A Restomod Taking Inspiration from the Porsche 911 S/T
You guys already know we’re huge fans of DP Motorsport thanks to a steady flow of awesome restomods over the years from this small German customizer. As a reminder, the company was founded by the legendary design ace Ekkehard Zimmermann and is now managed by his son Patrick Zimmermann. While the elder Zimmermann was focused on the purely competitive racing business, the second generation Zimmermann is focused on holistic conversions and Porsche restomods.
This car we are sharing today is known as The Silver Surfer. Thanks to a special customer request, this 1985 Porsche Carrera 3.2 Coupé was transformed into a celebration of the famous 911 S/T, which paved the way for the Porsche icons RS and RSR in the early 1970s. The guiding principles according to DP Motorsport were “meticulous, modern and flawless”. They nailed the brief.
Restomod can also be authentic. Patrick Zimmermann and his team at dp Motorsport are truly committed to this. A Porsche Carrera 3.2 Coupé, which was first approved for road traffic in April 1985, turned into an (empty) 940 kilograms lightweight driving machine with a 3.6 liter, tuned six-cylinder boxer engine from a 964 with 290 hp and 324 Nm of torque.
From a design perspective, it is easy to see the 911 S/T inspiration, and on the outside no panel is untouched. However, the work is more than skin deep, with the Silver Surfer getting KW Clubsport coilover kit, the front axle links with polyurethane mountings and tie rod ends and rear axle swords with universal-style bearings. It is shod with Michelin “TB5F” in 225/50 in front and “TB5R” in 270/45 at the rear on Fuchs rims (8J x 15 and 9J x 15).
The interior gets profile bucket seats in the classic “Lollipop“design with center panels made of fabric and synthetic leather. The windshield is kept fog-free by embedded electrical heating wires (which is cool). Other features include the Willans four-point harness belts, the in-house designed roll bar, Momo-sports steering wheel, revised fittings, lightweight carpet in black felt, and knee rails and door panels made of braided plastic reinforced with fiberglass. A retrofitted electric power steering, the rear window made of weight-optimized plexiglass and the lightweight battery in a special aluminum frame finally complete the equipment.
“It was not our intention to create a 100 percent faithful replica of the Porsche 911 S/T,” summarizes Patrick Zimmermann. “Instead, we were concerned with stylish sports equipment with a considerable amount of fun.”
