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Black Plates: 1967 Porsche 912

California guys love black license plates. Well, this 1967 Porsche 912 has them and they really are a good sign here. This car has been in long-term storage, but it appears to be very original and in good driver quality condition. It is located in Lafayette, California and is listed for sale here on eBay with bidding starting at $200.

Sure, the 911 may have two more cylinders than the 912, but it makes up for the lack of power with better handling. These cars were a cheaper alternative to the 911 and they filled the gap where the outgoing 356 once sat.

This flat four is claimed to only have 52k miles on it and is currently running. Don’t let the missing cylinders convince you that this engine is cheaper to rebuild than the six. It is still a Porsche and P prices apply.

Finding a 912 without rust can be quite a task these days. This one is claimed to still be wearing its original floor and it actually does look very rust free. The car has been resprayed in its original shade of orange, but it was done 20 years ago, so you can be pretty sure that it isn’t hiding too many nasty surprises as they would be poking through by now.

Everything looks clean and usable inside. We would probably start looking for a period correct Blaupunkt radio to replace that cassette player. A Momo Prototipo in place of the gauge obscuring steering wheel might be a good idea too.

Porsche prices may apply here, but the cost of entry is still lower than a comparable 911. We would love to own this car just to drive and enjoy. It is not perfect, but the fact that it is solid and running make it very tempting indeed. Now if we could just get our DMV to renew those California black plates…

Comments

  1. Avatar Mike Butchart

    This could possibly be one of the nicest, most driveable and relatively affordable Porsches ever made.

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  2. Avatar Rick Prokopchuk

    Note that the seller calls the plates “blue” :)

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  3. Avatar Steve

    Maybe a silly question, but are there ways to boost HP and torque that won’t destroy originality or are reversible?

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    • Avatar Barn Finds

      You could always store the original engine away and stick a VW one in there. I have read that it will bolt right up to the transmission with some work and I dont think it would require any irreversible changes. Then when you are ready to sell, you could just swap them back out. The VW would make more power for less money and you could keep the original powerplant stock. Below Graham does bring up a good point though. You will lose some of the experience that Porsche intended you to have. We would drive it with the stock engine first and see how she goes before planning any ‘upgrades’.

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  4. Avatar scot c

    ~ if the TMZ plates can be renewed Harvey Levin ought to be a player on this unit.

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  5. Avatar graham line

    Cams and jetting can be changed to improve power, and the 2.0 used in the later 914 can be installed with very little trouble. But then you’re not getting the original 912 experience and you’ve damaged the value of an original. For people willing to keep the revs up and change gears, the 912 is very entertaining. There are a few 4-speeds lurking out there,but the 5- is nicer to live with.

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  6. Avatar Horse Radish

    I am so so sorry about this:
    Who are these morons, who are bidding this thing up $12,100 in the first 4 hours ??

    They have obviously not grasped the E-bay concept, or they are not serious buyers !

    Like 0
    • Avatar Barn Finds

      Perhaps they are looking for the reserve? Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who just throw bids out and then disappear when they actually win. That is why I prefer cars with realistic BIN prices or the option to make an offer, but I guess that defeats the whole purpose of an auction.

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  7. Avatar Somer

    I always liked the 912s. I just wished I hadn’t thought they were “over” priced 20 years ago!

    Like 0
  8. Avatar FRED

    IF I COULD GET MY 6FT4IN 270LBS BUTT IN THE THING I WOULD NOT MIND HAVING IT.LOOKS AND SOUNDS GREAT.

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  9. Avatar Dan Farrell

    What is the tank on the right side of the generator?

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  10. Avatar Rancho Bella

    Dan Farrell,

    Oil filler/smog crap. See the hose going off to the intake?

    Like 0
  11. Avatar Dolphin Member

    @Dan: That orange tank next to the generator contains the oil filter.

    The 912 is slower and less exotic than the 911, but better balanced due to the lighter engine at the back and the better front-rear weight distribution. If you don’t mind the noise, cramped interior, stiff suspension, high cost of entry and upkeep/repair, this could be for you. It will likely never be worth less than it is now (if kept up properly) no matter how long you own it, so there’s no risk of the bottom dropping out of your investment. And it’s got about 99% of the looks of an early 911. This one even has the 5-dial dash, as opposed to the early 3-dial dash. Just don’t expect engine parts/labour to be cheap—they’re not. That makes Jesse’s idea of a temporary replacement VW engine a useful idea if you want to drive it a lot.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar Barn Finds

    The seller ended the auction early, so a deal must have been worked out offline. We would have liked to see what it went for.

    Like 0

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