Hayburner ‘Rat Rod’ Style 911 Is Controversial, to Say the Least
Despite it being saved from rotting away, many Porsche enthusiasts can’t stand the ratty Hayburner Targa. Though, that’s kind of the point.
If you’re familiar with this image, you’re likely familiar with the controversy that comes with it. What once sat as a car poised for nothing more than a scrap yard is now a conversation-starting showpiece.
That just isn’t quite enough of a success story for many Porsche enthusiasts, though.
If you are familiar with the Hayburner crew, you’d know they aren’t exactly traditional Porsche enthusiasts. In fact, their focus is more on VW. However, this tangle of beauty and beast is Hayburner staffers Bobby Wilcox and Ned Faux’s brainchild.
Often this car can be found posted all over Facebook and other social media outlets with zero backstories or context. Most recently, it made an appearance in the Facebook group Porsche Aircooled 911 & 912 Outlaws. Though the group aims to differentiate the “outlaw” owners from purist air-cooled fans who may shrivel up at the thought of any aftermarket additions, it seems they, too, have a line.
Hayburner crossed the line, it seems. Many of the commenters seem repulsed by the condition of the car. Some may call it ironic, the way the Hayburner guys seem to out outlaw the outlaws. We digress. The controversy is very much the reason this car exists.
Hayburner Is Not for the Faint of HeartÂ
To understand the car, you have to understand its origin. For those not in the know, Hayburner is a free Volkswagen magazine based in the UK. Their primary focus is air-cooled VWs that stray far from the typical path of restoration. That being said, being a diehard enthusiast of air-cooled VWs inevitably means an occasional crossover with Porsche.
While a large portion of the car’s story may seem obvious to most just by looking at it, many perceived this car to be a forced relic. It’s quite the opposite, in fact. Nobody went out of their way to create the patina. It was earned naturally. Faux, one of the creators of this car, describes its backstory best.
Saved from certain doom
“It’s a half-crushed write-off shell with no chassis numbers. The doors etc., are from other cars, and the lights just are placed in to give the illusion of a finished car. It’s not roadworthy in any way and never will be. I know this because myself and Bobby bought the bare shell from a breaker’s yard a few years back and very crudely attached it to a Bug pan to drag to a couple of shows for a laugh.
Nothing more, nothing less. I don’t really talk to Bob anymore, I don’t know if he’s still working on cars so I’ve no idea what happened to it, but from what I remember, he wanted to build it to get a social media reaction, as I’m still getting tagged in at least twice a year when it creates stir on Porsche groups I’d say his plan was a success,” Faux said.
It’s remarkable how quickly people go straight to hating something without knowing the backstory. This is not a roadgoing vehicle, nor is it ever intended to be. What it is, though, is a 911 saved from certain doom and brought back to the public eye. Like it or not, you have to admire the effort. If a social media reaction was the goal, they certainly hit the nail on the head.
Photos: Hayburner