Porsche’s legendary 911 began with initial sketches by Ferdinand “Butzi” Porsche in 1959, which illustrated a larger, more powerful, and more comfortable successor to the 356. Ferdinand Porsche developed the chassis and body, while his cousin Ferdinand Piech developed its air-cooled “flat six.” With a slightly longer wheelbase, the new Porsche debuted at Frankfurt in 1963 as the “901.” However, following Peugeot’s objections to the name, claiming rights to all three-digit car names with a zero in the middle, a simple change heralded the “911.”

Over 50 years later, the same fascinating basic shape of the 911 remains in production, and it is as popular today as when it was first manufactured.

According to the consignor, this early Polo Red car was purchased originally in 1965 by a United States serviceman who was stationed in Germany and brought the car back stateside with him shortly thereafter. It remained with the original owner until early in the 1980s and was then reportedly sold to the second owner, a lady in Southern California, who maintained it in her garage for the next 30 years.

When Porsche specialists at Classic Showcase, of Oceanside, California, purchased the car and realized how rare it was, they decided to take it to the next level and give it the most attention to detail their team of professionals could offer. A cosmetic restoration was performed, with careful attention paid to body fit; this was achieved by repainting the body while all of the parts were painted off the car, and then all was wet-sanded and buffed to a deep, lustrous shine. Upholstery professionals custom-fit an all-new interior, and the engine and undercarriage were completely detailed as well. All of the mechanicals had been professionally rebuilt, restored, or replaced as needed, prior to them acquiring the Porsche, and then once acquired, the shop attended to the mechanicals to make sure that they were up to their high standards. The car’s matching-numbers engine and drivetrain is confirmed by its Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, a copy of which is on file.

As one of the greatest pure driving machines ever produced, in its iconic and most desirable early form, this 911 from 1965 will continue to provide ample evidence of the pure Porsche originality that continues to infuse the current generation of 911 models some 50-plus years later. With fast-rising collector focus on these early short-wheelbase cars, this striking example provides an excellent opportunity to acquire one of these very special cars. It is the perfect choice for the discerning Porsche collector seeking a highly original and sought-after example.