The new six-cylinder 911, conceived as the successor to the much-loved four-cylinder 356 series, was unveiled at the Frankfurt Auto Show (as was the 901) in the fall of 1963, and it went into series production one year later. It remains, after 50 years, one of the purest automotive designs in history.

This early short-wheelbase 911 was special-ordered in Bali Blue (6412) with a Black Leatherette B interior, and it left the factory as such on May 6, 1965. According to its Certificate of Authenticity, only a single feature was specified, a Webasto gas heater (01 243). The car was delivered to Ben Pons’ Automobielhandel in Amersfoort, Holland, the first VW and Porsche franchise outside of Germany.

While its earliest provenance is unknown, the car eventually made its way to the U.S. There, its first American owners are known to have been a couple in Southern California, according to a registration certificate issued on April 30, 1987. The car then passed through at least one additional owner before landing in the hands of well-known Los Angeles Porsche collector Magnus Walker in the summer of 2009.

By then, its original engine had been replaced, although its original Type 901 transaxle remained with the chassis. The current owners had been looking for a 1965 911 in Bali Blue for some time, and in late 2010, they learned that such a car was available from Walker. After being purchased in early 2011, chassis 301036 was duly shipped to its new home in Europe. The buyers immediately began what would become a comprehensive, two-year restoration by a top European restorer.

A key part of the project was their search for a correct 901/01 engine. At around that same time, a member of the Early 911 S Registry posted an advertisement offering a series-correct two-liter engine, case number 901133, for sale. As luck would have it, the engine was the very same that had been removed from 301036 earlier in its life. That case number caught Walker’s eye, and he immediately contacted the car’s new owners. In June 2012, the engine was reunited with its original chassis.

The current owner states that while some rust repair was necessary, 90 percent of the body panels and tub remain original, including the early-type rockers, the glass, and the chrome-plated brass window frames. The body was then finished using the KTL electrostatic coating process, to protect it from future corrosion. Along with the body and suspension, both the engine and gearbox were completely rebuilt. A fresh interior with correct six-pleat houndstooth cloth and a period-correct leatherette that had been sourced from a Porsche Classic authorized supplier was installed. Additionally, all the instruments in the early-type dashboard were rebuilt, and the odometer was reset to zero. Finally, this beautiful early 911 was fitted with chromed steel wheels that are mounted with new Vredestein Sprint Classic tires, and it is supplied with a correct spare wheel, tire, jack, and tool roll.

Today, fine matching-numbers examples of early short-wheelbase 911s in unusual colors are in great demand worldwide. This freshly restored Porsche is just as suitable for concours as it is for rapid and enjoyable touring, and it will make a great addition to any collection of Zuffenhausen’s finest.