Is the 911 Backdate the 21st Century Equivalent of a Slantnose Conversion?

[Craig T]

I did the backdate because I couldn't afford a real pre-73 hot rod. I had the time and the ability to do a lot of the labor myself, so figured it was as close as I was going to get to a real one. I had no intention of flipping it. When I started mine, backdates were considered "frankensteins" and good ones were only $30-$40K. I assumed I would lose my A$$. I only paid $5K for the donor 75, so I didn't care. I thought I'd keep it forever. ...Until...Magnus got famous...Then people started giving me unsolicited offers. The value reached a point where it was irresponsible not to take. I do believe they will come crashing down soon, as the market is flooded with them. I miss it sometimes...Like now...But can't regret selling when the market was hot. I'd never really made money on a car before.

This event was for "Illegal Exhaust" and "no front license plate".

[JeremyD]

Damn $227K that makes me want to build another - Naw pretty happy with my 996TT

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

This thought occurred to me as I was browsing BaT today, to see yet another backdated 911. Great car, looks well done, I’m sure fun as hell, but seems to be getting pretty cliche at this point. Am I alone here?

I did one on my faithful old SC... It was a fun experience, I learned a lot in wrenching, welding, painting, etc... I regret it tremendously as far as the final product however. Not because it did not look good, it did, but because a) the SC deserved to remain an SC in hindshight and mostly b) the finished product still DROVE like an SC, absolutely not like a longhood... (despite the weight loss) Since I was after the "feel" or an early car and not just the look, I was disappointed. I bought an early car and sold the backdate...

I don't think it'll ever be as bad as slantnose (at least for me, because I find slantnoses ugly and unappealing), since I like the end result aesthetically... But as Impact bumpers car increase in value I can see some "undo" happening in a decade...

[Gemni911]

Nothing is sillier (IMHO) than the craze for unrestored, AKA ORIGINAL cars. What is funnier than a "barn find original" with rust, failing paint and a dirty engine compartment sitting on the lawn next to a pristine example that has taken years and countless dollars to revive. What person walks up and says: WOW! Look at this heap next to this bright, shinny and immaculate car! Keep your restored junk and let me pay some premium $$$ for this wore-out, original car. Any chance you've got a set of rotting, bias-ply -nylon cord tires to go with it? I really want only ORIGINAL!
Backdating, painting, upholstering, engine mods - you name it; it's mine. I bought it. I spent the money. I get positive feedback everywhere I go and most importantly I love driving it as well as the way it looks. What early 911 doesn't look better with some wide tires on Fuchs. Lowered? Looks awesome! That Mopar metallic Blue? Hey it sparkles and looks way better than the Porsche Gemini Blue - Dude it was originally grey (or Sepia Brown). You've ruined it.
Just my two cents. Buy one. Do what you want with it (REALLY? You put Chevy small block in it?). Enjoy it. A guy told me once he wanted to buy a Mercedes 450 SL to but a V8 in it. I just looked at him and said "that's so cool!"

[Jim Richards]

^^^needs more rubber.

[GH85Carrera]

I agree, it is your car, do with it what you please, treat it like you want.

I prefer a mostly original car. HOWEVER, my 85 has Turbo tie rods, one step up bigger torsion bars, and the OEM Boge shoks are in the landfill, and it has Bilstiens on it now. I added a fan to the front oil cooler, and upgrade the crap out of the AC system so that I can drive it on the hottest days in comfort. I had to buy 17 rims just to get decent tires but the factory 15 inch Fuchs are in the attic waiting for the day someone makes decent tires for 15s.

It is my car, and I drive in (gasp) in the rain and on long road trips. It has been to 39 states and it will make it to all 48 contiguous states. It has been to Canada already. It is not some low mileage garage queen and far from a 100 point concours car, but it is dang pretty, and I get a lot of compliments on it.

[targa911S]

914 guys have been doing it for years. I for one am pretty tired of seeing late cars with the wrong bumpers.

[greglepore]

Craig, he should have given you an award, not a ticket. I'm moving to a front plate state (Va) next year and not looking forward to it.

I'm all about modified cars. Mine is a non original Honda black pearl metalic, with a rs wing and a ruf bumper. Its not stylish. But if suddenly modded 911 rose to irresponsible money I'd be with you and in a 997 turbo in a heartbeat. I still look at them and pine, but my targa has been here almost 20 years and is like part of the family.

[aschen]

I like modified cars, and really like the backdated hotrods in particular. However, I don't really think the bodywork mods will be ageless.

Car modifications for performance age better than ones for aesthetics. If you drop a bunch of weight in the backdating process I guess you could say it is a performance thing, but in general its for show

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by aschen

I like modified cars, and really like the backdated hotrods in particular. However, I don't really think the bodywork mods will be ageless.

Car modifications for performance age better than ones for aesthetics. If you drop a bunch of weight in the backdating process I guess you could say it is a performance thing, but in general its for show

I have to agree.

Tack on fiber glass to a honda adding two hundred pounds of weight? Just not attractive twenty years later...

A real performance body build? Nice looking.

[rockfan4]

I watched a few minutes of Barrett Jackson last night while eating dinner. They had a '71 911 T go across the block that had been updated to look like a 964, then backdated from that with a RS rear and IROC(?) front bumper, and painted a powder blue like an IROC car. They left the turbo flares and 964 mirrors, it went for $60,000.

1971 PORSCHE 911T CUSTOM COUPE - 212548

[svandamme]

looks singer like, but not as bad as an actual singer, not that clean and "finished"
singers look even more plastic then this one.

[Seahawk]

I am getting back into Porsche ownership...if the in person check goes well (and I have no reason to think it will not) I'll be buying a 1982 Targa.

No rust but it will need paint, has a whale tail and modified front bumper already installed.

All of the original bits will be coming with the car.

My plan is to get it mechanically sorted and drive it as is for a bit and decide what I want to do with the exterior. I will be updating the a/c, suspension, etc. as well.

Frankly I would prefer to do a backdate and replace the impact bumpers completely. I have been searching the www for the past week and have followed dozens of threads here and at other sites...that is how I found this one.

Anyway, any info on kits, experiences, etc. would be greatly appreciated. I have room to keep all the original parts.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Congrats Paul!!!

[GH85Carrera]

Paul, about time you got back into a 911! Good job.

[Craig T]

Originally Posted by Seahawk

I am getting back into Porsche ownership...if the in person check goes well (and I have no reason to think it will not) I'll be buying a 1982 Targa.

No rust but it will need paint, has a whale tail and modified front bumper already installed.

All of the original bits will be coming with the car.

My plan is to get it mechanically sorted and drive it as is for a bit and decide what I want to do with the exterior. I will be updating the a/c, suspension, etc. as well.

Frankly I would prefer to do a backdate and replace the impact bumpers completely. I have been searching the www for the past week and have followed dozens of threads here and at other sites...that is how I found this one.

Anyway, any info on kits, experiences, etc. would be greatly appreciated. I have room to keep all the original parts.

Seahawk, If I was to do it again, and had your 82, I wouldn't backdate. I'd just...

1. Take out the factory seats and replace them with light weight Recaro's.
2. Pull the rear seats and toss in a LW RS carpet kit.
3. Pull the impact pumpers (and all the dead weight that go with them) and replaced with Getty fiberglass IROC style.
4. Getty lightweight ducktail rear deckled (or flat).
5. Replace rear and side glass with Lexan from TRE.
6. Bump up suspension with some larger diameter hollow torsion bars and adjustable sway bars from Tarett.

That would make the car a couple hundred pounds lighter and transform the handling. The style is cool and you could still put it back to stock easily if needed. Once you start cutting metal to backdate, it's very expensive to go back.

You said she needs paint. You can paint everything at one time.

You'd have something like this...

[A930Rocket]

Do you put something behind the fiberglass bumpers? I never did on my 930, but did think of ways to beef it up in the case of a shunt.

Originally Posted by Craig T

Seahawk, If I was to do it again, and had your 82, I wouldn't backdate. I'd just...

1. Take out the factory seats and replace them with light weight Recaro's.
2. Pull the rear seats and toss in a LW RS carpet kit.
3. Pull the impact pumpers (and all the dead weight that go with them) and replaced with Getty fiberglass IROC style.
4. Getty lightweight ducktail rear deckled (or flat).
5. Replace rear and side glass with Lexan from TRE.
6. Bump up suspension with some larger diameter hollow torsion bars and adjustable sway bars from Tarett.

That would make the car a couple hundred pounds lighter and transform the handling. The style is cool and you could still put it back to stock easily if needed. Once you start cutting metal to backdate, it's very expensive to go back.

You said she needs paint. You can paint everything at one time.

You'd have something like this...

[onewhippedpuppy]

I like what Craig has to offer, a nice driving hotrod while still authentic to the SC roots.

[wayner]

I know that this isn't exactly what everyone things when they hear the term backdate, but, I thought the RSR was a 1972 and I wanted one. I was disappointed that I couldn't find a 72 to start with so I backdated a 73


...then I found out that the factory RSR was a 73

Here is my backdate.
(actually, having gotten the year right, I guess I tried to do a backdate but failed)


P.S.
To me these wide body mods are legitimate since back in the day Porsches were often modified
The factory supplied an entire racing catalogue to do just that.

[GT3-1386]

Originally Posted by wayner

I know that this isn't exactly what everyone things when they hear the term backdate, but, I thought the RSR was a 1972 and I wanted one. I was disappointed that I couldn't find a 72 to start with so I backdated a 73


...then I found out that the factory RSR was a 73

Here is my backdate.
(actually, having gotten the year right, I guess I tried to do a backdate but failed)


P.S.
To me these wide body mods are legitimate since back in the day Porsches were often modified
The factory supplied an entire racing catalogue to do just that.

She is absolutely stunning....Well done

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