Just Another New SC Owner

[PTrickey]

Sorry for the long introduction. If you are not interested in the whole story, the short of it is that I now own a Minerva blue 1982 911SC.

My admiration of Porsches started when I was really young. A close family friend owned a late 60’s 912. I had many opportunities to ride in it when I was growing up. My fascination with German automobiles was solidified when my father purchased a Volkswagen bus in 1977. I probably loved that car just as much, if not more, than the 912. Here is a picture from my bedroom a few years later.



Fast-forward through the years and a handful of water-cooled Volkswagens (mostly A2s if anyone cares) and a BMW (E30 325is – Fantastic car BTW!). I always found myself checking 911 prices (Pelican, Autotrader, Craigslist, etc.).

Just over a year ago, I got serious about looking. I started researching and actively looking for a good candidate. As much as I love the look of the long hood cars, at this point, they are generally outside of my budget. The 993 and 964 are also a little out of my budget. And forget a Turbo. So I narrowed my search to the SCs and subsequent Carreras.

It felt like all of the good ones went quickly or were far away. I started looking at eBay and lost on more than a few cars. Then one day I found an ’82 SC that looked iffy but might be the one. I said screw it and bid on it.

Holy ****. I won. I just bought a 911.



Here are the details from the listing:

1982 PORSCHE 911 SC FOR SALE
• 2 lifetime owners
• Car was bought in Germany and imported by first owner.
• Owned car since 1999.
• A/C condenser and blower motor replaced in 2012.
• New tires installed in 2012. Only 7K miles of wear
• Service documents date back to original purchase year
• Recent inspection completed by a licensed appraiser. Click here for full report, additional photos, and clean Carfax report.
• Always garage kept
• Anti-theft system
• 2 sets of original keys
• Spare parts/accessories – brake pads, oil filters, hazard kit, air compressor, shop manual
• Original allow wheels
• European vanity plates
• New battery

I called the seller and made arrangements to drive up to Atlanta to pick up the car. My best friend kindly drove up with me and we met the seller in a bank parking lot. After a quick visual inspection, I handed over money and received keys and a car title in return. With a big ****-eating grin on my face, I hopped in and drove it 6.5 hours home to Orlando without a hiccup. Updates to follow.

[PTrickey]

It’s been almost exactly a year since I bought the car and I’m sad to say I haven’t done much since then. Work/life has gotten in the way but as always these things ebb and flow and now I finally have some time to start to play.

After getting the car home I went over it in a lot more detail. Based on the receipts that I was provided, the 144K miles on the odometer appears to be accurate as does the overall condition of the car. The head unit was replaced at some point and the power antenna was inoperable. I noticed the passenger side front brakes dragging and the ac not blowing cold air. The drivers seat bottom appears to have been recovered at some point and the hood shocks are shot. The airbox does have a pop-off valve. It’s sitting high for more tastes and does have its share of paint chips.

None of that has stopped me from driving it regularly. A good friend scored us VIP tickets though Porsche NA for this year’s Rolex so I drove it over to Daytona for the race. Next year I hope to be in the PCA corral in the infield.



My plan all along was to have a PPI done once I got it home. That didn’t happen until a couple of weeks ago. I was able to take it to the local Porsche dealership. They didn’t discover anything of significance, and in fact their list of items to address pretty much matches mine. They did add refrigerant to the AC system which has made the driving this time of year a lot more tolerable.





Up next I need to address the sticking caliper, lower the car, install relays and new headlights, replace a few bulbs, steering wheel, and chin spoiler.

[Matthew Barnes]

Great buy.
Cool colour.
Best you drive the nuts off it.
I'm biased but SCs are fantastic 911s. They love to be driven and driven hard....like all 911s.
Two simple and inexpensive things that will improve the feel:
- replace shift linkage bushes
- refurb the pedal box bushes.

Both jobs can be done pretty easily, and make a big difference to two parts of the car that you interact with.

Enjoy it.

[sugarwood]

Remember, the repairs are a bonus, and are part of the experience of owning an old car.
Enjoy working through your checklist and congrats on the car.

[stevej37]

nice car!! really like the color...you will be very happy with the SC.
Your pic of the ebay page doesn't show your winning bid? Just curious?

[86 ssinit]

Nice car great color good luck with it. I don't think it came with a chin spoiler. May also want to change the cookie cutters to Fuchs. Now just drive!!!!!!

[KNS]

Leave the Cookie Cutters! Fuchs are nice but everyone has them, it's so nice to see something different (and original).

[javadog]

Nice color, I almost ordered one in that color in 1982.

FWIW, that appears to be a US spec 911SC, so it was probably picked up at the factory by the first owner as part of the Tourist Delivery Program, as opposed to being purchased in Germany and imported by the first owner. I suspect that the "European vanity plates" listed in the eBay ad are the oval temporary plates used on those cars while they are touring around Europe.

Since you have a sticking brake caliper, my guess is that brake fluid changes were infrequent and you probably ought to have all four of them rebuilt. Eric at PMB Performance does a better job of this than the typical rebuild you are likely to get from a local shop.

If you add a front spoiler you should consider adding one on the rear, as well.

JR

[Rodek]

Beautiful car! Thanks for sharing your story as well. Keep us posted.

[RSBob]

Congrats on your dream purchase. The pic of the wall with the P car pics made me smile. Memories of my own HS days drawing endless pictures and my own wall of worship.

Enjoy your car for many years.

[Brillo]

Originally Posted by KNS

Leave the Cookie Cutters! Fuchs are nice but everyone has them, it's so nice to see something different (and original).

This!

Congrats and keep us updated!