Lightning Strikes!

[L.a.Brooks]

On Valentines Day I found the car that has been at the top of my personal want-to-own-someday car list for the past 35 years. A 1968 911S Soft Window Targa, it is even the color that was my first choice - Tangerine.

It is an incredible car with no rust (minor battery acid damage) and very low miles. I found it about 15 miles from my house where it has been stored for about 30 years between 2 owners(first took it apart and died). Everything I wanted in a car except that it no longer had it's original engine. Long ago someone had taken everything from the original aluminum case engine and put it in a 1968 Mag case. Then the person I bought it from had it built into a 2.5l, using all of the S components with new 2.7 pistons and cylinders.

It hasn't run right since I got it so I finally took it to someone I know who could make it run the way I expected with what was in it. When I dropped it off I mentioned I would like to find a 1968 911S aluminum case for my car and he said he had one upstairs that he bought long ago. I told him I would be interested in buying it.

Today I picked up the car and with the correct venturis, jets and a few other things he corrected - it is indeed A BEAST. One of the quickest 911's I've ever driven. Then we went and looked at his 68 case - IT IS THE ORIGINAL CASE FOR MY CAR, per the COA.

It is amazing that I found it! I seriously doubted that it could still exist and was only half heartedly looking for it. It is obviously going back into my car someday.

[Bill Simmeth]

Very cool! Congratulations on your find.

[mobius911]

Unbelievable!

What would have been the motivation of the owner who swapped everything into the mag case? Were there some improvements or it allowed bigger pistons?

[69Sman]

Are you SERIOUS??? Really? WOW WHAT A GREAT STORY!!!!!!!!! LOVE IT.

[TeeItUp]

Fantastic car, more photos, is that original paint?

[StephenAcworth]

Amazing story... more info and photos please!!!

[L.a.Brooks]

I assumed that someone had damaged the original case very early on and that it had been destroyed. But all it needed was a line-bore when my friend got it. He did that, shuffle pins and a few other things. He builds only high performance 911 engines, mostly for racing applications, so he did all of the things he feels are mandatory for a rebuild. He's had many opportunities to sell the case over the years, but would only sell it to someone who needed an S engine for a real 1968 911S. He even verified my car before he would show it to me - and we're friends!

The fellow I bought the car from had his mechanic punch the mag case out to 2.7 P&C's making it a 2.5l. I think mostly because he didn't want to spring for a set of NOS 2l 911s P&C's. He also machined it for bearings on the countershaft and a few other things. Now that the distributor and Webers are dialed in. I like it - a lot.

Some of the paint is original, but much of it isn't. I'd like to save it, but thinking it will eventually need to be stripped down and reshot.

Interior is completely original and nice - Elephant Hide too. I love that stuff because it is so unusual. My 1968 911L Targa that I owned 35 years ago had it too.

Still has all five original 5.5X15 Fuchs, Webasto, H1's, 128's, Euro lights and gauges.

[tomkirkcis]

This story is amazing. From finding your dream car, a SWT S 15 mies from your house to locating the original case. Great stuff.

The image you posted of your car set me back. I had a black and yellow 74 LE 914 (totaled by a friend at Lime Rock) which was a stable mate to my tangerine 67S SWT. You could have told me that was an image taken of my cars years ago and I might have beleived you. I wonder what the odds of that are.

Conrats

Tom

[L.a.Brooks]

Hello Tom,

I forgot the Bumblebee was in the background of that shot. The Bumblebee is the car I got by accident. A friend went down to California with me to pick up a 911. On the way down we noticed the LE for sale in the next town over so we looked at it after I bought the 911. He's a 914 fan and verified that it was a real LE, which he wanted. He didn't have the cash so I bought it and he was to pay me back. Instead, he changed his mind so I ended up with the car - my first 914 in 40 years of Porsche ownership. But it is a low miles Arizona car that has zero rust too. It is a hoot to drive, reminds me of a go-cart. I just can't go from driving a quick 911 to driving it because the acceleration is leisurely by comparison.

This story is amazing. From finding your dream car, a SWT S 15 mies from your house to locating the original case. Great stuff.

The image you posted of your car set me back. I had a black and yellow 74 LE 914 (totaled by a friend at Lime Rock) which was a stable mate to my tangerine 67S SWT. You could have told me that was an image taken of my cars years ago and I might have beleived you. I wonder what the odds of that are.

Conrats

Tom

[Jim Garfield]

That is so cool about the original case. Congratulations, you're a lucky guy.