. The car starts easily and quickly settles into a smooth idle. One of the first things we noticed is just how good the engine sounds, even when it’s cold. Out on the open road things just kept getting better. The engine sounds even better once under load and it has plenty of power available throughout the rev range which makes the car very enjoyable to drive. The dogleg gearbox also feels smooth and precise. The car feels very solid and the work done on the suspension is definitely noticeable. There are no rattles or squeaks and the car handles very well.

Taking one of these early 911’s out for a drive is always a pleasant experience. You very quickly forget that you are driving a car that is 50 something years old! They are easy to drive, yet always great fun. This is a good one and we would have no issue getting into this car and driving it to Sydney tomorrow.

These early Porsches are very desirable and you don’t often come across an Australian delivered example with the desirable 5-speed gearbox. And, this car is finished in the most fabulous original colour.

As the new owner you can just enjoy this car the way it is or you could decide to take it up a level by installing some period correct seats and an original steering wheel as well undertaking a few other odd jobs.

This car comes with a good history file, an original owner’s manual, correct spare wheel, jack, tool kit and two sets of keys.

Highlights:

• Australian delivered Porsche 911T with the desirable 5-speed gearbox.
• Understood to be one of only 17 Australian delivered 911T’s delivered in this configuration in 1971.
• STUNNING original period colour.
• Ready to use and enjoy ‘as is’ or easy to take up a level.

 

Background

The Porsche story is a fascinating one and its roots go back to the 1930’s when Professor Ferdinand Porsche was instrumental in the design of the first Volkswagen and also Auto Union race cars. By 1939 he had built three Porsche cars to compete in the 800-mile race from Berlin to Rome. Unfortunately, the race was cancelled due to the war and Porsche was forced to focus on supporting the German war effort, however, he had always wanted to build his own cars. In 1944 Porsche was forced to leave Stuttgart and he set up a small operation in Gmünd, Austria. Soon after the Porsche family and many of their engineers were captured and sent to jail. Ferdinand Porsche’s son. Ferdinand junior, or ‘Ferry’ as he was known, was released six months later and he returned to Gmünd to rebuild the family company. Things moved quickly and Porsche was involved with cars again and in mid-1948 the first Porsche 356 was built. It is understood Porsche built some 50 aluminium bodied cars by hand in their small factory at Gmünd before relocating back to Stuttgart, Germany. The rest they say is history as the 356 evolved into one of the most successful sports cars ever built. A hard act to follow indeed . . . but its replacement, the Porsche 911 went on to become a legend!

The evolution of the Porsche 911 is probably the greatest sports car story of all time. First introduced in 1963 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and then designated as a 901, the successor to the 356 took the world by storm. To avoid conflict with Peugeot, who claimed exclusive rights to car names with three digits having a ‘zero’ in the middle, the car was renamed as 911. The first production 911 was built in 1964 and it was powered by an air cooled 1991cc 6-cylinder engine. The car evolved with increases in engine capacity to 2.2 litres, 2.4 litres, 2.7 litres, 3.0 litres and 3.3 litres. There were styling changes also, but one always recognised the car as a 911. Today the first series of 911’s is recognised as the cars built from 1963 to 1989 and include the very popular Porsche 911 and 930 Turbo models. Of these the ‘small bumper’ or ‘pre impact bumper’ cars built up to 1973 are today regarded as the real classic 911, however, that comes at a price. In the last few years astute collectors and enthusiasts have seen great value in 1970’s and 1980’s model 911’s.

First released in 1967, the Porsche 911T was basically a replacement for the 912. The 911T was a slightly less expensive and a more basic version of the 911L. It had a 1991cc engine which produced 110hp and a 4-speed gearbox. In 1970 the engine size was increased to 2,195cc and for the 1972 and 1973 models the engine size was increased again, this time to 2,341cc. The 911T remained in production through until 1973. There were 6 different series for the 911T. The A and B series ran from 1967 to 1968, while the C and D series ran from 1969 to 1971, the E series in 1972, and the F series in 1973. In total 38,333 911T’s were produced.

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