To buy or not to buy

[village idiot]

Hay people,

I have the chance to buy a 78 911SC for a decent price. Current owner runs his own shop specializing in Euro vehicles and seems to be a pretty decent guy. He even offered to let me register the car in my name with no payment from me if there were any problems with the reg.

Also he offered a 30 day guarantee if I did'nt like the car he would refund my money.

Here's the goods on it: engine number shows 930/04 indicating early 3.0(as it should). Carrera tensioners as evidenced by oil lines going into tensioner covers.

Turbo lower valve covers and the engine looks very clean.
Headers and 2 in 1 out exhaust.

Owner recently replaced headstuds. Car starts quickly and idles nicely(I let it idle while I took pics and inspected the body).

16" Fuchs with decent tires.

Interior is a bit mis-matched with black seats and the rest being tan.
Price is below 7k
Anyway here's a couple of pics

[techweenie]

The quality of the rust repair doesn't exactly reassure...

What does the front pan look like? The driver's side jack point? The area below the rear window? Rear shelf/firewall?

[PorscheGuy79]

Originally posted by techweenie
The quality of the rust repair doesn't exactly reassure...

Im right there with you...

Oddly enough the engine looks very mechainically sound, with new uprated turbo lower valve covers (but then again looking mechanically sound can be very different, do you know the reputation of the rebuilder?). But the body work is hard to get over, it looks to be done with spackle. I would give the go ahead only after I saw leak down numbers and such on the motor and then only if you are good at body work because that stuff is covering something evil, but thats just my guess.

[village idiot]

Originally posted by techweenie
The quality of the rust repair doesn't exactly reassure...

I know, but I do bodywork and paint as my trade.
I figure it has a 3.0, 915 trans, 16" Fuchs and no sunroof and all the paperwork is in order.

Even if I just take the engine/wheels etc. I can still part it out and come out ok financially. I also have my 76 Targa that I can swap parts from/to to make at least one decent one for less than 9k invested between them

[village idiot]

Matt,
Leakdown numbers were 4-5% on 4 of the six cylinders with the remainting 2 coming in @ 10-12% hence the reason for the new headstuds.

[LakeCleElum]

As you're probably aware, rust is the biggest issue to worry about in Hawaii. Get under the car and inspect the pan, around the battery and other areas known for rust.......Running gear looks good.....

[PorscheGuy79]

Based on your comments about bodywork and the car...it looks like a something you could do. In your position I would seriously consider going for it.

[village idiot]

Area below the rear window is fine, jack points look good. Front pan looks like it may been doinked on those parking curb things, explaining the missing rubber valence.

[SandyI]

If it drives well, offer him $4,000. Go up to $4,500. Skip the paint and rust repair. Just drive it until the body parts fall off.

[village idiot]

Originally posted by LakeCleElum
As you're probably aware, rust is the biggest issue to worry about in Hawaii. Get under the car and inspect the pan, around the battery and other areas known for rust.......Running gear looks good.....

Area around battery is clean. Rest of the pan looks decent.

As a side note, a former co-worker owns a body shop and does alot of P cars and said he'll let rummage through his spares pile. Already I've found a front lower valence with the foglight recesses

[village idiot]

Originally posted by SandyI
If it drives well, offer him $4,000. Go up to $4,500. Skip the paint and rust repair. Just drive it until the body parts fall off.

He would never take that little and he certainly wouldn't give me any guarantees.

[techweenie]

Originally posted by village idiot
Area around battery is clean. Rest of the pan looks decent.

As a side note, a former co-worker owns a body shop and does alot of P cars and said he'll let rummage through his spares pile. Already I've found a front lower valence with the foglight recesses

You are the right guy for this car, then. If you can manage the body work, it's a good deal, potentially. As you know, these cars are galvanized, and pretty immune to rust in other climates. As you also know, rust perforation in one area means imminent perforation in 10,000 other spots. Get to know POR-15, if you don't already, and go for it if the mechanicals/electrical system check out.

Be sure to post pictures of your progress!

[village idiot]

Will do!
Already called my insurance guy. Thinking about taking a cab to pick up the insurance card and walk 2 blocks to his shop to pick up the car

[krm944]

VI

which shop is it by chance?

i just left aiea. motorworkes was my shop of choice. great ppl there.

kyle

[yelcab1]

In my neck of the woods (and I realize it is different from your neck of the woods) that is not a 7K car at all. Not even 5K.

[SandyI]

Originally posted by village idiot
He would never take that little and he certainly wouldn't give me any guarantees.

Rule One when buying a used Porsche -- You have no idea what the seller will take until you make the offer.

Besides-- Let's take a real close look at that car... Who but you is even CONSIDERING taking that project on?

I'm tellin' ya', offer him the $4K. He'll roll his eyes. He'll give you an "insulted" look. He'll look at his shoes.

Then he'll look at you and say those magic words, "Let's go to your bank..."

[AvonGil]

You CA guys are spoiled silly. That is a 7K on the east coast, nevermind on an island.

Whats the price of a nice SC in Hawaii? In the east coast they go for around 15K. West Coast Id say 10K.

Depending on how much money you are willing to put into the car, maybe its better to get a nicer example. Then again, maybe you just want to throw a few grand at it and drive it!

[mcholar911]

Line me up for a "nice" SC for 10K, Ive been looking for 8 months and only seen high mileage well worn cars for that amount. A running 3.0 with all the electronics and a decent transmission will bring over 4K in the midwest IMHO...And my shopping has shown west coast cars higher priced than east coast for some reason, maybe I'm not looking in the right places..:-)

[yelcab1]

Here is one: 1980 911SC Targa FOR SALE

[village idiot]

Well, against some peoples advice I bought it. Drove it home through rush hour traffic with no issues.

Everything that looks bad is within the scope of my abilities. I figure I would have paid about 4-5k on a running 3.0 and a decent 915 trans is worth at least $700 or more, 16" Fuchs.....who knows.

Again, I have some other resources to offset the cost. 15" 3pc BBS wheels from my Targa newly refinished, and a spare 915 trans.

I'm certain that between the 2 cars I can build 1 decent one and as a bonus I'll have done the work myself which is worth more to me than the warm and fuzzy feeling of buying something someone else built.