71 911T questions

[nineball]

going later to look at a 71 911T. owner states it was a family members and has been stored in a garage for the past 20+ years with only 46k on the clock. are there any big problem areas to look at for things like rust, worn items, etc? i am not really familiar with anything pre-SC era so any help would be appreciated.

[JerryL]

Sent you a email, and definately check the forum, rust, and there is well rust and stuck motor ect ect, I just started driving my 71 Targa I bought in the fall that had been stored since 96.

Regards

[t6dpilot]

Where to begin... First look for rust - front tank support in between batteries, headlight buckets, aft portion of front fenders, cowl area of the windshield, rockers, floor pans, rear seat pans, package tray, door lock posts, bottom corners of rear window, below quarter windows. Take a pick, flashlight, mirror, and fridge magnet to check for rust and bondo. If it feels soft or crunches, there is rust. Does the car run? If so, does it smoke on start up? How much and does it dissipate? Does it smoke on acceleration or deceleration? How does the transmission feel? Can you up and down shift smoothly through the gears?

Rust is going to be #1. Mechanical condition of the drivetrain is #2. After that, you can start looking at what of the car's originality remains, paperwork, and anything else that might need attention. Where has the car spent its life - in the midwest? If so, I bet there is going to be rust and a good bit of it unless the car has been stored in a garage its whole life.

There is a wealth of knowledge here so post your questions and pictures and you will get very good advice. Good luck, I hope it turns out good for you.

[nineball]

i feel comfortable checking for the rust. the story i was told was that the car was the husbands who got sick a long, long time ago and put it into storage. eventually he passed away and the wife no longer wants the car. it has been sitting for 20+ years but was in good running order when stored. i am assuming that all rubber parts (seals, hoses, etc) will need to be replaced as well as tires, brakes and it needs 2 batteries.

i think my first step will be to give it a once-over for rust and if it passes that then take it to my mechanic on a flatbed and have him give it a real inspection.

this is one of those deals that seems too goo to be true and i am afraid it will be. with only 44k on the clock she is asking $7k for it.

[Targa-ga]

offer her 5k. If sitting for 20 years, chances are the gasoline in the tank has turned to a vanish like material and if started and ran through an already iffy engine with rotting seals, you will clog up your lines. Let the owner know that you will have to remove the gas tank to have it cleaned and flushed out....about $300 at a radiator shop. You will probably need new tires, too. 5k is fair. Not seven. Also, too, this engine I believe has the cast iron barrels that are heavy and not too popular..... and not a very powerful motor either after all the work is done. And like the others said.... rust rust rust. They didn't start rust coating Porsches until I think ...mid '75 and onward...maybe as early as '74. I'd by pass this one and get a newer rebuilt 2.7 or even better, a '78 -'83 SC 3.0...one of the most dependable. This '71 will nickel and dime you to death. Take 7k and shop around. 44k means nothing because the car was not driven for 20 years and there in lies the 'rub'. Even if they drove it for 2 miles every other weekend... it would have made some dif. But chances are they did not. NineBall don't let it put you behind the EightBall.
Just my 2-cents.

[RWebb]

a '71 will have some rust protection but not much - search for the rest of the story...

I agree this car is not worth too much as it sits, but people often thin that sticking a car in a garage to molder for 20 years means it is in great shape and worth a lot...

[nineball]

i was really just looking for a project car to work on. i just picked up an 83 targa last week to be the fun car but i would like another to be the weekend killer. i'll know more after i look at it tomorrow, and i was planning on starting at 5k but would be happy at 6 if it was rust free.

[t6dpilot]

keep us posted and provide pics too. Good luck.

[nineball]

it was a rust bucket. both rocker panels had more than 50% gone between them and the floor. once i saw that i stopped looking. the car had not moved in 21 years and the lack of care showed. the engine and interior were in excellent shape though.