1975 Porsche 911 S Targa

Finished in Silver over a Tan and Black leather interior, this 1975-registered H-series 911S Targa is an example of a very early production Targa of the era, with the trademark one-piece roof (rather than the later two-piece item) which fits snugly into the luggage compartment when not in use.

Not only is this one of the first Targas of its era, but was also only the 19th S version delivered in 1975, having been built towards the tail end of 1974.

Initially delivered to the US, this example was purchased by our vendor from the dry, hot state of California in 2016, importing it to Germany and immediately commissioning an in-depth, no-stone-unturned 18-month long restoration, which took between 2016 and 2018 to complete.

This restoration focused on originality and returning the car to its correct, as-delivered factory specification. This meant that the car was entirely stripped down, blasted, any issues rectified and finally re-sprayed in its factory colour, with the resulting bodywork being a thing of beauty.

Not only was the bodywork tended to, but the mechanicals and interior, too. Mechanically, the engine was stripped down and reconditioned, using original parts wherever possible, but anything that was either expired or unable to be refurbished was replaced at the time, such as hoses, wiring, pistons and valves. The fuel tank was also recommissioned, along with the gearbox receiving a thorough overhaul.

With regards to the interior, the only items that were not attended to were the seats, which were judged to be in such good condition that they could simply be re-installed once the restoration was complete.

The result is that our vendor ended up with a like-new, matching-numbers 911S Targa in its factory specification, yet registered correctly on German ‘H’ plates and with all the required certificates, TUV approval and more. The total cost of this work is over €50,000 all-in, which should go some way to explaining just how in-dept this restoration was.

Since the completion of the restoration in 2018, our vendor has driven the car regularly, choosing to use it as a commuter car on good days and for leisurely drives, ensuring that the vehicle does not sit for extended periods of time, and whenever it is off the road it is stored in a dry garage to preserve its condition.

It’s refreshing to see a car that was painstakingly restored, and then used as intended, rather than being ‘stuffed’ and put away in a garage, never to see the open road again.

Despite its regular use, this 911S Targa is still in utterly astounding condition, with the bodywork being lovely and straight throughout, with no dents, dings or impact damage to speak of.

Similarly, the paintwork is in fantastic shape, and even a fastidious owner would have trouble picking out any flaws, with crisp period ‘Carrera’ graphics, a wonderful finish to the paint and little more than the odd stone chip or light usage mark to speak of.

Up above, the removable one-piece Targa panel is in equally excellent condition, and the vendor reports that there are no waterproofing issues to speak of - excellent news!

Down below, all four wheels present wonderfully and are wrapped in matching Pirelli rubber, though there are a couple of very small marks noted on one wheel, as seen in the gallery below.

As with the exterior design, the cabin of a 911 is remarkably recognisable throughout the ages, and anyone that is familiar with an air-cooled 911 from any era would feel right at home behind the wheel of this H-Series Targa.

Just as the exterior presents fantastically, the same is true of the cabin of this Targa, which is in excellent condition throughout, having clearly received plenty of attention during the restoration.

Of course, the original seats have been retained as we’ve already mentioned, but these are still in phenomenal shape for their age, showing only very light wear which is most notable around the outer bolsters, though even this is minimal.

The carpets and mats are not the original items, the vendor confesses, but as a result they are in excellent condition, and free of the usual wear-and-tear you’d expect to find in a 911 of this era.

The dashboard, controls and centre console are all in good order and working as they should, whilst even the high-traffic areas such as the steering wheel, shifter, inner door sills and switchgear show only a light usage patina.

There are a few marks on the door cards from the car being enjoyed as Dr Porsche intended, but we’re really clutching at straws here - even the ‘frunk’ is nigh-on immaculate!

Typically of any 911, there is very little to deduce simply from looking at the rear-mounted engine, such is the compact nature of the unit and the excellent utilisation of space by Porsche’s engineering department.

What we can report, however, is that the engine was extensively rebuilt, refurbished and tuned during the 18-month restoration, and our vendor reports that the car is in rude health, no doubt aided by the fact that it is still used regularly - cars are meant to be driven, after all.

We can see no sign of any fluid or oil leaks, nor any visual indication of any failing items or heavily-worn areas of the engine. In fact, everything looks decidedly fantastic and impressively clean - testament to the vendor’s fastidious ownership.

Underneath, the story is much of the same, with even the bottom half of the engine still being fantastically clean, again showing no sign of any oil or fluid leaks, even in the usual spots around the sump plates and transmission gaskets.

The chassis as a whole is in excellent shape, and there are no causes for any concern that we can see, nor that the vendor is aware of.

Included with the vehicle is a whole coast of invoices, documentation and certificates, which we’d encourage you to sit down and work your way through, even if your German and Polish is a little rusty, most of it is either easy to get the gist of, or simple enough to translate.

Highlights of the history folder include:

- Numerous TUV certificates, with the current valid until August 2022.

- A whole host of invoices from the restoration process, with work carried out by Classic Car Restoration Centre in Poland, with specific invoices showing €4,425 on paint and bodywork, over €1,300 on trims and gearbox overhaul work, and other big-ticket bills.

- Shipping invoices for various parts needed for the restoration, from minor trims and badges to over €2,400 spent on new pistons for the engine.

Alongside invoices and TUV certifications, there are also German registration documents, showing the car correctly registered and with the TUV certificates showing it as an “old-timer” correctly.

Early air-cooled 911s will forever be in vogue amongst enthusiasts, thanks to their inherently mechanical nature, usability and drop-dead-gorgeous styling. Sure, there will always be those that say it’s just a ‘Beetle in a fancy suit’ but let’s be honest, they’re just jealous they don’t have their own 911!

This early H-Series Targa benefits from a meticulous restoration completed to the highest standards in recent years, and has covered only 6,000km in the years since in the hands of its one-and-only European owner, making it a very, very desirable example indeed.

Thanks to its condition, history and specification, we estimate this air-cooled beauty to reach in the region of €60,000 to €75,000 when the hammer falls, so be sure to get your bids in for what we expect to be a very lively auction indeed - good luck!

Inspection is always encouraged, with this particular car located in Kehl, Germany. To arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.