1972 Porsche 911 S Targa

Chassis No. 9112310012
Engine No. 6320036
Transmission No. 7320033
Both 1972 and 1973 marked the end of a number of eras at Porsche. Notably, all variants of the 911 were about to receive a raft of stylistic and technical changes inside and out in 1974, the 911's first major update since being introduced in late 1964 as the 901. Large 'impact' bumpers, a redesigned interior, and less responsive engines were on the way in, and the classic, svelte 'long-hood' 911 shape with its high-revving range of engines was on the way out. In fact, the final two years of 911 S models bound for the United States were the last to receive the highly responsive, mechanically fuel-injected (MFI) 2.4-liter flat-six.
This 1972 911 S Targa left the Porsche factory in Stuttgart, Zuffenhausen, finished in 925 Silver Metallic with a Black leatherette interior, destined for the United States. According to the accompanying Porsche Certificate of Authenticity, the car was additionally optioned with a manual antenna, both the front left and right speakers with noise suppression, tinted glass 'all around,' and a set of Pirelli tires. Of note, 1972 911 models feature an oil fill flap located on the exterior of the body just behind the passenger door instead of the usual location in the engine compartment. The reason? Porsche engineers saw a weight distribution advantage in moving the dry sump oil tank within the 2,271 mm wheelbase. Unfortunately, unsuspecting gas station attendants filling it with fuel, rather than oil, put an end to those long-term engineering plans thereby creating a unique 1972 model year feature.
Today, the car presents as a well-loved example that has never required a complete restoration and includes a voluminous stack of service invoices and parts receipts that stretch back to 1974. The earliest of these from both Ralph Cutright Porsche / Audi and Steve Taub Porsche / Audi in Santa Monica, California are likely indicators that the car was sold new in Southern California. The black interior appears to be in excellent condition, with the original leatherette seat covers being replaced with black leather in the same style. The exterior is noted to be the recipient of a high-quality repaint in 1997 while still in California. A repaint for a 911 of this era can be expected as many late 1960s and early 70s Porsches optioned with metallic paint experienced clear-coat failures early on in life. The car is still wearing its correct US-specification red rear tail light lenses, while the headlights have been upgraded to Bosch H4 Rest of World specification. The styling is capped off with the evergreen 6x15 Fuchs forged alloy wheels, standard fitment on the 911 S. The raspy mechanical fuel-injected note, when paired with the long-hood styling of the original 911, would soon come to an end in 1973, making this matching numbers 1972 911 S Targa part of the end of a remarkable era at Porsche.