TURBO TOUR: Exploring Brisbane In The 'Nipple Pink' 911

I arrived in Brisbane on an oppressively sticky day. The locals might have argued against my initial impressions of the weather, however I was far from acclimatised with the muggy conditions that made the tropical city so dense with foliage. It was my first time visiting Queensland’s capital in eight years, and while my excuse for travel was to attend a concert, I had a strong desire to experience the city through the lens of a local motorist.

Less than 48 hours after I had touched down with zero contacts and a very limited knowledge of the cityscape, I was sitting shotgun in a raunchy 911-turned-Frankenstein-RUF-tribute on a tour of the city’s most famed sights.

Owned by local Porsche aficionado and builder of custom 911 motors Michael D’Silva, the outrageous example stood out like a sore thumb in Brisbane’s morning traffic as it navigated the complex one-way network. Suitably painted in a hue dubbed ‘Nipple Pink’, the creation came to a halt just outside reception, no doubt waking everyone in the boutique 91-room hotel; clear from the concierge’s look of disapproval as I exited the building.

After squeezing the handle and clicking the passenger door open, Michael and I exchanged a casual greeting, one that familiar friends would engage in, rather than complete strangers. The day before, Michael gave me a call in response to my initial approach, and after a brief chat, he bluntly asked “so what’s the plan then?”

I had spent the night trawling through internet forums, Instagram pages discussing Brisbane’s motoring hotspots, and the trusty Google Maps to create some sort of plan of attack for the morning, while leaving some room for Michael to showcase the regions only a true local would know.

After getting comfy in the passenger seat of the mamilla 911, we set off to our first spot - James Street. Serving as Brisbane’s mecca for high-end fashion, astronomically-priced avocado on toast, and micro-influencers en route to Pilates class, the fig-tree lined boulevard was empty at six-thirty in the morning - a perfect setting for the beastly 911.

After a couple of laps around the block, Michael parked the car and stepped out, popping the cover of the most impressive part of the whole car - the custom built motor. Sitting underneath the 930-style whale tail spoiler sits a turbocharged 3.1 litre flat six, pushing 300 horsepower and 400Nm straight to the rear wheels. In his span of ownership, Michael has upgraded the internals even further, converting it to electronic fuel injection with a modern ECU system, coil-on-plug ignition and a boost controller and intercooler to go along with the radical addition of a turbo. While the forced induction set up was initially labelled as an “experiment”, its clear that the lab test went far better than expected, however the car is currently conservatively tuned to only run a very low boost set up.

“Instead of a 930, which is nothing, nothing, and then at 4000rpm it all kicks in, this starts spooling up at two and a half - by three it's going pretty hard, and by three and a half it's all in. It's a lot more linear.” explains Michael.

While it’s clear that this build has already ticked all the right boxes and has successfully balanced power with usability, it is simply not enough for Michael, who spends his days refining and obsessing over 911 motors.

“The next stage is to make it a 3.5 litre and run a lot more boost - I’m aiming for a conservative 400 horsepower.” said Michael, a grin on his face as he laid out his future endeavour.

So by this stage, it became somewhat apparent that Michael may or may not have had a few screws loose. But that made me like him even more. Four hundred horsepower in a 70s 911 weighing just over a tonne is insanity.

“Like anything, you want a little bit more so that you can feel the shunt in your seat a little bit more.”

With the string of serious upgrades the pink Porsche has seen over it's lengthy lifespan, it came as no surprise when Michael admitted that it has indeed lost most of the unmistakable charm that it had when it first left Stuttgart as an SC, however he assures that it has become something so much more.

“It's a hot rod - it's got firm suspension, big wheels, and 100 extra horsepower. I've got friends that have stock SC’s and when they drive my car they say “Oh my god, it's so much nicer to drive.””

After chatting with Michael about the car’s journey through the phases of its life, we set on our ways to the next stop on my touristic tour of Brisbane. Cutting through the leafy suburban backstreets of the city’s upper-class district, we crested a hill and were met with a panoramic view of the Brisbane River and its bridges.

Set against the glorious backdrop of the Story Bridge and the recognisable modern skyline, the 911’s bodywork bathed in the soft morning sunlight as Michael and I once again stepped out to stretch our legs. Sitting and admiring the proportions, I come to understand why classic 911s are becoming ever so more popular in comparison to their modern counterpart. Michael agrees with the sentiment.

"Modern 911s are so big, and they’re not raw - they’re great grand tourers, unless you go for a GT3,” Michael emphasises.

“But there’s something about a classic, they’re just charming…there’s something about the way they look. They’re timeless.”

This reveals a noticeable contradiction - while Michael does appreciate the tactile, imperfect nature of classic Porsches, he continually works to make his own car faster, more responsive and more mechanically sophisticated - a balance that even powerhouse manufacturers and tuners are still struggling to discover.

It is no secret that classic 911s are adored by all - no matter the age, gender or socio-economic status. However, while the modern-day 911s are immensely popular and fly off the shelves like there is no tomorrow, it’s hard to gauge whether they will have that same intergenerational impact that has seen our grandparents admire the very same car that the kids of today do. For Michael, his path to this turbo 911 was a biproduct of a passion for Porsche that saw multiple models under his ownership over the years. And while he has dabbled into the water-cooled region, his heart still sits heavily within the realm of classics, especially when it comes to the raw driving experience.

“There's no power steering, there's no no ABS or anything like that, but it's one of those things where you're really plugged in, you're really engaged. I like the challenge and I'm fascinated by the engineering.” Michael said.

While Michael’s world now revolves around tinkering with air-cooled motors, he had no experience until he bought his first 964 which had been leaking a bit of oil.

“People kept telling me that I needed to get it rebuilt but they said it’ll take thirty or fourty grand to do so.”

But, as I’m sure you readers could have guessed by now, Michael wasn’t going to have a word of that. As an analytically-driven problem solver, he spent a year reading up, watching videos, buying books and gathering the necessary tools to undergo a serious mechanical operation.

'“I removed the engine by myself, and I disassembled it and rebuilt it. It turned out to be quite successful.”

Fast forward to the current day, and Michael is a recognised builder of performance classic 911 motors. Not bad for someone whose training comes from YouTube tutorials.

“I don't think I've got OCD, but I do; I put between three and 400 hours into an engine, which is more than double what a shop would do." Michael explains.

Unfortunately, nowadays it is becoming harder and harder to find passionate, honest enthusiasts like Michael who really do work with an immense sense of pride and care. By only working on one project at a time, Michael is able to bring his clients along for the ride, keeping them in the loop with each step.

“I just enjoy it. I like understanding what role a part plays. I even question some of the procedures in the technical manuals - why would we do it that way? Why not this way?” Michael questions.

While I certainly could have spent all morning watching the CityCat ferries trawl along the wide, murky Brisbane River, it was time for Michael and I to cruise on to our next destination. Boosting across the towering iron crossing of Story Bridge, we neared the equally as brooding Kangaroo Point Cliffs, where ambitious rock climbers were scaling the sheer cliff face with ease. While rock climbing was certainly not on today’s agenda, the city outlook from the riverside boardwalk was unbelievable - Brisbane is certainly a pretty place.

The river’s foreshore was a bustling hotspot for the fitness freak, creating a persevering soundtrack of crunching gravel and intense breathing as the many Oakley-wearing runners completed their morning laps. Resting against the active scene, the curvy nine-eleven sat still, framed within the towering skyline and snaking river. Sitting here in this moment, it was hard to imagine how this car could possibly get any better. The shining magenta paint, appearing fluidic as the trees cast their shadows over the body lines. The glistening RUF chrome wheels, a tribute to a icon from the past. The turbocharger sitting snuggly underneath the wide decklid wing, patiently waiting to spool once more. It was an idyllic image - but to Michael, perfection had not yet been achieved.

“At some point you gotta say, okay, this is what it is, accept it for the way it is, it's never gonna be perfect.” Michael said.

It’s fair to say that Michael is a critical character, someone who is continually chasing excellence in his work but is never entirely satisfied. It can always be better, run smoother, make more power. It’s that pursuit of imperfection that makes him, and his products, really so enthralling.

With midday approaching, we set off to our final, and arguably most important destination - coffee. Returning back to James Street, the quiet, serene setting we found ourselves in earlier that morning had now dramatically changed. The city had woken, bringing out hordes of people to the city’s centre of swank. The cars were out too - dozens of supercars and luxury tanks cruised down the strip, while Michael and I sat with our coffees.

My tour of Brisbane had come to an end, and what a morning it had been. From meeting a fascinating character who spends his days building 911 engines, to going on a spirited tour of the city in his turbocharged 70’s monster, the experience was the stuff of dreams. Many thanks to Michael D’Silva for introducing me to Brisbane’s most special sights in the very best way possible.

You can follow Michael on Instagram at @911_rebuilds