Project car questions

I have posted before about a quest for a 2nd car for my brother. We have also played around with the idea of a stripped down project car with a bare tub to completion time trial or club racing car. One has come available only a few miles from were we live! The car is a 1971 911T with 68,000 miles on it. The cosmetics and the interior are shot, but the tub is in remarkably good shape. Some idiot did a horrible job of customizing, French headlights, louvers on top of the fenders, put the gas filler cap in the trunk???(If we get it, I'll show you the pics). This is actually good, because it will turn the purist buyers completely around and out the door. The car has a Florida heritage. Yesterday, we went with my mechanic and he layed under the car for about an hour with a light and a pick looking for rust. He has done several tub up restoration including his 73S. The only place he found any was under the rear seat wells at a low point, which he says is typical in a 30 year old car, but not structuraly important. Everything else still has the factory rustcoating and is in perfect condition. Battery tray, front pan, rockers, torsion tubes, front cowl..perfect. Magnets showed no evidence of palstics on the rear panels or door jams. No evidence of collision. It does have a few items which we could most likely sell, SSI's, Fuchs, The engine. We may keep the tranny since my mech likes the old style gear ratios and pattern, as long as we don't go over 275-300 hp.
He is asking $6500. We countered with $3900. The car can't even pass inspection because of an exhaust leak. I can't think of anyone crazy enough to buy it except a person looking for a clean 69-73 tub. The ultimate goal is make a light weight race ala that bad ass car in May 2001 Excellence. We already have an engine waiting, a bored 2.8 with MFI good for about 280 HP. The cars weight would be as far below 2000lbs as cost would dictate. Sounds exciting? It does to me. What would a good tub price out at? I figure if he bought the car at $5000, we could recoupt about $1500 to $2000 selling all the aformentioned parts, bringing the actual price to $3-3500.

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8 9 9 1 1, The last of the line.

Sounds great Michael...let us know how it goes!

Nick.

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Nick Shumaker
1982 911SC Coupe
nickshu@yahoo.com
PCA -- Rocky Mtn. Region

Michael

An acquaintance just bought a put together mishmash, VIN from a 69, Carrera 3.2 engine, SC bumpers on both ends, RS lightweight interior parts, new dash and guages, ill fitting turbo tail. Lots of bondo and rust. Tranny was normal 915 balky and needs at least new synchros in 1 - 4. He was proud to have paid only $5400.
He brought it by for my opinion, which I kept to myself to avoid embarassment. It is worth more parted out but he wants to "fix up" the exterior and sell for profit.
Hope this helps.
David

Just by pure dumb luck Saturday I looked at a car very similar to the one you are describing. It was a 71S with a real live 2.7RS MFI motor, 901 tranny with 7:31 gears. The car was at our PCA mechanics place having a new flywheel put in due to a missed shift (dohhhh!). Our mechanic calls this car a "turbo eater". Sais it's one of the most wicked street 911s he's ever driven. Whith the motor and tranny all over the floor I'll just have to take his word for it.
The combo of light weight, close short gearing, and a free revving MFI motor made me think of Warren immediately. I'm sure he'd love that little beast.

I think your offer is about right. Give him some time. No one's going to buy a car like that for that price. It's not a good "old" car or a good "updated" car. Even if they had done a nice looking conversion the car would be embarrassing to drive with a 2.2T motor. Not that I'm dogging the motor, just that motor in a "modern" car. If you can be patient he''ll eventually have to come down. If he by some miracle sells it, there will be other cars.
Bobby

I'd agree. Definitely don't pay more than five for a tub. For what you're talking about, you're going to want to get rid of all the fenders anyway, and probably go with fiberglass.

Jim Calzia has a car you might want to emulate.

Here's his page on reducing a 911's weight.

I think you're on the right track.

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe
jackolsen@mediaone.net

Oh, wait. That is the bad-ass car from Excellence!