1997 Porsche 911 Carrera S

OVERVIEW

1997 Porsche 911 Carrera S
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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.