What's the story behind your 911?

[bigrubberjeep]

Since I saw a thread on the value of our 911's I figured I would start one for everyone to tell a short story in 2 paragraphs.

I'll go first

My 911 was built in July 1985 in Stuttgart Germany as a U.S. 911 with the M491 option (Turbo Look) Original color is black with tan leather interior, central locking, sunroof, AC, AM/FM Cassette, power seats, 915 5-Speed, power windows, rear defroster.

The car was first Ordered in February 1985 from Newport Beach (CA) Porsche. Original owner put 25,000 miles on it from 1985 to 1995, kept everything original with maintenance done on schedule. Second owner put 68,000 miles on it from 1995 to 2004
Did a few minor mods to it, deleted rear seats and had a rear deck built in it's place (a'la Club Sport look) replaced front and rear speakers with some Eclipse brand, replaced old radio with an Eclipse cd player. Replaced factory steering wheel with a "Personel" brand wheel, replaced factory shifter with a Momo shifter, tinted all windows 85% tint, had a top end motor rebuild done at 80K miles.

For the sake of keeping it short, Then I purchased the car and it hit the track (Finally)

[sammyg2]

Ok, I'll play:
1980 911SC, I'm the 4th owner and it has always been in California. 1st owner was in Oxnard.
The second owner was too rich to drive it so it sat in his driveway (ferraris in the garage) and the sun did a number on the paint and interior. The last time he took it out he rear-ended another car. He was about to scrap in when the 3rd owner (an old buddy of mine) bought it for almost nothing. He re-did the seats and paint and installed a fiberglass front bumper/air dam, but it ran like crap. He realized this wasn't going to be a great investment.
In steps the 4th owner (me). I grab it for $8k.
Replaced the dash top, plug wires, fuel accumulator and a few other things, then it ran like a champ.
I traded the fiberglass front for a completely stock unit.
I drove it stock for a year, then added a turbo.
This summer I did a top end due to a broken head stud.
I figure I'm about break even as far as investment but I don't plan to sell it.

[LakeCleElum]

Bought a very orginial '73.5T Taga in 1991 with 106,000 miles. A busy career and other interests kept it in the garage and limited milage to about 500 yr. The WUR was bad, so it was hard to start. I got the Sport Seats recovered and the carpets replaced. I recently retired and have spent $6,000 in the past year getting it sorted out. New Clutch, wires, hoses, brakes, CIS gone thru etc. Only has 115,000 miles now and it's almost there. A great driving example of a Long Hood. Owned a 912 briefly before this.......Cheers

[charlesbahn]

Bought a 1985 steel slant nose conversion that was originally a factory turbolook. Almost immediately went to the darkside and turbocharged it. In addition to turbocharger and intercooler, I did the shift coupler thing and added a Seine Shift Gate. Just got back from a spirited drive in the Maryland countryside.

I LOVE THIS CAR !!!!!

[Thrasher]

My Black 84 Coupe was originally bought by a pro baseball player on the Cardinals - Tito Landrum. I have service book stamps from all the Spring training locations, etc. in AZ, FL that he spent time in.

Tito was quite the ladies' man, and it is rumored that he fathered a child by a teammate's wife. I get the feeling this car may have seen some action in its early years.

I'm told he sold it to his agent, who held onto it for some time. He then sold it to the PO, who owned it for about 10 years and only put on the last 40k or so. It has 154k on it now, with no motor rebuilds (that I know of). The transmission was rebuilt and it got a new clutch at about 140k.

It was also recently repainted and the both interior and exterior are very nice, with a few spots that can be easily brought up to excellent.

Remarkably, the car has had very little in the way of aftermarket add-ons. Just a K&N cone filter air box replacement. It had only a few options when ordered (A/C, Leather seating- which was probably std.)

It also had phonedials, which I have recently replaced with a nice set of black-center Fuchs wheels. The motor pulls strongly and I'm replacing the cat with a euro premuffler and will modify the single outlet exhaust to twin outlets to get the sound the car deserves.

I paid significantly below Excellence values (even if it were "poor" - which it was not). I've been taking care of all the usual things (odometer repair, new shocks, new bushings, etc) that happen on these cars after 20 years.

Not that I want to sell, but I think I could still make money if I did. I'm trying to do all of the work myself (with help from KurtV on a few things), so I'm really growing attached to this car and plan to keep it as long as possible. I have 3 young kids who'll be wanting it in about 8-15 years. Not bloody likely ;-)

[ficke]

When I was in Jr. high school my friends dad had this 67S ( and a Carrea speedster) I saw the car every time I went to his house I saw it at the high school prom. ( only 3rd time my buddy drove it till he was 43) I got marreid, had kids, moved around, went through 4 911's, Citreoin SM, Alpha Deutto, Jenson Healy, 70 454 Corvette, etc. always stayed in touch with my Jr. High friend. I moved back to town and helped keep the 67S runnig for the dad. Finaly it became to much for the Dad and his son brought it (way to give money) My buddy does not like Porsche's and asked me if I wanted it. Well I met this car in 1970 and it has not been in an accident and lived in Tucson, I really was in the market for a fiberglass 76 308, but Porsche's do not let you down and this is a nice one. Sooo I am a new owner to an old car. Fritz

[bigrubberjeep]

Originally posted by charlesbahn
Bought a 1985 steel slant nose conversion that was originally a factory turbolook. Almost immediately went to the darkside and turbocharged it. In addition to turbocharger and intercooler, I did the shift coupler thing and added a Seine Shift Gate. Just got back from a spirited drive in the Maryland countryside.

I LOVE THIS CAR !!!!!

I like the story! What is your at the wheels HP? I might join you in the dark side.

[anthony]

1981 911SC

Records begin at 2/88 with the car showing 32K miles
I have a copy of a cashier's check for $17,500 dated 2/1/88 so I assume that it changed hands for that much.

My PO bought it in '92 with 71K miles. He drove it 14K miles over the 12 years he had it, nicely preserving it for me. He also spent $3K at some point refreshing the paint and adding the whale tail. The original engine lid also came with the car. The records and condition seem to support the mileage.

I know, it's a boring history.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

3 years ago I was in SF Bay area on business. got a new job so I needed a new car, was Porscheless for many years.

Found the 84 Targa on eBay, it was 2 miles away from our offices. Went and saw it, the guy had actually put 7s and 8s on it after he put the pictures up. Very high miles (183K) but very well cared for one-owner car. Went to Sears, bought some tools, plugs looked good, motor was strong. Bid, bid, bid. Mine for $13.5K. It's now got 238K on it and runs as strong as the day I got it. Interior is in the middle of a black ultrasuede and vinyl rehab, has Momo Corse fixed back seats, the stereo system I always dreamed of, complete DE-focused suspension R&R including Sports, Chuck's bearings, etc. with Cup IIs.

I LOVE THIS CAR!!!!!!!! hoping to do a baremetal respray this late spring (I need to learn how to paint!).

69E: was in SF Bay area on business. On the way to Cisco, we stopped to get some lunch, saw the car with a for sale sign. Found the guy working in a bank, drove the car, loved the car, bought the car for $6400 with a new alternator, rust free very original, one-owner car but needing a little TLC everywhere. Drove it back to Boston in 54 hours flat. Took some great pics along the way. Had a phenomenal time. Upon getting back to Boston, it got a new headliner, windshield, dash and other window seals. Very satisfying projects. Have collected parts over the last two years for completing the interior and rehabbing the suspension.

73 track car project: many posts earlier this year bringing the shell down to bare metal, putting in an RSR cage, 3.2 drivetrain, Carrera suspension, all plastic bodywork, will get back to work on it in January and finish it up. Just got some 993TT front brakes and a set of Fikse's.

[porschenut]

My 86 Carrera was purchased at Alpine Porsche in Colorado Springs on 9/20/86 by a Denver attorney. Factory colors are black exterior with grey-beige interior. It came with 6&7 phone dials but they were replaced in '93 with 7&8 black centered Fuchs. He had the car for the first 18 years, and put 95k on the clock. He only took it back to the dealer for the first 1k service, and after that it was serviced only by Bob at Storz Garage in Denver (who is now an owner of the place). He kept every receipt, and he apparently never got his hands dirty and didn't know a thing about cars. Some of the work orders are hilarious, like when he brought the car in for "replace turn signal bulb and put bra in trunk." My favorite one is for when he brought the car in because "passenger side interior light doesn't work". The tech's note says "switch was in off position, flipped back on"! His longest oil change interval was 1,800 miles. Besides the maintenance receipts, the car came with the original window sticker and all the original sale documents.

Last March he decided he wanted a new Audi, so he traded the car in to a dealer, and I bought it a week later. Since then I've spent about $2,500 getting it in top shape and establishing a new service baseline. The car is bone stock except that I removed the factory window tint as it was a little scratched up. When I brought the car to Storz Garage, they recognized the car when I drove up and I introduced myself as the new owner. They told me a little about the previous owner and the car's history (all good). The car will continue to go there for all the stuff I can't do myself.

I've owned a lot of cars before, but this is the only one I've grown passionate about. I plan to keep it stock except for maybe a chip and a muffler in the spring.

[charlesbahn]

Originally posted by bigrubberjeep
I like the story! What is your at the wheels HP? I might join you in the dark side.

According to Protomotive, it runs 0.7 bar boost and 400 HP. Not sure whether that's at the wheels or not, I've never had her dyno'd. Doesn't matter to me, anything more would be too much. The Turbo starts to spool up at about 2500RPM- That's what I call Impulse power. At 4000 RPM and up, it's Warp Speed and you'd better be holding onto the wheel with both hands.

I've put 5,000 miles on since installation, and she gets better every time I drive her. Couldn't recommend it more highly. Come on over......

[sammyg2]

At the risk of side tracking the thread, I went to my younger brother's house for christmas because he has the biggest house and we have a big family.
Anywho, he told me that one of the rich guys he plays golf with in Scottsdale Ariz. has a white 911SC that he rarely drives. My brother offered to buy it, but the guy said if my brother really likes it he'll give it to him for free!
Talk about falling into it. He married into money and now this.
I hate that.

[rrpjr]

Fritz:

I'd love to see some pictures of your 67 S.

[Porschekid962]

Mom's: Ordered from Vasek Polak and picked up at the factory in 1987. Turbo body option cabriolet in white with navy top and interior. Sold in the early 90's.

Dad's: Most recent one, 74 911S non sunroof coupe, gp white with tan cloth interior. 78 3.0 with 20/21 cams, ssi's, turbo tie rods.

After he bought it she got, fg IROC bumpers, steel rear sc flares, fg duck, 7's up front 8's in the back, elephant racing pbronze bushings, fresh coat of glasso paint in gp white, front oil cooler, rennline pedals, floorboard, battery relocate box, no ac, new stereo, RS door panels, RS carpet kit, deleted rear seats, sparco evo ii's, short shift kit, momo prototipo, msd box, coil, new plug wires. New engine in the future with 930 brakes.

Mine: Put a deposit on it last week. 72 911T non sunroof coupe, original color was silver, repaint was a crap job, black interior, 2.4 mfi, tb's are frozen, 72,000 miles on the clock and in the gas logs. Future plans? RSR perhaps.

[Jay H]

My '90 C2:

First owner was a doctor in North Carolina who leased the car. Turned it in after two years of daily driving (and 10k on the odo) in 1992. It was a custom ordered car in Baltic Blue over Silk interior. Limited slip, supple leather interior, uprated stereo, and driver's seat heating were the major options. He stated he had no major problems with the car.

Second owner bought it because of the color. He drove it sparingly as a 3rd or 4th car besides his BMW's. Autocrossed it several times and it was pampered the 8 years he had it. It caused him zero problems and only had to do regular service.

I bought it in the fall of 2000 with 27,975 miles on it because of the color. I've basically just concours the car and use it only on nice days on back roads. I've got 33,100 miles on the car now.

Over the years I've had it, I've contacted both prior owners and they were both glad to hear about the car and it's current state.

Jay
My '90

[rrpjr]

My 1984 Carrera Cab was imported to California by Robert Schilling in late 1984. It was federalized by a firm in the Bay Area and certified and released from bond by DOA/EPA in May of 1985. Other than the basic package of modifications to meet US safety and emission standards, there have been no changes to this stock Euro car. I'm the fourth California owner (the second owner bought it back once), and have the original logbook passed from owner to owner noting every service on the car from day one. Car has 54,000 unmolested miles with no major repairs, and is pure joy.

[Por_sha911]

Once upon a time in a magical land far, far away there was this young engineer named...

[Zeke]

Maybe my car's story bears repeating.

Delivered to US buyer in Madrid. Record book shows 5000 mi. in Europe. That is the only record I have on the car except for 2 receipts found in the interior. Apparently spent most of it's life in or around Lexington, KY. It was originally Metalic Green (8383) and was completely stripped and painted red after being hit on the right rear. At that point, the original rear deck lid (aluminum) and the bumpers were replaced with a mid year setup complete with a fiberglass aftermarket Carrera tail. All the work was done rather poorly, expecially the overspray inthe front trunk attempting to cover the green.

I guess it stopped running and was left for dead in an apt garage or out under a tree (or both). The guy I bought it from obtained title as it was on his property. He thought he might work on the thing and drive it. He came on the Pelican BBS and asked some questions indicating he might sell. After determining that the car was a numbers matching S with Deep sixes and Reccaro sport seats, I bought it for $5K having never seen it. Rlane of the board here looked at it and verified everything including the amount of rust (a lot!).

(Oops, 3 rd paragraph) I had a 914 race car at the time, so I thought I would check the car out when it arrived in CA on a private trailer by another board member looking for a CA rust free 914. I traded a 914 roller to him for the transportaion. Once here, I got it running and became smitten with it, so parting it out was no longer an option. I drove it here and there, about 500 miles and at CA Speedway twice during about a 6 month period after I went thru the vitals like the brakes. Then, 6 months ago, I took it apart. It should be on the track at the end of Jan ('05 for you doubters ) with lots of trick goodies. And the tail is gone.

I've had it since Labor Day '03 and it has replaced the 914 which MikeZ now has.

[Joeaksa]

Mine was sold in Austin Texas in 1985. This PO owned it until I purchased it in 1997. It had 60k miles on it and records from day one. Biggest problem was that it was driven only on weekends and the battery would not stay charged. Was replaced along with the alternator serveral times.

Funny thing was that the PO had kept the car for his son all these years. When the son turned 17 he offered it to him. No luck. Did this two more times and the idiot child said no. Then he put the advert in AutoTrader where I found it on-line. Flew down on SWA and drove it home...

JoeA

[funy1guy]

1989 Carrera Speedster with 82K miles. Paid $38K 5 years ago. I am the 3rd owner. First owner was a Lawyer from San Diego who used it as a daily driver. The engine & tranny were strong but it was tired. Thru the help of the gang at Pelican Parts, Pristine Motorsports in Huntington Beach and my trusty floor jack it is pretty close to perfect. Amazing tho how you can still keep finding things. I had to have the parts shipped to my friends homes so my wife wouldn't find out how much I was spending. By the way, my dad told me the day i got married, "Son, if you ever get in a fight with your wife, you have to ask yourself two questions...do you want to be right...or do you want to be happy?" these have been the happiest 16 years of my life................sigh