70S worth restoring?

[BK911]

This car is in pretty bad shape but is mostly all there. It looks like most of the sheet metal will need to be replaced. I am leaning towards a driver restoration, not a show car restoration. But..

Is she worth restoring?
Any recommendations on a shop that can handle it?
About how much for just body and primer?




Just think what she looks like underneath!

Everybody has their limitations, and this is waaaay beyond mine. I see three choices:

1. Restore
2. eBay
3. Part out

What would you do?

[pwd72s]

Seriously, not enough info to go on...how much chassis rust is there? Any cost estimates on the body work needed? No mechanicals? Shot mechanicals, what?

[dweymer]

depends on how much you paid for it, what do you want to keep it for(track only, de, street). I would think any shop is going to charge more than it's worth to fix, but I am also an avid DIYer. Where is it in orlando, I could come take a look if you want.

[jkarolyi]

He's tried selling this car here before...here's lots of pics and info:

FS Euro 70S targa project

Personally, I think this numbers matching '70 911S silver Targa is worth restoring. It appears all of the rusted areas can be replaced with about a thou worth of repair panels from Dansk (thru Pelican) and a LOT of work! But you would have one hell of a valuable prize when you were done.

As to how to sell it, put it up on eBay to fetch the highest price. "S" projects in much worse shape than this have sold well north of $10,000. Best of luck!

[Thomas Owen]

You would have to provide a lot more information to get an accurate opinion on this one. I would say that if there is nothing wrong structurely then it could be restored But if you are going to pay someone to do this correctly it will get expensive. This strikes me as the type of car that someone would have dipped or media blasted then start replacing panels and sheet metal themselves over a period of time. If you absolutely will not be doing the work then you need to have a good sheet metal man look at it for you.
Good luck -

[BK911]

This car was purchased in Germany and driven through the German winters half it's life. So the whole car is pretty much shot. I'm not a body man, but it looks like almost every piece of sheet metal needs to be replaced. Fenders, hood, front pan, rockers, wheel wells, etc.. I can do the mechanical restoration but I would have to write a check for the body and paint. I would want a restoration that I wouldn't be scared to drive around town. So I am just talking about recommendations/price for the body work. I will dis-assemble and re-assemble all windows, interior, mechanics, trim, etc..

Donnie: The car is in Casselberry, just north of the city. Let me know if/when you want to swing by.

[jkarolyi]

Your second picture shows up as just a black square to me. Try uploading it again.

[randywebb]

Any early S is far too valuable to part out.

The VIN # and engine 3 are what make the car valuable...

So somebody has to replace the panels.

The real query is: what type of work do you know how to do or are willing to learn and to do? Welding, engine work, body filler, paint?

If none, then it has to be sold intact.

[BK911]

I've been sitting on this car for almost 4 years now. I have gathered most of the parts I need for the restoration, so that's the preferred option. But it all comes down to $$’s. I am at the point where I am ready to do something. I just need to figure out what. One car has to go, with the proceeds going to the others. But which one?

I can do all the mechanicals; brakes, suspension, engine, tranny, etc... but the body work and welding required is waaaaay beyond my talents. Plus I wouldn't want to mess anything up, especially with this cars potential.

So if I bring a gutted out roller to a body shop, how much to give me an all metal restoration in primer?

$20k in body work?
$5k in body work?
Somewhere in-between?

Thanks for the feedback!
BK

Anybody able/willing to do some 'minor' body work? Let me know! I have dozens of pictures available if anybody is interested.

WARNING: Pictures are of a graphic nature and not for the weak at heart!

[dweymer]

I can help with minor bodywork, sent you a PM

[70SATMan]

Does it still have the aluminum lid and license plate panel?

[Hetmann]

Take the car apart and get the tub media blasted. This should cost you about $700 give or take. Then you will see how bad the rust really is. At that point you will be able to gate a realistic assessment of whether or not to proceed with restoration. If you decide to part out, the parts are all sitting there in labeled baggies. If you decide not to, you are ready to to fix whatever needs to be fixed and paint.

[Redlineshftr]

If you have the resources, which it sounds like you do, you should restore it. It will be stressful and frustrating but you will have one helluva car after your done! media blast it like Hetmann said and then decide what to do. Good Luck in whatever you decide to do.

Mike

[KevinP73]

This 72 was far worse than your car. The owner did much of the work himself.

[Mysterytrain]

Not an easy question to answer. If you want to turn a quick profit then I guess the answer is no. Still, I don't think the car should be parted..perhaps sold 'as is' to Porsche freak that is up to the task.
A 70 S is a car that seems to be going up in value as we speak. I would have to guess that a targa is going to become harder and harder to find just because they leak and they rust and can tolerate less neglect then a coupe. A restoration is going to be a labor of love but I would have to guess it would be a wonderful long term project that down the road would yield some sort of financial gain...maybe not every dollar you put into it but a return none the less. The level of restoration is going to depend on how deep your pockets are. Personally, I would go balls to the wall with the body and paint. If you lose interest or have emptied your pockets at that point there will be many an S fan that would welcome the project in that state. I guess my vote is to save the stray dog.

[jeff1hughes]

I can't imagine $9000 for that! No disrespect, but unless something really funny has happened in the last few years I must have really fuched up when I sold mine. I only got 16k for it, and it was in 1 piece and could be driven! The only thing it didn't have was the MFI, and I could have bought that from him for $1000. by the way in the pics the top is OE, not recovered, not reheadlined, and the interior and paint is all original too.

Dang, I should have kept it a little longer I guess.

[jeff1hughes]

[svandamme]

sell the T , drive the E , restore the S

[BK911]

At first I wasn't sure if she could be restored, and it seems she can. Then I wasn't sure if she was worth it, and it seems she is. So that's two very important questions answered. The last one is what am I going to do with her now? And you guys answered that one too! Strip her down and blast to see exactly what's there. So I think that's my next step.

Thanks again for all the input.



Quote: "I can't imagine $9000 for that! No disrespect, but unless something really funny has happened in the last few years I must have really fuched up when I sold mine. "

It's hard to put a value on something like this. To me she's worth about $10k. That gives me about 20 - 25k for a restoration and still break even. And the longer the restoration takes, the better. Hindsight is always 20/20, but I'd say you fuched up. But at the time you were happy with the sale, so stay focused on those happy thoughts.

[Zeke]

Given your statement that "almost every piece of sheet metal needs to be replaced. Fenders, hood, front pan, rockers, wheel wells, etc.," I would think twice befoore embarking on this project. You've had the car for 4 years. That tells me something about your agressiveness. I predict this project will take you 4 more years. It would take a shop one year.

At that point, "driver restoration, not a show car restoration..." would get you about 30K. Your numbers are short, IMHO.
I have one '71 NM coupe running and ready to paint, but far from restored. It's been casually appraised at 15K. I have another that belongs to someone else that I'm doing much the same work except for "wheel wells" and I'm charging 3K labor plus parts. Thats about half the professional rate. And, if you throw floor pans and "wheel wells" in, I'd say 10K in welding and parts.

If you want to come out on top financially on a car, I'd say this one is not the one.