20 years ago, this car was put into storage “as a running car…needing fresh paint with 51,375 miles.” How the mighty have fallen! The Targa (the center portion of the roof lifts off) is listed for sale here on eBay. It’s located in Taneytown, Maryland, which made me a little surprised to see the snow! At least the roof is in place.
As you can see, the damage isn’t limited to rust, although the seller describes it as 99% complete and original. They also tell us that the building it was stored in started to leak, and that’s why the car has rusted. We don’t actually know a whole lot else apart from the pictures.
The engine cover shows the most rust, and the seller suggests it needs to be reskinned. Honestly, I think I’d look for another one to replace it, but I’m not an originality fanatic. We’ll see what’s under there shortly.
While I wish the corrosion stopped at the engine cover, it doesn’t. Not only are the sills and lower fenders gripped by the rust bug, we’re told the floors are rusty as well. In the comments, the seller does say they “feel ok.”
Here’s what’s under that engine cover. Not too pretty. The 2687 cc flat six originally was capable of 165 horsepower and 167 ft-lbs of torque. It’s attached in this case to a “Sportomatic” transmission. Introduced in 1967, the transmission wasn’t a true automatic; instead it was a regular four speed transmission that used switches and vacuum to actuate a regular clutch. It also featured a torque converter rather than a flywheel that allowed the car to be left in gear as it came to a stop.
While the interior is pretty darned dirty, I did notice the air conditioning unit (aftermarket? Any Zuffenhausen fans out there that know?) under the dash and that the upholstery, while ugly, is intact. Personally, I don’t think owning a mid 70’s 911 Targa is worth dealing with this much rust, but if you are determined to have a 911 and have a tight budget, this might be the car for you! Let us know what you think in the comments.
Nice parts car
I had a ’69 Beetle with this same transmission (the VW got one less gear) and they can be a nightmare. I always explain it as an awesome idea gone horribly wrong.
The transmission is a Sportomatic, not “sportamatic” as the seller calls it.
I could make snarky comments about all that junk sitting out in the snow around this car, but I’ll just let his Ebay handle do the talking: ‘rustmerchant’
Thanks, Dolphin, spelling error corrected :-) I should have remembered that.
Jamie, my comment wasn’t about your use of ‘sportamatic’, it was in response to the seller’s use of that made up word in the Ebay listing—twice.
If somebody owns and is selling a special car and is talking it up in an ad, he ought to at least spell the important words about its features correctly. Otherwise a cynical guy like me might just get the idea that he doesn’t know…..nuthin’, let’s just say, about what he’s selling.
The building leaked so this rusted? Not sure that’s the reason for all the rust bud…
I prefer to buy turd boxes by the truckload, this arrived today
Careful, you’ll call down the wrath of Kha….I mean LOM
In these days of heady Porsche prices, it will be interesting to see what this goes for.
It’s a bee-yout Clark !
Weren’t these cars galvanized?
That is a factory airco system, however I don’t see the pump on the engine. These were only partially galvanized, from 1977 the complete body were
A nice two hour drive from New York, The car needs work.
Galvanizing was done in stages. After Feb 1975 whole car was galvanized. This is a parts car. Not the best year or desirable trans.
My ’75 must have been built in January because the body started to go before its time.
The P car haters must be in heaven! Being an early P car lover myself I dont consider a big bumper 75 worth the effort but then my tastes have never been in the mainstream. Someone will spend a pile to restore this from stem to stern and have a big bumper 75.
Seller missed the hay day of the bubble. Oh well. He who hesitates is lost . . .
Reality is it’s a ‘fork a matic’. ‘Cause you could stick one in it. Roasted.