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Having so far covered a Safari 911 build and a 2-litre race car in our 2019 Twelve Builds of Christmas review, part five is a bespoke road car build. Completion of this classic Porsche 911 ST-style project is expected in early 2020. It will be the first bespoke road car build to leave our workshops in the new decade.
Based on a RHD 1972 Porsche 911, the shell was in presentable condition but needed the usual repairs to corrosion before the modifications could begin. With the shell stripped and the chassis media blasted, our fabricators set to work on a lengthy job list.
Repairs were carried out to the floors, sills and kidney bowls, parcel shelf, seat wells and screen apertures. Many new panels were used in the build, including a new front tank support and front panel. The pre-’73 battery boxes were removed to allow the fitment of an upgraded oil cooler in one front corner and the condenser and evaporator for an electric air conditioning installation in the other.
After rust to the front inner wings was repaired, we created the mounting brackets for a petrol-fired cabin heater, to be controlled by an app on the driver’s mobile phone. New front wings, doors, rear quarter panels, bonnet and engine cover were fitted. These were also then modified, with the bonnet converted to take a centre-fill fuel tank, and 911 ST steel arches added to all four corners.
The fuel filler flap and inner wing apertures were no longer required, so these were closed up. Lightweight bumpers were fitted. We also carried out modifications to the cabin to delete some dash apertures and fitted a roll cage to the rear of the cabin.
With the long list of metalwork finished, the car moved into our bodyshop, where the shell was prepared for painting in the familiar modern Porsche shade of Metallic Amethyst. Weeks of work went into preparation and paint, with the shell fully seam-sealed and stone chipped and all of the interior surfaces prepared to a smooth finish before the paint was applied.
While the bodyshell was being painted, work began on the engine for this high-end bespoke build. Starting with our familiar 3-litre base, the engine was stripped and cleaned before the usual case modifications were carried out. The bottom end was built up using a balanced 911 GT3 crankshaft with Pauter connecting rods. We also fitted a GT3 oil pump.
Pistons and cylinders for a 3.6-litre conversion came from Capricorn. We used RSR cams and turned to our friends at Rothsport Racing in Oregon for their big-bore EFI intake kit. Our in-house 3-litre exhaust manifolds and a custom silencer were used.
All of our engines are tuned for torque, so absolute horsepower is never our goal. That said, while the project aim was a modest 300 bhp, the engine is currently being run in and tuned on the dyno and producing figures that suggest an eventual peak horsepower number of up to ten percent more.
Assembly began several weeks ago and every option box was ticked on the build sheet. Details so far include our in-house braking system with Tuthill billet calipers and twin master cylinder pedal box. Suspension features our famous road dampers. The car will have a bespoke wiring loom with a simple but luxurious cabin, including leather-trimmed roll cage.
We’re excited to complete our first road car build of a brand new decade and look forward to getting this beautiful car on the road in early 2020! Contact us if you would like to discuss building your own bespoke classic Porsche 911.
