1991 Porsche 964 Carrera 2

The 964 may not be the last air-cooled 911, but it’s the last one that still looks like a classic 911, so in many ways it represents the end of an era. This is the 3.6-litre final development of the original 911’s air-cooled flat six – an absolute classic powerplant if ever there was one.

The current owner bought this car in 2017 after it had been stored in a barn for approximately five years (please have a look at the pictures). The engine was rebuilt in 2018 by specialists RnR Performance in Chatham, and the bodywork was carried out DVB Automotive.

All the parts used were original Porsche, except for the Bilstein suspension upgrade, and the bespoke Hayward and Scott exhaust system. The 964 has covered approximately 3000 miles since the engine rebuild, and will come with a fresh MoT certificate.

The dark metallic blue on this Carrera shines with a deep lustre that indicates the professional restoration work has been carried out to a very high standard. In addition the original Porsche alloy wheels are immaculate. All the panel gaps are tight and even, and the whole car gives the impression that a lot of time, care and money has gone into making it look this good.

The deployable tea tray spoiler on the engine cover is part of 911 folklore, and just adds to the iconic profile – this is the last model of air-cooled 911 that still looked much like the 1964 original.

There are some slight marks on the windscreen rubber, which is about the only ‘fault’ we could find on the car’s exterior, although we suspect they may well clean off anyway.

The good news continues in the superb cabin, with the pale grey leather being in excellent condition. The only area that could be improved is the driver’s seat bolster, which appears to have what looks like an oil or tar stain on it. Again, we think a professional valeting service may well be able to greatly improve this.

There’s some slight degradation of the auxiliary gauge surround, but overall the cabin is absolutely stunning, and there’s even a period perfect Blaupunkt cassette radio siting happily in the dash panel.

In the front luggage compartment the car is complete with an original Porsche tool roll.

The car’s underside has a comprehensive coating of protective underseal and we could see no signs of any corrosion. Lifting the engine lid reveals what you should find when opening this compartment on a Porsche 911 – an air-cooled flat six engine.

The huge cooling fan dominates the view, which is of an absolutely iconic engine bay. There are many invoices with the car and the excellent cosmetic appearance of this engine is helped by those that detail the stripping of ancillary components and the replating of all the pulleys you can see.

The only slight detraction is that the fittings on the air-con hoses have some surface corrosion. This is just a cosmetic snag though, and one that could be easily addressed. Anyway, fire it up, for goodness sake.

What a noise. Some aren’t keen of the mechanical commotion that an air-cooled 911 produces, but we’re addicted. This is what a Porsche should sound like. Wonderful. And of course, this engine has only covered 3000 miles since that extremely expensive rebuild, so you’re good to go.

This 911 comes with a huge stack of invoices for many thousands of pounds worth of work that carried out over the years, including one for more than £9,500 for the engine rebuild and associated work, plus another for the performance exhaust system for £2,200.

The owner says:

‘I was interested in buying a classic car with a view to restoration. I was looking at VWs or Fords from the late ’70s and ’80s, when my son told me about his Grandad’s 964 that had been left in storage since his grandad had passed away approximately five years earlier. My son was not in the position to buy and restore the car, so I was lucky enough to get the opportunity. I bought it from his widow and organised the restoration.

‘Fortunately I’m friends with the owner of the body shop, and he allowed me to help out where I could, mainly stripping the car down and then getting involved in the best part – putting it all back together after new panels and paintwork. To me the best thing about the whole experience was watching the car return to its former glory. I now have the bug and want to do more.

‘The best thing we used the car for was my son’s wedding last year. He and the best man drove to his wedding in it, he was very close to his Grandad so it was a nice touch.

‘The car is in great condition, and drives extremely well. It’s not a concourse car – it needs to be driven. It is completely Porsche standard, except for Bilstein suspension, bespoke Hayward and Scott exhaust system, retro Blaupunkt radio and front speakers.

‘It has no known faults at all – everything is in working order. The engine and gearbox are all original. It’s a Porsche, they always feel special – even a car that’s over 30 years old, and they drive so well.’

Icon is a word bandied about a little too causally sometimes, but the air cooled 911 is a stone cold example of a car that even people uninterested in cars would recognise. And this is the final version of the breed that can trace its heritage all the way back to the 1964 original.

It’s been cherished, and a huge amount has gone into making it this good. The next owner is a lucky person.

We estimate for this car to reach anywhere between £45,000 - £55,000.

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’.