The Porsche 911 is one of the most legendary models in automotive history. Born as an update to the charming yet antiquated 356, the new model was originally named ‘901’ but had to change to ‘911’ due to protests by Renault, who had the rights to ‘middle zero’, three-digit nameplates. The 911 started off in 1964, and received numerous upgrades over the years, from impact bumpers (1974+) to turbocharging (1976+) on select models, as well as different iterations and packages, including the track-oriented Rennsport (RS) models from 1972 onwards. The many generations of the 911 came with revised gearboxes, interiors and engines, from the initial 2.0L to the 4.0L in the 997 GT3 RS 4.0 (2011), the biggest ever fit in a 911.

The very essence of the Porsche 911 remains unchanged to this day, however: the entire model lineup has always remained faithful to its origins as a rear-engined, relatively lightweight, flat-six sportscar with sophisticated suspension, braking, and usability in both the track and the street. This does not mean that technology made its way across the decades; the model benefited, among other improvements, from fuel injection (1971), ABS and four-wheel drive (1989), and perhaps the most controversial of all: the transition from simple, air-cooled engines to water-cooled ones (1997+).

This particular 1973 911S, chassis 9113301276, was originally sold at Holbert Porsche/Audi/Volkswagen, Al Holbert’s dealership in Warrington, Pennsylvania, and used as his personal commuter. The car changed hands to IMSA Photographer Hal Croker in 1975. In the mid-1980’s, the original alloy engine developed cracks (as these famously do) and was promptly replaced by an unstamped, 2.7RS-specification magnesium engine. The car sat for a few years outside Atlanta, and was subsequently purchased by enthusiast Jim Roller and fully restored by Graham Everett Motorsports. The car changed hands once again, and it was auctioned in 2012 to us. For over a decade, this 911S has been one of our flagships and favorite cars to drive, with racing legends of the stature of Jacky Ickx (2018), Romain Dumas (2019) and Jochen Mass (2022) amongst the people who have enjoyed this car in local events.