New Lease on Life - 1973.5 Porsche 911T

[Chupula]

After being in various forms of storage since 1990 (hay barn, barnyard, two garages and repair shop), I am happy to report that my 911 is once again roaming the streets with a happily beating heart and a clean bill of health. Bit of a long story, but I'll try to keep it short and sweet.

My mother purchased this 1973.5 911T in early 1976. She drove the car daily throughout the four Virginia seasons through 1984, at which point it split duties with a 1984 Porsche 944 and became the "winter" car, due to the better traction with the weight being over the rear wheels. It underwent a full restoration in the late 80's and was put away around 1989-1990 needing some minor repairs. My mother passed unexpectedly in 1995, at which point my father had no use for the car and due to the fact we lacked family heirlooms, the car was gifted to me as part of her estate at the age of 18.

Knowing that I lacked the financial resources and the maturity to properly maintain, insure and keep the car from a certain death at the hands of a young man, who would drive the wheels off of anything, I decided to hang onto the car, knowing that if I sold it, I would deeply regret it one day. You see, I spent my earliest years riding in the rear jump seats humming along to the 2.4L as it went through the gears. It was as much a member of my family to me as our beloved pets, and I would be damned to see it become a distant memory.

Fast forward to a few years ago. Facing a divorce and moving 650 miles north, I decided to finally get off of my butt and do something about the car I had towed from residence to residence, slipped under a cover and used as a storage shelf for whatever items ended up on it. Seeing as though I never actually made any significant in-roads to a mechanical refreshing and thorough "go-through", I had it towed to Performance Auto Works at Summit Point, WV and asked the proprietor to slowly get the car mechanically sound and drivable and to send me periodic, manageable bills, so I could pay as we went and not run screaming to Mexico facing a certain financial ruin.

Over the last Christmas break, I visited family in VA and hauled the 911 back to New England and stuffed back into a garage until nice weather permitted and all the salt had been washed from the road. Needless to say, I've put a few miles on her cruising the A/B roads here in Maine and after 22 years of lugging and storing this car for "the day" that I had the means and desire to enjoy this car, I can finally say that day has arrived.

The quest is far from over, as I will slowly be refinishing the undercarriage and sourcing a full, OEM-style carpet set for the interior. I also need to address the wheels, as they need refinishing and one is bent. After that, will be addressing the paint flaws from a 30 yo restoration and small dents and paint chips (compliments of our horses from years ago), although those may stay a while for sentimental "patina".

[LakeCleElum]

Chup - Thank you for sharing and welcome to Pelican. I have a 73.5 Targa I've owned since 1990. I be watching your progress with interest. Ideally, yours was stored indoors and rust is not an issue? Best of luck on this.

[Chupula]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Chup - Thank you for sharing and welcome to Pelican. I have a 73.5 Targa I've owned since 1990. I be watching your progress with interest. Ideally, yours was stored indoors and rust is not an issue? Best of luck on this.

Hi Bob! No rust issues here... any rot was addressed in the late 80s during the restoration. The rear quarters have been repaired and the inner rear fenders were boxed in (common modification, as I am told). My Mom ditched the lower rocker moldings as well, as she was told that they expedited rot on the rockers. Aside from a year or two being stored on grass and at the shop, it has been stored inside for the bulk of its life.

I'd love to see pics of your Targa! There seem to be quite a few 73.5s running around, given they were a half year production run... although it certainly didn't make saving and rebuilding the CIS on mine any easier.

[lrodri64]

Interesting history.
Enjoy!!!

[Boxster_S_girl]

This is seriously one of the coolest stories I've read in a while.

My mom used to haul us around in an '88 300SE; all my fondest commuting memories were in that car and she kept it in impeccable condition. Unfortunately, no one thought twice about it when she sold it in back in 2002 for pennies. Perhaps 6 or 7 years later I saw the car on the road, and I briefly spoke to its newest owner... And it was then that I wished I kept that car if for nothing else than the memories.

Beautiful car and great story! I hope every moment driving it brings you fond memories...

[JSny]

Thanks for sharing. Very cool story. Very cool mom.

I like the wheels! Understated cool!

[Chupula]

Originally Posted by lrodri64

Interesting history.
Enjoy!!!

Thank you, I most certainly will!

Originally Posted by Boxster_S_girl

This is seriously one of the coolest stories I've read in a while.

My mom used to haul us around in an '88 300SE; all my fondest commuting memories were in that car and she kept it in impeccable condition. Unfortunately, no one thought twice about it when she sold it in back in 2002 for pennies. Perhaps 6 or 7 years later I saw the car on the road, and I briefly spoke to its newest owner... And it was then that I wished I kept that car if for nothing else than the memories.

Beautiful car and great story! I hope every moment driving it brings you fond memories...

Thank you so much... your comments mean a great deal to me and obviously hit close to home. I wish your Mom's 300SE had stayed with you, but I totally understand as it almost happened to me. For me, it was both the memories of growing up in the car (like yours) and a connection or time capsule of sorts that preserved a bit of her energy and spirit.

I had offers over the years to sell it and my Dad thought I was a little crazy to be hanging onto it all of these years... until last Christmas break, when my sister and I drove away in the car as he watched on. When we arrived back, he finally understood why I held onto it all of the years, as the memories came flooding back seeing his two "kids" driving off in Mom's old car.

Originally Posted by JSny

Thanks for sharing. Very cool story. Very cool mom.

I like the wheels! Understated cool!

Thank you... if there is one thing I love more than the cars themselves, it is the stories of the people, events and passion behind them. Mom was a cool gal... she was like a fine wine in a mason jar. She loved a good, quality sports car and always drove like a bat out of hell. We always used to tease her that she wore out the springs of the speedos, as both the 944 and the 911 needles bounced up and down at speeds below 40 MPH.

I'm rather partial to the wheels as well. I was running them without the hubcaps for a bit, as they reminded me a bit of the 550 Spyder wheels, but alas I polished the hubcaps and put them back in their rightful place.

[pete3799]

Great story ......great car.
Best of luck with it.

[billydeakins]

Fantastic story and welcome to the board! And congrats on having enough wits to know how much you'd regret it if you sold it!

Enjoy!

[Flojo]

absoluteley beautiful classic look with those Lemmerz steelers and hubcaps, very charming!

[Chupula]

It's been a while since I posted an update. I was having issues with the car running too hot and cutting out, and primarily left the 911 parked, except for the occasional short maintenance runs, until I was able to find an "air-cooled whisperer" here locally in June 2020. He found a considerable amount of junk under the vent shielding and we both felt it would be best to R&R the engine to get all the mouse nest and build-up around the oil cooler and cooling fins, address everything that leaked, adjust valves, dwell and timing, and a bunch of other maintenance items to get it ship shape for the road.

Since then, it has been running like a top and enjoying the cool New England weather. She still cops a little 'tude when the ambient temps are above 85F with the CIS and the notorious vapor-lock when shut-off hot, but a 30-40 minute cool down, is all she needs, so we're reached an understanding that she gets to stay put in the garage during the 4-6 hotter summer weeks here in Maine. It's kind of endearing, seeing as though I remember it doing this from my earliest years as a little guy in the jump seats.

We met another local here with a green 73.5 911T, who as owned her car since 1979 and as it turns out, was built only 20 or so units after mine. Hers has an equally cool story as mine, and it's amazing to think that we reunited two 911s that hadn't been in the same spot together in nearly 50 years!

Anyway, enjoy the pics. I'm going to start picking away at the cosmetics next. I've been so smitten to see the car exactly as I remember it from a child, granted with a few more bumps and bruises from all those years sitting in the various barns, yards, garages, used only as a storage shelf. There's something to be said about about the stories that each battle scar represents, including the paint damage and dents from our horses, so time will tell whether I decide to leave her in the present, well-loved "driver" condition, or start the process to make her more perfect again.

With that said, some of you may notice I changed out the steelies for a restored set of cookie-cutters. The steelies need unbending and restoration, so I found a nice set of cookies here locally to run until that days comes.

[911 SLANT]

Great story. Good to know you had the foresight to hold on to it. With all the moves.