Porsche 911 S 2.0L SWB
Officially unveiled in October 1964 at the Paris Auto Salon (despite some 82 cars having been built for “testing and evaluation”) the type 901 was the first all new model since the 356. With a free-revving 130 hp/97 kW 2 litre motor, it was also the first Porsche road car to sport the “boxer” 6-cylinder motor. Fitted with a 4 or 5 speed manual type 901 gearbox, the 901 is the first Porsche that cemented the basics for what all subsequent 911s base their formula on. In protest from Peugeot regarding the use of '0' in a model naming system for global markets, the model was renamed 911 and is still known as that to this day, despite internal factory codes changing with each new model.
In 1966 Porsche introduced the more powerful 911 S with a significant power-boost to 160 hp/118 kW and was also the first Porsche to wear Fuchsfelge alloy-wheels for better unsprung mass. Progressing through several refinements for greater safety and better handling such as wider track, revised alignment, revised front crossmember and larger anti-roll bar the 901 culminated in the 1967 (model year 1968) 911 2.0 SWB we present here. In 1969 the wheelbase was extended and the car made in much larger numbers meaning these early short wheelbase cars (SWB) are coveted for their purity and limited production numbers.
This car is a ground up restored and matching-numbers RHD 911 S SWB manufactured in Germany to UK specification. Completed on 9 October 1967, it is thought to be 1 of approximately only 33 made for the UK RHD market for the 1968 model year.
The exterior paint is its most unusual feature, believed to be the only example recorded as Jaguar ‘Indigo Blue’, perhaps one of the earliest “paint to sample” 911s built. First registered on 20 October 1967, little is known of the car’s ownership history before it was sold to John Traynor of Beverley, East Yorkshire UK in the 2000s.
Complete, but having spent many years off the road, the car required a ground-up restoration with the extensive project undertaken by classic Porsche specialists, Canford Classics. The exhaustive restoration was fully documented with imagery and receipts totalling well over 100,000 pounds.
A complete set of invoices are available, detailing all work carried out over the three-year restoration,with the car finally being re-registered on 1 April 2015 in the UK as ‘PRH 64F’. Still retaining its original mechanical components, the car is one of the rarest ‘S’ examples. Also accompanying the car is an official Porsche certificate of authenticity that the car is specified as it left the factory.
One of the finest 2.0L SWB 901/911s on the planet and absolutely turn-key and fully fettled, this car is a must for any Porsche enthusiast looking for a very special addition to their garage.