Vehicle Description
1997 Porsche 911 Carrera S
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https://www.flickr.com/gp/149927902@N02/74aKkk
2 owners, same owner for past 20 years
Northern California car since new
Major mechanical servicing to as-new condition by Canepa in
2017
Large service document collection during 2nd owner's tenure
Driven less than 3,500 miles per year
6-speed manual transmission, 3.6-liter flat six engine
Options:
Full Leather seats
Drive Block Immobilizer System
18" Technology wheels (lightweight hollow spoke)
Cassette-radio Becker Porsche CR-210
8-way power adjustable seat, drivers' side
4-way power adjustable seat, passengers' side
Cruise Control
Upgraded sound system
Electric Sunroof
6-disc CD changer Becker Porsche CDC-3
The last of the air-cooled Porsche 911s, the 993 is the final
evolution of the storied air-cooled lineage from Porsche. The 993
boasts all of the innovations and refinement that Porsche learned
from building the 911 for 30+ years, creating a simple yet
distilled package of excellent driving dynamics, everyday comfort
and accessible performance. The C2S uses the same wide body as the
coveted 993 Turbo but retains the purity of the 911 with only rear
wheel drive and a 6-speed manual transmission. With an incredible
amount of mechanical grip, boasting all of the updates to the 993
platform and a direct driving experience with enough power to get
into trouble with, the 993 Carrera S is a fantastic performer in
all conditions.
This black over black Carrera S was purchased new in California,
with the first owner noted on August 14th, 1997. The first owner
drove the car for approximately two years before the Carrera S was
sold to its new owner on August 16th, 1999 with 15,453 miles. This
new owner had a poster of a 911 on his wall when he was a child and
the new Carrera S was his dream car. Black over black leather,
6-speed manual, rear wheel drive, and a naturally aspirated
3.6-liter flat six engine were all things that he wanted and
everything that he had now.
Over the course of 20 years he thoroughly enjoyed the car, using it
as his daily driver for the first few years of his ownership. In
the early 2000s he purchased a new Porsche 996 but couldn't bring
himself to sell the Carrera S. During this time he drove the car
occasionally on sunny days in northern California, making sure his
993 was exercised. In 2007 he began daily driving it again for
three years, before he bought another car and kept the Carrera S
for special driving occasions until 2017.
Taking one look at this Carrera S would be enough evidence for the
casual enthusiast to know that it had been lovingly maintained over
the course of its history. The black paint finish is in excellent
condition, the black leather interior shows far less wear than a
normal car with the same mileage, and overall the car drives with
and inspires confidence as it was designed by Porsche. This comes
down to the 2nd owner having a meticulous sense of maintenance and
preservation, with a large stack of service documents starting back
when he purchased the car. If all of that servicing wasn't enough,
then its comprehensive mechanical servicing at Canepa in 2017
should be the last bit of convincing you'll need.
Being his dream car, the 2nd owner came to Canepa knowing how
business was done and how cars were kept, wanting to take care of
his favorite car. He had the intent of servicing everything and
returning it back to factory as-new specifications, with every
conceivable item addressed that would make driving it like getting
into a brand-new Carrera S. Over the course of 7 months, the car
was completely gone through and given an extensive and exacting
mechanical restoration and servicing. This included the normal
service items such as bushings, door seals, brakes, fluid changes,
but also more minute adjustments such as rattles from inside the
door and areas of the car and wind noise leaks that are normal for
a 22-year-old car. The steering system had all of its seals
replaced and all of the nut and bolt hardware was replaced on the
front and rear suspension. The engine and transmission were removed
from the car to access major components to be serviced. The fuel
rail was rebuilt, fuel injectors cleaned and rebuilt, and all of
the major serviceable seals on the engine were replaced, while the
distributor assembly was rebuilt. While the engine was removed it
was cleaned to remove any dirt, and the transaxle received a
brand-new clutch, a new clutch slave cylinder was installed along
with various seals. While the Carrera S was in a state of
disassembly, it was given a full "Canepa Difference" detailing
where the entire chassis was cleaned to remove all of the factory
cosmoline. The factory finishes were revealed to be in excellent
condition, no doubt in part of its owner and the moderate climate
of California, and the entire car was given a complete foam pad
polishing to its black paint. Once everything was completed, the
Carrera S looked like a car that had a quarter of the miles and
drove like a brand-new car off the showroom floor. Overall, the
owner spent $81,628.23 on a "factory reset" of his beloved Carrera
S.
After keeping the car for another year and driving almost 1,000
miles, he decided that he needed to make some room and felt guilty
that his pristine Carrera S wasn't being as used as much as he'd
liked. Wanting to let someone else enjoy it, the car came back to
Canepa recently and presented exactly how it left after the work
had been performed. Excellent driving dynamics from the replaced
hardware and bushings, the interior still quiet from Canepa's
rattle crusade and exterior looking fantastic, it is one of the
most stunning examples of a well-loved and enjoyed Carrera S.
You'd be hard pressed to find another Carrera S that has been so
lovingly maintained and cared for over its history, ensuring it
received its required services and keeping in a constant state of
excellent running order. From the 20+ years of ownership with a
thick stack of service records to back it up, owned by a true
enthusiast who enjoyed driving it regularly, to having it
completely gone through by Canepa in 2017, this is the example you
want to own to drive. Mechanically sorted and visually prepared to
perfection, this 1997 911 Carrera S is made for those who want to
drive and drive often.