Rare color combinations can make all the difference on certain cars. Sure, you find a Dodge Omni GLH in the less frequently seen colors of red or blue and it’s notable, but certainly not life-changing in terms of the sale price. When it comes to higher-value collector cars, it starts to make a difference, such as with a long hood air-cooled Porsche 911. This 1968 model listed here on eBay left the factory wearing sand beige paint over a black interior, and while a color that is otherwise known as “tan” may not seem that exciting to you, it could be a big deal to a Porsche collector. Bidding is over $18,000 with the reserve unmet.
Tan is an interesting color in the German car community. The paint code known as “Sahara” is a big deal to BMW 2002 owners, as it is similar to this shade on the 911 in that it must not have been wildly popular when new as you so rarely see it today. The later E30 chassis cars got a color known as “Bahama Beige” that is much darker in color but is another one that wasn’t a big seller when new and is downright eyecatching when you see it today. Of course, on a car like a 911, you wouldn’t expect to see a color called sand beige be a big seller among the legions of red and black examples.
The seller doesn’t provide much detail about his car other than mentioning a few times that it’s a project (I feel like better than 75 percent of the vintage Porsches on eBay these days are all projects.) He notes the fenders and floorplans are in need of rust repair, which is almost expected on any 911 that hasn’t been previously restored. The black interior is an ideal color for the softer exterior paint job and will certainly look good once the outside is treated to a proper respray in its original finish. The seat upholstery looks to be in good condition and the seller notes that the ’68 cars came with one-year-only door panels.
The engine is described as being “…period correct” and “…mostly complete,” neither of which tells us an accurate story as to what’s really happening with the motor. Did the engine get removed at some point, as this isn’t a complete engine and no other photos are provided? In addition, “period correct” would suggest the included engine has been traced back to being made in the correct era for what would be considered numbers matching, but isn’t the one the 911 left the factory with. The 5-speed transmission is likewise described as a “period correct” core, so it sounds like you’ll have a non-matching car with an unusual paint scheme when complete. Is that worth the price of admission to you if the final bid is over $20,000?
A dirty car with rusty wheels and parts really does nothing for my enthusiasm about this car. Guess I missed the meeting about not selling clean cars, even if they were project or parts cars. I’m one of the many Porsche owners of the era that did not like the tan colors. In Europe in the ’70s the tan cars were all over the place, much like our present day US cars all being black, grey or white. Our second car when we got over there turned out to be a tan VW Notchback.
I agree with you. I don’t understand the mentality of some people wanting to buy a car with 50 years of dirt and dust on it, and sellers seeming to oblige that limited number in the car community by showing their vehicle for sale looking like this. If I’m selling an old car that has been sitting for a long time, I want to present it as good and clean as possible, so prospective buyers can get an idea of what it could potentially look like, not like something that appears totally neglected for decades. Especially on an exotic like a Porsche.
Primer and rust is not a rare color . We see it all the time .
Patented patina perhaps?
What other car company could sell basically the same car for 50 years and get away with it? I am not sure what I find more brilliant, the car itself or the brainwashing. Guess a little of both are true.
Rare, alright, a tri-color!
If it is sound and complete with a no question title, this is worth twice the current 18000$ bid to someone.
Seller pulled the auction and relisted it with a BIN of $21,500.
My neighbor took his ’66 912 transmission to the shop for rebuilding. They told him it was from Type II bus, but he had them do it anyway. I don’t know what the difference was.