1972 Porsche

Following the successful launch of the original 911 in 1964, Porsche revised the car considerably for 1969, introducing a longer wheelbase and a revised model line-up.

The 911E was designed to sit between the 911T, or Touring, and the 911S, or Super. In simple terms, it was intended to be the more comfortable and more tractable car in the range. The “E” designation came from Einspritzung, the German word for injection, with both the 911E and 911S using Bosch mechanical fuel injection developed jointly with Porsche. The benefits were improved power, cleaner running and, perhaps most importantly, better drivability.

For the final series of these early cars, introduced for the 1972 model year, the engine was enlarged to 2.4 litres. In 911E form, this produced 165 bhp. The rest of the specification was very similar to the 911S, and whilst the S had the headline-grabbing 190 bhp at 6,500 rpm, its maximum torque was only 10 Nm more than the E and arrived at a rather lofty 5,200 rpm. The E, by contrast, delivered its maximum torque some 700 rpm earlier, making it the far easier car to drive briskly in most situations, and certainly the more usable car in the real world today.

As Porsche engineers continually strived to improve their cars during this period, one final anomaly for the 1972 model year was the movement of the oil tank from behind the rear wheel to in front of it. This arrangement had been used successfully on the 1967 911R, not only helping to reduce oil surge in faster corners, but also improving weight distribution and, subsequently, handling.

This oil tank was filled through the now famous external oil filler flap in the rear wing, usually referred to as the Olklappe. It was discontinued after just one year of production.

It has often been claimed this was due to errant petrol pump attendants accidentally filling the oil tank with fuel. Perhaps. Although we suspect that once the bean counters at Porsche had worked out what it was actually costing to install a motorsport-derived oil system into a standard production road car, that may have been the more likely reason it was quietly dropped for the 1973 model year onwards.

As such, a 1972 Olklappe 911 is highly prized among those early 911 enthusiasts who understand the engineering benefit of this unique oil system. In right-hand drive form, they are rarer still.

Which brings us to this car.

We are pleased to offer this rare, UK-supplied, right-hand drive 1972 Porsche 911E 2.4. A Porsche Certificate of Conformity confirms a build completion date of January 1972, with the car first supplied to the Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire through UK distributor AFN in February of the same year.

It was specified from new in optional Gemini Blue Metallic, paint code 8686, with black leatherette and corduroy interior. Pleasingly, this is the colour and trim combination it still wears today.

The history file confirms servicing by recognised Porsche specialists through the 1980s and 1990s, together with a list of previous keepers acquired from the DVLA. Like many early 911s, by the early noughties the car was showing the familiar signs of corrosion, and its then owner embarked on a comprehensive, documented restoration.

Values were very different at the time, so whilst the history confirms the work carried out, it would be fair to say the quality of that earlier restoration was very much of its period.

We supplied the car to its current keeper in 2011 as a usable example, for a smidge under £40,000, which seems quite unbelievable today for a right-hand drive 2.4-litre E. The buyer, by his own admission, is a very particular chap, so following his purchase, a thorough examination and inspection was carried out by his friend Robert Gant, who confirmed that whilst the car was indeed usable, a far more detailed and comprehensive restoration would be required to elevate it to the level he wanted.

Soon after purchase, the car was therefore entrusted to Robert’s business, Gantspeed Engineering, for a two-year, total nut-and-bolt restoration.

For those unfamiliar with the classic Porsche scene, Robert Gant, now retired, and his team at Gantspeed had been fettling and restoring classic Porsches from a quiet corner of Lincolnshire since the mid-1970s. Their knowledge of these early cars was intimate, and the standard of work speaks for itself.

A measure of both the quality involved and the owner’s commitment to getting the car right is the restoration cost, which exceeded £180,000. That is not an unsubstantial figure, but in today’s terms the same work would be nearer £300,000. Since completion, a further £20,000 has been spent on upkeep and maintenance to ensure the car remains in top condition.

Our Thoughts

A well-sorted early 911 brings pure driving pleasure, and as you would hope, this little E is now an absolute gem. Everything works beautifully, allowing a brisk pace to be maintained without ever feeling like the car has to be wrestled along.

Sitting in the restored sports Recaros, with the original steering wheel offering a light and delicate feel, it is a joy to thread down a favourite A or B-road, where a car like this really is in its element. It has also been beautifully and correctly restored, in fact to a level that would frankly be very difficult to justify today.

Add to that the fact it is a genuine matching-numbers, UK-supplied, right-hand drive 1972 Olklappe 911E, and the appeal is clear.

Best of breed? We will let you decide.