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+).
Amongst the different subcultures of the Porsche world are the ‘Outlaws’, a term that originated with the 356 and evolved into the 911 models, describing cars that have been hot-rodded, modified from factory specifications, or cosmetically changed from its original look. Given the interchangeability or parts across generations and the abundance of aftermarket solutions for cosmetic and mechanical upgrades, Outlaw Porsches have become very popular, and often times provide an enhanced experience over an original. Singer is an example of this. When a Porsche 911 with impact bumpers (1974+) is modified into a ‘slim bumper’ car (1963-1973), it is called a ‘backdate’, referring to the car’s return to an older look.
This particular 911 was born as a 1979 Guards Red 911SC, but starting in 2015, the car spent four full years being built into a ROW 3.2L-powered wonder, with extensive upgrades to the suspension, gearbox, exhaust, and of course, a backdated body in its current Singal Orange —the list of works is extensive, yet fully documented. Under our ownership, we focused on the cosmetics of the car by taking it to bare metal and welding the sunroof properly, adding RS door panels, reanodizing the wheels, and other cosmetics to make the car look as good as it performs. In 2023, the car was driven during the Mille Miglia UAE by legendary racer Stefan Johansson, who gave it his definitive thumbs up and commented on the exhilarating driving experience in the 1,000-mile rally.
