Legendary 1968 Porsche 911L ($110,000)

Written by Andrew Golseth

Photography by Nima Salimi

At a Glance

• Location: Los Angeles, California
• Seller: Jeff Suhy (co-owned by Troy Snyder) | @pynhead
• Chassis: 1180533
• Engine: Original Type 901/06 2.0-liter flat-six
• Mileage: 74,154
• Transmission: Original Five-speed manual
• Color: Gold Metallic (2006)
• Cabin: Original with dealer optional Sport Recaro Seats
• Sympathetically restored in 2006
• Follow the cars travel and social media history #gold911L

PRICE: $110,000

Inquire: 911@thesuhy.com

AN LA ICON

The 60s – Sex. Drugs. Rock ‘n Roll.

And most importantly, cars.

The decade which saw the birth of The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix simultaneously introduced some of the greatest automobiles of all time.  We can all agree, this was quite the time to be alive.  Naturally, sports cars and Rock ‘n Roll go hand in hand, which is the case for this special 1968 Porsche 911L.

This car’s story begins in the ever bohemian Laurel Canyon of Los Angeles – the epicenter for psychedelic rock experimentation.

At the forefront of this movement was Paul Rothchild, the original owner of this 911L, and the famous studio producer for The Doors, among other artist like Janis Joplin (a fellow Porsche owner) and Joni Mitchell. In ‘66, Paul Rothchild was working at Sunset Studies and tasked with producing a recent Elektra Records signed then-unknown four-man group called The Doors.  Rothchild’s recording talents and ability to work seamlessly with Jim Morrison and the rest earned him the nickname “The Fifth Door” – quite the testament to his craft.

Shortly after the release of The Doors second album, titled Strange Days, Rothchild bought this (originally) Dark Green Metallic 911L new in August of 1968. Through the industry, Rothchild became good friends with fellow-big-time-producer David Anderle—who famously signed Frank Zappa and cofounded Brother Records with Brian Wilson, the ‘architect’ behind the Beach Boys.  The Sixties were wild times, which might explain why Rothchild gifted his beloved one-year-old 911 to David Anderle in 1969–perhaps he felt the car, like the gift of music, should be be shared?  In any case, David Anderle became the proud new caretaker of Rothchild’s Porsche, a great honor he held for more than 25 years.

(David with Rita Coolidge | Recording with Kris Kristofferson | Studio with Bonnie and Delaney)

In 1989, a novice Jeff Suhy joined A&M Studios under the wing of the by-then-iconic David Anderle. Over many years of mentorship, Jeff and David formed a strong friendship.  A bond so great that in 1995, David tossed Jeff his Porsche key and said he reminded him of his younger self and that if he wanted to accurately follow in his footsteps, Jeff needed to be the next custodian of Rothchild’s Porsche—a day that forever changed Jeff’s life.  Again, a gifted transaction – what is it with these musicians?

Jeff worked hand in hand with David as the VP of Artists & Repertoire at A&M Records until 1999.  In that time he was responsible for the rise of artists like Sheryl Crow and Soundgarden.  After leaving the music industry, the 911 remained a keepsake of his roots in LA music.  Some of you may recognize Jeff from his participation in the LA car enthusiast scene, most recently showing the 911 at Luftgekuhlt but also as a previous feature of Petrolicious in his beloved Citroen DS.

(Jeff Suhy with Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers | Jeff and Soundgarden)

THE CAR

Despite their premium MSRP compared to cheaper competitors, it’s no secret the Porsche 911 has been a smashing hit since its debut at the 1963 Frankfurt Motor Show. With current demand for all-things-air-cooled, the desire for early longhood 911 is growing. The 911L was the most expensive 911 offered for the American market at the time since the 911S did not comply with emissions regulations at the time.  In effect, the car is essentially a base 911 featuring the 130 hp 2.0-liter engine but came standard with the superior 911S suspension and brakes—only 449 L models were made in 1968.

The car was recently had a full spread in Speedster Magazine, the French magazine focused on the classic Porsche scene.

CONDITION

The 2006 restoration was well done and still holding strong nearly 10 years later.  Jeff’s Porsche is simply in great condition and been well cared for since its sympathetic restoration.

We’ve broken the car pros and cons of the car down in the following sections.

Exterior Highlights

The gold is a unique change from the typical Porsche color palette and its depth works wonders with the contrasting black Fuchs.

• The body is straight and the chassis is strong
• Rust free thanks to its dry life in California, with only a few years recently spent in Oregon
• Extremely high quality respray

 

Exterior Blemishes

The exterior has a few minor blemishes primarily incurred from the car’s recent excursion from Portland to Los Angeles. The car was involved in a minor accident in early 70’s, but the unibody was not compromised by the collision.

• Two paint nicks near antenna
• One paint nick near driver side door handle

Interior Highlights

• Dash and headliner are immaculate
• Carpets, though not original, are in very good condition
• All interior electronics and buttons are functional

Interior Blemishes

• Slight patina on center of steering wheel and lip surrounding instrument gauges

Mechanical Highlights

• Engine restored @ 47k miles, meticulously maintained since (all records available)
• Flat-six motor and five-speed are numbers matching (Porsche Certificate of Authenticity)
• A recent pre-sale inspection by Dorian Valenzuela at DV Mechanic’s confirmed a clean bill of health
• Car completed drive from Portland to Los Angeles without issue in June 2015

Mechanical Blemishes

• While well maintained, the engine is not polished cosmetically

Underside

• The underside is all original, freshened and in great condition
• No surface or structural rust

ORIGINALITY

Shortly into his tenure, David Anderle, perhaps unsurprising considering his line of work, installed an AM/FM radio—which is still equipped. In June 1970, while dining at the Continental Restaurant, a valet damaged the paintwork on the left door and rear quarter panel. Upon taking the car in for repair, Porsche informed David the car’s factory green paint was no longer available. By August of that year, David had the car completely resprayed in “Laguna Grey.” In August 1970, the car returned to the dealership for upgraded Sports Recaro Seats—a rather rare option. According to records, David had the side markers shaved and, again, had the car repainted in 1977.

With the exception of the stereo, new carpet, and dealer installed Recaro buckets, the interior is in great condition and was restored using OEM materials.

Although not the original to the car, the OE special order metallic finish is not something you typically see on Porsches.

Vehicle Color History

Circa 2000, Jeff had the heater box removed and a performance exhaust installed for a little more grunt and mechanical audio. Speaking of, Jeff also added speakers in the door cards and a hidden amplifier—after all, this car should probably have a decent stereo.

In 2005, Troy Snyder (co-owner) proposed splitting restoration expenses in exchange for partial ownership of the car, to which Jeff agreed. With tired, near 30-year-old paint, the body was in need of re-freshening, so it went back to the paint booth. This time around, Jeff and Troy went with a factory Metallic Gold, which was an OEM special order color in 1968. 

Non-Original Items Recap

• Upgraded Sports Recaro Seats
• Gold Metallic color (period correct)
• Sports exhaust headers
• Speakers in doors

Documentation

The car’s history is fully documented including Paul’s initial invoice and window sticker from Siegfried Motors in New Jersey and David’s maintenance and repairs at Bob Smith Porsche in Hollywood.

• Initial Invoice
• Window Sticker
• Original Owners Manual
• Original Toolkit
• Service Records
• Restoration Receipts
• Porsche Certificate of Authenticity 

Ownership Timeline

•  Paul Rothschild | new-1969 | Los Angeles, CA
•  David Anderle | 1969-1995 | Los Angeles, CA
•  Jeff Suhy | 1995-present | Los Angeles, CA
•  Bob Suhy + Jeff Suhy | 1998-2005 | Chicago, IL
•  Troy Snyder + Jeff Suhy | 2005-present | Portland OR + Los Angeles, CA

2005 Restoration

The car was completely disassembled and the body was taken down to bare metal for a complete respray and ground up restoration.  After the metallic gold was applied and sealed with ample layers of clear coat, the car was painstakingly reconstructed with all new rubber components throughout, to include window seals and squeegees, suspension bushings, and engine mounts.

The collaborated restoration between Troy and Jeff was completed in 2006 and has since only been driven on occasion. The suspension was overhauled in 2006 and Jeff notes the car drives as close to a factory fresh ‘68 911 possible—the suspension has only seen a few thousand miles since the rebuild with $5k in additional mechanicals refreshed in 2012.

After completing the restoration, Troy and Jeff briefly returned the freshly rebuilt 911 to David Anderle for old time’s sake before he passed away.

Our Thoughts

Inquire: 911@thesuhy.com

If you are looking for an early 911 to win an originality trophy at a concours, this is the wrong car for you – this car has had way too much fun in its life for that.  This is, however, a low mileage turnkey car you can enjoy immediately.  Aside from its musical ties, each owner has loved this car and it shows.  We all remember when these cars were worth next to nothing, but here it is sitting proud and ready for its next chapter.

Jim Morrison once said “A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself.”  We think the same applies to cars. Our fire is lit, is yours?

Meet The Seller

This car is for sale by Jeff Suhy (IG: @pynhead).  You can learn more about him in this previous episode on Petrolicious.

Inquire: 911@thesuhy.com

PRICE: $110,000

The soundtrack in this film in tribute to David Anderle and was crafted by Adam Franklin, of the band Swervedriver, and an artist signed and managed collectively by Jeff Suhy and David Anderle.

Drive Tastefully

Photo Credits: [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8]