Air-Cooled 1976 Porsche 911 Restomod Proves Subtle Is Best

An up-and-coming tuning and restoration company from the southernmost tip of Africa, Dutchmann, has shown off its take on restomodding the Porsche 911, specifically the classic G-series with a 1976 matching-numbers model rebuilt to concours standards. The build is a testament to subtlety, and sports bespoke paintwork on carbon fiber bodywork, with a revised, but still naturally aspirated, flat-six seeing a 33% increase in power compared to stock.

While it has so far built and shipped 37 cars globally, the latest example is a sight to behold and a testament to the school of thought that subtlety is a better tactic than going wild on such restomods. Think of Dutchmann as a genuine rival to Singer, with its meticulous refinement of the Porsche recipe worthy of a spot among the most special Porsche restomods around.

Starting with a base model G-series 911 featuring the 2.7-liter engine and four-speed 915 transmission, Dutchmann stripped the car down to a bare shell before it started on the rebuild.

On the engine side, the motor's displacement was increased to 2.8 liters thanks to high-compression pistons and a custom cam profile. The motor retained the original casing and Kjetronic injection, although Gavin Rooke, founder of Dutchmann, says the car was tuned to emulate the rawness of carb-fed classics. The result is 210 horsepower, up from the original 158 hp rating of the motor. The result is the same rev-happy flat-six now with more low-end torque.

But shoehorning this into a stock body wouldn't do, so the nut-and-bolt restoration also saw the body enhanced through the use of carbon fiber for the front fenders, hood, front and rear bumper assemblies, and the engine decklid, contributing to a reduction in overall weight of 287 pounds.

Certain exterior elements were retained, like the five mph bumpers and the chrome window trim, which was an indicator of the early years of G-series production, while the original body-color single wing mirror was swapped for a matching chrome item. A set of period-correct 16-inch 7J Fuchs wheels also retains a vital element of originality, a theme running through all of Dutchmann's builds. To the layman, they look like completely original Porsches.

It's for that reason that the company only uses genuine Porsche parts in the chassis restoration.

Over the top of the lightweight bodywork, a custom Dutchmann grey/blue shade was applied, featuring a light metallic fleck that helps it evolve in changing light conditions.

Inside, a set of Dutchmann carbon racing seats have been upholstered in Dutchmann tan leather with matching stitching. However, these can be swapped out for the original items, which are shipped to the owner along with the original metal body panels.

Again, the changes aren't as outrageous as, say, a Gunther Werks or Tuthill 911 recreation, but this is by design, as Dutchmann says, the build "takes a relatively unpretentious early 911 G-series model and converts it into a high-performance vehicle without sacrificing drivability or originality."

As Rooke tells us, "We take originality seriously with a few small exceptions related to aesthetics and performance improvements within considered guidelines."

The finished vehicle you see before you will now head to its new owner in Nevada, with more American builds heading to Boston, California, and Long Island shortly.

Each build takes 10-12 months to complete, with prices starting at $210,000 (including sourcing of the donor car). However, Dutchmann is also willing to work on customer-supplied cars, with prices starting at $180,000, excluding shipping.

In a world where Porsche restomods seem a dime a dozen with everyone trying to one-up the next guy, Dutchmann's subtle approach and attention to detail stand it in good stead to establish itself among the elite in the restomod game.