1985 PORSCHE 911

1985 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2 Sport

Concours restoration by Porsche recommended body shop

• Subject to a bare shell restoration to concours standard by an award-winning Porsche recommended body shop

• Over 1,500 hours and great expense spent on the restoration

• Less than 2,500 miles since completion

• Full photographic documentation of the restoration work

• Desirable ‘C16’ UK-supplied example

• One for the collector!

Manufactured in 1985, chassis number ‘103085’ was delivered on 1st August 1985 and finished in Grand Prix White (L908) as confirmed by the original maintenance and service book.

Featuring the desirable ‘Sport’ pack – electric and heated Sport seats, whale tail spoiler, sport shock absorbers making it ride lower than normal, in addition to other options in top-tinted windscreen, sun-roof, forged alloy wheels in matching Grand Prix White.

Prior to restoration the car covered 140,000 miles. It was a very well looked after example, with a strong service history of 24 services (all dealers and specialists) recorded in the book and invoices up to 2018, as well as virtually all MOT certificates supplied from when it was new to support the mileage. The last service was done in November 2023 after the restoration.

Now we come onto the restoration. It was conceived by the Directors of Premier Panel Skills Ltd, an award-winning Porsche recommended body shop, to showcase to Porsche GB Club Members in the Surrey and Thames Valley regions the restoration skills of the team and the processes used to fully restore a Porsche. Premier Panel Skills were Porsche structural repairers for Porsche Cars GB and preferred repairers for the Porsche Centres at Guildford, Reading and Brookland. Premier Panels had won multiple awards for previous restorations in Porsche Cars GB competitions, were national concours winner in 2019 for Porsche Club GB with a 1968 911T.

The 1985 3.2 Carrera model was chosen, firstly due to being an iconic Porsche of the 1980’s and secondly, there are known corrosion issues with this model which reduce the lateral strength, notably the inner sills and kidney bowls. Initially shown to the Surrey Regional Club members at a monthly meeting held in April 2019 at the Porsche Centre Guildford and then at the Premier Panel Skills workshops on four further occasions throughout the project, pictures and reports on these events are available on the Porsche Club GB website.

The car shell was loaded onto the Celette Jig system to check alignment of the shell and to hold everything rigid whilst cutting away the corroded sections. The Porsche received both outer sills, inner sills, kidney bowls, door slam panels, n/s/f inner wing front section, and both front wings, as well as off-side A-post and inner wing, and attention to the rear wings. A huge amount of time was taken to ensure all panel gaps are perfect. The shell was then removed from the jig and fitted to a body ‘spit’ to turn the shell upside down to allow the underside to be re-sealed. The car was returned to original position to re-seal all upper and inner seams. The shell was etch primed, followed by three coats primer. Grand Prix White paintwork was applied to inner sections before satin black was applied to areas as original specification. Stone chip coating was applied also to match original specification from factory before colour was applied. The shell finished in Grand Prix White, it then sat for a week before being flatted and lacquered.

The engine and gearbox were fully overhauled, receiving a new oil pump, two new chain tensioners, new oil cooler, new clutch disc and pressure plate, all new sensors, belts, tension springs, oil pipes, gear selectors, and bearings in the process. All electrical components, fixtures and fittings were stripped down and repainted before refitting and the loom. Brake calipers, discs, pads and hoses were all replaced with new parts. All the suspension components were cleaned, shot-blasted, vapour-blasted, stripped, rubbed down and de-rusted where necessary, with all bushes replaced. All the information decals, chassis decals, paint code decals, information decals were imaged and measured before removal. Parts Department checked the availability of the decals and we commissioned Highgate Decals to make new decals as necessary when not available from Porsche and all new decals were re-applied on re-fit using images to ensure their correct location.

The headlining and carpets were renewed with new original materials, and the front seat covers, upper dash cover and door trims were trimmed with new leather, and as well as the rear parcel shelf trimmed with new leatherette to match original specification. The front boot compartment carpet has been cleaned and refitted, with the toolkit roll and tools were replaced with a new set. The wheels were replaced with new, upgraded to Super Sport specification with the centres were painted to match body colour as per original factory order and shod with Michelin Pilot tyres fitted. New colour crested centre caps with body colour outer edge and new wheel nuts were fitted.

The exhaustive restoration was completed in 2020 and since completion, the car has covered just 2,500 miles. It has received its first service, oil change, tappets etc and wheel alignment checked. The 911 has been displayed at the Porsche Reading new showroom at the Porsche Showcase Event last year, and the Porsche Club GB display at the Silverstone Classic 2023. A complete photographic record of the restoration process was made, with all new part invoices in the history file also, as well as documented service history prior to restoration. As close to an ‘as-new’ 911 Carrera as you are likely to be able to find, this is not an opportunity to miss, with the ‘C579 VPM’ a testament to the restorers. A truly stunning example - one for the collector!