It’s truly amazing how little information you can post in a listing and still see very real money come in the door. That’s certainly the case with this 1969 Porsche 911S, which is shown in a leaf-strewn driveway with little information aside from being a numbers-matching model. But then again, given it’s a 911 with the desirable “S” package and appears to be in respectable condition (for being stored outdoors, anyway), it may be worth rolling the dice for some air-cooled fanatics. The 911 S is listed here on eBay in San Ramon, California with bids to $30,700 and no reserve.
That top picture shows the 911 with a very period-correct windshield banner across the top of the screen, which was all the rage in the late 70s and into the 80s. You’d likely be stoned if you rolled into a PCA meeting these days with a rare bird like the 911 S wearing a tacky decor stripe across the windshield, but I hope the next owner leaves it there. After all, when the world was a simpler place, an old 911 or 912 didn’t command the same sort of respect (or jacked-up pricing) like the new Porsches do. The 911 wears heavily faded gray paint and without the COA, we can’t confirm if that’s the original color scheme.
The door sills are silver, so that’s at least one good sign that it hasn’t been resprayed in a non-original color. The interior surprised me as I was expecting to see black; the caramel-colored seat and corresponding door panels and carpets are a nice change of pace. Normally, you’d want to see a black leatherette interior in a 911, but I actually think this combination makes this California driveway find even more appealing. The interior is complete with none of the typical signs of hot-rodding, like an aftermarket three-spoke steering wheel or bucket seats with big bolsters.
Here’s another good sign that a silver exterior is correct: the engine compartment retains all of the factory stickers that typically captured useful information about engine servicing and factory specifications. The seller doesn’t tell us if it runs or even spins freely, stopping at the fact that it’s numbers-matching. The market for long-hood 911s is going to be hot now and forever, so it doesn’t surprise me to see the bidding where it is for a car with several big question marks. If you don’t go for it, someone else will – that’s the new reality.
Some shills got it rockin, but you have to wonder if the ‘owner’ has the title to this forlorn critter, or if a previous tenant left it behind.
The cookie cutter wheels tell you that this car originally came with steel wheels and hubcaps. First of the long wheel base cars and they are light and fast. As said, hope all the paperwork comes with it. It should make a good restoration platform.
Would the S have steel wheels? I’m no expert on the older Porsche cars but the thing I noticed besides the later cookie cutters was the lack of sports seating. Would have thought the S would have come with sport seats and Fuchs.
You could order anything you wanted to pay for in those days. Know for sure they didn’t have the cookie cutters that early and over the years didn’t see the sports seats on too many S car either. They were a special order item. Agree most of the S cars came ordered with Fuchs.
“S” optioned cars inherently came with Fuchs alloy wheels… I would want to see a COA on this car before getting too involved.
The S should have fuchs wheels, but sport seats were options on all models.
What, exactly, are “cookie cutter wheels”?
Back in the day. This car would be good for someone with not a lot of money, but had some mechanical know how. Now, the guy that doesn’t know a lug nut from a brake pad, but can push a mouse around his desk? Pushes the price of this “starter” Porsche, out of the reach of that young gearhead. And that is almost criminal.
Very true and really sad. We bought our ’76 912E from the factory for $12,500 and the 911s went for $14,500. They really took off to the moon after that. In 2018 we bought a 2011 Mini Cooper S for $12,500 to replace the one we lost in hurricane Irma. Nothing cheap these days.
Wutz wrong with that windshield banner? Looks ok, to me.
I guess I can say I’m glad I’ve gotten to live when I did. Back when cheap fixer upper 911s we’re still to be found, I took a chance with one. Brought it back to life and enjoyed it for several years, then sold it just before the prices went nuts. I like to think the current, and deeper pocketed, buyers had all been jealous of me!
Everything depends on how it is underneath.
It’s just an old crusty Porsche to me, who cares… The Porsche fanatics can have at it…
A 69 S is a year model on its own ,having owned a 67, and a 68 S I can tell you someone took the valuable 7x 15 alloys worth about 7′ 10 grand for the set now, 69 2.0S motor produced 100hp per liter they advertised 180 hp. If the car is restored correctly should bring 200k – 250 k .
You don’t understand! These are more than the sum of their parts. Almost Spiritual, living things.
Winning bid:
US $69,600.00
Wow!