An Oil Leak Sidelined This Porsche 911 Barn Find For 40 Years

Story and photography by Logan LeGrand

Rare barn finds still exist, and this early production 1965 Porsche 911 is proof. It’s chassis #294, and a January 1965 build date make it one of the last of the rare 1965 911s to be accounted for—after being hidden away for over 40 years.

The car was purchased in 1973 by its current owner as a graduation gift to himself after finishing law school. He enjoyed the car for two years until it developed a small oil leak that he wasn’t capable of diagnosing himself, so the car was parked for the meantime until he could arrange getting it looked over.

Then, for lack of better reasoning, life happened…and the Porsche never made it to the top of the priority list. Four decades later the market for early cars has skyrocketed—which is what prompted the car being pulled out of the shed to get the care it deserves (and that oil leak finally fixed.)

Not being an expert in Porsches, the owner contacted a friend of mine and local Porsche expert Mike Winebrenner to help him assess the car. Mike knows 911s as good as anyone, and after popping the trunk and looking at the chassis plate he knew this is a once in a lifetime find. Mike contacted me to photograph and document the car, and kindly gave me permission to share this hidden piece of history. It even has its own thread on Pelican Parts.

As this feature was coming together, I was going to write that the car has a bright future ahead of it. Indeed, the car has actually been sold back to Porsche and is going to the Porsche Classic Center Gelderland in the Netherlands where it will be restored to factory new condition.

As nice as the final car will undoubtedly be, I’m happy and lucky to have been able to document it in this state.