We look back over a decade and choose our favourite feature cars

This issue marks ten years since the publication of the first edition of Classic Porsche magazine, so we thought it would be fun to look back over the past decade and pick out one car for each year which left a lasting impression. Maybe you'll disagree with our choices, in which case, drop us a line at classicporsche@chpltd.com and let us know which cars impressed you – and why

2009

There was just one edition published that year, comprising largely of material that had previously appeared in our sister magazine 911 & Porsche World. But of the featured cars, one stood out head and shoulders above the rest as far as we are concerned: Paul Rui's incredible restoration of a 1950 Pre-a 356.

Oslo-based Paul spent years tracking down the correct parts to complete the restoration, intent on making it the most accurate example in the universe. The fact that it went on display in the Porsche Museum, and is now owned by one of the Porsche family, suggests that he succeeded in his quest.

It was not easy establishing what was, or was not, ‘correct’ for a 356 of this age, for there are few accurate factory records detailing how such cars were assembled. As Paul quickly discovered, many cars that had previously been heralded as ‘perfect restorations’ proved to be anything but. His painstaking trawls through the factory archives eventually led him to realise that in the very early 1950s, things were moving fast – cars that were built even just weeks apart could vary in detail as Porsche sought to improve on its original design.

But the end result of his research and labours was to be among the very best Pre-as you’re ever likely to see – and in Radium Green, it’s certainly one of the prettiest. It was without doubt our car of the year.

(See issue #1 for the full story on Paul Rui’s 356)

The new year saw Classic Porsche step up to being a quarterly publication, following intense pressure from readers of the first pilot issue for more of the same. Would there be sufficient cars of a high enough standard to fill the pages? It was a question that quickly answered itself.

This year it was the recreation by Nick Moss of Early 911 in Kent which grabbed our attention. In a world of Carrera Rs-influenced builds, Nick ploughed his own furrow by recreating one of the most spectacular-looking rally 911s of its era: the 911ST of Björn Waldegaard, as driven in the 1972 Monte Carlo Rally.

Beginning with what was said to be the very first 1972model 911 (as factory records show, it was actually built in March 1971) finished in a rather fetching – and unique – shade of Fraise (that's deep pink to you and me), Nick set about creating as accurate a replica of the Monte Carlo works 911 as he could. The shell was modified with ST arches front and rear, and all the factory-applied strengthening mods necessary to survive the rigours of the Monte Carlo Rally.

The engine was a short-stroke 2.5-litre running Rsr-style mechanical injection and twin-plug heads. Built by Redtek, the high-revving engine was bolted up to a 915 transmission with ZF limited-slip differential, all protected by a substantial aluminium skid-plate.

Finished in the striking colours of sponsors SEB from France (manufacturers of kitchen appliances), the superblydetailed 911 cut quite a dash on the front cover of our third issue and went on to be an accomplished rally car.

(See issue #3 for the full story on Nick Moss’s 911)

This is something of a bitter-sweet choice as far as we are concerned for, sadly, the owner and driving force behind the whole restoration project, Paulo Faldini, is no longer with us having taken his own life not long after his car hit the track.

The Porsche in question – and our choice for car of the year – is Paulo's 934. It is a car which we had known about since the early 1980s, and indeed had even been in around Goodwood circuit during the course of a track test in 1981 for the now defunct Hot Car magazine.

When Paulo purchased the 934, it was as a hard-used example of one of Porsche’s greatest sports-racers, a model derived from the road-going 930 and the springboard for the mighty 935 series of turbocharged race cars. To carry out the restoration, Paulo turned to long-established German

Porsche experts, Kremer in Cologne.

It soon transpired that the hard-worked 934 had been involved in more than one off-track excursion, the first in the hands of its original owner, Eugen Kiemele, the second while in the UK, owned and driven by John Bell. Undeterred, Kremer went on to carry out a meticulous – one could almost say concours-level – rebuild, right down to reinstating the correct turbocharged engine.

We documented the restoration over a series of articles leading up to its unveiling at the Nürburgring, which we attended so we could photograph the finished car – and sample its breathtaking torque round the famous Nordschleife. It was a day we will never forget. Ciao, Paulo. (See issue #11 for the full story on Paulo Faldini's 934)

Surely only a madman would buy a classic Porsche restoration project without ever having driven an old 911. Crazy, yes, but how about completing the restoration and then allowing four other people to get behind the wheel before you, just to make sure it’s OK?

Even though in his youth Darren Tompkins had worked at a business which sold Porsches, he’d never got to drive one. Eventually, he bought a 993 but found it ‘too modern’, so made the decision to buy himself a project in the form of a 1973 911E that required ‘light restoration’. And we all know what that means.

After initial dreams of doing all the work in-house at his Swindon-based business, Darren soon realised that he needed to turn to marque specialists to assist with what was clearly going to be a major restoration. Among those specialists were Barry Carter, who worked his magic on the bodyshell, Mike Bainbridge, who looked after the gearbox, and Nick Fulljames of Redtek, who handled the engine rebuild. Darren assumed the role of project manager and parts chaser extraordinaire. It was to be a steep learning curve.

With final bodywork and paint application carried out by Darren’s own company workshop, the 911E neared completion – but Darren was starting to get worried. ‘What if’, he asked, ‘I don't like it?’. Don’t forget, he had still never driven any early 911 let alone his 911…

He arranged to take delivery of his ‘new’ car at his local Porsche dealer, before embarking on a 350-mile journey to visit the first British owner – remember, it was the first time he had driven the Porsche. Would he be disappointed? No. He loved every mile of the trip there and back, and has since become something of a project fiend, building a fabulously detailed ’72 911T hot-rod, which we featured in issue #37, and a Carrera 3.0Rs-inspired 911, which is currently under construction. At least he has some idea of what it’s likely to drive like this time… (See issue #21 for the full story on Darren Tompkins’s 911)