Vehicle Details
- Year: 1981
- Make: Porsche
- Model: 911
- VIN: TP1221003H
- Mileage: 45,600
- Transmission: Manual
- Title Status: Clear
- Seller: AtPorsche
- Seller Type: Dealer
- Location: Miami, FL 33186
- Dealer Fees: None
- Lot #: V-0000573
RUF is globally known for their high quality performance builds. This 1981 RUF Turbo Cabriolet is no exception. Being one of the first RUF cars ever built, this car represents an extremely rare proposition. The vehicle being offered is said to have been the personal car of Alois Ruf himself, and has been featured in multiple publications when first introduced in 1981. It now resides in Miami, Florida with 45,600 miles on the odometer and is being offered in excellent condition.
This Porsche began life as a 911SC Targa that was converted into a Turbo Cabriolet. According to Road & Track Magazine, “It is unlike any production car Porsche has ever built.” The car was fitted with flared wide-body Turbo fenders, wide alloy fuch wheels, a broad front air dam, and rear whale tail spoiler.
The car has been well preserved since the conversion and the seller states that no paint or body work has been done. Aside from some minor rock chips, the car shows extremely well as seen in the gallery photos.
The Recaro seats are wrapped in stunning red leather with contrasting black wool carpet. Only minor signs of age exist. The matching red convertible boot cover is also stated to be in excellent condition with only one minor stain. All components are stated to be in working order including the RUF gauge cluster, upgraded Pioneer head unit, and A/C.
Power comes from a 3.4L flat-six engine that is connected to a RUF 5-speed Dogleg manual transmission. The block was not only enlarged by RUF, but fitted with a turbo charger and intercooler. Complementing this robust engine are Turbo brakes and Turbo suspension. Together, these upgrades significantly boosted the performance of this car with a new rating of over 310 HP and 0-120 time of 20 seconds. A recent engine refresh was performed at a total cost of over $23k. The car is stated to be in excellent running condition with service records dating back to 1993.
The sale will include extensive records, RUF letter of authenticity, publication content, tools, and a key. This car truly is a collector's dream. Do not miss your opportunity to own a rare piece of Porsche history.
Auction Results
- Highest Bid: $105,000
- Auction End: Jul 08, 2019 07:41:40PM UTC
- Number of Bids: 10
Comments (18)
Bid in the amount of $105,000
Bid in the amount of $98,000
Bid in the amount of $94,000
Bid in the amount of $90,000
Bid in the amount of $75,000
Bid in the amount of $70,000
Bid in the amount of $60,000
This car was bid to $125K on the "other auction site" in Feb of 2017.
Bid in the amount of $50,000
Bid in the amount of $46,000
@JMS935 - I'm sure they started working on it well before 1894. From my understanding, the BTR was developed using these early prototypes.
I actually met Alois in Monterey shortly after I acquired the car, many years ago. He remembered the car fondly. He also shared stories of how this was his "US" car. He would drive it from coast to coast when he was here.
Got it, so the wording in that letter is just confusing. If it was finished in 1984, then I’d think that it should’ve gotten the full BTR package, as that was already available by then. So while I could see this 1981 body/shell laying around for a while before they got to work on it, if that work was completed in 1984, and this was the personal car of Alois Ruf, then why wouldn’t it have the full BTR package on it that he had just come out with? That is a conundrum to me.
@JMS935 - The build was completed in 1984, however, it was started much earlier, and titled as a 1981.
The HP rating is one assigned by RUF. I think it was under-rated (as most German cars at the time were). I've driven a lot of 930's. I currently have a Sonderwunsch ('Special Wish') 930 with a power kit. These have about 360 HP. This RUF feels faster.
This car was basicly a prototype to the BTR. A lot of the labeled RUF parts were not at that time. I believe the larger intercooler and airbox are the main differences between the two.
So is the RUF letter stating that it was built in 1984 wrong? It appears to be, and that’s a fairly important document. If so, have you attempted to get it corrected? I’d think going from 3.3 liters up to 3.4 liters would gain more than just 10 horsepower, the stock motor was already rated at 300. Other than the RUF intercooler and the RUF notched air box, what else would be needed to bump this up to achieve the full BTR treatment?
@burnrubr - This was one of the the first RUF cars ever built. RUF emblems didn't even exist back then.
No Ruf emblem anywhere? nice car though
Bid in the amount of $45,000
Hi everyone. I'll be around, monitoring the auction for the next 10 days. There is far too much information about this car to include everything in the listing. So, if anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.