This is a strange one: this 1981 Porsche 911 Targa sports a few different modifications and was apparently set up with an upgraded 3.0L engine before the current owners decided to return the car back to a stock configuration (or at least closer to it.) The engine was removed and apparently lost, and now the 911 is for sale here on eBay with no drivetrain. Bids are approaching $27,000 with no reserve.
The 911 looks sharp with clean silver paint contrasted by Fuchs wheels with black centers. The 911 also has an RS-style interior, ducktail fiberglass rear wing, Weltmiester front sway bar, and a dual exhaust system. According to the listing, the sellers were colleagues of the previous owner who built the car and sourced the hotted-up 3.0L engine, so they know the 911’s history. After driving the Targa with this set-up, they apparently dropped the car with a shop to return the engine to its stock configuration.
It’s at this point that the story gets a little hazy, as it’s not possible to discern if the sellers decided not to proceed with the project and simply sold the 3.0L and took the car back from the shop, or if the shop failed in its obligations to build the car according to the owner’s wishes and also lost the motor in the process. The listing simply says the shop “….never had time to finish the engine,” and the 911 returned home with only a transmission to show for its driveline. It’s a shame, as the clean condition continues to the interior and suggests this was a very nice driver before its stalled transformation.
The 911 has a Bilstein suspension and based purely on the cosmetic condition of the shock bodies, I’m going to assume the components are relatively new. The 911 shows matching silver paint inside the engine compartment, so I’ll also assume the exterior is the factory color scheme. The bidding suggests more than a few folks aren’t phased by the odd anecdotes in this 911’s history file, and hopefully this means the Targa will find its way back to the open road soon.
Great car and a great project. Going to eBay shows no transmission in the car but everything else is in place.
Jeff.. enjoy your write up this Porsche. I laughed when you wrote.. engine lost!.. How do you lose a engine. It’s possible they sold the 3.0 and was looking for a stock engine. To me I am old school bigger the engine happier I am! Engines are not cheap. Otherwise this Porsche is in great shape. Good luck to the next owner. 🐻🇺🇸
3.0 is the stock engine for that car.
RS interior equals owner too cheap to replace the broken door pockets.
Subaru drivetrain coming right up.
Oh my, no – make mine an LS3, please…
Too much cutting with an LS
Never cared much for the Porsche styling, but it is a good car.
A marque that retains its value where most don’t. I owned 4 Porsches and made money on all of them.
Same with Harleys until Harley flooded the market with new bikes at sucker prices a few years ago. Now Harley is giving them away.Happy to hear the dealers are losing. I recall back in 1996 dealers were arrogant and asking $3k over list.
I remember also how hard it was to get a Harley in the 90’s. I was trying to do some fact finding at one dealer and the salesman realizing I wasn’t going to buy one at their inflated prices, ghosted me. At another dealer, I couldn’t find anybody to answer questions. They were all “busy” hiding in the offices. At a third dealer, they seemed to be willing to talk only to serious buyers not just interested buyers. I took the hint and moved onto something else.
I am interested in your car, how do I make you an offer?