What's the value of my restored 73' Targa?

[Bobboloo]

Hi guys,

I need your help in determining the value of my 73' T Targa. Odometer reads 99,500. The car was rear ended friday and I think it's probably totalled. I'm collecting info to present to the responsible parties' insurance company.

I basically just finished restoring the car. I just had some engine detailing and trunk detailing to do. I've been waiting to show the car here until I finished the detailing.

The car has just had a complete Glasurit bare metal, glass out repaint. All new seals. Including the NLA Early Targa roll bar seal. New trim. All new lenses and headlights. Even the seals on the turn signals are new. New windshield. There is zero rust on this car. I mean zip, zero, nada. The car spent it's previous life in Alburquerque before I restored it.

The car has a real factory S front spoiler (metal) and factory RS rear flares.

The interior has been totally redone. New dash, door panels, seats, and German wool velour carpet.(Autobahn)

Here's the list of mechanical upgrades I've done to the car.

All new suspension.

Front:
Elephant Racing polybronze bushings
New Carrera brakes and cross-drilled rotors.
Koni-adjustable shocks
22mm hollow Sanders torsion bars
Tarret Engineering 22mm anti-roll bar
Titanium Advantage strut brace
OEM Turbo tie-rods
OEM ball joints

Rear:
Wevo SPS (spring-plate)
Carrera aluminum trailing arms
SC brakes
Bilstein Sport shocks
28mm Sanders hollow torsion bars
Carrera 21mm anti-roll bar
Wevo roll-bar mount

Wheels:
Restored by Al Reed
Fuchs 7x16" 225/50-16 Yokohama ES100
Fuchs 9x16" 245/45-16 Yokohama ES100

Car was corner-balanced by TRE and drives like a dream come true.

Tranny:
Stock original healthy 73' 915 tranny with latest version Rennshift and new brass shift-linkage bushings.

Motor:
Rebuilt 87' 3.2L Euro Carrera motor with 12,900 miles on it since the rebuild. Early style exhaust and muffler. Front Carrera oil cooler.

What do you think it's value was in todays market before the accident?

[RFR]

Man I am bummed for you! such a nice car.



Roman in LA

78 targa

[Facey]

lots...that is a very very nice example...and replacing it will be hard....expecially because it sounds like you had an excellent restoration done...

i'm guessing close to 30k... though i am a notted optimist.

[azasadny]

Bobby,
I am so sorry to hear about this! You car is beautiful. I certainly hope your ins. co treats you fairly. I have my '74 911 Targa insured for $20 through Hagerty Ins. I imagine your car is worth more than $20k, especially with the new paint, etc... what a shame! I'm glad your weren't hurt, your car can be replaced. Will you buy the car from the ins. co. and sell parts?

[Dan in Pasadena]

An absolute crying shame. Sounds like you totally did it right too.

How bad is the hit? Not repairable at all?

If not, are you tempted to buy back the hulk and strip it of all these new parts to put into another rust free roller (if you could find one)?

[Bobboloo]

I'm sure it could be repaired but the frame is bent. A really good shop could put the car on a jig and pull it. Then cut off and replace the rear clip and it would be fine. The only body panels that weren't damaged however are the drivers door, drivers fender and front hood. The right headlight is dented too. It will cost a lot of money to put this car back right.

The car that hit me knocked me into the car in front of me. I swerved left when the car lunged forward after being hit in the back. It dented the front spoiler and I scaped the right side of my car on the car in front of me.

I never heard tire squeal so I don't think the driver that hit me ever hit there brakes. Luckily they weren't going fast or I would be in the hospital.

I diffenently plan to buy back the salvage so I can re- create the car on another chassis.

[MOMO3.2]

Bobby:

I am so sorry your car was hit. It was gorgeous.

Get PCA or POC to look at your photos and give you a written value on the car.

Don't settle for less than it was worth. I am thinking someone would pay $30,000+ for a car like yours.

Good luck.

Mike

[Neilk]

Start getting comparables ASAP, the more that are in your favor the better. Go to the early S registry and check out the For Sale section. There are quite a few Ts there that can be used as a baseline.

[Bobboloo]

I've got this posted on the Early S board and have clippings from the forsale section as well.

I'm just trying to collect as much data as possible.

Anybody feel free to comment.

Thanks in advance.

[Halm]

Sent you a PM with some info.

[Bobboloo]

Got the PM Thanks!

[shbop]

Damn Bobby! What a nightmare. I recently insured with Grundy. I valued my car @ $25K, and bought a policy based on that figure. If I had wanted to value it beyond 29K, it would have required an appraisal. I remember reading once that Bruce Anderson did appraisals, for a fee. I think if you sent him photos and history, it can be done from a distance. Dependiing on how difficult this issue becomes, it might be worth contacting him, and paying for an appraisal. I sure hope this works-out for you.

[randywebb]

I would get written estimates from acknowledged experts - people like Bruce Anderson. His pricing might be low, but he has published in many car magazines for many years. See if you can find a past_PCA Officer or Early 911S Club executive - you can point to their office as evidence of their expertise.

Also, remember you are not governed by contract law here as it is not your ins. co. that is involved (at least not directly) - it is tort law. The other party was negligent and they need to pay the damages.

Do NOT sign ANYTHING the other ins. co. sends you.

Good Luck - I hate to see this.

[Crachian]

I'm sorry, but that doesn't help. Some things to think about that may:

1. Do not ever give up fighting those bastards. If you have a good insurer, just let them do it unless you like to fight insurance companies.

2. Think about getting a PCA valuation.

3. Start collecting sales info and ads.

4. Most professional appraisers suck. Find someone local through a referral.

5. If it's not totalled, find out if dimunition in value is a recognized theory of recovery in Cali. It's just another battlefront.

[techweenie]

$30K or very near, based on what you've done, drivetrain and the rarity of a truly rust-free '70s Targa.

[dtw]

So sorry to see this happen Bobby. Looks like a $25-30k car all day long though.

[Jays72T]

$40-50K cost to reuild it would be fair.

[rattlsnak]

Insurance companies dont pay for "upgrades" at full pop. Get a Pano and look for similiar cars in there (as they are all overpriced in that magazine) and give it to them. That will set a base precedent and then you can try to get as mush as you can for the upgrades.

[Evans, Marv]

Damn, Bobby that's a real shame. I'm in the final stretch in redoing my '69 coupe. It's the same color as yours, so I got a sort of chill when I saw it. I think you're going to have a fight on your hands, & I'd let your insurance company do the fighting. But, I'd let them know under no uncertain terms what you will settle on. Like some of the guys said above, I'd get several evaluations of the car, figuring in the fact that they becoming more rare as each year passes. I'd also figure out what you have in the car in terms of cost for the car oringinally plus what you've put into it. If you can't seem to get a good evaulation, I'd add everything up & put $10K to $15K on top of it.
Best of luck.

[RFR]

What is the latest on what was your beautiful car??