912? That must be a typo, right? Only as any Porsche enthusiast worth his Fuchs could tell you, it’s not.
Long before the Boxster, the 924 or even the 914, the 912 served as Porsche’s entry-level model. It was essentially a 911 with a four-cylinder engine, priced to sell, and is widely regarded as a key in securing the long-term success of Zuffenhausen’s most recognizable model. It was sold between 1965 and 1969, and was briefly reintroduced in North America as the 912E in ’76 – just in time for the front-engined 924 to take over.
John Benton bought his ’68 model from a consignment lot when he was just 23 years old, and he’s kept it ever since – improving it incrementally along the way to the point that this may be the finest example of the breed on the road today.
His passion for it and others of its type grew to such an extent over the years that he now runs a garage in Los Angeles that specializes in classic Porsches. Hear his story artfully told in this latest video from Petrolicious.