Theon Design has been quietly making a name for itself, separating its classic 911 reimaginations from the herd by focusing on bespoke creations with an uncanny eye for detail. Their latest commission, a fully-restored 911 964 dubbed the ITA001, is headed to a lucky customer in Italy, featuring a lightweight body and a 400 bhp engine.
The ethos behind the build, much like all of Theon Design’s projects, is to supplement the spirit of the original rather than haphazardly ramping up the power and changing the fundamentals of the design. The ITA001’s exterior looks, to all the world, to be a remarkably well-preserved example of an air-cooled Porsche. But underneath the Schwartz Black paintwork is a carbon fiber body, with each panel digitized and scanned to ensure a perfect fit.
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Cutting back on weight is not just limited to the body. Theon Design has installed a lighter aerospace-grade wiring loom, fitted an electric power steering pump, and added modern dual air-conditioning compressors. The latter has been relocated to the front to aid weight distribution, while the entire creation tips the scales at just 1,152 kg (2,539 lbs) with all fluids onboard.
Under the hood, you’ll find an air-cooled 4.0-liter flat-six — as you’d expect. However, delve deeper, and the powerplant has been breathed upon to squeeze out a level of power that would be considered potent, even by today’s standards (if not quite as powerful as some of Theon’s supercharged options).
There are independent throttle bodies developed in collaboration with Jenvey and a high-performance plenum based on the unit fitted to the 997 GT3. A dual-mass flywheel keeps things pliable around town, but in contrast, to optimize response, the throttle has been converted to a drive-by-wire setup. The result is 400 bhp at 7500 rpm and 315 lb-ft (427 Nm) at 6250 rpm.
Related: Theon Design’s Latest Porsche 911 Has Carbon Body And Screaming 4.0-Liter Flat-Six
Transferring that power to the 18-inch Fuchs wheels is an incredibly rare Porsche 993 RS gearbox. With only 1,104 examples of this six-speed transmission ever made, the use of this unit is said to retain the Porsche shift quality that is loved.
And the 993 influence doesn’t just stop there. The ITA001 features brakes and a limited-slip differential from an RS. Meanwhile, a new switchable five-stage TracTive Active Controlled Electronics (ACE) damping system takes care of the handling and brings everything bang up to date. The new suspension system even features a hydraulic nose-lift system to give it a bit more clearance if needed.
Inside, you’ll find the typical level of detail that we’ve come to love from everything Theon Design. The Recaro Touring seats are trimmed in soft tobacco Bridle leather, while the rear buckets are custom designed based on those found in the 928. Mod cons include a magnetic wireless charging slot on the woven leather dash, an updated sound system equipped with Bluetooth, and six Focal speakers — not that the lucky owner is likely to be using them too much, by virtue of the ITA001’s switchable, ceramic-coated exhaust.
