Glenelg father’s 1974 Porsche 911S bursts into flames on morning coffee run
A father of two was about to drive out for a morning coffee on Father’s Day when his 1974 Porsche 911S, which took him 20 years to find, burst into flames.
SA News
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It took Adam Turnbull two decades to find his dream car, but it all went up in flames as he went to drive out for a Father’s Day coffee.
The father of two turned the key in the ignition of his rare 1974 Porsche 911S about 8.15am on Sunday, before he heard a loud backfire.
“I didn’t think much of it, so I still tried to start it and then I saw flames coming from the back,” he said.
Mr Turnbull quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher to put out the flames, but it wasn’t enough to save his pride and joy, parked inside his garage on Saltram Road at Glenelg.
He managed to push the car out of his garage and on to the driveway before a neighbour called triple-0.
MFS crews extinguished the blaze, but the rear of the car was completely destroyed.
Mr Turnbull said he was searching for a Porsche of this variety for about 20 years before he finally got his hands on one in April 2019.
“I got it at an auction – it was sitting unregistered in the Barossa Valley for 10 years and it’s all original.”
“That’s an Adelaide-delivered car, the SA number plates are from 1974.”
Mr Turnbull said the car was first ordered direct from Germany and delivered to a buyer in Adelaide in 1974.
“It’s a 911S, so it’s even rarer, and it came with a sunroof and a rear windscreen wiper and they’re still on it,” he said.
“It was delivered to Adelaide for an Adelaide buyer, so he took possession of it and it has remained in Adelaide ever since.”
Mr Turnbull was disappointed with his Father’s Day morning and said “I would have preferred the coffee”.