Another day, another Porsche 912. This 1968 model has a great backstory, far better than its poor black repaint would suggest. The 912 left the factory wearing Tangerine paint, one of the more desirable and period-correct colors you could choose when buying one new. This example started its life in Pennsylvania but shortly thereafter moved to the much more pleasant climate of Honolulu. The 912 today is back in the U.S. and while it has acquired some rust in that time, it’s still a great foundation. Find it here on craigslist for $19,900.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Russel G. for the find. The 912 doesn’t have its original engine installed, but the numbers-matching engine is included in the sale in pieces. The 912 lived in Hawaii for quite some time, with records indicating it left the mainland in 1970 and returned with a service member around 1998. The 912 lost its original paint job at some point, returning to the U.S. wearing DuPont black paint. Photos from underneath the car show multiple areas of floor rust, but no major areas of rot-through. Patch panels will likely be needed, but it’s far from the worst we’ve seen.
The 912 interior is tired, with the driver’s seat in need of restoration. The passenger seat looks slightly better, and while I can’t be 100 percent positive, the dash pad doesn’t appear to have perished. The seller notes that the 912 will come with a decent amount of documentation, including maintenance record booklets that detail service records over the first 58,000 miles. The 912 went in for a tune-up in 1982, which resulted in the installation of two new Weber carburetors. Between that service and the present day, the 912’s original engine was swapped out for a Volkswagen unit for reasons unknown.
Fortunately, the matching numbers Porsche engine is included in the sale, albeit in a deconstructed state. That’s OK – these aren’t difficult engines to reassemble, and it may present an opportunity for some minor modifications that bring the performance closer to that of its 911 brethren. The original owner’s manual with case and Blaupunkt radio manual and hook up instructions are also still with the 912, and the seller will provide the Kardex for review to any interested buyers. While this 912 may be too rough for some, I think it’s a great place to start from given it’s not a total rustbucket and the history is hard to duplicate – not to mention those great factory colors.
You are talking floor pans and probably repairs around the doors but these days that not a big thing. Big thing here is the price. This car comes with all the parts and the chassis is better than most but it’s not worth 19K.
I remember when these were 300 bucks like this. Guys would buy them and tell everyone they had a “Porsche” and everyone would laugh and call them lame.
The price on these will not hold , 20,000 laughable.
yes TomC and a Volkswagen engine installed. Someone will scap it up, no doubt. 20k Porsche on cragslist?? Good luck. stay safe
cheers
GPC
And that Craigslist ad is now being discussed on a nation wide enthusiast website. I’m sure it’s been circulated among Porsche specific websites and collectors too.
For all it’s faults, CL still gets eyes.
Steve R
Hawaii is still part of the United States. Just saying. Just because the car went across some big water and ended up in Honolulu for a while doesn’t mean it left the States. It just left the lower 48.
And time in Hawaii doesn’t make it worth nearly 20 grand, either. I’d love an air-cooled Porsche but the current market is just ridiculous.
@TomC – your “price will not hold on these” is counter to market trends and even recent Covid time period sales. You are entitled to you own opinion, but it is counter to what actual sales indicate is actually happening.
The question is “why?”. Why is the market continuing to be so strong for these? The core age of people who remember these must be quickly dying off. It is not like it is a Dussenberg or something.
Why? Because people seem to like them and are willing to spend their money on them. That’s all that really matters.
You know the old saying, money talks, BS walks.
Steve R
Steve, you would think in these tough economic times, people would be more cautious with their money.
That’s a decision only they can make. Unless it’s a bucket list car, I’d wait, but people are free to spend their money on whatever makes them happy. It’s neither mine, nor someone else’s business how much anyone decides to spends on anything or the timing of their purchase. That’s why their motivation is meaningless.
Steve R
@SteveR-While I agree with the possibility that this may be on someones bucket list, it does not explain the numbers of people willing to pay so much. There are plenty of things on my bucket list, but how much I am willing to pay for them has limits in both practicality and ability. What I don’t agree with is that motivations are meaningless. Motivations often lead to actions, actions will affect many others, both directly and indirectly. Our friend Adolph in 1930s Europe had his motivations. Sometimes society needs to delve into societies motivations and take a closer look for the greater good.
Ken, many people hide behind the idea of “the greater good” to enforce their vision on others.
Steve R
@SteveR, but Steve, what if someones vision is truly for the greater good? How can that be dismissed? Remember when Spock died in Star Trek 2? He said,”The needs of the many out weigh the needs of the one.” Spock was a pretty smart dude as I recall. Say, speaking of Star Trek, remember Kirk and Spock trying to drive stick in “A Piece of the Action”? What kind of car was that? I remember years ago laughing my back side off but now this senile old geezer can’t remember what brand of car it was. Anyone remember? Any ideas Steve?
I think if one is patient the deteriorating state of the economy will start to affect the prices of these cars, which are radically overpriced in any condition, and then they become a realistic purchase. I’m sad that it takes an epidemic to do that.
Agreed about the price. Side note: it took a pandemic for my neighbor to cut his grass.
Wow – some of you have extraordinary high opinions of your opinions.
You don’t think they are priced right, great. Your opinion. That people are voting with their money to pay up means that your “overpriced” opinion is ill informed based on what the market is tell us.
Sidenite – anyone knocking these cars has highly likely never owned or lived with one for any period of time. If you try to measure these cars value by 0-60 or $ per horsepower you can be assured you are missing the point.
Actually, I have owned one of these “sheep-in wolf’s clothing” ; 1969 off-white, which had the rear Targa brakes(they ran out of the stock ones)and it was a piece of junk; handled badly(yes, you could buy sway bars etc. to help performance), poor power, poor heating(no A/C either) and had many faults; braised the leaking gas tank(by the seam where it meets the floor) rebuilt the carbs twice. Would I ever own one again”NO WAY”: I’d flip it to some other “sucker” .
Yes, I know some people will pay whatever they have just for maybe the “snob” appeal, but that will likely wear off when they get the repair bills.
Or, perhaps the people that do buy these, are not regular people, so to speak.
Always sure, often wrong….
“radically overpriced”