This 1983 Porsche 911 SC Targa may have close to 200,000 miles on the clock, but it looks like a car with much lower mileage. The “Super Carrera” is one of the more sought-after models from the air-cooled world of 911s owing to both its healthy power output and its affordability, at least relative to other air cooled generations. The seller maintains this 911 has been looked after with an “open checkbook” approach to maintenance, and it’s listed here on eBay with bids to $27,875 and the reserve unmet.
The 911 has a few details that set it apart from other air-cooled models, including a paint code we don’t often see called Platinum Metallic. The color appears to have a bit of a rose tint to it, and is definitely more complex than a standard silver or brown (though the tobacco interior pairs nicely with it.) The seller also notes that the 911 was previously owned by a Hollywood media personality named Alton Brown, who is honestly someone I have never heard of – but apparently he was a big deal on the Food Network, at one time.
Mr. Brown and others apparently enjoyed driving this 911, as evidenced by the odometer reading. But don’t let that spook you: this era of the 911 and the SC specifically have a long-standing reputation for racking up seriously high miles. The seller’s car has some of the classic hallmarks of use, such as the worn leather seating surfaces and light cosmetic flaws throughout, but overall, very few cars still look this good after racking up 200K. The seller also reports that the 911 comes with a binder full of extensive maintenance documentation.
And that’s a good thing, as you’ll want to drive this SC for as long as you can without having to take on an engine rebuild. I hear an awful lot about so-called “enthusiasts” who seemingly tear down their cars on a proactive basis, a behavior I’ve never fully understood. This is rampant in the air-cooled world, where owners seemingly encourage fellow owners to embark on a $20,000 rebuild for a few spots of oil on the ground. Ignore these people and drive these cars, especially ones like this that come with a detailed paper trail showcasing a history of proactive maintenance.
“Ignore these people and drive these cars”
Jeff, I dig your verve.
Me too.
My former boss bought one of these that was still in great condition, and for unknown reasons, completely tore it down to the last nut, bolt and screw. Then, he had it painted a non-factory color, and never reassembled it. The thing just sat there in our repair shop for years, collecting dust and dings, occupying one of the work bays. He passed away a few years ago, and his brother ended up selling the “basket case” to pay for his funeral. What a waste!
Love the colors, so period correct. And I wouldn’t let the miles bother me, if I ever buy an air-cooled 911 I am going to drive it and keep it until I die, miles don’t matter when you look at a car that way.
Alton Brown was indeed, at one time, a major Food TV personality. Sadly he helped turn the network toward game shows with his remake of Iron Chef. Not sure his previous ownership brings much to the table price-wise, but it doesn’t hurt.
He did show some taste with this Porsche, however. I’ve seen a similar car in real life. The Platinum Metallic is a lovely color in person, showing different shades in different light levels, and the brown interior works perfectly against it. There was a time when Targas were frowned upon by most collectors, but with pretty much every other air-cooled 911 already in long-term conservatorship, they’ve come up market in the last few years.
And yeah, forget about a couple of oil spots; they just prove it still has oil in it. Drive it while you can; someday soon they’ll outlaw anything like this to try to force us all into EVs.
Nice color, desirable car from Texas, lovingly maintained. This is one instance where I will not be deterred by the high mileage and obviously a lot of people feel the same way. But the reserve may be kind of high.
The color 20 years on and more correctly was called Champagne Metallic. It’s a Metallic with a very discreet element of red in it.
The air-cooled Porsches are literally unaffected by mileage. These engines can literally be remanufactured, with all of the contact parts replaceable. Bearings, pistons, cylinders…unlike the newer water-cooled ones. That’s why the 1997 and older 911s bring sooooo much more money.
Never had an issue with any parts for my 911 2001 Car 4, the flange that is applied to give power to the front differential is more rare & expensive & a single 2001 aluminum original wheel was charged by Porsche 1200€!