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Restored 1966 Porsche 912 Doesn’t Show Its Age, Costs Only $50k

When Porsche rolled out the 911 in 1964 as the next step forward from the 356, the German automaker’s new sports car was complemented by the 912 a year later. It wasn’t produced for too long, though, because Porsche understood what customers were looking for pretty soon after production started in 1965.
Signal Red 1966 Porsche 912 24 photos
Photo: Flemings Ultimate Garage
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Essentially a 911 with the 1.6-liter boxer engine of the 356, the 912 also happened to be more Spartan in terms of standard equipment. U.S. emissions regulations and production capacity are responsible for bringing the 912 to an end after four years of existence, and on that note, let’s talk about the car’s rarity.

A little over 32,000 units were manufactured between 1965 and 1969, and these early cars are more desirable than the 912E that Porsche offered in North America for a single year for the 1976 model year. One of the best examples out there is this 1966 Porsche 912 from Flemings Ultimate Garage, which is described as a “recently restored time capsule” in tip-top condition.

VIN 452826 features a pair of Solex downdraft carburetors, a close-ratio manual that’s been rebuilt by a Porsche specialist, the period-corect wheels augmented by performance tires, a factory-style exhaust system, and disc brakes at all four corners. Fully independent suspension, black bucket seats, chrome bumpers, Signal Red paintwork that has been waxed to perfection, and VDO gauges are a few other highlights, along with the original steering wheel of the 912.

In terms of optional extras, the AM radio is the only feature worth mentioning. After all, remember that the 912 was positioned as the more affordable brother of the Neunelfer in order to get new customers into buying a Porsche. Listed at $49,990 or $5,000 under market value, this car shows 76,608 miles on the odometer or just around 123,289 kilometers. Of course, the Type 616/36 pushrod four-cylinder engine has been rebuilt as part of the restoration.

Given that the cheapest Porsche sports car for the 2021 model year is the 718 series at $59,900 excluding destination, you could also say that the 912 before your eyes is pretty good value for the money. In the long run, it will certainly hold its value or even increase it better than the 718 Cayman fixed-head coupe.
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 Download: Signal Red 1966 Porsche 912 (PDF)

About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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