For almost any workshop, an F-Series 911 is the project that leaves the least room for error. The 1969–1973 generation is the most sought-after of the air-cooled era and also the one time has treated worst: thin steel, five decades of accumulated moisture and a drivetrain that rarely arrives without a history. This 1973 2.4 T Targa came into Sauri Classics painted black, complete and running — but with everything still to do.
Starting point
The initial inspection confirmed what we suspected: perforating rust in the sills and floors, corrosion around the roof frame, compromised valances and old, poorly executed repairs hidden under the paint. The original interior was worn out, and the engine and gearbox — still the ones the car left the factory with — had far too many hours behind them for a simple recommissioning.
We took the long road. The car was completely stripped — drivetrain, running gear, wiring loom, trim and glass — and every part catalogued so it could be individually assessed: reuse, restore or replace.
Bodywork
With the bare shell on the rotisserie, it was stripped down to bare metal. Only then does the real scope of the work appear: every affected section was cut out and replaced with new steel, welded and worked panel by panel until the structure was back to its original dimensions. Each area was documented before the metalwork phase was signed off.
The pre-impact-bumper silhouette was left untouched: chrome bumpers, engine grille and amber F-Series lights, with no wings or add-ons. On a 1973 911, that restraint is part of the job too.
Paint
After priming and blocking the entire surface, the body was sprayed in a cream white from the classic 911 palette. It is not the colour the car arrived in: it was a decision taken for this rebuild, for the way light works across the F-Series lines and for the contrast it opens up against a brown-toned interior.
Engine
The 2.4 flat-six was rebuilt from the block to S specification. High-compression forged pistons, Carrillo connecting rods, reinforced cylinder heads, PMO carburettors — the contemporary evolution of the Weber 40 IDA for air-cooled engines — and electronic MSD ignition in place of the original points system.
The goal was never a power figure, but behaviour: immediate response, a clean pull to the limiter and a level of reliability the standard 2.4 T never had.
Chassis, suspension and brakes
The platform was reinforced at the front end and a strut brace added for torsional rigidity. The suspension was renewed in full on the freshly painted chassis, and braking was upgraded to a high-performance Brembo system with red calipers, clearly visible between the wheel spokes. Fitted with Toyo Proxes R888R tyres — road-legal semi-slicks — the package sits deliberately above what normal use demands.
Interior
The cabin was rebuilt from a bare dashboard, with a new wiring loom run before a single trim panel went back in. The upholstery was resolved in three shades of brown: camel leather on seats and door panels, a two-tone dashboard with a chocolate upper section, and tweed carpeting on the floor and rear plenum.
The instruments were fitted with cream dials, coordinated with the exterior. A three-spoke leather-wrapped sports steering wheel, billet aluminium gear shifter, sports pedals and a Porsche Classic sound system complete the cabin.
Result
A fully rebuilt F-Series Targa, with the 1973 line intact and today's components where they matter. This is not a show car: the brakes, the tyres and the engine build are there to be used.
