Porsche 911 S Targa

Porsche 911 S Targa

Originally owned in the USA, Little Boy unexpectedly collapsed more than thirty years ago. But the era of setbacks is over: the team at Klassik Garage has pulled out all the stops to get the faltering Targa back on its feet. Now it is ready for the road…

Early 2015: The arrival of the container from the USA is approaching. On board: that sad Porsche 911 S Targa, whose described condition hardly offers much hope for a quick recovery. Nevertheless, there is a certain tension in the team at Klassik Garage Kronberg that cannot be denied. The situation is similar to a surprise egg: you often know what’s inside – and still look forward to unwrapping it with mischievous delight! So, maybe the container does contain a Sleeping Beauty that just needs a kiss to wake up?

The illusion of Sleeping Beauty dissolves into rust particles when opening the container…

When opening the large box, the beautiful illusion crumbles into its non-existent components. Just like Little Boy’s crispy bodywork, from which rust seems to seep out of almost every pore. Unfortunately, the lemon-yellow Targa actually looks as forlorn as the photos previously sent by Classic Scout Rick suggested. It quickly becomes clear that this 911 is definitely not what others would call a good restoration base…

But it’s also pointless to push such a barn find into a corner. The goal is already clearly in sight: the boxer engine should come back to life! Because a first-hand Targa from the 1970s is hardly available nowadays – and Little Boy is an absolute stroke of luck. We recap briefly the fate of the Porsche that rolled off the assembly line in April 1970 with the chassis number 9110310479: About ten years, first owner David Brzezinski keeps his Boxer in the ring; he presumably collects exactly those 70,674 miles shown on the speedometer. Then, a motor failure in the early eighties causes the Zuffenhausen car to be knocked out prematurely.

Premature knockout in the USA: Little Boy spends about 30 years in a vegetative state

Due to an "accelerant" in the form of leaking oil in the rear compartment, the car is further heavily damaged. The wounded Porsche, lovingly called Little Boy by the owner's wife, remains stationary in the driveway for about 20 years, only to make a longer stop in a barn in Pennsylvania as a presumed barn find…

Back in good old Germany – for an inventory: Upon ruthless examination, the condition of the knocked-out Boxer offers at best a glimmer of hope. No spark. Okay, the interior is still there, the coveted Fuchs 15-inch wheels are still on it, and the wheels, known among insiders as Deep Six due to their size, even make a decent impression. Maybe the good Becker Grand Prix, which had to be ordered as an extra at a base price of over 30,000 marks (or about $10,000) at the time, still works.

But in terms of the bodywork, it is initially much easier to determine which areas are not gnawed or already eaten away by rust: namely almost none. Floor panels, doors, fenders, side panels, seat wells, sills, end plates – the body is virtually devastated from top to bottom by the brown berserker. The front end, including the windscreen, stillbest impression, as well as the window frame and the typical Targa bar.

The first impression: mainly rusty. At least everything is still attached.

Things don't get much better on the technical side either. It can at least be stated that everything is still there. However, the predominantly rusty impression unfortunately continues with many components under the sheet metal: clearly, the brakes are affected, and apart from that, there is hardly a suspension part that isn't covered with nasty rust spots. And where, for example, the rear axle arms should have solid support, it already goes into oblivion on the sheet metal...

Little Boy reveals many nasty details, even though the engine has not yet been mentioned. Or rather, the heavily battered aluminum lump that the restoration team is lifting out of the rear of the Targa... After the first parts of the six-cylinder boxer are dismantled, the extent of the engine damage suffered decades ago becomes almost dramatically clear: apparently, the connecting rod of the fourth cylinder has suddenly left its usual place on the crankshaft - and that at a proper speed. This explains the irresistible path that the crushed cast part has taken in a chain reaction. It not only went through the cylinder wall but also directly through the magnesium housing of the block! Therefore, it is at least somewhat understandable that leaking oil ignited on the hot manifold and caused the pretty little fire that scorched or even melted all plastic parts...

Severe blow to the boxer: a connecting rod suddenly gives way

Poor lubrication or material defect?The specific cause of why the connecting rod suddenly failed is difficult to diagnose and ultimately remains speculation. The fact is, however, that the badly damaged Boxer requires a more than thorough overhaul after this disastrous diagnosis. A task that clearly exceeds the limits of technically feasible work in a classic garage.

Therefore, the engine is entrusted to a specialized workshop with extensive machinery, which also understands such tough cases. And after the complete disassembly of the technology, interior, and all body parts, what remains of Little Boy is also sent there. Because the deranged shell needs on the alignment bench (!) such extensive and intensive restoration work as only an experienced bodywork specialist with a lot of know-how and, above all, the necessary equipment can realize.

The restoration goes to the substance – but Little Boy retains its soul…

In the meantime, the classic garage also plans a rejuvenation for the disassembled assemblies. Although not everything proceeds in parallel due to time and capacity constraints. The top priority is nonetheless to preserve as much of the original substance as possible so that the Targa, so to speak, retains its soul. Accordingly, everything that can be reasonably saved should, if possible, be returned to its place.

Regarding glazing, for example, only the windshield is sorted out; many interior parts (yes, even the good Becker!) can also be reused. A skilled upholsterer is responsible for refurbishing the seats in original trim and other equipment parts. Several Axle parts are superficially covered with rust, but with a lot of meticulous effort, a significant amount of material loss can be avoided even in this area. The axle shafts, for example, are sent for powder coating, and after being checked for their (surprisingly good) roundness, the original Fuch wheels will soon look like new again.

Until Little Boy stands on its own Deep-Six wheels with all the trimmings, much more meticulous preliminary work is still required. Especially on the fully restored and freshly lemon-yellow painted bodywork, which, together with the hoods and doors, will arrive back at the Classic Garage in the fall of 2017. Step by step, the restoration team can assemble those puzzle pieces in the coming months that have already been meticulously prepared for installation. Components like the wiring harness are still incomplete – because a completely new harness must be manufactured based on the existing pattern.

They never come back? Our Boxer will soon be back in the ring!

The "wedding" is thus temporarily postponed. However, the groom, in the form of the rejuvenated boxer engine, is ready: The six-cylinder has already reported back healthy several months before the arrival of the bodywork. It goes without saying that key parameters such as pistons, bushings, and parts of the valve train have been renewed during its heart surgery, considering the setbacks the engine had to endure. Thanks to a series of revised original parts, the 2.2-liter can also breathe deeply again. The best example: the machined and finely balanced crankshaft, which makes the perfect shaft again! Almost everything is prepared for the comeback of our brave boxer – which is nowRing can be raised.

Little Boy is now for sale! Write us an email: info@klassikgarage.com