A Porsche so rare, even Google hadn't heard of it

[varmint]

A Porsche so rare, even Google hadn't heard of it

The story of the forgotten Porsche began in 1964. Back then, this particular Porsche 911 was happily running along in its standard configuration. Then, in 1966, it would be sent to the Automotive Engineering department at the University of Aachen.

The mission: turn it into a 'racing coupé' with a folding roof. The design study seems to take at least some inspiration from the Porsche 904 race car and its rear engine cover, which could be seen as a kind of retractable roof.

Technical drawings and a miniature model were devised before the in-house body department at the University of Aachen went to work on building a completely new body. To keep the weight low, many parts were fabricated in aluminium, including the characteristic rear louvres and the adjacent 'Targa' rollover bar.

The fact that this Porsche had genuine racing ambitions can also be seen from the arrangement of the instruments on the dashboard: they were subsequently added to the right-hand side. The highlight of the study was undoubtedly the hinged cockpit canopy, integrated in its closed state to flow in harmony with the body line.

Finally, the concept car, complete with its retractable roof, was sent to a paint shop in Würselen, a German town in the Aachen district of North Rhine-Westphalia, where it was given its bright green color. Here, too, the model name Porsche HLS was added in black letters.

What happened next explains why the retractable roof Porsche 911 has, until now, generated not a single entry on Google: it simply disappeared. Presumably, the eccentric study found no favor at Zuffenhausen, so it was simply parked at the body shop and left there—for 40 years.

It was not until 911 expert Manfred Hering of Early 911s was asked whether he could restore the long-forgotten concept that it once again saw the light of day.

IT WAS SIMPLY PARKED AT THE BODY SHOP AND LEFT THERE—FOR 40 YEARS

"I was asked whether I could restore the Porsche for around 30,000 euros. Of course, I had to say no, but I then tried to buy this unique Porsche," says Hering. "After three years of discussions and negotiations I stood in front of the handsome wreck that had been left exposed to the weather for the last four decades. The original engine and a spare engine were dismantled but came with it—and had already served as a home for several families of mice."









Not even Google has heard of the Porsche 911 HLS

[masraum]

Hah, the first slant nose.

[ckelly78z]

Looks like a Saab, and that makes me sob.

[Rick V]

Looks like an aborted Opal

[Paul_Heery]

What I am seeing is a group at a university (not Porsche) took a 911 and hacked the **** out of it. Then, it was not properly destroyed when they realized what they had done. Forty years later, someone finds it and it is now a special, rare car?

Let me go take a baseball bat to a Accord and see what I can come up with.

[Nostril Cheese]

This wasnt built by Porsche.

[porsche4life]

This wouldn't be a story if road and track wasn't trying so hard to make it a story!

[HHI944]

I took a dump once that was a swirl of colors.....definitely unique.....doesn't mean it was valuable or worthy of posting publicly....just saying...

[varmint]

tough crowd.

[Bill Douglas]

I think I've figured out why the gave up on it.



Butt ugly.










.

[M.D. Holloway]

new color: NECCO Wafer Green...

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by varmint

tough crowd.

No kidding, when I saw this I thought it was pretty cool.

[nota]

if it was a 911 and running in 1964
it has to be pre or early production
and very valuable as a low ### car under that body

[LakeCleElum]

That idea of a gas filler in the drivers door never really caught on?

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by nota

if it was a 911 and running in 1964
it has to be pre or early production
and very valuable as a low ### car under that body

Put a body from a '66 on it, a 901 emblem on the deck lid, register it as a '64 with the VIN from the chassis, and then you've got something.

[nota]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

That idea of a gas filler in the drivers door never really caught on?

likely a control for the flip up top section

[island911]

cool stuff! Thanks Varmint.

design shape; very 924

the original write-up has better pict's Not even Google has heard of this Porsche 911 HLS | Classic Driver Magazine

[Laneco]

I can tolerate most of this car and in fact, some angles are not really that bad. But the louvers are so utterly hideous that I'm really hard pressed to wrap my brain around the effort that will be needed to restore it.

angela

[herr_oberst]

Angela, you have proven your bon-mot's around cars. You know as well as anyone on this bbs that louvers were the absolute shin-tin-zizzle in the early seventies!

Why, you might as well tell us that the Pontiac screaming chicken on the Trans-Am is not to your taste!

(green font implied)

[island911]

Exactly. Style is so often timely; for most. Just look at the ubiquitous scowling headlights of today's cars. (stupid, IMO; but sells, none the less.)

That HLS has design style-elements (of the time) integrated fairy well.

I wonder which design students had this in their portfolio . . . and went on to design ???