Most of us know what it’s like to feel nostalgia for a treasured item in our past. It could be a favorite toy from our childhood, or a special keepsake from a friend. With all the tumult of life, sometimes it’s impossible to keep track of those things, or we simply let them go to move onto something new.
Such was the case of a man named Dave Amos, who was unexpectedly reunited with the Porsche—a 911 SC—he’d sold 25 years ago to cover business expenses as a fledgling engineer. The agent of the sports car recovery was his business partner from 25 years ago, Bill Duke.
The two men had wanted to start a business together many years ago when they were working in Bahrain. Their field was gas storage tanks, and they felt that the machine used to scan the tanks for leaks and identify safety risks wasn’t effective. They came up with a design and felt that they could sell it, but lacked the money to produce a prototype.
At the time, Bill had four children and Dave lacked the capital to make their venture a reality. What Dave did have was a Porsche back home that he felt quite strongly about. His silver 911 SC was decorated in the icy blue and red of the Martini racing team, and was the first Porsche Dave owned. Because he believed in the business, however, and his partnership with Bill, Dave sold his car and used the proceeds to make their machine.
The business turned out to be a success and over the years Dave would be fortunate enough to own more than a few Porsches. Still, he thought back sometimes to that first one.
All of that became suddenly relevant when Bill, who now lives in Texas, heard that his old partner Dave was retiring. Bill flew over to the U.K. where Dave had sold it, and began the process of tracking its ownership across nearly three decades of mystery. Through whatever stretch of luck, he was able to miraculously find the car, and when Dave held his goingaway party, Bill was ready:
“[Dave:] It was just one of those amazing moments – I could see a Porsche and thought one of my family had arrived in it.
“Then I thought: ‘It looks a bit like my old one’ – but even then I didn’t realise what was going on.
“But I saw the registration number and realised it was my old car.
“I couldn’t believe it when Bill handed me the keys – the last time I saw it was over 25 years ago.
“Bill had bought the car in Kent and my nephew Richard drove it down to Wales for my 65th birthday. I was completely bowled over.”
All in all, it’s a great story that reminds us of a basic truth: your first Porsche will always be special. Also: Porsches hold their value well. If you’ve never owned a Porsche, stop by our dealership. We’d love to see you.
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