Already a prize winner and it’s barely been driven since a bare metal rebuild. California’s Petersen Museum has given this retro-style Safari Porsche 911SC their 2025 Perfection Award, and given they’re perfectionists themselves that’s some honour. From striking exterior to sumptuous hand-crafted interior, this is one 911 that’ll turn every head - even as you enjoy every single moment behind the wheel. Yes, we do want it. Badly.
Safari build extends far beyond those prominent Cibie Pallas auxiliary lights to the front. Californian specialists Kundensport of Santa Paula and TRE Motorsports of Van Nuys took on the job for a demanding client, and they’ve left nothing unchanged, replaced, or bespoke engineered. Rally style fuel filler is to the centre of the period front lid, with a bright orange 100-litre fuel tank beneath. Suspension is fully upgraded for the rough stuff, while skid plates front and rear were supplied by Rennline and British 911 specialists Tuthill.
Exterior colourway fairly screams of the 1970s, bold in Togo Brown, with stripes in white, orange and yellow. Body beneath is as new after being totally stripped back. Alloy wheels by ATS are finished in pale ivory to add to the visual drama. Bumpers are backdated period items, for added authenticity. Detailing includes roof mounted rear aerial, drilled door handles and a custom grille for the rear lid. Obsessive doesn’t begin to describe the delights here.
You’ll be wanting to know about power. TRE Motorsports rebuilt the 3.0-litre flat six Porsche engine and fitted an auxiliary oil cooler to the right hand front wing. Five speed gear box has been overhauled and a Wavetrac limited-slip differential fitted. Brakes, you’ll be relieved to know, are very much of the moment: power-assisted discs to each wheel. Ride is on Bilstein shock absorbers, with sway bars by Tarett Engineering.
1981 Porsche 911SC Coupe: A look inside
But once you’ve finished admiring the exterior, you’ll be spending most of the time inside. And what an interior greets the driver. Fixed back bucket seats in brown suede are fitted with competition RJS harnesses in orange. You’ll be well strapped in for that trip to the supermarket. There’s more brown suede to the dashboard, retaining - naturally - the 911’s classic five dial set up. Analogue rules here. Three spoke steering wheel continues the suede theme. And in a flourish of a final touch, the gear knob references that on a Porsche 917.
This is a true one-off version of one of the greatest sports cars of all time. And like any 911, it’s day to day usable. Mind you. all of that work isn’t going to come cheap and we can report that an online auction failed to meet the 911’s reserve, even with bids going as high as £107,000, or a little under what you’d need for a new 911. One that everyone else has. Would £120,000 do it? If you’re off on safari with your new transport, we’ll happily join you for cocktails next to the nearest giraffe.
Next up: Inside the Porsche secret warehouse.
