In rural Wales, a decades-old Porsche 912 has been rediscovered after spending nearly half a century tucked away in a garage. The rare find, untouched since the late 1970s, came to light when firefighter and car enthusiast Matt stumbled across it during an unexpected encounter.
The discovery began innocently enough when Matt met an elderly woman who owned a Porsche 924 Carrera GT. While her car wasn’t for sale, she mentioned her husband’s old Porsche — a single-owner 1968 Porsche 912 with its original engine, gearbox, and a five-speed manual transmission. When Matt saw it, he was captivated. Sitting inside on the driver’s seat was a newspaper dated November 29, 1979 — a silent clue marking the last day the car had been driven before being stored away.
Initially, the owner wasn’t ready to part with the car, planning instead to restore it with his son. Two years later, circumstances changed, and the couple contacted Matt to say their son had lost interest. They offered the Porsche to him, allowing the long-hidden classic to finally see daylight again.
Matt then reached out to Johnny from The Late Brake Show to help assess the car’s condition. Despite decades of dust and faded paint, the 912 proved remarkably well-preserved. Its burgundy red paint gleamed again after a careful wash, and the interior showed only minor wear.
Bringing the engine back to life took time and patience. With help from Dai, a local Porsche expert, the team eventually managed to get the 912 running again — its flat-four engine roaring for the first time in 46 years.
Though the car still needs restoration, the revival marks the beginning of a new chapter for a once-forgotten Porsche — and proof that automotive history sometimes hides in the quietest corners.
