- An exceedingly rare, long-hidden 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS is up for sale for $2.45 million through Gooding & Company.
- The multimillion-dollar Porsche – essentially a street-legal race car – hasn’t been registered since 1985 and has mostly remained out of the public eye for decades.
- Many 904s were damaged or had their engines swapped over the years, but this particular car is mostly original and has its factory engine, making it extra desirable.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
An extremely rare 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS that has been tucked away in a Southern California garage for decades just hit the market for $2.45 million.
The sports car – which was dug up by Robb Report and is being sold through Gooding & Company – is one of just over 100 Porsche 904 models built during the mid 1960s. It was last registered in 1985, and although it’s made occasional appearances at car shows, it’s essentially been out of the public eye for the past 30-plus years.
“Uncovering a long-hidden, matching-numbers 904 in a Southern California garage is what many collectors dream of,” Gooding & Company said in its listing for the car. “Here is just such a car – presented untouched, exactly as it was discovered, and available for the first time in decades.”
Porsche developed the 904 for racing, and the model won hundreds of events in its day. However, this particular Carrera GTS up for sale was mostly driven on the street, so it’s remained in superb condition – with its original engine and bodywork – to this day.
Gooding & Company says the car is "a remarkable time capsule, appearing much the same as it did 50 years ago." Learn more about the 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS up for sale below:
A rare 1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS is on the market after being hidden away for decades, and it can be yours for an asking price of $2.45 million.
After staying with the same California-based collector for more than 50 years, it's up for sale through Gooding & Company.
"Uncovering a long-hidden, matching-numbers 904 in a Southern California garage is what many collectors dream of," the listing reads. "Here is just such a car."
Source: Gooding & Company
It's a stunning, mostly original car with a rich history.
First and foremost, Porsche built the 904 for racing — it had a mid-mounted engine that churned out an impressive-for-the-time 180 horsepower, according to Gooding & Company.
Plus, it was the first Porsche to use a lightweight fiberglass body.
Raced throughout the mid 1960s, the 904 racked up well over 400 wins at international competitions, according to Gooding & Company.
To use the 904 for competition, Porsche had to produce a certain number of road cars for the public. It built just over 100 examples in total, and this is one of them.
Source: Car & Driver, RM Sotheby's
While most 904s were raced extensively, this one largely escaped the wear and tear of competition, David Brynan, a senior specialist at Gooding & Company, told Business Insider.
Lots of 904 models were damaged or had their engines swapped out over the years, but this one still has its original four-cylinder power plant and bodywork, making it unique and highly collectable, Brynan said.
The car was initially purchased by an Italian race-car driver and eventually made its way to Southern California, where it was bought by its longtime owner, Leslie Gunnarson, in 1968.
Gunnarson, an avid Porsche collector, gave the car what Gooding & Company calls a “California restoration,” repainting it in red and making the interior more comfortable for street use.
Gunnarson drove his 904 Carrera GTS regularly over the next two decades, but last registered the car in 1985, Brynan said.
Over the last 35 years, the Porsche made appearances at car shows every now and then, but was kept in storage for roughly the last 15 years, Brynan said.
Gooding & Company describes the car as a “remarkable time capsule, appearing much the same as it did 50 years ago.”
The Porsche even comes with an original sales brochure and owner’s manual.
If you'd like to make an offer on this rare, multimillion-dollar car — or you'd just like to drool over more photos of it — head over to Gooding & Company's website.
