Sort of new to here

[BlueWing]

Hi, my wife has been a member here for over four years (lurker mode) as well as myself using the search mode for what is an unlimited level of knowledge. I am now taking over her old clunker as she has her new ride. I have in the past performed any maintenance required but she has only used the car for a couple of thousand miles a year at most.

The car: 1979 SC Euro in Minerva Blue with partial leather cork interior. This is sunroof delete and crank windows. Speedo shows 97,xxx kilometers (about 65,000 US) With the exception of a respray is pretty much all original and stock. The paint is not the best, too thick, some specs and not done in the door,engine and trunk areas. The interior is really clean except the crappy door speaker install. Gotti wheels that appear era correct. Not sure if the tail is original but appears to be correct and does have the Porsche sheild embrossed into it. Engine compartment is grungy but not too much has been tampered with.

Engine and tranny are my first issues to deal with.

Engine - air pump has been removed and some plumbing pinched and soldered off. Any purpose to reinstall? I have the pump and attaching parts.
Exhaust is ok but heat exchangers are almost non existing (no heat and no air blowing up front. I do have a brand new complete non cat factory system I got real cheap a few years ago. Oil leak in the area of #3 cylinder high up out of site.

Tranny - Syncros for 1st & 2nd are shot (wife can gingerly shift with no clashes) and it looks like it has never been out so the rubber clutch center could be a lurking disaster waiting to happen.

Only work done to date - Carrara tensioners installed, pop off installed, factory short shift kit and new bushings (tried to help shifting issue) and all new brakes on all 4 corners.

So the wife gives me the car as she is getting old and was looking for a cabrio offering a comfortable ride and she found it. She always has a blue car, manual trans and goes fast. So she found an Orion Blue 6 speed Mercedes 350 SLK (it is a hard top retractable roof easy and quick to operate). It is quick, amazing handling and all luxury. She did a lot of research and all the mechanical issues with the equivolent Porsches and having owned a MB coupe in the past pushed her over to the other side.

So now back to my situation, I was going to sell the SC to offset the cost of her new ride but after having this one for about 6 years and I have some seat time in it I prefer the grunt, handling and the whole Porsche atmosphere over the isolated spend too much time figuring out the options Luxury craft.

If I were to sell I could justify a price of maybe 12-13k anything less I can't see parting with it but will need to drop some coin to bring it back 90%. Every one out there knows your car can be 100% but in reality are never finished improving them.

This car has what appears to be a factory Climate Control but totally inoperative. New Sanden compressor, newer looking barrier hoses, condenser with 2 electric fans in the left rear tire area but all look like they have been there for a while and not completed.

Some quick opinions on what to do. Do I install the factory exhaust I have, no cost except hardware? Air pump system of any mechanical value? Tranny seems to be the big hit here what kind of numbers does something like this run? Rebuild, new pp clutch and tob for mostly street but maybe limited track time.
I can do the engine and tranny R&R myself just the tranny will need to be done elsewhere.

Enough time already, on closing I am in the Hudson Valley area of N.Y. and the only indie shop I know of is Roberts Porsche in Catskill, N.Y. anyone deal with his shop and/or who in the NY/Ct/Mass/NJ area would be my best source for service as in my tranny.

Thanks for all who have made it this far - Terry

[Vin-barrett]

I wouldnt reinstall the airpump..It sounds like you still have the lines though. There are plugs you can put on there to remove it completely.
If your exhaust is the early style without cats I would definitly install it as it makes a nice performance increase.
For trans rebuild I would put it in a big tupperware and ship it to Gary Fairbanks (203) 866-2466. He's in CT so you could even drive it there.

[SCWDP911]

Welcome friend! Car looks great!

[Looking_for_911]

Hello and welcome to the board as a "non-lurker."
That is a nice looking 911.
With all due respect I don't think you could get 12-13k for it if you tried to sell right now, taking into account the things you say it needs, etc. Why beat your head against the wall?
You like the 991.
Keep it, enjoy it, drive it!
Good luck!

[BlueWing]

Hi again, I think my best bet is to probably keep and repair at this point. Yea the market is low and repairs are expensive makes it kind of a catch-22. I own it which is a plus, selling my Volkswagen Cup car so it can fill my need for speed. I am also capable and equipped to do all the repairs except for internals. I used restore antique motorcycles for fun.

Budget is limited but I figure the tranny and clutch has to be in the area of maybe 3k. Than with the motor and tranny out all the while your in there stuff has to be another 1-1.5k. I could live without the AC but if all the parts are there and need labor and minor parts I'll resurect it. If not out it goes.

Just tough as the wife used the Porsche as leverage to get her new ride and now have another vehicle. Insurance is the one thing that is cheap to own all my vehicles. Storage and maintenance is another story. Currently in the lineup is:
The 79 911 SC
05 MB 350 SLK
08 Rabbit all blacked out on Red
01 Dodge 1500 318 CU 5 speed on the floor dual exhaust cold intake.... (hers)
85 Grumman Kubvan (diesel and hydro conversion in process ( 1 of 500)
85 Volkswagen GTI former VW/Bilsein Cup race car
54 HD K model
52 HD Panhead 70s style chopper
65 Cub Cadet Model 70 tractor
And just sold this year 64 VW 21 Window Bus, 64 VW Panel Bus, 85 VW Jetta 2dr. diesel coupe.
So as you see I can sometime spend a lot of time wrenching.

A couple more pics.
Terry

[Paulporsche]

Nice color! And your interior looks great, although I prefer the 3 spoke wheel.

BTW what is that little flap w/ Porsche logo down in the driver's footwell?

[BlueWing]

I think it is supposed to be a trashbag sticking out of that pocket. It is like a canvas sack with a flap to close. My wife is a nut when accessorizing, she goes to swap meets with me and comes up with some crazy stuff. She is quite involved with her cars (I'm still in love with her as well after 30 yrs.) and I never know when UPS/FEDEX/USPS stops by whats in those boxes. I just do the labor.

I do have 2 wood steering wheels I need to sort out and see if I can use them. One looks brand new but the horn buttons are broken I have seen somewhere on this site a pic of a black leather one with the same or similar ones. It is a three spoke and on each spoke is a rectangular plastic button with a silk screened horn. The other a dark wood with three aluminum spokes and that is it.

I wish I had some pics but I am in N.C. and will be back in NY next week. Second home is in Moorseville, N.C. Cheap place but all the inlaws live near here. Just had to have a place known as Race City USA.

Terry

[wolf]

nice color and original interior. keep her.