Bonhams takes Silverstone Auctions to task for their 2018 auction description. I don't recall one auction house publicly criticizing another auction house.
May 2018 - Silverstone Auctions - Sold for £101,250/~US$136,000
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Bonhams Goodwood Members' Meeting Sale, Chichester, Goodwood, UK, April 16, 2023
1972 Porsche 911S 2.4-Litre 'Ölklappe' Coupé
VIN: 9112300849
Engine: 6321411
Trans: -
Color: Oxford Blue/Brown Leatherette
Mileage: 14,604 (indicated)
Auction Estimate: £175,000 - £225,000 / ~US$214,645 - $275,970
Sold for: £209,300/~US$258,836 (including premium)
1972 Porsche 2.4L 911S RHD Coupe - Oxford Blue 1.jpg
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Auction Description:
• Rare one-year-only 'Ölklappe' model
• Exceptionally rare in right-hand drive
• Present ownership since 2018
• Professionally restored with no expense spared
• Immaculate condition
This right-hand drive Porsche 911S has the external filler ('Ölklappe') for the engine's dry-sump oil tank, which was fitted to cars built during 1972 only. Hitherto, the tank had been positioned behind the right rear wheel, but for '72 it was moved forwards in order to improve weight distribution. The tank's hasty return to its original position and the filler's relocation to within the engine bay was prompted by the fact that service station attendants often mistook it for the fuel filler! It is estimated that only 989 examples were made, making the 'Ölklappe' particularly sought after by purists as 'the one to have'.
Little is known of the history of this Porsche 911S, which was purchased at a UK auction in May 2018. The catalogue description stated that the car had been purchased by the then owner as a project, having been off the road since 1985. It was also said to have been 'carefully restored'. However, our vendor found that that was far from the case: the car had a shocking misfire and refused to change gear correctly, and the first time he drove it the Porsche broke down less than a mile from his home. Frankly, it was mechanically in a very sorry state.
Our vendor's plan had been to drive and enjoy the 911 for perhaps six months before commencing a 'last nut and bolt' restoration with a marque specialist. The car's lamentable condition meant that those plans had to be brought forward. After significant research and several meetings/visits, Alan Drayson's Canford Classics was commissioned to undertake the full restoration and rebuild, which commenced in January 2019. Alan advised our vendor that his car needed to be restored to the same condition and specification as the day it left the factory: Sea Blue with beige leatherette and corduroy centre sections, and no sympathetic upgrades. As he further commented, "this is a right-hand drive 911 2.4 S 'oil flap', probably one of only around 70-or-so cars and possibly the only one in this colour scheme. Outside of an RS, this is the car. It doesn't have history to speak of, but we are going to create that from here". Our vendor agreed and ended up spending a little in excess of £154,000 on parts and labour, which is documented by 15 pages of invoices and an album of work-in-progress photographs on file.
The completed Porsche was delivered to the vendor on the eve of Covid lockdown in March 2020. Two years later, in April 2022, he had completed approximately just 350 'running-in' miles. The car then went back to Canford for a service and checks, and had new period-and-model-correct Michelin tyres fitted (the 'old' ones were only part worn but dated from 2014) plus a 'flat and polish' for good measure. Since the completion of its restoration the car has been kept in the vendor's temperature and humidity-controlled garage. Presented in truly beautiful condition, this rare and collectible one-year-only Porsche 911 variant is worthy of the closest inspection.
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