When nuclear engineer Bob Ross graduated from college and got a job designing systems for General Electric in San Jose, Calif., he started a search for the perfect sports car. It was 1973. He thought about a Porsche 911, but was concerned that the fast and expensive roadster might get him into trouble. When he found and purchased a more modest four-cylinder 1969 Golden Green Porsche 912, with less than 5,000 miles of use, it started what would become a 43-year relationship with his beloved ride.

As a young man with technical chops, Ross did his own wrenching, and became intimately familiar with the details of his 912. He personalized it with custom racing seats—and got involved in Autocross and Solo One racing, as well as time trials at Laguna Seca and Sears Point raceways. When the opportunity came up, Ross—single at the time—would take to the open road, traveling all across the west.

Ross’s fiancée shared his love of Porsche vehicles, so the 912 remained in the family after he was married in 1978. But the ensuing decade brought kids, lots of family expenses, and the need for engine work on the Porsche. So the 912 was wheeled into the garage—with the intention that one day it would be brought back to life. The 912 sat idle, but Ross could not bear to sell it. The decades passed, but his love of the Porsche did not fade.

Fast Forward to 2014

Ross was itching for a project. By 2014, he was retired from his engineering career. The kids had graduated from college and the home remodeling project was done. The 912—now a 45-year-old automobile—needed a full restoration. Ross began the teardown, meticulously cataloging parts as he removed them. “It’s amazing how Porsche assembled the 912,” Ross said. “You can’t have fat fingers when disassembling an air-cooled Porsche.”

Ross had the engine rebuilt and balanced by Competition Engineering, a Porsche engineering specialist in Lake Isabella, Calif. Originally 1600cc, the mill received a 1750cc Big Bore kit, rebuilt heads and flywheel, and the crankshaft was balanced. The original dual Solex P24 carburetors were rebuilt, and a high-capacity oil filter was added. The original five-speed transmission was in excellent shape and just needed new gear oil.

The body and interior were disassembled and sent to Jerry Woods Enterprises in Campbell, Calif. The body was hand-sanded and straightened, and painted with modern paint custom-mixed to a sample of the original Porsche Golden Green. The interior and window glass were in great shape, with just the window seals and dash pad needing replacement. Ross handled the suspension work, with new brakes, tires, shocks, and bushings—relying on eBay for 912 parts.

By late 2015, the 912 was coming together. Last month, at last, the 912 was ready for its first drive in more than a quarter-century. Ross was delighted to find that the body is as tight and rattle-free as when it left Stuttgart in 1969. The rebuilt motor, still in its break-in phase, is powerful—and puts out a great exhaust note.

With the 912 back on the road, Ross plans to return to the Autocross track and highway touring. He wants to relive great memories of owning and driving the 912 in the 1970s—and make new memories that he can share with his six grandchildren.