Porsche 959 Begins Restoration by Removing Body Panels and Mechanical Parts

Porsche has recently revealed the 911 Dakar, a high-riding and more robust vehicle that pays tribute to the company’s success in the renowned off-road rally. In a recent video, Porsche showcases the restoration of a 959 from the 1986 rally. This particular 959, driven by Jacky Ickx and Claude Brasseur, achieved a second-place finish in the event. The first place was won by René Metge and Dominique Lemoine in another 959 and a third entry scored sixth place. All three vehicles remain in Porsche’s collection.

The refurbishment of this 959 was handled by Porsche Classic and the crew from the Porsche Heritage and Museum team. The body of the vehicle was left with its existing damage as it tells the story of the car. However, all of the body panels were taken off to give the car a full mechanical restoration.

During the restoration process, the team discovered that the vehicle had gone through rivers and had water in its interior, as evidenced by the muddy dirt that was found. Despite its age, the 959 was in surprisingly good condition with just some flaking paint and rust on the underbody that needed to be repaired, as well as some of the oil-cooling lines that appeared to be ready for replacement.

The cockpit of the 959 features numerous controls for the driver, including switches for managing the Motronic engine controls, choosing the fuel tank, and operating the all-wheel-drive system. The vehicle’s twin-turbo flat-six engine has both air- and water-cooling, with a road-going output of 444 horsepower. However, during the 1986 rally, the output was 394 hp due to the low-quality fuel. During the restoration, Porsche Classic overhauled the engine, transmission, and the entire drivetrain.

The newly restored 959 will be displayed to the public at the Retro Classics event in Stuttgart from February 23 to 26.

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