RSR Conversion on my '71S? Should I?

[Kevins911]

I need to do something with my car next year, I was thinking an RSR conversion would be cool, but it is an S. The car is far from original, it's beat up and hacked up, but surprisingly little rust aside from the front pan. The engine and trans are from a '68S. Some one hacked off all the fender lips, they didn't do a very good job of it either, looks like it was done with tin snips!! Both fenders and both quarters have been rolled, and none of them match. The car was hit at some point on the front passenger side and never fully repaired resulting in the passenger fender and bumper sitting funny (the inner fender is pushed down). Oh yeah, lots of bondo, but no bondo bubbles in the 3 years that I've owned the car. The roof is nice. I've done a few things to the car since I bought it, I've installed a Seine Systems gate shifter, 7&8x15 Fuchs, 22mm torsion bars up front, TRG inverted coilovers with 450# springs in the rear, and I have all the parts to build a 2.7 RS engine except for an early aluminum case.
I guess I have two options, restore to stock, or an RSR conversion. Either way I'll be cutting the quarters up to weld on ones with fender lips or to graft on RSR flares, same goes for the front, of course if I went stock I would just find a decent set of fenders. Stock would require a '71 2.2S engine with intact MFI and a '71 type 911 transmission, these could be tough to track down. I could go RSR now and then in 20 years after I have all the original parts return it to stock. I guess I just need a little input, see what other people think. Anyways here are some pics.





Started cleaning up the bumpers.

Damage to passenger inner fender


What that causes


Outdoor pics are from today, she had a bath this morning.

Thanks
Kevin

[Kevins911]

Here are pics of the uneven fender roll job

Passenger fender

Drivers fender

Passenger quarter

Drivers quarter

[ianc]

I just don't know. I'm usually a stickler for originality, but in this case, hmmm...

If this car was in pretty decent condition with original motor, I would recommend restoring to stock, but since the original motor and tranny are gone and probably impossible to track down, and the body's kind of hacked up, I think an RSR could be fun.

Be interesting to see what other people think,

ianc

[randywebb]

restore to stock

[Kevins911]

The car was originally a European car, it was imported sometime in the late 80's early 90's to Canada. I think. The only proof of this is an unpaid parking ticket from Sweden in 1986 kept in the glove box. For all I know the original engine could be somewhere in Europe!! I'm leaning toward the RSR conversion but theres a nagging feeling that I shouldn't. But an early S just isn't the same without it's original engine. Maby I should call the PO and see if he knows anything.

[jwetering]

Hey Kevin - hello from north vancouver BC!

My $ 0.02:

The value in having an S is in the originality and the condition. Since neither of these apply in your case, I bet you'd spend more money restoring the car to original S spec than building your dream RSR clone. The problem with going original, is that you have to spend the premium $ to get the real deal original parts. If you cut corners and go non-original, then the value of the S declines.

You'll simply get a bigger bang for the buck by building a RSR hotrod. You can buy all sorts of cool aftermarket race hardware for the same or possibly less $ than you'd pay for original S parts made of unobtanium and end up with a pretty damned cool car. I'm guessing that built right, the RSRS would run circles around a stock 71S too, but that may or may not be your goal.

So, like many people reading in this thread, I first reaction was to scold you for thinking about destroying another S, but it sounds like that's basically been done already so your conscience should be clear.

Nice looking longhood by the way. Sounds like it needs a bigger engine tho'

[Jeff Alton]

I agree with Jasper, as I usually do!! Make it the car you want if it needs work.

Cheers

[artisticent]

Ok,
I am going to give you the ultimate answer.

BUILD WHAT YOU WILL LOVE TO DRIVE

Facts: the early untouched "S" cars in concourse condition are worth a fortune.
Porsches are always changing from early to late and back again.
Parts for these cars sell for the same, if not more than you paid for them
Early replica RSR cars are worth a lot IF built on a 1973 and built properly.

Thoughts: Your car already can not be a concourse car.
Your car can be changed to whatever you want whenever you want providing you have the money.

Conclusion: BUILD WHAT YOU WILL LOVE TO DRIVE.
you can always change it later

Nathan

Good luck to you

[Kevins911]

Thanks for the input guys. Whichever way I go there will be no expense spared, I will do it proper. Jasper, you do make a good point, it was a previous owner who hacked this car, I'm just here to make it right. The RSR would be a lot more fun, bigger brakes, bigger engine, bigger wheels....

[Bobboloo]

It sounds to me like your dream car is an RSR with bigger motor, brakes etc. If you build this car into an RSR replica then you'll end up with exactly that an RSR replica. The only thing that will be S about this car at that point is a piece of paper that has it written on it.

If it were me I would sell it and buy an RSR project like in the classifieds. You'll come out way ahead money wise and have a better foundation for your RSR project. Proceeds from this car will get you a lot closer to your dream.

There are people out there who's dream car is a 71'S. Put it on ebay and they will find it.

By the way, there is also a 71'S motor for sale in the classifieds. It belongs to Brian Kolar (BK911) who has been on the board for years and is straight up.

That motor and your car would make a nice package for someone. wanting to restore a 71'S.

By the way, I see the original color is Signal Yellow. A great early color that should help resale value.

[ianc]

If it were me I would sell it and buy an RSR project like in the classifieds. You'll come out way ahead money wise and have a better foundation for your RSR project. Proceeds from this car will get you a lot closer to your dream.

I think this is great advice.

ianc

[911ctS]

Its an S though! Unless that car has clips or a bunch of rust its worth some good money. It just needs some attention. I would get some nice 3-piece Fuchs and some 225's to fill up those stock fenders, go through the entire suspension, put in a low mileage 3.2L and you'll have a car that could do laps around its old self, yet still have a good platform to upgrade from in the future.

If you really have a soft spot for a widebody I would get one from the classifieds.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Clint

[Hetmann]

Build your RSR. Why jump thru the hoops of selling this car and buying another? You know what's going on with this one. To me, this car was an S, now its a body with an S VIN and an older S engine. Essentially it's an S replica at this point. Build the car you want. Get rid of the hacked up fenders. Paint it the color you love. Keep us posted.

[livi]

Originally posted by randywebb
restore to stock

+1

[Kevin Stewart]

I say cut her up, really do what your heart feels, i cut my 82 it was best for it because it was nothing special. the best thing to do is sit down with paper and pencil and see what the cost will be both ways and make a decision, Kevin

[aigel]

Sell and start with another car. It makes better financial sense, as you don't need an S body to start from.

George

[artisticent]

Of course starting with another car puts you at the same point of not knowing the shape of the car at that point. Building your car will be a liitle more cash but you will know it from the ground up. For a car you are keeping, that information is priceless.
Nathan

[tfiv]

The engine in an S, was the only option not available on a T. Yours is gone, Go for it! Looks like it was signal orange originally too, that's cool

[aigel]

There are no unknowns in buying another car. You will want to start with just a tub and go from there. That's what I would do. If you start from a tub, you will know that car very well, better probably than you car to know it!

George

[layzee]

If it had numbers matching engine I'd be inclined to say restore to stock but since it will now never be 'original' and has already been fooled with I say do whatever makes you happy.

Even with S prices as they are I seriously doubt you'd get any ROI getting it back to stock.