1977 911 s

[wilsn89]

Considering getting my first 911, a 1977. I'm not afraid of getting dirty and rebuild the engine myself but I have a basic question:
For a 1977 911S drivable, no-rust but requires paint and without maintenance records assuming matching numbers how much do you think they are going for? Does $30K a fair value?
I have seen 1977 non-drivable without records to sell in less than a day for high $25k+
Thanks for the help!

[colingreene]

Make sure you take into consideration how much it will cost to rebuild the engine.
its not cheap.
also plan on transmission refresh and basically everything else.

[PeteKz]

How many miles on it? The 1977 cars had the thermal reactor exhaust with air pump. Those are notorious for overheating the engine and reducing life. To rebuild requires reconditioning the magnesium case. Even if you do all the work yourself, it will be $12,000 or more.

Avoid getting yourself into a project that ends up sitting in the garage for years as you slowly work on it. Those projects frequently don't get completed because the buyer runs out of time and patience and other more pressing stuff in life gets in the way. My car was a project for over two decades, not becuase of cost, but because of time, as family and work and other stuff took priority.

For a "first 911," I STRONGLY recommend that you get a good driver that you can fix little stuff as you drive it. Driving it regularly will keep you motivated. It's far better to pay mid $30's to $40K for an SC with the aluminum engine case and aluminum transmission case, that needs some interior restoration, etc. Even better is to buy one that is a good driver, but looks good and doesn't need work, not excellent, just good. You will pay more up front, but less in the long run, even if your labor is free. And you'll get to drive it instead of paying for insurance, taxes, etc. while it mostly sits.

There's no more expensive car than a "cheap Porsche." You WILL end up spending more for one that needs lots of work, than one that is in good condition to start with.

[roy gray]

I missed something.Are you wanting a 77?Or are you looking at a non-running 77?It's kinda vague.First off,I love old Porsches,but the prices the Mezger cars command are ridiculous.There's a big difference between getting your hands dirty and rebuilding a motor,let alone an air-cooled 911 motor.If you've never rebuilt a motor,it will be folly for you to attempt a 911.They are expensive,and unforgiving.The hardest part can be finding a decent machinist.At the very leasy you should have several motors under your belt,20Rs,Domestic V8s,and definitely VW flats.One VW 1600 gives you more 911 experience than a 100 V8s.First Porsche?Do yourself a favor and buy a nice 2002 2.7 Boxster for 15k while you still can.They are amazing cars,very user friendly,and youll get a real heater,AC,and reliability.In the rare case you get a cracked cylinder liner(common in M96s,less common with 2.7 M96s),it will still be an easier and less expensive rebuild.Remember,I like aircooleds,but a 986 or 996 is SO much better.An old 911 will disappoint,and drain your accounts quickly,especially if you're not committed to putting your hands in/on it all the time.Get a Boxster cheap while you still can."Porsche,there is no substitute".Werner Von Braun

[Richey]

Wow , PeteKz is spot on . If you buy this '77 , 2 years from now you will think Pete was correct and you
should have followed his advice .

[mendez]

I bought '77 one in the high $20s that needs paint and some interior work. The engine was rebuilt at some point but needed a refresh (Fuel lines, CIS rebuild). I'm doing all the work my self and I'm already at $4K. Everything is original on the car so I'm trying to keep it that way (i.e. re-plating existing bolts and nuts).

Now, would I do it again? Hell yeah! Prepare to open your wallet and fk-up; but man is so satisfying working on these cars. The amount of learning that you would get is priceless. Also, people in this forum give good advice; no matter if you agree or not they are very knowledgeable.

If you end-up getting it; post pictures! Good luck!

[Tony V]

Consider the smog regulations, in your state, before pulling the trigger on a car. Having to smog mid 70’s cars can drain the joy right out of you.
Tony

[Billthebuilder]

12 years ago I bought a 1977 for 5500 dollars and everyone was telling me I was paying too much and find a better engine Yada yada …… glad I didn’t listen