When it comes to Porsches, less is often more.
Throughout its history, the German automaker has offered its customers stripped-down, homologation and party models that are ready for the track. This outdated 1984 Porsche 911 for the European market from Japan is a nod to those cars.
The owner – Iso-san – knows everything about designing vehicles with a specific vision. Working from home during Japan’s COVID lockdowns and with extra free time, Iso-san did what many of us did and started shopping around for a new project. He contacted Honda-san at Garage J – a Porsche dealer who is happy to build a car to your desired specifications – several times to check his available stock. One car kept coming up in conversations.
But Honda-san – who appreciates any car that crosses his threshold – told Ito-san: “This car chooses its owner. You have to see it with your own eyes.”
When the opportunity to visit J Garage finally came, Iso-san found a tired 1973 Carrera RS replica in a dusty corner of the store that needed some TLC. Some adjustments were questionable, which didn’t sit well with Iso-san. This is a man with a keen eye for quality.
You see, Iso-san builds prototype cars for a living. I’m not talking about scale models in his basement; he is a project manager for one of Japan’s four largest car companies. Although contractually obligated not to reveal which car manufacturer, Iso-san’s most recent creation was a sleek, black, futuristic vehicle. But I digress. Burn this after reading.
When Iso-san enlisted Honda’s help to reinvent the 1984 Carrera 3.2, the brief was clear: simplicity and understatement were the key words. That’s where the ducktail spoiler, the poorly painted blue 930 Turbo 16-inch wheels and the Carrera decals came from, which the car had worn like a cheap knock-off jersey.
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with replicas, but this one wasn’t fooling anyone, and Iso-san wanted a fresh start.
For inspiration, he looked back to the Porsche line before the RS, specifically the 911 S’s predecessor – the unofficially named 911 ST.
‘ST’ was the internal model designation for the FIA-approved track-only model supplied exclusively to Porsche racing teams from 1969 to 1971. These cars combined the 2.2L engine of the 911 S with the stripped interior of the 911 T. For the ST model name, Porsche kept the S name on paper.
ST cars had larger, more powerful engines (up to 2.5 liters in 1970), polycarbonate windows, aluminum and fiberglass body panels and a tachometer that could read up to 10,000 rpm. They also featured custom intake manifolds and high camshafts, and delivered up to 270 hp in racing spec. Although Porsche later offered an ST ‘Sport Standard Version’ package through dealers, true ST models remain extremely rare, with only about 20 to 25 examples ever built.
Weighing in at 960kg, the factory ST cars weighed around 70kg less than their on-road counterparts. While Iso-san’s version may not be as pretty, it benefits from Porsche’s ‘lightweight bodywork’, which used thinner sheet metal. For Porsche fans looking for inspiration from the brand’s catalogue, the ST is a cool place to start.
Another noticeable difference between the Iso-san car and the ST factory cars are the wheel arches. These are five centimeters wider than standard on the racer. But this build isn’t meant to be a millimeter-perfect ST replica, but rather a respectful nod. Subtle touches like the paint scheme – or lack thereof – the stripped-down interior and the Plexiglas at the rear reflect the spirit of the original STs.
It’s something is not present in this ’84 Carrera that is the greatest tribute to the stripped factory cars of the 1970s.
Other ST-inspired modifications include RS door panels, a 186-mph speedometer, 928 S4 brake calipers, a custom roll cage and modern upgrades like an ATS carbon LSD, Clubsport engine mounts and race-spec headers and muffler . Hearing this car growl down the road evokes the nostalgic roar of 1970s Porsche race cars.
Iso-san and I would love to see the arcs of his ST-inspired daily driver flare out. He just needs some encouragement to make that leap, so leave a comment and vote for an extra 2 inches of track width.
Toby Thyer
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tobythyer.co.uk
