Normally, I don’t give 911s or other post-356 Porsches a second glance, but the rich chocolate brown color of this 1974 911 Targa caught my eye and led me to do a little reading up on the successor to the Porsche 356, which itself initially utilized engine and suspension bits from the Volkswagen Type I “Beetle.”
I have to admit to being initially unable to peg the model year of this plain-jane 911 (not the S variant). The vanity plate wasn’t necessarily a good clue, as many folks in IL use their birth year on their plates in this manner. But after reading that the 1974-77 cars encompassed the G, H, I and J Series 911s, it all connected. These series were among the last of the narrow-body cars – later models would sport flared wheel arches or rear spoilers from mild “duck tails” to huge whale tails.
As an I Series, this car sports a 2.7l air-cooled flat six boxer engine that makes 150hp (unless it’s been upgraded with the more-reliable 3.0l). Three body options were offered this year, a coupe; a sunroof coupe, and the pictured Targa, which gives the best open-air motoring experience.
1974 was also the first year for 5mph energy-absorbing bumpers, which were very cleanly integrated into the styling of the car. This is exactly the kind of CC that appeals to me, and I think I could enjoy having one as a daily driver (although I’d probably gravitate more to the four-cylinder 912E offered only in 1976 just for the quirkiness factor).
Those were the days, when the Dutch highway patrol was a very loyal Porsche customer. The above 1974 2.7 was on their list too: (never mind the words, Dutch Abracadabra, but the pictures are nice !) http://www.porschepolitie.nl/historie.html
Nice-looking car and the “cookie-cutter” wheel style complements the year and color very well. Good find!
That’s a tasty chocolate treat!
Glad to see it’s never met a spraygun full of Resale Red.
Nice Car. Today I was filling up my 64 Impala before taking a Sunday afternoon drive. A guy in a Porsche was there, we made eye contact, I smiled and waved, he turned away, some reputations are earned.
Ha! Yah I have encountered some of that as well. Sometimes I would almost like to own a Porsche just to show other Porsche owners how to behave.
I love this, an early 911, or better yet, the 912 variant with the 4, but essentially the same body. I remember seeing William Hurt driving his rather weathered Targa variant in the Big Chill.
I love how this one still has its original chocolate brown, non metallic, IE, glossy brown paint, though it could be a quality respray of the original color to keep it fresh looking.
Nothing turns my head more than a stock older car, and I don’t care its pedigree, It can be a well kept Yugo GV and I’d likely turn heads and notice.
I still see vintage Fiats and Alfas, not all restored and they turn my head each and every time.
Nice find!
Terrific condition and I like the brown but by ’74 the US-spec 911 had become too dowdy for me. The combination of beefy non-chrome bumpers, narrow hips and too much chrome everywhere else really hurt.
Porsche pulled off the best “save” ever with the ’78 SC. The black-out trim + rear flares worked perfectly with the big bumpers and transformed the car. The headlamp rings going body color and overall dechroming helped a lot too. That body shape and trim lasted until ’89 virtually unchanged.
The best thing to do on a 78-86 911 is to change out to the H4 or H5 headlamps and rings. The car will look nearly identical to the 87-89 years which are considered a pinnacle of sorts for the 911. On the mid-year cars go H4 headlamps, a huge difference.
Here is an ’87 Carrera Coupe in Nougat Brown with the H5s.
Ha I just put those headlight lenses on my Beetle!
Beautiful car. Thank god it doesn’t have a turbo slant nose conversion on it.
I used to know a guy in the 80s who drove one much like this, only a little older (without the targa roof). I always liked these in that milk-chocolate brown.
I have recently gotten some exposure to a newer 911 and am starting to understand their charms. Nice find.