1974 Carrera Coupe - RHD, UK car

[Ferry Man]

After much cajoling, by many DDK’ers, I’m pleased to be able to finally commence documenting the rebuild of my 1974 Carrera.
Apologies for the delay starting the restoration thread but it’s not been easy tackling this rebuild and it’s taking longer and costing more than I had planned.
But - fear not - this car will be back on the road soon, hopefully within a matter of months rather than years.
I simply felt I needed to get underway and make some convincing progress before recounting the tale otherwise the thread could drag on.
I’ve got plenty of content already photographed so hopefully I can maintain a steady stream of updates to keep you enthralled.
I will try and ensure there's also plenty of text but at least you can be assured of lots of pretty (and hopefully informative) pictures.

The first thing I need to do - for a DDK audience - is to apologise for the fact that the car is an ‘Impact Bumper’ model (although it was built in September 1973).
But, as I hope to explain as we progress, this IB vehicle has much in common with the earlier '73 model year cars.

Welcome to the Carrera generation....

[Ferry Man]

This is the car as found:



I purchased the car over 5 years ago and it was a rare car even then.
These days – as they have come to be appreciated for what they are – it’s become both rarer and more desirable.
I now take the opportunity to thank Nick Moss for the lead on this particular vehicle.
Without his guidance I would not have discovered the car and his generosity meant the car could be mine for a very reasonable price.
Yes, he will undertake much of the restoration but he could have profited so much more and it was only our friendship that meant he treated me so well.
Thanks Nick.

[Ferry Man]

A few more pics of the car as found:

[Ferry Man]

Before we start on too many photos there’s some homework to be done.
Kindly read this background research and digest the information within.
Stick with it, you might surprise yourself, you could even come to love an IB car....


Despite a production span of 50 years and countless versions there’s unanimous agreement that the finest 911 of all time is the RS of 1973. It presented a simple design, light weight, with precise steering feedback and a taut and athletic chassis matched with a fabulous power plant. The engine in the greatest road going Porsche was the legendary 2.7 litre, mechanically injected, flat-six. With ample torque from low revs, generous power at high-revs and a sound like no other, the engine helped cement the reputation of the ‘Renn Sport’ car.
That cars 210bhp engine was also found in the 1974 Carrera coupe (and – yes Sam – the targa). It was mechanically identical to the previous year’s 2.7 RS touring. The Carrera continued with the same RS specification powertrain, cloaked in the new impact bumper body style.
The ’74 Carrera coupe is the only G-body 911 that retains the same engine and gearing as the 1973 RS and shares with it an identical power to weight ratio. Dr. Georg Konradsheim (author of the definitive book ‘Carrera RS’) agrees: “The 1974 Euro Carrera is a very nice machine and drives very similarly to the RS, just due to the new seats & steering wheel, it does feel a bit different”.

[Ferry Man]

Back in the mid-seventies, legislation in the United States and the requirement to comply with newly introduced state-federal 5mph impact tests meant Porsche were compelled to develop an answer and that manifested itself in the form of the ‘impact bumpers’. Whilst the new styling initially seemed a little compromised compared to the earlier cars, it’s fair to say that Porsche made an excellent job of incorporating the new safety requirements into the design of the 911. The impact bumper styling lasted – unchanged – for 15 years, it proved to be a very successful re-design. Many other manufacturers were panicked into hasty and unsightly add-ons in order to comply with the enhanced crash protection legislation but Porsche considered their revisions carefully and the new car integrated the bulkier bumpers very well. Impact bumper mounts on USA Porsche cars can compress in a low speed parking style nudge. They were fitted with a hydraulic type absorber. Euro models were fitted with a much simpler ‘crush’ tube style that did not compress - and hence are markedly lighter.

Any extra weight incurred by the implementation of the bigger bumper blades and associated hardware was offset by other savings (like the introduction of aluminium trailing arms). The trailing arms alone are reckoned to save approx 4kg. There were other numerous revisions that helped save weight such as the switch to just one battery, lighter front indicators, oh, and, the bonnet was shorter....

[Ferry Man]

Many people think the IB cars are heavy but that weight was slowly put on over many years (another decade and a half, right up to ’89). Yet the 1974 car retained the magnesium engine cases and very little – aside from the cosmetics of the bumpers – was different to the long hoods before. The official weight claimed by Porsche was 1,075kg, exactly as per the ’73 RS touring. The same weight, the same engine, the same gearing.

[Mike]

Subscribed! I have a feeling this may be a thread worth following.............

[Bootsy]

Me too providing he keeps it exactly as it left the factory and not paint it some whacky colour

[Mitch]

Excellent! A great start and I'm hanging out the bunting as I type.... been looking forward to this!

If you're not going to use that rear spoiler can I have it?

[Sam]

and - yes Sam - the Targa

Yay!

[Peter]

About time

[210bhp]

Great Paul, looking forward to this....

Regards
Mike

[Nick Moss]

Me too providing he keeps it exactly as it left the factory and not paint it some whacky colour

Hear hear!

[Highfield]

Great news Paul and about time too Very much looking forward to following the resto and seeing the unveiling ceremony

[markm]

Ive pulled a chair up, got a big packet of snacks, looking forward to this.