• Classic 911 Turbo professionally upgraded to 421bhp
• Full service history and extensive wad of receipts
• Just four owners in 35 years
• Recent cosmetic corrections by Rennspeed
• Engine, gearbox & turbo rebuilt • Fortune spent in mechanical work
THE BACKGROUND
The first Porsche 911 Turbo was unveiled in 1975 in three-litre flat six guise and soon established itself as one of the fastest production cars of the 1970s. The arrival of the larger 3.3-litre engine in 1978 – which boosted power by 40bhp to 300bhp – made the 930 model an instant icon and also saw a raft of improvements that included an air-to-air intercooler (cooling the intake air for extra power), beefier brakes (inspired by the 917 race car), together with enhanced handling thanks to a revised anti-roll bar, larger diameter torsion bars and firmer front shock absorbers.
Thanks to the classic ‘tea tray’ spoiler (the earlier version was the ‘whale tail’) it was the ultimate bedroom wall poster car of the 1980s. Think stockbrokers, red braces and 80s-tastic films like The Cannonball Run.
Even today, few cars have the ability to make other motorists grin and pedestrians still gawp, stare, and give the thumbs up to the visual appeal of this classic 911. Unlike many classics, the 911 turbo has the visceral appeal to match its muscular looks.
The Porsche Certificate of Authenticity confirms the build date of this matching numbers model as 24 November 1986, making it a 1987 model year vehicle (Porsche goes from mid-year to mid-year). It was first registered on 31 December 1986 by Porsche USA, with the service book detailing the first owner as Dr Gert Bergner of Kassel, Germany. Originally a left-hand-drive USA-spec vehicle, it is possible that the first owner was serving in the military at the time of ordering. It’s first service was in August 1987 at Porsche Zentrum in Kassel (at 2,864km / 1780miles), with Dr Bergner enthusiastically covering as much as 21,000miles a year in his 11-year ownership. It was then imported into the UK in 1998 at 122,000km (75,000miles).
Two more owners looked after the car, one based in Bordon, Hampshire and the other in Birmingham, before ownership passed to its current Nottinghamshire owner. The car sits alongside his classic TR3A historic race car in a humidity-controlled garage.
The car befitted from an engine rebuild in 2008 (at around 190,000km / 118,000miles) with Bob Watson Engineering detailing a dyno power run of 425bhp. More recently, the car had a gearbox and turbo rebuild at around 220,000km (136,000miles) by renowned Porsche specialists Rennspeed.
The current mileage is 235,117km (146,000miles). The current owner reckons the engine, gearbox and turbo should be good for another 150,000km before needing attention. It’s clearly a healthy beast as a recent dyno test shows how well the engine is performing with over 421bhp available to the driver.
Having lavished so much time, attention and money on the 930, the current owner has decided to focus on racing his historic TR3A and feels that the car should continue its story in a new home with another enthusiast. It will, of course, come with a full 12 months MoT.
Extensive paperwork is supplied with this 930 detailing its unbroken ownership chain and reams of paperwork indicate the fastidious care it has received. The original ‘Garantie & Wartung’ book has the original build sticker in it and 28 service stamps – the majority from Porsche Zentrum Kassel. The MoTs date from 2001 and the current owner has painstakingly charted a £63,000 paper trail of expenditure on a spreadsheet.
Under his ownership, the car has benefitted from an extensive two-year overhaul at Porsche specialist Rennspeed, that included a high quality respray in the original A1A1 Schwarz and replacing the aftermarket alloys and front spoiler with the correct original parts. The Fuchs alloy wheels were brand new in 2017 and are period correct in diameter and width, with polished outer rims and black centres. Continental ContiSportContact tyres, all dated 2017, are fitted to each corner, in 245/45 ZR16 size at the rear and 225/50 ZR16 size at the front.
The correction work also included replacing the old teardrop wing mirrors with the correct rectangular shaped wing mirrors. At the same time, the car was gone through from nose to tail and treated to new discs, pads, fan belt, rear shock absorbers, air filter, cam kit, heater hoses and even a new genuine Porsche battery. The restoration work even went as far as replacing any non-original parts or anything showing wear e.g. cables, grommets, screws, plugs, piping, covers, shims, membranes etc.
The receipts from Rennspeed indicate that the present owner spent almost £9,000 on rebuilding the turbo and gearbox in 2013 and over £35,000 on restoration work in 2017.
The previous MoT’s, along with the V5, are included in the history folder together with the original handbooks and manuals, which are all in excellent condition.
Opening the bank-vault-like doors reveals the classic combination of a black-on-black interior. The black leather seating matches the glossy black paintwork and ties in with the smart black spokes on the Fuchs wheels. The contoured driver’s seat shows well-padded unripped bolsters and perforated centre panels with ribbed detailing. Both front seats have a little age-related creases and patina and feature electronic adjustment for the seat squab.
The windows, mirrors and factory-sunroof are also electric. The matching door cards are in good condition and fitted with upgraded speakers mated up to a Pioneer KEH-2730R cassette tuner. The current owner points out that this is seldom used as he prefers to enjoy the glorious soundtrack from the flat-six!
The dash itself is a feast of black VDO gauges, with white numerals and orange needles making them a model of clarity. Pride of place goes to the 7000rpm rev-counter, which has a small boost gauge inset into it. Sitting alongside, the speedo goes up to a heady 300kph (186mph) and, to the right, the original clock has been replaced by a secondary VDO boost gauge that matches the original gauges perfectly (the original clock is supplied with the car). All dials sprang to life without hesitation on start up.
An aftermarket metal polished gear knob selects the gears, with the original black leather gear knob supplied. In the rear there are two more belted seats, trimmed in ribbed black leather and inset with an embroidered Porsche logo. Four upgraded speakers are fitted to the rear parcel shelf. The perforated black headlining is in good original condition, as are the sunvisors. The carpets are also in good order, with some curling evident at the edges.
Thanks to the 2018 respray by Rennspeed and being kept in a humidity-controlled garage, the gloss black A1A1 paintwork is in excellent order. No stone chips blemish the bonnet and the shutlines are excellent, with the doors closing with a precise meaty thunk.
The depth of the black paintwork is a clear testament to the quality of the preparation and the shadow lines were unbroken along the flanks and glimmered in the sunlight. Thanks to the original Porsche front spoiler, the aggressive rear tea tray spoiler and the iconic Fuchs alloys, it reeks of Eighties confidence.
All the glass appeared unmarked and the headlights and tail-lights were moisture free. The original Porsche-logo’d centre rear reflector panel was also renewed and, together with the turbo script on the engine lid, give it real presence.
The flowing lines of the car are unbroken around the wheel arches, which have crisp sharp edges and hug neatly around the Fuchs wheels. The engine bay features all its original factory stickers, while the frunk is carpeted and reveals the VIN number. All the numbers match on this car.
The upgraded air-cooled flat six starts easily and despite lots of stopping and starting during the photoshoot, started on the button without complaint settling down to a pleasing air-cooled thrum. The current owner has always followed the advice of the previous owner and allows the oil temperature to rise to its working level before pressing the turbo into use.
The engine benefits from an upgraded turbo, a larger intercooler and oil cooler, enhanced intake ducting and a dump valve to vent off wastegate pressure. Currently the air-conditioning pump is not fitted to the engine, but the original pump and piping, together with the original oil cooler and intercooler are supplied should the new owner want to return it to stock specification.
The four-speed gearbox (rebuilt in 2013) selects gears with precision and the cable clutch is well-weighted and works fine.
There’s no servo-assistance to dilute the driving purity of this 911 and roll a wheel onto tarmac and it becomes immediately evident that every mile will be enjoyable. This a real focused driver’s car with no electronic aids to distract from the fun. With no servo assistance, crawling off the driveway requires a bit of muscle, but once on the mover the steering lightens and becomes the tactile delight that 911s are famed for. Feedback through the tyres, wheel, suspension, chassis, steering and seat is phenomenal.
The current owner reckons that once the oil is up to temperature, you can really start to enjoy the flat-six performance on offer as the engine’s growl magnifies. Lift off and you’re treated to a satisfying snap, crackles and pops from the exhaust. The perfect Eighties supercar soundtrack.
With such a high power-to-weight ratio, the current owner reckons performance is epic and points out that unlike modern Porsches – which are bubble-wrapped with dozens of acronyms for all their electronic aids – this is a true driver's car for the enthusiast. Car and Driver magazine clocked a stock 911 turbo getting from rest to 60mph in just 4.6 seconds, so with an extra 121bhp on tap, this is quick even by modern standards.
This is the ultimate 1980s example of automotive art. And it’s not the wimpy Carrera, but the hairy-chested full fat 930 turbo. The iconic air-cooled Porsche. And you can forget all the electronic health and safety, nanny state nonsense that you find on modern Porsches – this is an interference-free driver’s car that focuses on visceral appeal.
Rather than 300bhp, thanks to a larger intercooler and upgraded turbo, this engine is even more manly, pumping out an impressive 421bhp. Weighing less than a modern VW Golf, spirited performance is assured. Yet it still starts at the turn of the key and settles down to that classic offbeat flat-six idle that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. And all with the reassurance of an extensive history file.
Compact and able to carry four, it’s practical for the family too, and you feel as though the car is wrapped around you. The engine isn’t stressed at all by most driving conditions and with the turbo inactive it can fool you into thinking it’s a regular car. But once the oil is warm and you can press on, the beast wakes up.
Once the engine revs rise to 3,000rpm and the turbo spools up to full pressure, all hell breaks loose and in a cacophony of noise, you are thrust into the back of the seat and catapulted forward. It is seriously fast.
Thanks to those chubby Continentals, the grip and cornering ability is exceptional and lifting off can result in flames being spat from the exhaust. This is a proper Eighties monster.
Just don’t be distracted by all the thumbs up and waves from fellow petrolheads. Just enjoy your Cheshire cat-sized grin as you howl past in third gear on that sweeping A-road…
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Although every care is taken to ensure this listing is as factual and transparent as possible, all details within the listing are subject to the information provided to us by the seller. Car & Classic does not take responsibility for any information missing from the listing. Please ensure you are satisfied with the vehicle description and all information provided before placing a bid.
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1986 Porsche 930 Turbo
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