ALAN Drayson was only 17 when he got his hands on his first Porsche – albeit one that was crying out for restoration.

Today, restoring classic Porsches is his business.

Customers buy them for the love of the cars, but also as a potentially canny investment.

He runs Canford Classics, at Winterborne Kingston, where a team of craftspeople do everything on site. Dr Drayson, 43, from Poole, has six staff and the business is still growing.

“It was one of those things where a hobby turns into a profession,” he said.

That first Porsche was restored over two years while he was doing A-levels. He went on to a degree in geology, a masters in coastal geology and a PhD in coastal geomorphology. “But my love has always been Porsches,” he said.

“One day I decided, I’m still doing it, restoring cars – why not make it into a business?”

First sold in 1964, the 911 has lasted better than anything else from the era, he said. “A Porsche is so modern. It looks great, it performs well,” he added.

Cars come to Canford Classics in a range of conditions. “Some cars are driven here, but you never know the condition of a car or engine or gearbox until you strip it down,” he said.

The painstaking work suits the attention to detail that he put into his PhD studies, he says. It can also be very expensive. “If you’re restoring a car, you could pay up to £10,000 for a pair of seats. It all depends on what the customer is trying to achieve,” said Dr Drayson. However, the prices the cars fetch can justify the investment. Canford Classics’ current range for sale runs from a 1981 Targa at £30,000 to a 1972 911S on sale for £180,000.

“There are cars being restored that are probably worth half a million,” said Dr Drayson.

Those high values mean most Porsches, whatever their condition, are worth restoring. “Ten years ago, you would break a 911, separate it and sell the parts. That rarely happens now,” he said.

“With interest rates as they are and property not being a sound investment, I think classic cars in general are a sound investment – and something people can enjoy, like a work of art,” he added.

He is unsure whether the value of Porsches will continue to grow as they have in the past decade.

“Whether they will continue to grow, no one knows, but that’s the same with any form of investment. I think people buying them for investment also see the benefits of owning a classic car,” he said.

“The 911 is an iconic car. Porsche are still manufacturing them and they’ve been around a long time, but it was the car you had on a poster on your wall. In comparison to other cars you might have had on the wall, the 911 will run properly. They’re spectacular cars.”

Canford Classics holds a Classic Porsche ‘Pull-in’ for enthusiasts on Saturday, August 26, 9am-1pm. Anyone wanting to register for a place should email dominique@canfordclassics.co.uk