There’s a mild obsession in some car communities over the term, “slick top.” As you might deduct, this is in reference to the fact that the car does not have a sunroof, and of course, there’s all sorts of reasons why this is a benefit. The logic ranges from lighter weight to greater structural rigidity/composure, two qualities that really only matter if you’re going to track the car. Regardless, slick tops are hard to find in many cases as cars like this 1978 Porsche 911 overwhelmingly left the factory with the sunroof already installed. Find this 911 here on eBay with bids to $36,700 and no reserve.
There are some enthusiasts who find the obsession over a deleted sunroof to be a bit of nonsense, and I occasionally link arms with them. However, it can’t be ignored that on cars already built in limited quantities, finding another little nugget that makes it even rarer is a significant factor in determining value. If most G-body 911s came with a sunroof, and most came with standard seats, and almost all of them were narrow bodies, you naturally have to perk up a bit when you hear there’s a car available with an option or options different from those. Making this one even more intriguing is its original color of Nutmeg Metallic, a very deep, lustrous shade of brown.
This car does not have sport seats nor it is turbo-look, but it does have that desirable roof panel. The other intriguing aspect of the slick top is it likely means the first owner specifically ordered a car without the sunroof installed – so there’s an air of “specialness” knowing you have a car that was put together at the factory by the original owner’s request. Of course, there’s always the chance this car was simply an outlier built for the U.S. market without the typical sunroof, and was always looked up on as inferior car as a result – who knows? These days, however, there’s a group of enthusiasts who will see this 911 as a bit of an item. The interior is in driver-quality condition and could use a refresh, sunroof or not.
The seller notes the 911 does not run at present, although it does crank. The car will come with a healthy stack of records and manuals, with the former hopefully showing that it’s been looked after in the years when it was regularly being used. The color change is unfortunate and will require the next owner to assess whether it’s worth going back to the factory color, but for now, I’d simply get it running and hopefully enjoy being in an air-cooled 911 for less than $50,000. Hopefully, no one ever takes it to the local customization shop to cut a pop-up sunroof in it.
Get it running and you might have a nice car on your hands. I disagree with the statements that the factory sunroofs weaken the body structure. If you can get a look at the hole with the sunroof out you will see the very strong structure surrounding it to support and mechanism and keep strength in the overall body structure. I do agree that aftermarket sun roofs will compromise strength. Most folks I know who don’t like the factory sun roof are close to 6 ft tall and taller. At 5 ft 6 I never got close to that problem.
I’m not in the 90th percentile man being 6’2” and torso-tall so my head hits a sunroof because they encroach on interior headroom anywhere from 1-3 inches. That immediately makes this car more attractive.
It increases the airflow in the cabin and offers to the driver a view of the sky.
I’m with you Bob and around the same height I get to enjoy cars that others can’t appreciate. When I drove my 911’s the sunroof was almost always open if weather allowed. I also prefer the coupe over the Targa for the structural rigidity. Whenever I see a driver 911 for sale I feel sad that so many people will not be able to enjoy what these cars have to offer because they are outside the means for many to afford. I will live vicariously through my Corvair Corsa which gets you close to a 911 experience on a budget friendly platform.
Beautiful cars, but why pay these prcies when I can buy a fantastic road car for much less?
Mostly because a new fantastic road car will be worth less and less every year.
Maybe, but I do not invest in cars, I enjoy them. When you buy to both enjoy and invest, the enjoyment ends up taking a back seat. I have always invested in no load mutual funds, buy and forget. With almost all cases, that far exceeds returns on investment over investing in cars. The money I set aside for cars, gives me great pleasure, and I am not afraid to drive them, or let my grandchildren drive them, for that matter.
A bit of back dating on this and it will be a stunner in that color combo.
It will be interesting to see how high this one gets with its non-running status. No such thing as a cheap 911, but there are plenty of over-priced ones.
The interior isn’t too bad but it doesn’t run (engine looks like it hasn’t been touched in a while), and if you look at the Ebay pictures check out the deck lid. It fit’s at the top corners but gaps are off everywhere else particularly where it meets the left quarter at the bottom. This car took a lick in the left rear and judging by it’s hood got shoved into something else. There isn’t really a body panel on it that fits exactly right, paint looks like it was applied through a screen door down the sides and just screams cheap repaint though you might be able to cut and polish some of it out. “Slick top” notwithstanding this car is going to need a pile of money to be more than a driver. I know it’s an SC but if people are bidding off those photos they better look more closely or someone’s going to be disappointed.
The “sunroof delete “thing is lost on me and only seems to apply to 911s. A sunroof on any model 356 coupe is a big added $$. Same on 912s. I have a black 56 A and I cant imagine it without the sunroof as it gets very hot and almost claustophobic in the summer…I never close mine! ( I’ll be enjoying it tomorrow tooling round the backroads of Sonoma in the Breakfast Club Rally…sunroof open!!)
When I see the cheap-a$$ steering wheel cover I jump to he conclusion that the owner did not take pride or even interest in the car, probably took care of the engine the same way: what is the cheapest oil I can pour in this ride? No wonder the car is not running. It is likely there is a complete engine teardown in the near future, and likely more.
Maybe, if it HAD a Sunroof.
SOLD for 37K.