Introduced in 1965 as the entry-level model in Porsche’s lineup, the 912 combined the body and chassis of the newly introduced iconic 911 model with a detuned version of the powertrain of the outgoing 356. A smaller, less powerful engine lowered the entry price significantly, allowing more people the joys of Porsche ownership. This smaller engine also led to an increase in fuel efficiency compared to the contemporary 911, meaning it was more affordable to drive. This 912 Targa is available here on craigslist, complete with its original engine and transmission.

The seller is upfront about the fact that they never got around to restoring the car, and that’s commendable. Too many classic cars are sitting abandoned in people’s yards because “I’m going to restore it someday.” The seller tried to restore it, but as is the case with so many of us, life gets in the way sometimes and you have more important things to do. They do say that the flat-four was rebuilt…23 years ago. And the car itself has been sitting for 24 years. Obviously, it will need some TLC to get going again, but the beauty of classic Porsches, especially simpler ones like the 912, 914, 356, et cetera, is that there’s not much to them. When new, this air-cooled boxer four made 102 horsepower and drove the rear wheels through a five-speed manual.

Inside, there’s not much to go off of here. Take a look at the ad yourself, but this is arguably the best image the seller provides. It looks like maybe a cloth interior…? The plus side is that it looks like the bad bits are mostly just junk that can be removed. Hopefully the interior isn’t too bad, but for a soft top that’s been sitting for coming up on three decades, you need to take what you can get.

They provide no images of the undercarriage, but since it hasn’t moved in so long I’m willing to hazard a guess that it’s okay. Not great, but not terrible. You can’t get in many accidents if you don’t drive the car. It does come with the original and highly sought-after Fuchs wheels and a whale tail. I’m suspecting that that whale tail isn’t original to the car, but maybe some Porsche purists can put me in my place here. I’m a Porsche enthusiast, as are we all, but the Porsche purists are on a whole other plane of knowledgeable existence when it comes to the intricacies of Porsches. It will need a little love, but if you’re ready to give it the love it needs, few things can provide the experience of a vintage Targa-top Porsche.