Porsche restores rare Le Mans-winning 911

Porsche's classic center has fully restored a rare 911 2.5 S/T that finished first in its class during the 1972 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Stuttgart-based car maker built just 24 examples of the 911 2.5 S/T, a special model based on the 2.4 S and developed to compete in Group 3 and Group 4 racing events. The Le Mans-winning car was uncovered in the United States by a Porsche collector who understood its rarity, and shipped to Porsche's classic division for a full restoration.

Porsche remembers it received the 911 2.5 S/T in terrible condition. The car was wrecked during a race and poorly repaired, it was modified to look like a later 911, and rust had started to chew through the body. It sounds like the 911 spent years sitting in a back yard, because kids dented the roof beyond repair by jumping on it.

Over the course of two years, Porsche's specialists repaired the accident damage and the rust, brought the 2.5 S/T back to its original look by re-fitting period-correct fender flares, and replaced the entire roof panel. The 911 was put through the same rust-proofing process as a brand new model to ensure it stays rust-free as long as possible. Finally, Porsche gave the car a coat of light yellow paint, and fitted it with the same stickers it wore when it raced in the early 1970s.

The 911 2.5 S/T was displayed by Porsche during this year's edition of the Techno Classica, a massive classic car meet that takes place annually in Essen, Germany. Techno Classica closed its doors yesterday, so the 911 will be returned to its owner.

Here at Leftlane, we believe the contributions of the community are just as valuable as those of our staff. The Web, at its core, is a medium for information sharing and communication. We strive to provide good information, but without you—the community member—there is no communication. Read More>>