A car is never just a car. Whether it’s a symbol of independence for a growing teenager, a faithful road-trip companion, or a family vehicle carrying babies home from hospital and children to their first day of school, a car can become a crucial part of key moments in its owner’s life.

For one man in Canada, that car is his Porsche 911, which has been by his side for nearly half a century since he bought it brand new in 1976. The 930-era machine has been with Bill MacEachern through youth, marriage, family life, cross-continent trips and road accidents; in 2020, it won itself the title of highest mileage Porsche 911 in the entire world, clocking in at 800,000 miles (or around 1.2 million kilometers). Let’s dive into the history of the 930, as well as the history of this particular 930, from highs to lows and everything in between.

A Brief History Of The 930

The 930 generation of the Porsche 911 brought about a remarkable mechanical innovation that changed the course of the model’s history: the introduction of turbocharging, a technology Porsche had been working on since it was introduced to the brand’s racing cars at the tail end of the ’60s.

In order to comply with the FIA’s homologation regulations, a production version of the turbocharged 911 had to be built, and the 930 was born. When it was first introduced to the market in 1975, it was the fastest production car available in Germany. The very first 911 Turbo to be produced stayed within the Porsche family: Ferdinand “Ferry” Porsche, the company founder’s son, gave it to his sister Louise as a gift for her 70th birthday.

The 930 was initially powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged flat-six producing 256 hp. The engine was later updated for the 1978 model year, increasing displacement to 3.3 liters and power output to 296 hp. Due to its unique handling and unruly character, the 930 quickly gained a reputation for being hard to control, earning itself the infamous nickname of “the Widowmaker.” It remained in production until 1989, when it was replaced by the 964 Turbo.

Where It All Began: The Beginning Of Bill MacEachern’s Porsche Story

Before he fell in love with German sports cars, Bill MacEachern grew up surrounded by American muscle; in the late 1960s, he owned an Oldsmobile 442 which, in his own words, “was fine for drive-ins and stoplight drags but handled like a milk truck”. In 1970, however, he encountered his first Porsche, a red 911, and got the chance to take it out for a test drive: he describes it as “agile, well constructed, and poised”.

He immediately fell in love with the car’s nimble handling and performance; as the owner of a successful carpet cleaning business, he needed a company car, and the choice of vehicle was now a no-brainer. He selected a silver 911; his first Porsche, but by no means the last.

His fascination with the Stuttgart-based brand continued to grow and grow, especially after witnessing a turbocharged 917/10 competing in the Can-Am championship in 1972. Three years later the 930, also equipped with a turbocharger, arrived on the market, and MacEachern had his sights set on one as his next set of wheels. He selected a color scheme -Midnight Blue with a cork leather interior- and some options, including sport seats and a limited-slip differential. In the spring of the following year, his pride and joy finally arrived at the airport; after initially thinking the car had been ordered in the wrong color, due to the layer of dust covering it, he was finally able to drive his new car home.

That same year, MacEachern got married to his wife Lyse, and embarked on a long road trip across Canada to go see a Trans-Am race. This trip would be the first of many, as over the following decades he has taken the Porsche to several racetracks across North America, including the legendary Sebring in Florida and Watkins Glen in New England.

The Adventures Of A Family Heirloom

A couple of years passed, and in 1978 MacEachern’s children followed in his footsteps, having been bitten by the business and motoring bugs: oldest son Craig joined the carpet cleaning business (where he is now the junior CEO), while second-born Brian embarks on a journey to Mexico to assist racing driver Ludwig Heimrath, who manages to get on top of the podium. Brian himself would start racing a few years later in 1981.

Decades later, in 2006, with the Porsche still going strong, MacEachern set off on one of his many journeys to legendary automotive destination Monterey in California. However, he encountered a metaphorical (and perhaps literal) bump in the road on his way there: a fan pulley broke while traveling through Oregon, and it was only thanks to the fortuitous discovery of a nearby shop capable of repairing it that he was able to make it to the race on time.

Three years later, during yet another trip to Monterey, disaster struck. An SUV, turning right from the center lane, struck the Porsche, damaging its fender as well as an axle shaft and a suspension arm. However, another stroke of good luck arrived at just the right time. While assessing the damage, MacEachern spotted a Volkswagen-branded flatbed trailer, and the driver of the SUV revealed it belonged to a local Volkswagen shop capable of fixing the 911. The necessary repairs were made at breakneck speed, and once again the Porsche and its owner made it to Monterey just in time.

A Million Kilometers And Beyond

After the accident, the story of Bill MacEachern and his 930 continued without any further drama, and in 2012 the odometer finally ticked over one million kilometers, or around 620,000 miles. The achievement was celebrated with a toast, and the car continued to be driven almost every day; as of 2020, the Porsche had 800,000 miles to its name, or around 1.2 million kilometers. Having made arrangements for his beloved 911 to remain in the family after his passing, MacEachern is now secure in the knowledge that this piece of automotive history will be preserved for generations to come.

Still Going Strong: Other High-Mileage Classic Sports Cars

Bill MacEachern’s 911 isn’t the only classic car out there to boast exceptionally high mileage, thanks to decades of love and care. In 2017, a Corvette with 773,338 miles on the clock was donated to the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky, earning itself the title of highest-mileage Corvette in the world. Owner Mark Blackwell explains that all of these miles were accumulated on the original engine, making the accomplishment even more impressive.

Going back into Porsche territory, Guy Newmark, the proud owner of a 1964 356C nicknamed “Blu” after its dark blue finish, broke the million-mile barrier in 2016. He had owned the car since new, having received it as a graduation present from his father; Blu was serviced regularly every 3,000 miles and maintained meticulously to achieve this extraordinary mileage. Porsche personally congratulated Newmark with a YouTube video commemorating the occasion.

Sources: Porsche , National Corvette Museum