One reason why California often seems like home base for American automotive enthusiasm is because it’s the land that rust forgot. With low humidity and mild temperatures, it’s not difficult to find any car you can imagine and some that you simply couldn’t. Case in point: David sent me a Craigslist ad for this wild car. After the usual questions flashed through my head like “Why?”; “How much?”; and “Are those Gottis?”, I quickly learned that this stretched Porsche 911 has a weird and fascinating backstory.
This unusual cut-and-shut was built for Benihana founder Rocky Aoki. The wrestler, restaurateur, powerboat racer, and balloonist was a natural thrillseeker, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that he took a shining to cars. In fact, this very Porsche competed in the 1991 One Lap of America, and I’d imagine seeing it fly around tracks would’ve been quite the sight.
According to the ad for this car, two 1974 911 Targas were chopped up to create this long-distance machine, and then a 959 body kit was added, as was the style of the time. Remember when Porsche 911s were largely just old curiosities? Sure, that period of time led to some questionable mods, but it also meant that normal people could buy a 911 SC or similar. The use of two Targas means that this stretched 911 offers an open-air experience with a fully-functional rear targa top, although the fabric wrapping that open-air portal seems to be lost to time.
Rocky Aoki was a man of great means, so it shouldn’t be surprising that this Porsche has everything and the kitchen sink… literally. Mini-bar? Check. Full partition with roll-down window? Check. Custom sconces that look like airplanes? Check. VCR? You already know. When this thing was roadworthy, it even had a custom rear seat that turned into a bed for sleeping on the road. If that isn’t plush, I don’t know what is. Mind you, it is a weird touch considering how the ride quality of an air-cooled 911 isn’t exactly silky.
Weirdly, this isn’t the first four-door Porsche that someone has made. There’s the 989 prototype built by Porsche itself back in 1989, and the custom Troutman-Barnes 911 sedan built back in 1968 that featured magnificent rear-hinged rear doors. However, neither of these creation are quite as outlandish as the Aoki car.
Unfortunately, Rocky Aoki’s Porsche 911 limousine has suffered quite the fall from grace. The ad claims that the engine was stolen at some point in the past, and the paint is in a rather sorry state. Disintegration of the targa top has contributed to the outside world getting into the car, promoting surface rust on the floorboards. The front corner lights are smashed, much of the custom audio setup appears to be missing, and to add insult to injury, the car doesn’t have a title. While definitely savable, this custom 911 will require a lot of work to get roadworthy again.
On the one hand, $18,000 is a lot of money for a roller. On the other, this oddball Porsche is a piece of history that was once loaded with everything you could possibly imagine. It’s certainly not a car for purists, but could you imagine crashing Luftgekühlt in this thing? Anyway, if you’re feeling brave, hop this Craigslist link and make this weird 911 yours.
(Photo credits: Craigslist seller)
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Buy it and stuff a LS in it. Then call up the dude with the Miata limo, rx7 limo, etc and start up a limo racing series.
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
How is an engine even stolen? They bring an engine stand/tools into your yard and start working? Ha ha (Unless it was already taken out & sitting in yard/garage and they come get it fast) Of course anything is possible, just seems like a lot of work/time to take engine out
Buy the title and badge for 1 of the 3 donors build your own cheaper and better. Everything is damaged and needs replaced like that million dollar burn pile. Why save stupid ideas? So much worse than some other guys project. Phoning it in today after a 3 day weekend where your readers probably had to work yesterday. A real let down.
If you think the bed was for sleeping, I’ll direct you to my prime waterfront listings in lovely Lower Saskatchewan…
So he also owned a chop shop?
Or chop suey shop.
So why is shifter shaped like Admiral Ackbar?
A bed for sleeping, unlikely. If this Porsche is a rockin’, don’t come a knockin’.
That sink is clearly for freshening up after. Is the freshwater tank in the frunk?
Also, why does the rear sink/cabinetry looks like it was constructed out of HVAC duct?
For some reason I could see Tommy Wiseau riding around in this. Oh Hi Mark, do you have any Grey Poupon?
Because it’s a trap.
You would have to communicate with the outside world with pings…
Too soon?
Very too soon. 🙁
Grey Poupon or Chinese Mustard? I’ll take the hot stuff.
ev west-east swap it
Quack Pipe
Funny but Asian has always had the Opium Pipe. Doesnt rhyme but …
My comment was a reference to Jason’s son’s joke about ducks smoking quack and Benihana’s old tag line. It was not intended as a laugh at the old trope of the missing R in the Chinese to English language barrier. That just kinda snuck in without me noticing. Supplies!
A true relic, The first Porsche Panamera! Built for the King of the Benihanas, crude in design, effective in the field of teppanyaki war. His decedents would go on to carry the family legacy into the field, however with masterful bakery product artillery instead of two Porsches glued together.
Lol, this thing resurfaces every few years unchanged. With the cost of restorable chassis these days, I’m surprised nobody has bought it, cut it back apart, and rewelded it back together to create a normal targa.
Would it have two VINs?
That’s not a Porsche, that’s a Poorsche.
What are you doing in the back of your 70’s custom limo that requires a sink? Let your imagination be your guide.
I hope somebody restores this. I really want to pull up next to it, roll down my window and say “Pardon me. Do you have any Alstertor Dusseldorf?”
Or wasabi?
This combines the reliability of an old abandoned German car with kit-car hand made workmanship. Nice!
I think the wheels are worth $2k.
This is like that Simpsons bit where Homer is a college professor and he sews tweed patches on the elbows of his leather jacket. Marge says “You’ve ruined a perfectly good coat!” And Homer corrects her, “No, TWO coats!” holding up a tweed coats with big elbow-sized holes cut out of it.
That 989 concept has big 3nd gen Ford Taurus vibes
Is that custom shifter knob in the shape of a manatee’s head? I think so…
His son is Steve Aoki, noted DJ, and his daughter Devin Aoki is the actress from F&F2 Suki.
No accounting for taste, apparently.
Fun fact: if you slice this car back into segments and stack them up just right, they look like a little volcano.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EG8wlAuWkAAvAQI.jpg