There are days when I still am somewhat shocked I became someone who pines for old Porsches. After all, there were years when I didn’t understand the obsession so many seemed to have with these mildly reworked Volkswagens, especially when prices began climbing to ludicrous levels for rusty, forgotten projects. However, I have seen the light, to some extent, and can understand why so many enthusiasts go to great lengths to own them – from the air-cooled noise to the side profile, these old cars can be captivating. This 1967 Porsche 912 listed here on Facebook Marketplace is a project that started on the right foot and stalled, and is listed with an ask of $49,000.

The 912 was the last Porsche model that I became smitten with, simply because I didn’t understand why the so-called base model was suddenly an object of desire. After all, the 4-cylinder version of almost anything is less sought after by a fairly wide margin compared to whichever model came with more power; in the ease of air-cooled Porsches, however, it’s the classic case of a rising tide lifting all boats. The 912 was never meant to be a $50,000 car in project form but the price of entry got so high that the market really had no choice other than to respond accordingly. This car is a complete project but it does appear to have been properly stored in a dry garage.

And the seller has already invested a fair amount of time and expense preparing it for an eventual rebirth. The engine has been rebuilt and placed on a stand for eventual re-installation, and while we don’t know if it’s numbers-matching, one might assume that the seller would go to such lengths for a matching-numbers mill. However, if you happen to check out the prices for original engine cores – even ones that haven’t been touched in years – you might be shocked to see that the price of a good, used long-hood era engine has increased dramatically as well, which indicates (to me, at least) the market doesn’t care as much about matching numbers on Porsches as it does for muscle cars.

The glass came out for a respray that never happened, and I love seeing a crack-free dash through the gaping hole in the windshield surround. The seller doesn’t tell us why the project stalled, but I’m not sure it matters. If the bodywork is as sound in person as it appears to be in the listing photos, and there’s potentially some flex in the asking price, this is a solid starting point for the next owner. It all comes down to rust, however, and if there’s any lurking the floors or rockers, all those years of indoor storage might not matter as much. Do you think the asking price is fair?