Opportunity to buy 1971 911T targa

[autobonrun]

Is there anything in particular I should look out for? Where can I check the VIN on older Porsches? Most sites I see are for new ones.

[john walker's workshop]

It's old, so check everything. Compression, leakdown, rust, any old body repairs, rust, transmission function, etc. rust.

[Arne2]

No VIN checks for cars prior to the 17 digit VINs that start in 1981.

[RSBob]

If you are unsure on what to check take the car to a shop experienced with air cooled Porsches and ask for a pre-purchase inspection. This move can save you many thousands of dollars in surprises.

[Trackrash]

There used to be buyer's guides for air cooled Porsches. You may want to invest in one. You could take it to a shop that is EXPERT in AIRCOOLED cars and have them check it out.

The bottom line is that unless the car has been meticulously maintained, you will be either in for a restoration or need to plan on constantly doing repairs and upgrades. These cars are almost FIFTY years old. At that age there are numerous items that will need attention.

You may want to search this forum for the cost of motor repairs.

If you are mechanically inclined, can do most repairs, and have the time to do it you will be in for an adventure. (and that is assuming the car is rust free, if not, good luck)

Go drive the car and give us your impressions.

Perhaps someone in this forum will be in your area and be willing to take a look.

[Bill Douglas]

Not hugely different to the 1979 Targa, but these early ones didn't have the galvanising. Also try to figure out the carb's and are they in OK condition.

[dicklague]

with early cars even those in desert climates can have rust.

And remeMber this is a Targa they are less desireable and valuable than coupes are.

Has to do with how ugly they are!!! ;-) :-)

[RUNNING AND DUCKING!!!]

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

I own one. No matter what your eyes show you pay for a PPI. So much can go wrong in almost 50 years and stuff that looks fine but isn’t can add up to tens of thousands of dollars to repair quite quickly.

Typical sellers have little idea what repairs cost. Targa tops cost thousands to repair. Oil leaks are rarely minor. And carbs always need more than just a new accelerator pump.

That said, any sorted ‘71 is a joy to drive. Find a good one, or make it good. Just understand the reality of these cars before taking the dive.

[NYNick]

Are there ANY records? Check the with the seller and check the glovebox.

If there aren't, it's a foregone conclusion that almost everything under the car will need to be refreshed suspension wise.

Get a good flashlight and get on your back, preferably even get it on a lift. Bring another set of friendly eyes with you. Check the tire wells, lower front bumper, rocker panels, driver and passenger floors, inside the trunk under the carpet, especially in front of the spare tire and by the battery. You're going to find rust or rust repair, guaranteed.

Have the seller start the car from cold. To check, first thing I do when I arrive is feel the engine lid or even the muffler. If it's warm, they ran it before you got there. This is a red flag for me. I wanna hear it from a cold start.

Listen, watch for smoke, check for leaks. Get on your back again and give the underside of the engine a good inspection. Is there a lot of burned crappy oil on it? If so, you have no idea if it leaks, where it leaks or how hard it is to fix. If it's spotless, well, watch for leaks after your test drive.

Finally, drive it. How's the transmission? How's the engine pull/sound. Let off the gas a keep an eye on your review mirror for smoke. How's it corner? How's it feel?

If after all this you like what you see, take it to your local Porsche specialist for a PPI. It'll be worth every penny if they're reputable and know air cooled 911's.

[Allen_70S]

Autobonrun:

Take your time. There are many cars out there. I personally have 8 buyer's guides in my library that cover early 911s. . I think most are still in print. Go on the internet and start search.

You may want to do a search on this forum:
Keyword = redux
User = Allen_70S

Some photos of how a 70 Targa can look.

[Prsh356]

Is the car in a state where they salt the roads ?

[BK911]

First thing I'd do is verify the car is real and not a scam. 71T targa listed here this week was a scam.

[autobonrun]

Thanks for all the good advice. The car is in a state where roads are not salted. I need to confirm if it has ever been in a state that uses salt.

It is part of an estate sale but may be able to be purchased prior to the actual sale.

Definitely a PPI is called for.