Sales debate

What’s the perfect level of Porsche 911 restoration?

It’s a time-honoured debate: can you over-restore a Porsche 911? There are nearly half a million air-cooled models of 911 rolling around planet Earth, and, due to their age, most of those models either have or will soon need a restoration of some sort in order to bring their condition back up to scratch.

Indeed, as a consequence of the 911 turning 50 back in 2013, and the general rocketing of values that ensued, many owners of classics decided to invest in a thorough restoration of their coveted Neunelfer. Simply put, owners could afford to spend tens of thousands on a restoration, as the vastly appreciating value of the car in question often merited it. Some restorations were sympathetic to the original car, while others were back-to-baremetal projects where, come completion, not a single nut or bolt was carried over from its pre-resto state (UK readers may liken the latter scenario to that of ‘Trigger’s broom’ from Only Fools and Horses).

This spawned the question: how far is too far with a resto? And what’s the ideal level of restoration for a classic Porsche 911?

Autofarm’s Mikey Wastie has overseen countless restorations in his career to date, and is exceedingly passionate in his views that any restoration has to be sympathetic to protect the original history of a car. “If you look at the 2.7RSS we’ve been known to restore, I don’t take the view that those cars have owners – they are current custodians. The cars will, of course, have new owners in future, and so it’s our job to ensure those people can enjoy the cars in as close-to-original condition as possible, to really understand why people of today, people like ourselves, loved them so dearly,”

Wastie tells Total 911.

It’s a very forthright and noble viewpoint, Wastie ensuring that Autofarm thus encourage all customers with restoration projects to be mindful of the car’s original condition. “Patina is so important, as it tells the unique story of that car. If you take that away, what are you left with?” he says.

It’s an opinion that Lee Maxted-page, proprietor of the eponymous specialist dealing in fine historic Porsche, shares. “If a car is to be restored, it’s important that the car still retains its period look, and that includes its idiosyncrasies from the factory. If not, it’s simply a new car. That’s where your choice of specialist is important in deciding who should restore your 911. It’s relatively easy to replenish the condition of a vehicle, but the good specialists will be fastidious in ensuring correct techniques and finishes, right down to the last detail. That’s a properly restored 911; not something that’s been overdone, something that’s lost its soul.”

So, it seems that while restoration is necessary to preserve its roadworthiness, any procedure should be sympathetic to the original car and that of its story. After all, a Porsche 911 – or any car, for that matter – is only original once, and originality is key to a car’s value.