1973.5 porsche 911t

[Mikey Hrv]

Hello .i am looking into a 1973.5 911t .It looks like its all original except the paint which was gold and now guards red ..overall it looks and drives nice ..what else should i look for .This would be my 1st Porsche .I am really excited about it but dont want to make the wrong decision ..I was wondering what would be a good price for something that seems to be rust free and mechanically sound ..The interior is great with no rips tears ect even has the original blau stereo ...He said they had the front trunk pan replaced ..I dont see any rust ..any advice would be great .Thanks i will put actual pics soon

[HarryD]

Hi and welcome to the best Porsche 911 BBS on earth.

I think the 73.5 T is the best touring car of the early "long noses".

It may be well worth the cost to have a body shop that is experienced in early 911's inspect the car for rust. You most definately should have a qualified Porsche shop (not the dealer) do a Pre-purchase inspection (PPI). There are expensive issues that these cars can face and you should do what you can to make sure you know about them.

The car underside was galvanized but ther can still be rust lurking in many spots. Look at the the places where the suspension is tired to the car (front pan, rear torsion bar plates, the jack receivers, the bases of the doors, etc.). Does the car have it's CIS or has it been converted to Carbs?

There are several threads here that talk about where to look for rust in our cars. You need to study these and look carefully. here are a few to start:

Where to look for rust 1970, 911T

1972 Rust

Where are you located? perhaps we can steer you to some places that can help you make the best use of your money to purchase the car.

Is that your MG in the background?

[Mikey Hrv]

...what do think its worth?

[Poor-sche Lover]

Geez, for $10K, that sounds like a steal!!!

[HarryD]

Chicago... land of salt and ice?

I would be very careful to be sure you have no fundemantal rust issues. If it was me, I would contact the local PCA Chapter president and see if I can find out who has a primo Porsche restoration shop in your area. As a former New England resident, I can still remember seeing cars rust awaY before my eyes in the '60'S and '70'S.

$10k for an excellent early 911 is a STEAL. Either you got a great deal or there is danger lurking. A good mechnical and body PPI will tell the tale.

Some good news is that if the car is sound, they are fun and reliable and easy to maintain. I do much of the work on mine and once you understand the German way, it makes sense.

[Mikey Hrv]

Thanks alot >>it seems to be pretty nice it comes from a friend of my brother .I pulled the carpet from the trunk and interior floors and looks solid sound s great and handles real nice ..If i do purchase it and all is good ..should i get it painted to original color ..does it have an impact on value or can i paint it whatever color i like ...im not to crazy abou the paint ..Itwas done by a pro ..Looks like the got ecerything in and out and had to of removed the seals around windows ect .. sorry for all the questions ...Thank you in advance guys

[RSBob]

+1 on HarryD's advice. Be sure to get a PPI.

I let lust and desire overtake me on my first 911 purchase "owned by a former PCA region president" with no PPI and ended up getting in over my head financially very quickly. Get the PPI and be secure in your decision.

[RWebb]

Good luck! My '73.5T was also a horrid gold color and then re-painted red. I repainted it a nice Gemini Blue.

'73.5T was the first 911 to have the CIS fuel injection - it was good for fuel mileage in its day but is not a high perf. system.

Post more on the car when you get more info.

[Mikey Hrv]

Thanks ...just wondering what would be the ball park for a repaint ..

[Rick K]

Save yourself a ton of potential headaches. Get a PPI from a reputable shop in your area (not necessarily a dealer). Spend 200-$400 now, save potentially thousands later. Make sure you get compression/leakdowns on the engine.

Unless you like to gamble

[ossiblue]

You have gotten terrific advice. I cannot emphasize enough the thorough inspection for rust! You absolutely must find an expert on early cars to go over this car and inspect every potential rust location. Finding rust is not a killer per se, but you have to know the extent.

Unless the mechanicals are trashed (which it doesn't sound like), $10K is excellent for an early car that is solid. From the looks, it has all the original components (a real plus) and hasn't been modified, other than the change in color. These are all high points, IMO (just try and find original door pockets in decent condition, if you want an eye-opener, and this car appears to have them and in good shape too.) The bottom line is the rust, once again.

Since the car has been repainted already, you should have no concern about a color change. The collector market prefers original colors but a quality repaint in any color will only increase the value. It should be something you like--don't worry about hurting the "value." The value to you is what counts.

Good luck, get a PPI, spend the necessary $$ for a good, thorough body and mechanical inspection, and let us know the results. Your questions are welcomed and expected.

[ljowdy]

I also have a 1973.5. I spent almost a year trying to sort out the CIS injection. It's a (1) year only system. (parts are becoming scarce) Porsche modified the CIS in 1974 and subsequent years. Very few of the later CIS parts will fit the 1973.5 so make sure it's working and in good shape.

I became so frustrated with my CIS I sold my engine and installed a 3.2 with Motronic injection.

Maybe not now but sometime in the future, the car will honor you by appreciating in value as it's the last of the long hood Porsche cars.

[Mikey Hrv]

Thanks it seems fine but in the future if I did have issues ,can you convert it easily .

[ljowdy]

It can be done but it's a lot of work and VERY, VERY expensive. That's why most covert to Carb's or an aftermarket fuel injection system.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Mikey Hrv

Thanks ...just wondering what would be the ball park for a repaint ..

- depends on location, but figure $10k + or - a few k

that's for a good repaint, not a hack job

the skilled people here have ways to get the cost down to $2k but they have guns, sprayers, garages with plastic covered walls that cannot be used as garages for many months....

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Mikey Hrv

Thanks it seems fine but in the future if I did have issues ,can you convert it easily .

figure $4k for carbs, but then you want new cams to make good use of them

to get good cams, you need new pistons

if you do that, you "may as well" rebuild the whole motor

if you rebuild the motor you "may as well" do some other hot rod tricks

-- see how this process works? --

or save the motor in storage and drop in a 3.2L ready to go for fewer $$ -- you'd get more power, a lot more torque, better fuel mileage and easier cold starting and less emissions...

you save the original motor b/c a car and its motor should stick together - they are worth much more that way

as it sits, a decent '73.5 is worth more than $20k

[Sunroof]

You've gotten good advice here Mickey, from long time owners and enthusiasts. If you have a chance go pick up EXCELLENCE magazine, a publication dedicated strictly to Porsche. In this May 2009 issue you will come across the "Early 911 Market Update" as with every April or May issue in years past. Bruce Anderson is one of the 911 guru's in the country that provides his market value on the early 911 cars. Your 1973.5T is the last model produced in the "longhood" line and one with the first Continuous Injection System (CIS). The "T" by the way stands for "touring" and was the slowest and most abundant of the "S" and "E" models produced of the three available. Its popular because its an excellent all around car in everyday traffic and known for its 2.4 liter dependable engine.

Reviewing Bruce's 2009 market update is a heartbreak for many of whats going on in the economy and older Porsche market. But, to give you an idea of the value the range is anywhere from 18K to 28K. Even as a heap, 10K is one hell of a price!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Based on the value alone if you decided to buy this 73.5T and leave it stock or original (yes leave the CIS alone), you already came so far ahead its a KILLER DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last year they were going for as high as 35K. What concerns me is if the seller is aware of the higher value of his car is he trying to dump it due perhaps to an expensive engine repair or the rust has made it so far gone?! You must have the bottom inspected.

The smart and prudent buyer of anything Porsche gets a Pre-Purchase Inspection from a reputable mechanic. They will raise the car and take an ice pic and start going at it looking for and identifying rust spots first and foremost. It will be then you determine if the repairs, and it ain't BONDO, will be cost effective enough to have the car fixed.

PLEASE...............before you venture any further, get the PPI, spend the money for peace of mind and then perhaps chime in here again with the results and mechanics recommendations. If you are not cautious you very well wind up with a money pit on your hands.

Good luck

Bob
1973.5T owner

[Dennis W]

I believe that is the car at Northshore Import Sportscars. Their website shows an asking price of 23.5k which is more inline with the current marketplace. It would be hard to believe that the market is tough enough that they would let it go for $10k

http://www.northshoresportscars.com/

[fryardds]

Mikey,

If you are looking for a very through PPI, I would suggest taking this car to a mechanic who knows Early 911s. The mechanic I use in Spring Grove, IL is who you should consider.

He is the most meticulous mechanic I have ever seen. He has done numerous projects on 4 of my Early 911s, including my '73 RS, and has my '71S coupe in his shop right now. He will give you a very detailed inspection and report. Let me know if you would like his contact info.

[the]

If it runs and drives and is complete, at $10K the only thing that can be a really killer is rust.