Need some porsche advice

[thaiboxer]

I don't currently own a porsche, but would like to change that. I lust for the late 60's early 70's 911. Im not looking for a good one though. A realistic project car. some body work, paint, etc. Is it feasible to find a 911 for around $4000 that needs some work? A local dealer tells me even if i could the cost of parts would make it logical to just buy a nice one already in good shape. So im looking for your opinion on the matter. If i go with a 911 I want a hard top, will be used as a daily driver. If i get a 914 it will be a weekend warrior, setup for SCCA Pro Solo

More then likely Ill end up with a 914.

[ChrisBennet]

It is much cheaper to buy one in nice shape then fixup one in poor shape.
-Chris

[MotoSook]

Buy one that was built from mid-year 1976 on, they were hot dip galvanized. I would not buy a pre-76 car as the rust in crucial areas will not make them a good project car. If you want minor body and paint, you'll spend more than $4000. Don't buy a project car if you don't want to spend money and time, you'll never get your money back and definately wont profit unless you are a restorer. Buy someone elses project and let them take the loss on on the project.

That said, there is nothing normal or typical with any 911, so it seems some times.

Buy a 76+ with an engine upgrade or the 2.7 with all the required upgrade.

[nostatic]

Well, if you were out here you could pick up nice Ts at Pomona for $4K

From what I've seen, $4K could get you a pretty nice 914, or a pretty crappy one. Considering you are in the middle of the country, finding a relatively rust-free car will be a challenge. I'm not sure you want a rust-bucket "project".

In the 911 world, $4K won't get you much. If you increase your budget you could either get an early T that needs work, or a middle years car. In any case, in this price range rust should be your primary consideration. Maybe you could find a decent chassis with a blown engine to use for the project.

[RazorRacer]

Get a 912 with a 356 engine.

[thaiboxer]

I have found a dozen of Porsche 928's for around 3000$ that are currently driveable but need TLC. I figure i drive it for alittle bit and if or when the motor goes do the Renegade Hybirds chevy 350 conversion. I personally dont like chevy, but it is practical.

I think i should wait on the 911 project. Ill look for a 914 or a 928. I hear 928 is a maintence nightmare... should be fun :-D

[9XI]

I'll voice another point of view.

A $4,000 early 911 is not impossible. You will expect it to be rusty and beaten up a bit.

If you go for it, try to get an E because you will get more performance. For one that is "well loved," an E and T should be the same price range and the E will be more fun. It is very unlikely you will find an S car under about $8,000 unless it is a parts cars.

I would think that mechanical condition would be KEY for you. One medium sized repair would make your $4,000 911 not such a good deal anymore. Plan for the $2,000 repair and it won't surprise you. The dilemma you may get into is "why am I putting $2,000 into a car that will never be worth more than $4,000."

That being said, I think you shouldn't give up the dream. You can clean it up, do some minor bodywork yourself, learn to work on it yourself (they're not too hard to work on, at all). If you get one that has been maintained properly, but is rusty and/or cosmetically bad, you might be able to pull it off.

I did something similar with a Morris Minor woody. It was a rust pile -- $200. However, it ran well and was cute. So I replaced some rusty panels from a $500 parts car, dropped a 1275 sprite motor in it, did some amateur painting, overhauled most of the mechanics at one point or another and sold it for $2,000 -- the same or more than I had into it. I got 50,000 fun miles out of that car.

If you come into some money you can buy a parts car, or sell your rust bucket for approximately what you paid and step up to a non-rusty car.

All of this assumes you can't afford the $10,000 to $12,000 level now and get a car that has most of its bugs fixed and no rust. Buying the better car will almost CERTAINLY be cheaper in the long run.

[thaiboxer]

That's kind of what i was afraid of. I think ill put my 911 dream on the back burner until i can afford the RS i want. With that said im going to look for a 914 or a 928.

[rhaas]

If you just keep looking and be patient you miht find a great deal. I got my 76 targa for $4000 and it runs strong and has all the engine updates. All I had to fix was a small rust hole under the battery.

[thrown_hammer]

I bought mine with all updates except for the tensioners(which I did as soon as I got it home) for $4,500. Of course I went a little "beyond" a restoration. But the body was fair to good and mechanically it was good to very good.
Keep looking they are out there.

[Allan Broadribb]

Spend the extra money and buy the car you want. Then keep it for ever and it will be the cheapest car you have ever owned.

I know what buyers remorse is - it's buying a 911 and just wishing I'd bought it 20 years before.