1972 Porsche 911T

Finished in a delightful shade of Sepia Brown (very ‘of its time’) this 1972 Porsche 911T is an early example of the non-oelklappe model, and has covered a remarkable 156,000 miles throughout its lifetime, playing testament to the outstanding quality and build that these early air-cooled 911s enjoy.

Previously cosmetically restored in 2009 at a cost of over £18,000 by Sandydown Bodywork Ltd, this wonderful, UK-supplied RHD 911T was well-specified from the factory, with the following additional equipment optioned by the first owner when the vehicle was supplied new to Motortune of Brompton Road, London:

- Rubber buffers on bumper horns

- Alloy wheels

- Front and rear stabilisers

- Outside mirror (drivers side)

- Chrome trims on wheel housing

- Power windows

- Headrests on both front seats

- Rear wiper

- Front apron (splitter)

- Tinted (colourised) windows

- Sun roof (steel panel)

In addition to its factory specification, this example has also previously been fitted with ’S’ specification cams when the engine was previously rebuilt, around the 2002 mark judging by the number of invoices for internal engine components such as piston ring sets.

Alongside mechanical works early in the 21st century, the interior was also re-trimmed in its current specification of brown leather with fabric seat inserts & what look to be some slightly more modern Recaro seats.

Purchased by the current owner on account of its outstanding condition and a healthy dose of flat-six nostalgia, the car has - as he puts it - been ‘treated like a baby’ in his ownership, always garaged but used semi-regularly to keep everything in full working order, both locally and on longer runs around the Dorset countryside.

Whilst the car has required little other than use during the vendor’s ownership, his detail-oriented nature meant that a small area of superficial corrosion on the A-pillar (caused by a blocked rainwater channel) was attended to, along with the underside of the floor pan being cleaned, treated and re-sealed for longevity.

An original UK-supplied, RHD, this is a truly wonderful example of the venerable air-cooled 911T, finished in a wonderfully period (and original) colour and evidently pampered throughout its life.

Sepia Brown is certainly a shade that has had its ups-and-downs throughout history, going from being in fashion to falling out of favour, but it certainly appears to be having a resurgence amongst enthusiasts at the moment, and we think that it suits this 911T down-to-the-ground!

As you may have gathered from the above section, this 911 presents in outstanding condition throughout on account of the aforementioned restoration and its considered, cosseted use and ownership in the years since. That’s not to say that there aren’t a few minor imperfections here-and-there in keeping with a vehicle of this age, mileage and with the restoration work now being over 13 years old.

From our photo shoot and inspection, this is what we’ve noticed:

- Minor wear above the engine deck lid grille, below the rear window surround

- A small scratch below the fuel filler cap

- Small crack on the NSR reflector lens

- Some pitting/dulling on the various chrome trims, bezels and surrounds

- Patina visible around the front and rear of the wheel arches

- A loose rubber trim piece on the NSR sill trim (image 126)

- Surface corrosion visible on the rear bumper overriders (image 120/122)

The paintwork remains in excellent condition overall and wears only a few small stone chips and minor blemishes in keeping with the vehicle’s age and mileage, whilst the bodywork is straight and free from any impact damage or mis-aligned panels.

All four wheels present in very good order, and are wrapped in matching Dunlop tyres. In our experience, matching, high-quality tyres are regularly a strong indicator of fastidious ownership, and is something that we will always highlight in our listings.

Moving inside, the good news continues largely unabated, with the re-trimmed interior from 2003 still standing up fantastically well, suggesting that the work was carried out to the highest standards.

Of course, there are some areas of wear visible - this is a ~156,000 mile vehicle, after all - with some ‘scrunching’ visible to the seat bases, light marks to the door cards and inner door sill covers, and some wear visible in the frunk.

Elsewhere, the high-traffic areas such as the shifter, steering wheel and touch-points such as the window switches display a commensurate usage patination, whilst the electric window switches on both door cards require attention to re-seat them correctly in the panel.

We also noted that the rear offside seat back does not engage correctly with the tab on the engine cover trim, likely due to a long period being stored folded down.

Notably, the car still wears it ‘built in West Germany’ plaque on the inside of the nearside door, which is a lovely period touch (and an excellent talking point, we imagine.)

Up above, the solid sunroof is in full working order, and the runners look to be solid and in good condition as far as we could see, with the pop-up wind deflector working as it should.

In the rear, the 2.4-litre flat-six engine fires into life with ease and idles happily, providing its characteristic air-cooled ‘thrum’ on idle and building into a wonderful air-cooled crescendo as the engine works its way through the rev range.

During our short test drive, we noted no issues from the engine whatsoever. There was a slight tendency to ‘buck’ when cold at low RPMs in our experience (typical for a carburettor-fed car operating in minus-degree temperatures) but once warmed through slightly, it performed flawlessly during our time behind the wheel, as did the transmission.

In the engine bay itself, everything looks to be in good order and in its right-and-proper place, with no obvious signs of any issues or causes for concern.

The vendor reports no known faults with any of the vehicle’s mechanical or electrical systems, though he does point out that the indicator switch can be ‘sticky’ which we also noted.

On account of its age, the car is exempt from mandatory MoT examinations. The last exam took place in November 2017 at an (indicated) 54,351 miles, resulting in a first-time pass with no advisory items.

Included with the sale of the vehicle is a rich and detailed history folder, comprising of numerous service invoices, the original maintenance record, document wallet, service handbook, CD of photographs from 2009, numerous MoT certificates helping to confirm the vehicle’s mileage, and a wealth of other documentation and invoices.

As always, we’ve photographed everything we’ve received here at The Market, and the photos are available to view at the end of the extensive photo gallery below. For those looking for a quick highlights list, however, the following are included:

- Porsche certificate of authenticity, confirming the vehicle’s original specification

- Bodywork restoration invoices from 2009, with work carried out by David Newton Sandydown Bodywork ltd, including a full strip and re-spray in the original Sepia Brown, new front wings, new front sills, front boot floor, waxoil, and other miscellaneous works including new seals at a cost of over £18,000

- Extensive mechanical works around 2010 by a VW specialist

- Numerous Porsche OPC invoices for remedial and routine works

- Significant recent expenditure at marque specialist JMG Porsche, including servicing and works to address issues with the intake manifold and carburettor tuning

- Over 2,800 spent in 2020 overhauling the underside of the vehicle, including stripping, sealing, attending to previous welding repairs and cavity waxing

The Porsche 911 is a car that enjoys enduring appeal across all of its generations, though it is hard to argue with the statement that these early air-cooled cars enjoy the most attention and appeal, providing the driver with a pure, analogous driving experience that few other cars can match or replicate.

Offered for sale from fastidious enthusiast ownership, in outstanding condition and seemingly in rude mechanical health, this is a rare opportunity to obtain a 1972 Porsche 911T in a wonderful period colour, seemingly wanting for nothing more than a new owner and the open road.

Presented with an estimate of £70,000 to £80,000 we expect this auction to prove popular, so why not get your 2023 off to a fantastic start by purchasing yourself an icon of the classic sports car world?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; we are open weekdays 9am-5pm, 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’.