82 SC Project: 1st 911 I never thought I'd have

[mike621]

I wanted to thank everyone who's shared knowledge and advice on this forum. All the information posted here help me gain the confidence to take on my latest project. I'll tell the short version of how this project came to be.

I'm the current owner of an 89 BMW cabrio and a 93 Eurovan, both of which were project cars I rehab'd to presentable fun regular drivers. I love the Bimmer but would joke from time to time that the only way I'd sell it was if I found a 911 in my budget (yeah right!).

I guess I'm eating those words now! I picked up my first ever Porsche, an 82 SC Targa back in August. I was visiting some friends near Eureka and found an ad in the local paper:



Too good to be true, right? I called the seller, wandering around my friend's sideyard trying to get a signal. It 'runs, needs some work, old and can't drive it anymore'. Before I knew it I was on the road through the mountains to see the car. After creeping down a long gravel drive in my car, scraping on rocks, the road yielded and there it was!

I couldn't believe how nice it was, at a glance! After a quick test drive which included two backfire/stalls, I agreed to buy it. A week later I went to pick up the car, cash, Hagerty policy, aaa card, tools and fire extinguishers on hand. Though this car barely moved for the past several years, the SC made the 250 mile trek in 100+ degree weather from near Redding, down to San Francisco.

Since buying the car in August, I've done the following:

• Purchased Bentley Manual and Bosch CIS Manual
• R&I'd most of the interior, cleaning away dust and funky residue from some previous moisture
• Replaced Fuel Vent Hoses, Filler Neck
• Replaced Battery Terminals
• Valve Adjustment
• Replaced Valve Cover Gaskets, Sump plate gasket
• Replaced Oil Cooler Hoses
• New Ignition: Switch, Rotor, Cap, Wires, Plugs
• New Vacuum Hoses (Smoke Tested the Intake to check for leaks)
• New RF Wheel Bearing
• Steam Cleaned the entire underbody
• New Shift Coupler, Bushings
• Brad Penn Oil change, filter
• The list goes on...

I've also redone the catalyst, o2 sensor and relay and set timing to pass CA smog. I'm facing a cold start issue and backfire/stall at cruising speed I haven't eradicated yet, but I found a receipt from a few years back where a shop played with the mixture (could have been when there was still a big vac leak). I'm curious to try that as a next step to address my cold start idle and backfire, but haven't done a fuel pressure or mixture testing yet, so I'm approaching cautiously. Appreciate any thoughts or advice on things to check. Excited to own one of my dream cars and be digging into it!

[picinkoff]

Excellent Mike!!! What a find!!!
Congrats!!!
Enjoy.
More pictures.

[mike621]

From Saturday's steam cleaning:

[AndrewCologne]

Your smile tells it all!

Congrats!
BTW beside other things you should check your rear suspenion settings as the inner part of our right rear tire seems visibly worn out.

[Funracer]

I‘ll give you $12k for it right now!

Seriously, what a great find. Who sells a car in the paper anymore?

[allaircooled]

Wow great deal! Check out the CIS for dummies thread for troubleshooting ideas and buy yourself I set of fuel pressure gauges if you haven’t all ready.

[7783911]

Boy i wish i could find a steam cleaning place like you did...thats better then laying on your back and doing it..ask me how i know!

hell of a find!

[G450X]

Originally Posted by Funracer

I‘ll give you $12k for it right now!

Seriously, what a great find. Who sells a car in the paper anymore?

Ha, someone who doesn’t know what an air cooled 911 is worth these days! That’s 2008 - 2010 pricing...

Nice find!

[Geronimo]

Wow, finally one priced as it should be. Nice find.

[gomezoneill]

You stole it!!!!! Nice find. I paid that for my SC 10 years ago.

[wjdunham]

Are you in San Jose/Bay Area? Looks like the Arena behind the train in the photo. In which case, that place you had steam clean your car is awesome. They did mine a few years back and really know what they are doing with classic cars. I would highly recommend for anyone in the South Bay area. San Jose Steam Clean...

Nice car, and even better deal!
Bill

Originally Posted by mike621

From Saturday's steam cleaning:

[mike621]

Originally Posted by AndrewCologne

Your smile tells it all!

Congrats!
BTW beside other things you should check your rear suspension settings as the inner part of our right rear tire seems visibly worn out.

Thanks, I'm going to take it to a shop to have the alignment done and hopefully a new set of BFG summer tires mounted (Tirerack has a delay until next month!)

Originally Posted by Funracer

I‘ll give you $12k for it right now!

Seriously, what a great find. Who sells a car in the paper anymore?

I made the mistake and said something about the sale price on FB, and had a couple people message offers to buy it. At least give me a chance to get frustrated wrenching on it first!

Originally Posted by allaircooled

Wow great deal! Check out the CIS for dummies thread for troubleshooting ideas and buy yourself I set of fuel pressure gauges if you haven’t all ready.

Thanks, thread bookmarked, gauges ordered. Wondering if its worth getting an exhaust analyzer to check mixture or if i can do without. One thing at a time.

Originally Posted by 7783911

Boy i wish i could find a steam cleaning place like you did...thats better then laying on your back and doing it..ask me how i know!

Thanks, what I left out of the "short version" was me laying on my side in the wash bay scrubbing off the big globs of grime before hitting I5 so I wouldn't catch fire!, and the hours of simple green and purple power before I pulled the valve covers. Oh, and the mouse nests and acorns jammed in the plugs...

Originally Posted by G450X

Ha, someone who doesn’t know what an air cooled 911 is worth these days! That’s 2008 - 2010 pricing...

He said he paid $10k in 2005, and he knows its worth more, but wanted it to go to "not a flipper but someone who would fix it". Grateful.

Originally Posted by gomezoneill

You stole it!!!!! Nice find. I paid that for my SC 10 years ago.

Still in disbelief, tbh.

Originally Posted by wjdunham

Are you in San Jose/Bay Area? Looks like the Arena behind the train in the photo. In which case, that place you had steam clean your car is awesome. They did mine a few years back and really know what they are doing with classic cars. I would highly recommend for anyone in the South Bay area. San Jose Steam Clean...

Nice car, and even better deal!
Bill

Thanks Bill. Yes, I was on the Alameda over the weekend for the steam and a coffee. They did my 89 BMW convertible a few years back and I was really happy with the work. Took a quick trip up the hills to Alice's before heading home when I realized its running a little hotter than id like - more troubleshooting for a future evening. I'm usually here in SF.

[mike621]

The crew, though the BMW is likely going to live with my folks out east and the van is usually not the garage queen.

[911obgyn]

I bought similar, take your time, collect parts and gaskets. Get the pressure guages. It’s fun to maintain a car and have it go up in value as you look at it.
Congratulations
This forum is the best. CIS is not magic it’s method

[KNS]

Great score, nice car!

Definitely keep it in the garage - these cars are easy to steal.

[MARISOL78sc]

Wow! 11K what a steal. My 1978 brings me so much joy and I wish you the same.
Congratulations

[aoncurly]

Before you get it aligned, I suggest you replace all your rubber suspension components if they are original. Otherwise, you'll need a second alignment after you replace them later.

[LIRS6]

Great find indeed! Congrats and best wishes. Love my '79SC Targa.

Jason

[gomezoneill]

I put a fender oil cooler on mine it helped a lot to keep the temps in range. You may want to check behind the alternator to see if there's any chipmunk or mouse nests (since you stated you found acorns) blocking the air flow.

[Bob Ashlock]

What a killer deal! I'm on the hunt and want to fnd one like that. Congrats!