Dutchmann's Delight

A collaboration of some of SA’s finest artisans, Dutchmann Guild has an established love affair with the Porsche brand

Ian McLaren

In front of an open-top sportscar sits the vehicle’s owner and his wife, arm in arm, gazing at the orange sun making contact with the Atlantic Ocean.

Unmistakably Porsche 911 and, by the absence of roof panels, a member of the Targa family, a closer inspection reveals detailing seemingly out of-place from what you might find in any official Porsche documentation, especially the original brochure associated with the 964-generation 911 that this one-of-a-kind car is built on.

A product of the Gautengbased Dutchmann Guild, this beautifully finished Targa represents the vision of the company’s founder, Gavin Rooke, a man intensely passionate about design and craftsmanship ... and Porsche. Rooke has decided to combine that enthusiasm with the expertise of some of the most respected restorers and finishers in South Africa to bring his sought-after creations to life.

While not quite as notorious as the likes of Urban Outlaw Shop’s Magnus Walker when it comes to customising his Stuttgart-built collection, Dutchmann Guild instead seeks to harness the best of five decades of 911 production in a package that remains true to the attached nostalgia and contemporary appeal of the respected donor car.