In general, I would say it’s hard to be lucky in the car game. There are situations where you may unearth a car before anyone else knows about it or be given a tip that a worthwhile project vehicle is lurking somewhere that only you have access to, sure; but in general, these situations are unpredictable at best. However, it sounds like the seller of this 1968 Porsche 911 may have found himself in the midst of an ideal situation given his father bought this project-grade air-cooled Porsche in the early 2000s before prices went sky-high. They haven’t done much with the car since acquiring it, and it’s now listed here on eBay with bids to $28,000 and the reserve unmet.

The run-up in prices for long-hood Porsches really took hold about a decade ago. What’s interesting about old-school 911s and 912s is that their sustaining popularity doesn’t have as much to do with their performance (it’s not Earth-shattering) but rather the fact that it has an undying style and quality that will never not be attractive. It’s why 911s of this vintage are often paired with other icons of period fashion, like a Rolex Submariner watch: it’s simply always good and that will never change. Very few material items achieve this abstract concept of quality but the long-hood Porsches have clearly achieved this elite status.

I realize this is a subjective opinion but I see no stronger evidence of this claim than the fact the humble 912 is quickly following in the 911’s footsteps. Despite being perceived as a sports car, the 912 suffers no ill consequences for not being particularly sporting. It’s about the shape, the dimensions, the cabin layout, and the sound of an air-cooled engine – the qualities that transfer between the 911 and 912 with little distortion. If a vintage 911 was desirable solely on the basis of its performance, the 912 wouldn’t have seen such a jump in values over the last few years. This 911, despite having some rust in the rockers and the floors, is also desirable for being incredibly original and featuring just the right amount of a rattyness with its factory steel wheels and an aftermarket 3-spoke steering wheel.

The seller acknowledges that they are not a Porsche expert, so details are scarce. He does recall that his father had the car running in the early 2000s and the ignition was updated with MSD components at the time. At the time, 130 horsepower was a respectable number and today, the performance may seem humble but the 911 will still move out smartly while emitting a sound that has been known to transform non-believers in the 911 evangelists seemingly overnight. And, if nothing else, it will always look stunning parked in your garage. The seller knows enough about the 911 to set a market-correct reserve, and I doubt this one will have any trouble clearing it.