Porsche recently unveiled the 911 Dakar as a high-riding, rougher model that pays homage to the brand’s success in famous off-road rallies. In a new video, the company showcases the restoration of the 959 from the 1986 run of the event.
Jacky Ickx and Claude Brasseur’s team took this 959 to second place in that year’s rally. René Metge and Dominique Lemoine won that year in another 959, and the third entry scored sixth place. All three remain in the automaker’s collection.
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Porsche Classic and a crew from the Porsche Heritage and Museum team handled the car’s sympathetic repair. They allowed the damage to the body to tell the story of the vehicle. However, all body panels were removed to provide mechanical recovery to the engine.
“Because this is unusual for us, it is very interesting. The muddy ground showed us today that the 959 Paris-Dakar crossed the river and experienced the water in its interior,” said Kuno Werner, Head of the Porsche Museum Workshop.
All in all, this 959 is in excellent condition, especially considering its age. The paint was peeling in spots, and there was some rust that needed fixing on the underbody. Some of the oil cooler lines also appear to be ready to be replaced.
The 959’s cockpit features a multitude of controls for the driver to manage. There are switches for managing the Motronic’s engine controls, selecting a fuel tank, and operating the all-wheel drive system.
The 959’s twin-turbo flat-six engine has air and water cooling. The road model produces 444 horsepower (331 kilowatts or 450 metric hp). Due to low quality fuel during the race, the rally car’s output was 394 hp (294 kW). During the restoration, Porsche Classic overhauled the powerplant, transmission and other drivetrain.
Porsche will display its newly restored 959 to the public at the Retro Classics show in Stuttgart from February 23 to 26.
For some discussion of the 911 Dakar, check out this episode Rambling About Cars:
