This Is The Highest-Mileage Porsche 930 Turbo Ever Made, And After A Few Necessary Upgrades, The Original Owner Is Still Enjoying It After Nearly 50 Years

Porsche 911 is considered one of the best sports cars ever made. The combination of compact size, practicality, agility, and great performance even without resorting to big power makes it one of the most usable performance cars ever made. 

The 911’s philosophy remained pretty much the same throughout the many decades, even with the introduction of the brilliant Porsche T-Hybrid powertrain. All iterations of the rear-engine sports car are considered driver-centric, but one particular model required more than what most drivers could give. 

There is a good reason why the original Porsche 930 Turbo is called a Widowmaker, but this grim reputation could not deter one owner. The story of Bill MacEachern and his high-mileage Porsche 911 is an inspiration to all motorists with fuel in their veins, and here’s what makes his classic Porsche Turbo one of the most iconic pieces of automotive history.

From Muscle cars to Porsche 911s

With so many valuable classics becoming “garage queens” instead of being driven, it is always refreshing to see people putting miles on their vintage sports cars with no regard for value. Bill MacEachern was a Muscle car guy at heart until he drove a 1970 Porsche 911 Carrera T. He was mesmerized by the German car’s exceptional blend of power, agility, and comfort. Mind you, this is a guy who came from an Oldsmobile 442, which packed a massive V-8 engine.

Taming the Widowmaker

Bill was bitten by the Porsche bug, and in the fall of 1975, he ordered a 1976 Porsche 930 Turbo, finished in Deep Midnight Blue. As an early-model 930 Turbo, the car came with the 3.0-liter, turbocharged flat-six, producing 256 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 254 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 RPM. 

This was a Canadian-spec car, hence why it was more powerful than the US-spec 930s dubbed the “Turbo Carrera”. Interestingly enough, the odometer and speedometer were measured in miles instead of kilometers. As with all early Turbos, the transmission was a four-speed manual. 

It is unknown whether the car featured the standard 4.43:1 final drive ratio or the optional 4.22:1 that came with the 16-inch wheels package. Bill MacEachern’s car is the 350th Porsche 930 Turbo ever made.

The highest-mileage Porsche 911 recorded

Some individuals measure classic car ownership in dollars. Bill measures it in mies. I think people who don’t drive their 911s are missing the point, but Bill is not among those people. Even nearly 50 years later, he continues to drive the 930 Widowmaker almost daily. In 2012, the odometer finally reached 620,000 miles (1.0 million kilometers), and in 2020, the odometer passed 800,000 miles (around 1.2 million kilometers). 

The car underwent a few evolutions

This is not your typical “numbers matching” 911, but that doesn’t make it any less special. In 1978, the German sports car received its first upgrade - a 3.3-liter engine from the updated model, which developed 296 horsepower and 304 pound-feet. Mind you, this is a car that tips the scales at just 2,634 pounds. 

Bill’s Porsche 930 experienced a few accidents, including a fan pulley failure in 2006, while driving through Oregon on his way to the esteemed Monterey gathering in California. Luckily, a nearby shop managed to repair the issue, and the car was fit to attend the race. Another accident occurred in 2009, when an SUV suddenly swerved and hit the sports car. Luckily, the damages were easily repaired, and the high-mileage Porsche lived to drive another day.

Still going strong

Currently, the car is in its final (for now) evolution, scoring a 3.4-liter engine that produces 660 horsepower, and no doubt, many other supporting mods. At  85 years old, Bill still drives the Porsche 930 Turbo and is approaching 1.0 million miles. He had made arrangements for the car to stay in the family, turning it into an heirloom. 

Bill MacEachern’s story is an inspiring one because he did not want to make a quick buck by selling the iconic classic Porsche. Instead, he is using it in the way it is meant to be used, and that makes it more special than most 930s out there.

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota and Nissan are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

Image source: Motorsports News - Race, Rally, Drift, Go Kart, Gymkhana, and others