Will modification devalue car?
 

I have a 1976 911S Targa, 43,000 original miles. Practically perfect car. Doesn't overheat.

Would the installation of a carrera oil cooler devalue this original car which is in superb condition?

A Carrera oil cooler would not devalue your car because it's easily undo able.

Just make sure you clean and moth ball the Trombone cooler before storing it and try not to mark up the nuts.

Tough call on this.

On one hand, it's later model factory equipment that improves cooling and health of the engine. A good thing.

But it's not really a bolt on solution. Except if you can figure out a way to mount the front cooler using a bracket that would essentially bolt to the right side A-arm. But you also have to consider how you will mount/secure/support the hard lines going up the rocker. If you use a Rivnut, you are drilling holes in the body. If you go factory, you are welding little brackets, or bonding them on. I don't see any way around that but perhaps someone else has an idea.

Good to see you are thinking ahead on a very special car.

If it doesn't overheat, why bother?

No trombone cooler on car now.
Only change from original is 11 blade fan and removal of AC (which I have).

So it doesn't have a front cooler at all? That woul make it a much more in depth mod to add the oil lines etc.

What do you have for heat exchangers? 69-74 would help to keep temps down

I cannot comment on the effect upon value, but I would tell you that this late Carrera oil cooler add on will help preserve your engine. The trombone for the 2.7L engine was a good thought but not vary efficient.

I would recommend browsing Elephant Racing's site. They sell all types of cooling systems using OEM parts, with the exception of their much improved finned lines that traverse along the rocker panel. Chuck Moreland, their president, is great to work with and he'll talk you through.

I've recently installed one from ER, a single radiator in the passenger side wheel well on my '73 911T. But I have a '75 911S engine that used to run pretty hot before we installed the ER cooler. No temps above 195F regardless the run, usually 10F less.

Look, to install one of these things, you'll need to drill holes, either Rivnut (recommended) or tapping screws. There are two supplied brackets for the cooler, one into the headlight well and the lower one to the chassis. Simple. And ER provides brackets to secure the oil lines along their course. IMHO the upgrade to the late Carrera cooler just plain makes sense. Go for it, but call Chuck at ER for sage advice.

Tom

These aren't factory pieces on a 76 Tom. Personally, I wouldn't modify any very low mileage, pristine 911 from 65 to 89 with anything other than a bolt-on solution.

no, i dont think it would hurt it at all.

i was looking for an as original 930 as i could find. i ended up getting one with a k27 turbo, 18in wheels (look awesome), RUF IC and 2 external oil coolers. do i think it hurt the value of the car? no. for one, its things i would have done anyway. but as far as something like oil coolers, or changing the fan or backdating the exhaust, its porsche parts and i think they would be improvements.
in fact, anything to improve the cooling of the 2.7 in my opinion just increases the value. just dont cut holes in body panels.

It's a car not a Picasso. Cooling is important, I would actually value a car less if it didn't have some sort of oil cooling installed.

Great discussion. "It's a car, not a Picasso." What a great line.
Anyway, it would be wrong in my estimation to irreversibly alter this original car, even in some small way. I'm only a "purist" when the object is still pure. If this car were already modified, I'd add the cooler.

Thanks for your thoughts.

To me it would really matter what the weather is like during your drives. If its hot, around 90f and up wait to drive in the mornings or evenings. If its 85f or below I wouldn't worry about it. Agreed, NO DRILLING!

I agree with avoid new holes. But you have holes and brackets, ones that used to belong to AC parts. Make up something that runs the lines and places the heat exchanger where the AC stuff used to go.

The car is only original once.
You have already changes the cooling fan and removed the a/c.
If you plan on using the car it is a smart idea to install additional cooling.
Are you preserving it for someone else or is the car for you is the real question.
It already has more miles than a true collector would want for a museum piece.
My 2 cents...

Post some pics of your car. I don't think I've ever seen a practically perfect 76. Mine was slightly less than perfect when I got it.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1409223690.jpg

I may be wrong, but I thought an 'S" of this vintage came with the oil cooler. No?

No i dont think there was anything special about an 'S" really for the 74-77. i didnt thank any of these cars had trombones,, i always thiught it was SC equipment put on for the larger 3.0 litre.

The S had different cams and slightly higher compression for an increase in horepower, I believe from 150 to 175. Optional oil cooler is listed in the PET, so you could try to find a used period correct one. I added a factory SC front oil cooler to mine, don't want to overheat the mag case on the hot summer days. I saw temperatures of 240' without one. Value of protecting the original engine was more important to me since I like to drive the car.

By the logic in this thread thermal reactors should be left in place. Heaven forbid hydraulic cam chain tensioners be installed!