From the rooflining to the carpet: the 911 T is restored

Our love for a car is not restricted to performance alone. It goes beyond the pure mechanics. Because when the driver sits behind the wheel for the first time, the emotions get into gear long before the pistons start to move. All of the senses start firing and send messages to the brain. We smell, touch, feel and get excited about what we see. The interior of the car can move us just as much as the furnishings in our living room. It is this feelgood factor that determines our attachment to the vehicle.

The 38-year-old Porsche 911 T, US version, continues to remain true to itself at this stage of its complete restoration. The interior – entirely original – once again exudes the charm of the 70s. “Revive the Passion”, the joint project of the Porsche Club of America (PCA), the Porsche Club Coordination and Porsche Classic, is increasingly taking shape. After the vehicle is raffled off among PCA members, the winner will take delivery of the precious object at the Porsche Parade in the USA in August and set off on an exclusive trip: back to the future – whenever the urge strikes.

In view of the equipment in the coveted classic, the term “inner values” takes on a whole new meaning. While removing unwanted signs of age from the engine and body was a major challenge from a technical point of view, restoring the interior calls for great sensitivity, excellent workmanship and experience. Only then can the old times be faithfully revived. For a 38-year-old 911, solving this task is not as simple as it might seem: if you need genuine parts for the interior, you have to know where to find them. They are usually no longer being manufactured. This represented a significant problem with the 911 T as a number of parts were missing from the interior. But of course the experts from the Porsche Classic workshop near Stuttgart know exactly where to find them. After diligent reworking, many of these parts are returned to a perfect “new” condition.

Even in the 70s, Porsche offered different seat options. This 911 T came with comfort seats rather than sports seats. They have been re-upholstered by the experts and covered with the original material. The same applies to the rear shelf, the rear emergency seat backrests and the seat surfaces. The carpets have also been painstakingly measured, cut and fitted by hand – in this instance there was no second-hand material available to the experts. The front luggage compartment trim was also fitted entirely by hand in original needled felt. Finally, all the fittings were overhauled from the ground up; a restoration that although not immediately obvious was both technically necessary and visually pleasing.

Since the 911 T features a sliding roof, the vehicle headliner also has its peculiarities, which prove very useful in everyday life. The experts began by shaving the original material, i.e. they made it thinner. It was subsequently perforated and then fitted. What is special about this rooflining, however, is a very handy zip in just the right place. This provides access for mechanics to reach the sliding roof drive for maintenance.

The 911 T now looks like new again. Because it is. Silver on the outside, black on the inside – the classic and most popular colour combination even in the 70s. Anyone who may have seen the car in its pitiful condition last autumn will scarcely believe that the much sought-after collector’s item now looks just as it did when it rolled off the production line in Zuffenhausen in 1973. The only thing left to do is to drive it. But that shouldn’t take too long. The “Revive The Passion” project has reached the home straight.