Should I buy this car??

[seanlonghi]

Hi Folks!!!

My neighbor has an 1985 911 Sunroof coupe that I am considering purchasing.

I wanted to feel out the list for input.
Is there a site to cross-reference 911 vin numbers like Porsche serial numbers start page

Id like to see if indeed its an 85?

Picture


I am not new to Porsches.
Ive crashed a 2007 GT3 RS Ive had restored a 356 C from a shell, Ive owned a 356 A and a rusty project Convertible D (real) and a 912 and currently ONLY have a 1982 Targa.

However 911s are new to me the last 6 months

The Good with this car.
Runs with only 85,000 km.
Trans good,
Canadian car (well has been for a long time)
Engine strong,
Dry storage the last 8 years,
Interior nice shape (could use new carpet probably---Appbiz again!!!)

The Bad with this car.
Hood pins
996 wheels
Missing tail lights
Missing Headlights
Plexiglas front windshield
Missing wiper motor.

It was purchased to be a race car, but the price for me now is pretty good around $2500-3000.
I purchased my 82 Targa for only $5000 so I feel like $2500-3000 is a good buy.

With things like this missing and modified am I asking for more problems???

At this point I'd buy really only to return to stock.

Input is welcome.
Hate to waste thread time for something so un-intelligent but im a little apprehensive.
Its not really the car for me, I'm leaning towards a 997 Cab or a 964 Cab. But hard to turn down good deals.
Question??
Easily returned back to stock. Given a few $2000 to put some things back to original, whats the going market on an 85 Sunroof Coupe?

Are there too many out there?

Excellence last month had an encouraging article about 1984-1987 911s with non-G50 transmissions and call it serendipitous that this one falls on my lap for cheap.

[seanlonghi]

I found a Vin site.

It is an 85 Aug 85 - July 86
and it is a ZZZ Vin which means RoW

[Wiese]

Sean:

It is hard to tell from the pics exactly what the car needs, but I will give it a try:
All prices based on Pelican Parts price ranges.

- head lights: about $500 for H4
- tail lights: about $1100 for 2
- it looks like it needs a lot of parts around the front bumper (smilee, rubber molding, etc.): You can probably get most of these used for a few hundred dollars
- the hood can be replaced and repainted for about $500, I don't know if it has the original latching mechanism still, but this can probably also be done from used parts.
- A car in storage for so long needs new tires (say $500) brake overhaul (say $1000), tune up and fluid and filter changes (say $500 to $700)
- Again, it's hard to judge from the pics, but it may need some body work, rust repair, and some paint work (this can quickly run in the thousands)
- A new wind shield here in Vancouver will be about $1600 (don't ask how I know), but cheaper in the US (a cheap one from China).
- A wiper motor can be had for $100 used
- new RS style carpets are around $300, German knit originals closer to $800
- looks like you also need wiperarms
- then there are the little electrical gremlins and other items that can become costly
- weather trimming and a few window seals if there are leaks will be about $300-$500 depending on what you need.

If you do all the work yourself and have the time it would be a nice project.

[steely]

Sounds like the price is great, a PPI would help, but could be awkward with the neighbor. Mileage is low, but how much track time did she see? Guessing I think it'd be worth over 10K USD given year and mileage if she were bone stock. Might take a couple of $2000 more for clutch etc and a return to stock than you think, but with your experience/exposure you'd know more there I imagine. I'd be tempted too.

[aigel]

I'd be over there with the cash right now. That's a steal.

That said, getting it back to stock may take some $$$ and time. Only buy if your neighbor will still talk to you if you end up reselling or parting it out. That's what you'd do if the price for getting it back to stock is too much. Parting it out or even selling it with good documentation will yield at least twice the asking price ...

Good Luck,

G

[G450X]

That cheap with an engine, transmission, and interior? I'm with the guy that says run over there with cash before he changes his mind.

Try to catch a guy backdating a Carrera and you could score most of the body parts cheap. It looks like a nice project.

[pegasus9]

Nice score. Good luck with the purchase.

[stuttgart46]

Grab it.

[CCM911]

Yup. At that price, you will make money if you decide to part it out. Engine and Trans have to be worth the purchase price all day long.

[jager911]

It's a steal, 3.2L engine is $4-5k, tranny is $1k. Buy it!

[mepstein]

If you don't buy it for 3K, give me his #.

[bdisco]

Forget the H4s and just go HIDs

http://www.d-zug.us/hidupgrade.htm

[luyckxglen]

ZZZ- ROW does that mean the car has more HP then a US one?

[techweenie]

Originally Posted by mepstein

if you don't buy it for 3k, give me his #.

^
+1

[NeedSpace]

For that price I would definitely purchase it. Just the engine and tranny alone are worth more than that and from the picture it looks like it is in nice condition.

One other thing to consider in back dating is the exhaust system. If it was a track car, they might have switched out the heat exchangers, cat and exhaust to something far from stock. Keep that in your estimations as new is rather pricy.

[Quinlan]

Windshield is around 350 installed from Speedy. I just got one put in my SC a couple of months ago. The seal is extra, but can be purchased from our host.

[Reifle]

A little shopping on the internet for parts etc... you could make this car quite the daily driver. Good Luck and keep us posted!

[dad911]

Originally Posted by seanlonghi

Hi Folks!!!

My neighbor has an 1985 911 Sunroof coupe that I am considering purchasing.

........
Its not really the car for me, I'm leaning towards a 997 Cab or a 964 Cab. But hard to turn down good deals.
.........

Not the car for you? then buy it, part it or flip it, and move on.....

[seanlonghi]

Thanks for everyones advice.
I will purchase and decide what course of action to do after.

Thanks again.