help with purchasing 74' 911

[Garrison]

I am going to look at a 74' 911 this weekend that has been turned into a little hot rod from what I can tell.

Car has a 3.2L in it attached to a 915 tranny. LSD, Koni suspension, crossed drilled rotors, turbo tie rods, strut brace, new clutch and machined flywheel. WEVO engine and tranny mounts. Sounds on paper to be a real screamer....

My questions are what should I be looking for to determine if I should consider purchasing the car? I of course will do a PPI if I am interested, but am wondering if there is anything that I should look for that will set off red flags???? Mainly with the conversion to a 3.2, I have no idea of what could be used from a 74' on an 85' 3.2 conversion... (oil cooler, oil lines, heat exchangers, etc.)

915 - how can I tell if it is still good?
3.2L - motor has been rebuilt per the owner, but beyond seeing the paperwork on the top end rebuild and a leak down, how else can I tell if it is solid? cold start... hard excelation (no smoke) and deceleration (no smoke)????

Thanks!!!!!!

[zotman72]

You happen to live in a town with a Porsche expert as Grady Clay my man, have no fear. This vehicle sounds familiar in our PCA/RMR circles. It might be a good deal or a dog. You can take the car in for a PPI at the local shops (Storz, Eurosport, Motorsport, or Eisenbuds) and almost rest easy. Or conversely call up the Denver Pelican crowd to help you. As one who just destroyed an '74 and has an '84 in his motorpool, the conversion depends on the individual who did it. I would certainly think the torsion bars should have been upgraded to carry the heavier weight of the 3.2. Good luck. YMMV PM me.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Hi,

A proper and thorough PPI includes a complete check of the chassis for accident and/or rust damage, am inspection & leakdown test on the engine, close inspection of the suspension and brake components and a complete electrical checkout.

The only way you know if the transmission is OK is by driving it after ensuring the clutch is properly adjusted. This also confirms how the clutch works, the front oil cooler, and whether the engine runs OK or not.

Obviously, one goes over all the paperwork and documentation in detail, but the above is a prerequiste for any purchase.

[Garrison]

My 88' I took to EuroSport LTD. and they were great, but since this car is in the Ft. Collins area right now, I am thinking when a PPI is done that Poudre will be the one doing the PPI. Eurosport will be the one servicing the car if purchased.

Very good suggestion on the torsion bars, didn't even think of that. Anyone know off the top of their head what the standard bar sizes where in 74'? I would suspect that I would at least want to get into stock Carrera sizes....

Grady Clay if you are out there, would love to meet a Porsche legend, and have you come take a look...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Make sure to run all the electrics - including the headlights. These cars are known for having problems with shorts under the dash, which can make life exciting.

An inspection - or at the very least a very thorough drive & self-inspection - is important.

[Walter_Middie]

Garrison,

Assuming you are getting a PPI, here are the things I would look for, to know if the car is even good enough to get a PPI.

Rust and body work hiding rust - bring a magnet and a flashlight - look around the battery, in the door jams, behind the head lights, at the base corners of the windshield and the rear window - lift the carpets front and back to see the floors - check everywhere under the car, especially where the suspension is attached. Look to see if the car has been hit hard - do the panels line up well? Is the paint color and texture consistent from panel to panel?

How clean is the electrical wiring change? Are the wires running everywhere with electrical taped connections? Or is the wiring clean and well done? Do the wire ends have proper connections with the correct length of wire?

The 915 trans can be a wonderful thing - mine is, with almost 200K on it. Is it easy to select 1st gear? Can you select reverse from neutral, after holding the clutch in for 4 to 5 seconds, without any grinding? Does it hesitate or show resistance when going from 1st to 2nd?

If the car passes the above brief inspection, only then would I spend the money on a PPI.

[Garrison]

Another question, and something that I would need to know is since this has been switched over to a 3.2 from an 85', it should have a Motronic brian? That should be under the drivers seat correct?

[Garrison]

More info on the car.

Has 22 and 28 torsion bars in it, 915 has been rebuilt with a short throw shifter, car has no heat or AC as it was set up to be a track ratt.....

How are is it to re-run the heat and defrost ducting in the car? Still has heat exchangers, but that is it.