1969 911E soft window targa
 

I was looking for a soft window targa and I found one, it has original tool set,original manual, original service booklet, all in all the car seems very original and unmolested/complete, from what I can tell it has a repaint in the original polo red, original engine with MFI the only thing I can tell is not original is a pair of recaro bmw seats and it has the rear seat delete option, I'm not sure if this is original or not (it is the big box with a couple of small doors in the fron area)

the car has very little rust issues from what I can see (I had it up on a lift) the suspension is rusty but the floors and front pan seem solid. the inside looks very good, all the door pockets are there.

As far as the engine the owner says it was running when he parked it inside his garage 12 years ago but its is not running now(it turns by hand)

The car was made in 10/68 by the manufacture date and confirmed by the dates on the Fuchs.

I would like to try my hand at a restoration but I want to make sure my investment will be secure. I don't really have an idea of what the car is worth. the owner seems eager to sell (I think he wants his garage back after 12 years)

Anyways I would like to find out more about this car and I think this is the right forum to ask (a lot of knowledgeable people here)

Could this be one of the last ones on a batch of 68 soft window targas? did they have the option for a soft window in 1969?

Sorry I don't have any pictures, I forgot my camera


Vin number 119210203

engine number 6290526

gearbox 7191819 901/06

color code 6802

Its a early LWB 1969 model. Model year starts in Sept.

John

If the car is as original as you say, it is certainly a worthwhile restoration candidate. The soft window targas are most desireable, and given their relative rarity, values should continue to stay ahead of coupes and glass window targas.

Polo red is a good color, it sound like it may have some interesting options, (rear seat delete, etc.) and if the body and suspension support areas are not badly rusted, you could have a fun project on your hands.

Genuine parts for these cars are getting harder to find every year, and the repops I have seen for things like trim, gaskets and switchgear are not really correct enough in many cases to even fit properly. Great challenge scouring swap meets, bulletin boards and the like though, so don't let that stop you.

Oh yeah, MFI rebuilds have really popped up in price as of late, too>>:(

Good luck, keep us posted, WE WANT PICTURES!!!:cool:

You would do well to look up the E registry and the Early S Registry (which has a very active bbs, even if there is a little attitude that comes with it ;)) Those folks can tell you all the particulars like the fact (IIRC) that the '69 had as an option the soft window.

AFA restoration, you can do the lion's share of mechanical stuff like redoing the old brakes, cleaning out the gas tank and replacing those old brittle fuel lines (a must!). When it come to cosmetics, well, only your ability, or lack of, counts. Most of us don't do upholstery very well, so we leave it to the pros (you'll find out who the players are as you go along, so don't be too hasty).

There will be a lot of general clean up and details to sort out like maybe in the doors, or in the trunk. You can do all of this with patience, a few tools, and a LOT of time. Don't underestimate time.

Don't try to start the engine until you've read up on starting procedures and there's a lot of threads here and elsewhere about that. Things like suspension bushings and steering don't seem to deteriorate as much as one might think.

Rust is very important to know about. Read up on the common trouble spots and investigate thoroughly. Although, if the price is right, take it as is and deal with it later. My rule would be for every 1000 dollars you can take off the car because of an issue, double to quadruple that to make it right. Count your time for something. Lord, I've spent a 1000 hours on at least 2 Porsches and a few hundred on others. At ten bucks an hour that's 10 grand each. Take it to a shop and it's over 7 times that, these days.

Thanks I posted on the early "s" registry. see what I get

Thanks

While the glass window Targa was standard by 1969, I believe that the soft window version was still an option. Personally once you get it fixed up and running, I think that it would be an awesome weekend driver! It will get 20+ MPG, you can have the wind in your hair and be able to hear the wonderful sounds of your motor. It won't be so strong and fast that you won't be able to stretch it out a little. The nice thing about 2.0's is that you can run them harder then the later models without immediately going stupidly fast. Even as a Targa, you'll find the car will fell lighter then your SC. The engine will also pull a genuine 7000 RPM which is great fun on entrance ramps.

The serial numbers for the chassis, engine and transaxle are consistant for a '69E. The only thing is that the tranaxle serial number suggests a standard 5 speed, while the model you list (901/6) is a 4 speed.

I thought that there were something like 6 or fewer soft windows in '69. Don't know where you could confirm this. Get a hold of Jim Schrager--he would know, I think.

Keep in mind that the soft window option can apparently be backdated onto cars, even up through the SC and Carrera 3.2 era cars.