How to: Tell a rebody or the real thing?

[RX7]

Looking at the exterior. How would one tell the differance between a older rebodied 911 (993) or the real thing?

It seems alot of people are choosing this route instead of spending the big money for the real thing.

[emcon5]

Look through the windshield at the VIN in the A pillar.

Look under the car at the suspension. Torsion bars=89 or older.

Tom

[techweenie]

The VIN is definitely going to tell you, but if it's not there (and I've seen plenty of cars where the A pillar VIN plate was absent), there's another way:

None of the kits deal well with transitioning the older tub to the newer hood line. The 993 hood doesn't drop as far as the older car, so with the front hood open, you'd see the ledge for the trunk gasket dropping away from the hood mounting surface..

[Jack Olsen]

Typically, the spacing between the windshield wipers is wrong, too.

As 993 prices drop, I think the market for these kits is going to start to dry up.

[RickM]

The conversion pieces on the rebodied car are most likely going to be fiberglass.

[techweenie]

I owned this car last Summer. All-steel conversion (plus 930 engine & G50 conversion) that cost the prior owner a rumored $50K.

Chassis was '77 Targa.

[masraum]

Also read the section of Bruce Anderson's Porsche 911 Performance Handbook on buying a used car (Chapt 2, I think). It describes a check to see if it is likely if a car has had a fender replaced or repaired (check the inside of the fender lip for texturing). Chances are only original Porsche body work has that texturing (assuming the new Porsches still have the texturing).

[nostatic]

Sawzall. Talk to Mikez or Zeke for details...

[RX7]

I wasn't sure if the exterior dimentions were different than the original 993's?

Don't those conversions have to be molded (Bondo'd) onto the original tub?

[Leland Pate]

The windshield wipers are usually a dead give away.

And the placement of the windshield washer nozzles.

[RX7]

Does anyone have pictures of the two fake and real windshild wipers just for reference?

[RX7]

Anyone?

[tkrefeld]

Ols style ipers can be swapped out for the 993 style..