Never thought that finding almost 40-year-old sand would be so interesting.
Glad to see that Porsche worked to keep as much of the original patina as possible.
By J.A. Ackley
Feb 6, 2023
|
Porsche,
Dakar Rally,
Porsche 959,
Dakar
Photography Courtesy Porsche
The 1986 Paris-Dakar rally featured a lineup full of trucks, all-terrain vehicles … and three Porsche 959s. Those cars finished first, second and sixth. All three are part of the Porsche Museum collection, and the second-place finisher just underwent recommissioning.
“The winning car remains untouched and we keep it in a kind of time capsule, so to speak, with all of the physical traces of the rally preserved for as long as possible,” said Kuno Werner, Head of the Museum Workshop.
Upon recommissioning the car that finished second place, technicians came across an unexpected surprise: sand and dirt from the African desert. The body and mechanical parts had never been separated before. The small areas of corrosion due to what the car encountered during the rally were preserved rather than repaired.
“We want to keep the original condition and only lightly overhaul the car while eliminating any technical flaws,” said Werner.
You can see the car in the Retro Classics event at the Porsche Museum for those near Stuttgart, Germany. It’s part of the “75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars” special exhibition.
If you can’t make it, no worries. You can see a series about the restoration on YouTube, with new episodes debuting on February 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11.
Start with the first one, here:
Never thought that finding almost 40-year-old sand would be so interesting.
Glad to see that Porsche worked to keep as much of the original patina as possible.
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