1971 2.2 Targa - Back From Black (Part 2)

As with any restoration, Josep’s project wasn’t without hiccups: “There are really too many moments to remember,” he recalls, “But it was a particularly difficult time when we realised the body needed a total remake - there really was rust everywhere!” The search for perfection even led to a change of personnel working on the car, as Josep chased his dream of 911 perfection: “I realised I was not happy with some of the specific results, but we would not accept half-complete solutions!”

The Targa roof makes the 2.2 an ideal vehicle for sunny Spanish driving

As the body panels were being hammered back into shape and prepared for the upcoming coats of primer, paint and clear coat, Josep’s build thread on the online forum SoloPorsche began exploding with adulation from every corner of the internet. For him, that was one of the best experiences to come from this build. “Our project had a huge amount of followers on the internet, and it was funny when we would receive phone calls from people asking us to direct and manage their personal restorations,” Josep says. His ceaseless attention to every corner of the project even inspired some forum-goers to begin their own pre-’73 restoration projects.

For Black, though, the engine rebuild was finished prior to the body work, which was taking a bit longer due to all the rust that needed tending to. In time, however, beaten panels would be sanded down and primered, and the primer would give way to actual paint. Soon enough, Black’s freshly coated body was ready to receive a whole slew of parts as the final stages of the restoration began. The electronics, steering and suspension components were reinstalled, followed by the motor itself, while the dashboard underwent serious rejuvenation before being rewrapped with black leather to go with the refreshed Targa roof. From there, the car began to look more and more like a classic 911 again. Black was back, bigger and better than before.

Bigger Fuchs wheels help fill the arches of Josep's perfect 911

The car’s rebirth was more than just a formality for Josep; it was the culmination of many hours of planning, sourcing and dreaming. “I will never forget the strong emotion when we were able to start the engine for the first time in 15 years,” he reminisces. “The deep sound of it and the flame coming from the stainless steel exhaust pipe felt like heaven.” However, Josep added some smaller modifications in order to enhance his driving experience. He lowered the suspension and introduced two stability torsion bars to give the 911 a more connected feeling to the ground, minimising the characteristic over steer. Instead of covering up the freshly rebuilt motor with giant, black intake covers, Josep chose to adorn the carburettor with six stainless steel independent filters, opening up the engine bay and providing a much more aesthetically pleasing sight. He also installed an easily visible fuel pressure control gauge in the engine bay, and his team are currently installing an electronic start system. Finally, to add a bit of proportion in the wheel wells, Joseph chose to upgrade the original 14-inch Fuchs wheels to a 6x15-inch setup, which he finished with the same chrome-on-black look as the original wheels.

The interior was completely re-upholstered and the Targa roof was completely re-finished as part of the restoration

The extensive work and glut of new parts meant Josep now had a car that took some getting used to: “The first time driving it, I was quite insecure; I needed to get used to the gearbox and how to sit in the car properly. For a while, I drove only at night as my private de-stressing therapy, which allowed me to slowly learn its personality until I became very symbiotic with its practicalities and acceleration.” It has since become another extension of him, as Black’s home is in the same building as Josep’s music studio, allowing all the loves of his life to live under a single roof.

Black’s restoration was a long road fraught with many of the perils that other such restorations will experience. However, it has also given Josep an even greater appreciation for the classic 911 and all it has to offer. “Driving Black combines many things,” he says, “Skill, a feeling of freedom, accomplishment, respect for the past and, most importantly, all of this is surrounded by that unmistakable 911 styling.” His love for not only Black, but all 911s in general, has earned him the adulation and respect of his peers. Through his build thread, which managed to end up on several high-profile Porsche forums, Black has become an inspiration to many other classic Porsche owners with similar dreams in mind.

The original 2.2L engine runs very strong according to the seller, and is all stock apart from the K&N air filters with water shields and the aforementioned tensionser upgrade. 

In the meantime, however, we are certain that on any sunny day in Spain, you can find Josep pottering along Spanish highways in his beloved 2.2 Targa. Whether it’s a blast down country roads with friends from his newly-formed Spanish Porsche club or just some daily errands in town with his son, Josep isn’t showing any signs of growing tired of the great feeling that comes from driving something he has put his heart and soul into of late. As we’ve now come to expect, he says it best himself: “Let’s not forget that it’s a Targa. What an incredible invention! It feels so great when the sun and wind join you for the ride...”

Restoration highlights

The unsightly condition in which Josep found his beloved 2.2 Targa

The original black bodywork was aged and rust ridden, while the interior was decorated with a mixture of surplus parts and rubbish. The 2.2-litre engine had housed Birds nests

A history of the targa top

One of Josep’s favourite features is the Targa top. Its first iteration was implemented on the production version of the 1961 Triumph Tr4. The style became popular with the 911, and transferred over to many different cars.

Porsche moved quickly to ensure the namesake was theirs, and as a result the Targa top has been a registered trademark of Porsche AG since. Many other companies have embraced retractable hardtops and folding roofs, but the Targa name has lived on all the way through to the 997 generation.