m491 470, to restore or just to drive

[matthewpdillon]

so, I thought I would get the opinion from the fellow Porsche folks, whats the best outcome for this vehicle, a 1989 m491 with the spoiler delete option, It has a 41,000 documented NON- original motor, and at some point added spoilers, I've been working on this car for a year and have it to a point where I can drive it across the country without worry, but it needs a paint job, do I go back to all original exterior, and try to get it close to stock as possible, or just enjoy a good driver and not worry about rock chips, as I am gonna drive the thing, its just too much fun, the suspension and drive train is virtually new, and the interior is great, of course the ac is not yet functioning, however I always have the top down, my goal is a trip from Kansas to Malibu, eat at the rock store and head home next fall with my son as co-pilot, OK, I'm gonna have a beer, let me know what you think, thanks Matt

[GWP911T]

Great looking car! After spending a year working on it I would keep driving it and not worry about continued improvements. As a good friend of mine would say, "where do you stop?" Make that trip NOW and enjoy time with your son-- those are memories to cherish. But to answer to question, IMHO I would go in the direction of taking it back to stock when the time comes.

[Dave Colangelo]

That car looks almost perfect to me. If your only issue is the rock chips, I say forget it and drive the car like there is no tomorrow. The concourse guys may sniffle there noses at you but who cares. I dont mind a few rock chips it shows that the car has and is being used and forgive me but is that not what these machines were built for.


Regards
Dave

[Driver_X]

It's a CAR.

Get in & drive.....

[porsche930dude]

you come forth with a question like that and follow up with pics like that!? let it be! get another clunker if you want somthing to wrench on.

[matthewpdillon]

I guess I started thinking maybe it is worth more restored back to original, but I doubt I could ever find the original motor, if it exists, I would have to find a front spoiler delete side ends, wheels, etc but I agree , where do you stop, next thing you know a person is not driving it, and I don't think it is that special that i'm doing it an injustice, besides I like the way it looks with the spoiler, wheels, etc maybe some day if Im bored.... thanks for the input.matt

[weseeeee]

Drive it and if you see something you want to change go for it. I've been driving my SC for 12 years with no plan except to enjoy the ride. I maintain it and keep it looking good but it's no show car, it was built to be driven. Enjoy your trip!

[ToddM]

stop being a pussy... cat lol



DRIVE IT

[CountD]

There's a lot of comments I can make - The Rock Store? You need to come a little bit farther south and eat at Hodad's in Ocean Beach.

That is one sweet ride - and dignified at that. I believe you need to make the trek to Malibu, as it looks like it is ready. Your son will never forget that adventure nor will you. Do it as soon as possible before life gets in the way and you come up with excuses and alibis not to do it. Do it this fall, the paint is fine. Save the money for the trip. Mr. Leno is waiting at the end for you...

[aigel]

You should do with the car what you like short of cutting into the body / irreversible work. If you think the paint and body now are good, keep it that way. If you like the wheels, keep them. Even if you were planning on selling the car in a year or two, putting extra work towards resale likely will NOT make you money back. This is especially the case because the car does not have the original engine.

If you really make it out to the rock store, please post and we'll make it a driving event! That's one of my favorite drives.

G

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Dave Colangelo

That car looks almost perfect to me. If your only issue is the rock chips, I say forget it and drive the car like there is no tomorrow. The concourse guys may sniffle there noses at you but who cares. I dont mind a few rock chips it shows that the car has and is being used and forgive me but is that not what these machines were built for.


Regards
Dave

+1

A road trip will be a great way to enjoy that good looking widebody.

[victatwin]

Beautiful car, just go and when you get back ,maybe look at the paint work then,probably more paint chips, my car as we speak is in the paint shop,I`m half way through my annual leave of 1 month, my plan was to have the car finished before or one week into my holidays and take a road trip,everything booked in etc.. Painter gets ill for 2 weeks ,falls behind with all other work and car not ready,so now sitting round the house doing odd jobs,annual leave not quite wasted but not the way I wanted it. Truly just pack and go ,car looks brilliant,make the move and paint later.By the way my car really did not need to be painted straight away but I took the risk and I lost a great opportunity.

[Tigrah]

Stone chips? Just tell the concourse guy it's the M6789 Patina option.

[wachuko]

I keep looking at the photos to find what is wrong with it, but come empty handed... Drive the socks off that thing!

[OttoB]

Matt - congrats on the car and all the work you've put on it for the past year... However, something does tell me that you didn't originally buy the car to restore it and then resell it at a hopefully higher price with a profit in mind. If you did, then let it go on to the next buyer 'cause its going to be costly to make it how it rolled out of the factory 23 years ago. But if you didn't, then you are just like many of us here whose cars are works in progress, and highly personalized. Who cares if its not the original engine (and instead with one in better shape with only 41K)? Or that it came with a spoiler delete option, but it has them now? Are you also going to change the wheels because they didn't make them in 1989? Matt - do what you can on the car like fixing the A/C or other miscellaneous stuff when money, time, and desire make you want to do them over the next few months or years. In the meantime, like everyone else has said here, continue to drive it and enjoy it man!