COPPER BROWN

Copper Brown

A date in Pavia with Alberto Huober and his exquisite Porsche 911 SC.

Some of the rarer Porsche shades might be a hot trend today, but think back to choosing a colour like Copper Brown Metallic back in the 1970s - it was quite a way to make a bold statement. Fast-forward almost five decades, and this 1979 SC 3.0 has found a new custodian and metallic brown devotee in Alberto Huober, an Italian petrolhead who races cars and speedboats alike.

The unexpected charm of Copper Brown is perfectly matched by the interior trim, a combination of tan leather and pinstripe fabric that has developed a wonderful patina over the years. This spec, along with the elegant chromed profiles on windows and headlights that are unique to first-series SC, give a distinctively classical touch to the car and set it apart from the vast majority of SC’s, which were often delivered in Grand Prix White and Guards Red. The trained eye will also spot all the tiny details that nod to the car - and the owner’s - originality, from headlight washers to the Zippo rendered on the cigarette lighter: Alberto’s 911 is a true time capsule.

It should come as no surprise, then, that it looks perfectly at home in Pavia, a picturesque town a few miles away from Milano. Its narrow cobbled streets are seemingly suspended in time, the perfect background for the brown 911: spot it in front of Pasticceria Vigoni, or at Cesare’s Gelateria, and you might think you’ve travelled back in time all the way to 1979.

On the outskirts of Pavia, where the houses begin to fade into lush rice fields, sits the workshop of Huober British Cars. The name might fool you at first: it comes from Alberto’s father, a die-hard fan of British cars, but as soon as you enter the space you’ll spot two classic 911s parked side-by-side. Once Alberto joined the business it became apparent that his father was going to have to accept his son’s preference for the German icon and welcome different makes into the family stable.

“I like this one so much also because it’s entirely original, and even has the optional Fuchs wheels, in the correct 15-inch size. It just ticks all the boxes for me”

The place is much more than just a garage: it’s a container for the Huobers’ many passions, and you can see it from every corner. Classic cars are flanked by motorbikes of all sorts and powerboats - their first love. Alberto’s grandfather Eraldo was involved in the organisation of the Pavia-Venezia Raid, the world’s longest boat race, and his father Roberto took on racing powerboats at a young age.

The walls are covered in all kinds of memorabilia, from period pictures and racing numbers to trophies and mechanical components - including the propeller broken by Alberto on a recent, unfortunate test drive of one of his speedboats. The boat that earned him first in class and fourth overall at this year’s Raid is of course there, as is the hull they’re restoring for the next race.

After showing us around the space, Alberto took us to the countryside for some proper driving in the Copper Brown 911 SC; “I’ve owned a couple of Targas and a Cabrio,” he recalls - but none of them had quite the looks or feel of the Coupé. “I like this one so much also because it’s entirely original, and even has the optional Fuchs wheels, in the correct 15-inch size. It just ticks all the boxes for me”. And despite having traded many important cars, and driven vehicles way faster than the SC both on the road and on water, Alberto is adamant in saying that this one will likely never leave his garage.