Born survivor

It’s a bewildering thought that around two thirds of all Porsches ever made still survive. The 911 itself has been with us for over half a century and the overwhelming majority are still accounted for. Porsche puts the figure at around 150,000, an amazing number of which still receive factory support via Porsche Classic.

This is a pretty serious undertaking, with Porsche determined to maintain the total originality of its customers’ cars, many of which date back to the early 1960s. The factory has now stockpiled a dizzying 35,000 original parts, many procured from former production suppliers. Where something simply cannot be found, factory documents such as original drawings, detailed descriptions and even an extensive sample parts warehouse are available for the reproduction of parts.

The Porsche Classic workshop in Freiberg am Neckar, just north of Porsche’s Stuttgart home, is a sort of motoring Mecca for the air-cooled Porsche pilgrim. Inside this inconspicuous 1500-square-metre building, a team of 30 specialists with a depth of knowledge and passion unsurpassed anywhere in the world will perform tasks from a simple oil change to a full concourse restoration. Around 300 Porsche pass through these doors every year, with about 30 termed “major projects.”

Everything is here, from body shop to spray shop, engine and gearbox manufacture, and even an in-house saddlery to both restore and recreate perfect vintage upholstery. And although there is a slavish attention to originality, the Porsche Classic philosophy doesn’t preclude the occasional modern leg up. All body-off restorations are treated to a full cathodic dip, ensuring against corrosion for the next generation.

If a car is being completely overhauled it will come out technically as good as new, but the team ensures it retains all of its original character. For the happy few, a visit to watch work in progress is welcomed and upon the completion, the customer is handed detailed photographic documentation of the entire procedure and given an engraved badge that authenticates an original factory restoration by Porsche Classic.

A worldwide passion for Porsche’s air-cooled back catalogue means there are few cars ever deemed truly beyond repair. There are specialists and hobbyists in every far flung corner, tweaking, maintaining, improving and restoring, and it’s a nice thought that the factory is still part of that family, as obsessive of the old as it is the new.