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"This eBay car also had correct 15x8 and 15x9 Fuchs wheels for S-T flares!" continues Nielsen. "Furthermore, the rear decklid had a large area where the paint had chipped away, but there was no rust present. After communicating with the seller and asking him to use a magnet, it was confirmed it was an aluminum decklid." Clearly, the eBay Targa warranted further investigation. Nielsen compared factory rear flares from a 1973 RS 2.7 and fiberglass "RSR 2.8" rear flares from GT Racing against those on the eBay car.
RS flares are often referred to as "nine-inch flares," corresponding to the widest Fuchs wheel that can be fit within them, at nine inches wide. RSR flares are sometimes called "eleven-inch flares" due to the ultra-wide 15x11 Fuchs they'll accommodate. S-T flares, on the other hand, approximate a ten-inch flare - with room to spare for 15x9-inch Fuchs but not quite enough for 15x11s. S-T rear flares also have a sharper transition - almost a crease - where the body meets the flares behind the doors while RS, RSR, and 930 flares have a smooth, flowing transition. Nielsen believes the forward S-T flares are identical to a Carrera RSR 2.8's.
Convinced the eBay 911's steel flares and bumpers were real S-T parts, Nielsen purchased the car. His next order of business was locating the previous owner's name and telephone number. Nielsen was able to contact him and learn that he was the original owner and had let the Targa sit due to worn-out valve guides. Nielsen says the owner recalled buying the car new in 1970 down in Southern California. He had the flares, wheels, and bumpers added by a dealer shortly thereafter - a key piece of information because 2.8 RSR flares wouldn't be available until 1972-73 and Turbo flares wouldn't hit the scene until the 1974-75 timeframe.
Overnight, Nielsen's plans to build a 911R replica were scrapped. Instead, he would tackle a 911 S-T conversion -thanks to the rare parts on the pale yellow Targa. The decision would take him down a very different path than the usual R, RS, RSR, or sports-purposes treatment seen on so many R Gruppe resto-rods because the 911 S-T remains a largely untapped Sports-Purposes inspiration.
Why? Well, the 1970-72 911 S-T was an interim factory special, a car developed for rally and tarmac racing to fill the gap be-tween the 1968 911 T/R and 1973's 2.8 RSR. Like the T/R, the S-T was more of a collection of parts and options than a true model. And, like the T/R, the S-T scratched an itch. For the 1970 season, Porsche needed a 911 for the Group 4 GT class. Up to this point in time, Group 3 1968 911 T/Rs had performed admirably as a development of 1967's lightweight 911R, the first true rennsport (German for "racing sport") 911. What the factory needed for Group 4 was an equally light 911, but one with more tire and more power.
The 911 S-T was introduced for 1970 with a 180-hp, 2.2-liter flat six but would ultimately be bumped up to just under 2.5 liters - still eligible within the Group 4 category. Most S-Ts weighed in at just over 2,100 pounds, making them quick and nimble. Front and rear fender flares allowed a two-inch wider track and the fitment of larger wheels and tires. Light-weight materials were used instead of steel for some body components, and a larger fuel tank was implemented for greater distances. Special, high-bolster Recaro race buckets were specified in an interior devoid of unnecessary trim.
The 1970-72 911 S-T was a successful car for Porsche and set the stage for the famous 1973 Carrera RS as well as its racing RSR sibling. 1970 turned out to be a high-water mark for Porsche and its customers, as the S-T notched wins in the Rallye Monte Carlo, Swedish Rally, World Rally Championship, World Grand Touring Championship, and the 24 hours of Le Mans. Alongside the mighty 917, the S-T would also help Porsche win the World Championship of Makes. Thus, the S-T was an important part of the 911's early bid for motorsports supremacy - and a worthy candidate for Nielsen's personal tribute to sports-purposes early 911s.
Shortly after the eBay Targa arrived, Nielsen removed its steel bumpers, front fenders, wheels, and aluminum decklid. Then, carefully, he relieved it of its precious rear flares before contemplating the next step. As a dentist, Nielsen was practiced in working on teeth, not sheetmetal. He did some soul searching before he asked himself the obvious question: "Do I have the flares welded on by someone who actually has experience welding, or do I learn how to weld on real 911 S-T flares?"
His answer wasn't the one most of us would come to: "Well, I always wanted to learn how to weld." Nielsen purchased a welder and the proper safety equipment, then started tacking the rear S-T flares into place on the coupe's quarter panels. All of the narrow-body pieces from the coupe were then swapped onto the 911E Targa's body, allowing it to be sold to another enthusiast intent on returning it to its original configuration.
Comfortable with his newfound welding skills, Nielsen decided to get creative and weld up the front fender's fuel filler door and cut a hole for a through-hood fuel filler. Nielsen didn't have too much trouble finding a correct 100-millimeter 917 gas cap, but the price for a genuine S-T 110-liter fiberglass gas tank was more than he had invested in the whole project thus far! Nielsen decided to make his own tank by combining the lower two-thirds of the 911T's tank with the upper half of an old VW tank. The tanks were mated and a surprisingly correct-looking steel 110-liter-look fuel tank is the result.
Once all of the metal fabrication was finished, the whole car was given a base coat of POR-15 to protect its panels from corrosion. Countless hours were spent making the body smooth enough for its first coat of primer. Along the way, Nielsen contemplated that most personal of project picks - color. The 911T's original Light Ivory was an appropriate backdrop for a Porsche rennwagen replica, but Nielsen felt a light color would fail to reveal the complex lines of the S-T flares, which had become central to the project's theme. He looked outside of Porsche's palette, envisioning a darker - but not too dark -shade of blue-gray.