THE TINKERER’S TURBO

The Tinkerer’s Turbo

Jan’s journey from working on rusty old project cars to his very own 930 Turbo.

We met Jan Dootjes somewhere in the rural Dutch province of Friesland, where vast meadows stretch toward the horizon and centuries-old farmhouses dot the landscape. We didn’t see him at first, just the broad rear end of his 930 Turbo protruding from a modest garage door.

The car barely fits in there, it shares the space with an old Land Rover and a Fiat 126. Finally, Jan slips effortlessly through the maze of machinery to greet us. The garage was the very reason he bought this old house. Like his cars, the house has been put together with a keen eye for detail.

In the corner, an old Mini is slowly becoming a race car. “Because why not?” he smiles. “I just think it’ll be cool. People often ask me what the theme is,” he says, gently rolling the Fiat a few inches forward with two fingers. “If there is one, it’s that I buy cars because I love the way they look, or because I admire the engineering behind them. Although I must admit I lose interest somewhere in the late 80s, around the time plastic bumpers came in.”

It all started with an ageing Land Rover. His first car which Jan restored himself, before one project quickly led to another. There were always cars in need of saving, and Jan was more than happy to provide the care they deserved. “My budget was always around 4000 euros. I’d restore them, enjoy them, and sell them. I’ve owned everything from a Goggomobil to an Austin Seven. More than 30 cars altogether.”

One day, Jan decided to finally buy a car that didn’t need any work at all. He bought a BMW 1602 - something he could simply drive and enjoy. It felt like a milestone, until one summer evening. “I was driving through Friesland when a G-Series 911 came past. I can still remember the sound, I just couldn’t keep up. That was it, I was ruined, I knew I had to own a 911.”

Though he’s often mistaken for younger, Jan is 31. It’s a young age to have a 930, but he’s always dreamt of older, more mechanical cars. He bought his first Porsche at 25: a 1974 911 2.7. It was in rather poor condition, but it had found the right owner.

One winter disappeared over cold concrete floors, oil-stained overalls and late nights in the garage. “My Land Rovers are wonderfully simple,” he says. “But it’s agricultural. A Porsche is different. Everything has a purpose, everything fits, every bolt goes exactly where it should.” Once the restoration was complete, he drove it to Onassis, a well-known Porsche gathering in Germany.

“That was another revelation. I had no idea a community like that existed. When I got home, I took the car apart again and rebuilt it as a backdate. Along the way I learned so much from other Porsche enthusiasts that I started to dream about the holy grail: a 930 Turbo.”

He bought his first Porsche at 25: a 1974 911 2.7. It was in rather poor condition, but it had found the right owner.

“I found this ’88 3.3 Turbo for sale in Germany. It was a US market car that had spent years off the road, which meant it was almost within budget."

By the time the backdate build was finished, its value had doubled, suddenly bringing the dream within reach.

“I found this ’88 3.3 Turbo for sale in Germany. It was a US market car that had spent years off the road, which meant it was almost within budget. I borrowed the final €3000 from my father. My mother… well… when she realised I’d wired all that money abroad for a car I’d never seen, she thought I’d lost my mind.”

Back home in Friesland, the car revealed itself to be entirely rust-free. Around 90% of its original paint remained and the interior had survived beautifully. Mechanically however, it was crying for attention, leaving trails of oil wherever it stood. Armed with nothing more than a workshop manual and countless YouTube videos, Jan methodically worked through every issue. Six months later, the Turbo was back to full health.

Now the engine note rolls effortlessly across the Friesland countryside, a sound that represents years of learning, taking risks, and refusing to take shortcuts. Sometimes dreams are bought. The best ones are built.