While Porsche prices have been softening a bit over the past few months, there’s no doubt 911s are still hot ticket items. This 911S has all kinds of issues, yet it has already been bid up over $38k! Being an S model definitely makes it more desirable, as it has additional horsepower over the T and E models. Given the rust and lack luster condition, I would be tempted to do something a bit different with this 911 than the typical restoration. I’m thinking, it would would make for a killer track and rally cars! You can find this 911 here on eBay in Princeton, Texas.
Why not fully restore this Porsche, you might ask! Well, I have to reasons for my idea of turning it into a track car. For one, by the time you fix all the rust, you aren’t going to have an original survivor anyways so why not have some fun with it. Secondly, it would save you some serious money. The money you’ll spend fully restoring the interior and having factory quality paint sprayed, could go towards performance upgrades that would make an already fun car an absolute blast!
I know, a 911 racer isn’t going to fetch the kind of money a fully restored car would, but it isn’t always about resale. Sometime, it’s about having something you truly enjoy to drive. Whether that be a pristine survivor, a beautifully restored show car or a track day warrior, what’s important is that it’s something you enjoy. And don’t get me wrong, I know there are plenty of people out there who enjoy buying projects to restore and eventually sale, there’s nothing wrong with that either! For me, if I had this kind of money to spend on a 911 project, I would want to build it into something I would enjoy for a number of years. That’s just me though, so I’d love to hear what you would want to do with a project like this!
The flipper calls this “an exiting” find in the ad copy, and I have to agree. It’s on its way out….
If the next owner turns this into a “track day” car, Josh, they’ll have to spend enough that the subsequent cosmetics are a pretty small matter: Tech inspectors don’t much approve of rust! I have to agree…I wouldn’t feel especially comfortable trying to get speed out of a car that has lived amid the corrosive dirt of a barnyard.
If I ever hit the Powerball, one of my first automotive purchases would be a 911S (if I couldn’t find a 911R). This one isn’t close to being one I’d consider. Except as a parts car.
Hi RayT,
I wasn’t suggesting that someone take it racing with rusty floors. You can get all the metal to repair the rust. You’d have to cut out the floors, trunk and who knows what else, but I would feel better about installing a full roll cage in a car that I just replaced all the sheetmetal in, than an all original car that possibly has rust hiding out of sight. It won’t be cheap, but it would be cheaper than repairing this car and then giving it the kind of paint job that it deserves. What’s a decent paint job going for these days? I got a bid not that long ago to get my Fiat painted, the cheapest I could get at a respectable shop was $9k and that’s with me doing all the prep work. I get that $10k to $15k is a drop in the bucket when restoring a rusty Porsche, but that’s a lot of money that could go towards performance upgrades.
So let’s say the people who are bidding on this just want it as a parts car. Who spend $40k on a parts donor? I have a feeling whoever buys this is going to restore it.
So you save money on paint but add the expense of the appropriate safety devices for racing, along with the cost of any engine and driveline that will resist the harsh race environment.
I get what you are thinking but those days are long gone with the 911. Especially a long hood.
Yes, “exiting” to be sure…and backwards, as Bruce points out below.
As for future purchases when filthy rich, the 1989 Speedster looks pretty good to me. This 911 will probably be put on a rotisserie and made new again at a cost too high for most of us.
A great car for the rotisserie whether here or in Eastern Europe. This would have been the first post smog and the first S car since 1967, the 68’s were 911L’s here in the US. I restored one in 1977 I bought from an officer that had spent his Vietnam Nam bonus buying it new. Had plenty of rust but not a difficult restoration. I was in Germany and bought all the parts from the factory. This 69 would have been the 2.2 engine, it was not popular with enthusiasts in the old days. The 1967 911’s I owned in high school was a better performance car but some things improve with age.
At the existing $38k bid, by the time you got a decent track car you’d be far underwater.
If you want a track 911, there are far better ways to get one.
Amen.
When will the 911 bubble burst?
Gotta agree, I don’t get the current Old Porsche 911 valuations. But I want one, so I guess that answers my question.
I want the dog instead, how much is it?
Looks exactly like my dog Axel. I highly suggest a well trained German Shepherd to anyone. Great dogs.
Value can be about good salesmanship. If one goes the track car route, after all the rust removal you could call it a “factory lightweight racer” a la the Penske Camaros. Allthough I am inclined to agree this 911 may be in “exiting condition” (again, salesmanship).
No profanity? At 38k. How about get bent! How’s that for toeing the line.
No one in their right mind would pay the 200% price premium of an S over a T for a track car.
A T model is a lighter car than an S model so it would not make any sense.
A T has a very different engine, designed for cruising, not racing. Cast iron crank, less performance in general with milder cams and the list goes on. The red line is something like 1000 RPM less than an S. my stock 67 had a 7000 RPM redline…..as I remember. That’s where it ran the best. T’s were never designed to run in that rarified air. The S also had heavier brakes and suspension. Were at least 30% more expensive when new.
Those headlight rings are remarkably unpitted.
During that time frame I have seen and have had a couple of clients want me to try and repair one of these because the welds that secured the body were not done properly and all the small spot welds had rusted away and from the look of them had done so internally.
CHECK THIS VERY CAREFULLY. I have seen more than one that looked far better than this one that were barely connected to the chassis. Also find a nice parking lot, a really big one and learn what they do when a trailing throttle and throttle changes during a turn because these shorter 911’s can really bite you if you are not aware or are not careful. The nice thing is that generally when they let go you have the accident going backwards.
Very well put. Thanks.
Aren’t these unibody?
Something suspect about a car that was originally metallic blue getting a brown respray. Who would do that?
You can always tell when someone is behind the times when they say a 911S or a 356 is a “parts car” . NEWSFLASH There are no parts cars when it comes to 911S’ and 356’s, they are all restored now. I sold an awful S last year, it went to Eastern Europe where they probably going to re-body 90% of the car, but it won’t be a parts car.
Ironically, I was offered this car earlier this week, the seller and I couldn’t come to an agreement so I will watch and see how high it goes, maybe I missed one.
you missed nothing here.
What were these issues with the 911 s
Houston ? Might as well be in Michigan – same rust ! Oh….note to self…get factory boxed front and rear lenses on ebay…..