1974 911 Carrera Coupe Sportomatic

1974 911 Carrera Coupe 9114400280
Engine Number 6349127
Trans Number 640308
Peru Red - Brown/Beige leather

I lost the use of my legs, as the passenger in a car accident in 1991, having been a car nut my whole life; the biggest loss to me was the loss of the ability to drive a clutched car. For that reason I always found the Sportomatics interesting, but I was far from looking for one when quite by accident I ran across an add in Hemmings Motor News in 2001 for a 1974 Carrera Sportomatic Coupe. Less then 12 hours later my friend and I were on the road from my home in South Carolina to just North of New York City to buy the car.

The car was a true survivor; retaining its original interior and almost all original paint (the hood had been respayed at some point). She had factory AC, power sunroof, power windows and had an aftermarket stereo tastefully done. Although the plan had been to ship the Carrera home, the condition of the car convinced us to drive it home instead. 31 hours after we had left we were back in South Carolina with the car. That means we had done 150 more miles then the Bandit and Snowman had in “Smokey and the Bandit” in just two hours more, and we paid for the car (they never took time to pay for the beer).

Not long after I had the car home I found a couple of eyebolts in the floor (under the rear mats). This told me that the car had at some point had a set of racing belts in it. Instead of being angered that the previous owner had not disclosed this fact, I was inspired. I had held an IMSA Racing license before the accident that paralyzed me and after the accident I had given up on the idea of competitive driving as being impractical. I put a set of belts back in the car and went autocrossing. Not only was it a blast but also we started winning.

Soon I was adding a bolt in roll bar and removing the AC and I was off to run the car with HSR (Historic Sportscar Racing) in Group 1, their time trial class. The cars originality was very important to me so the only additions were the safety equipment, running with stock brakes, suspension and an unaltered engine. The opening race of the 2002 season was the “Al Holbert Memorial” at Sebring International Raceway in Florida; we won our class. We followed that up with a 2nd in class at “The Mitty” at Road Atlanta and another win at the “Atlanta Historics” at Road Atlanta, and when the year ended we were the HSR “SB” class Champions.

The little Carrera had taught me that I could be competitive in a car with only two pedals. She was also showing a little wear and tear of the racing life, and after a complete rebuild of her original engine I decided she had seen enough of the track. The roll bar came back out, the AC went back in and she reverted back to street life with the only scar of the past racing life being a missing passenger side rocker panel (lost to a jacking accident) and of course the original eyebolts under the rear mats.

My racing has gone on to bigger and better things and I have won several championships in several different cars, but I will never forget the little Carrera that proved to me that it could be done.

To this day she retains her original drive train, completely original interior including original gages (right down to the clock witch keeps perfect time) and original paint (except the resprayed hood), and is driven on a weekly basis, gently.

I believe that she is only one of eight US Carrera Sportomatic Coupes made in 1974 but would welcome more input by porcheafiles who are more knowledgeable then I.

Drew Ewing
fandangoracing@aol.com