1976 Carrera 3.0 W/5 speed? Is this real?

[Hendog]

So i'm just surfing Ebay and i came across this car; it seems odd being a '76 with a 3.0 but not a turbo, and it has a 5 speed. Somehow this doesn't add up to me but there's much i don't know about the obscure variants of these cars. Can someone shed soem light here?
Thank you.

Porsche 911 Carrera 3 0 | eBay

[group911@aol.co]

Yep. Real deal. Euro Carrera 3.0

[Hendog]

So was this gear box used exclusively in this model? They were 4 speed 915 box and also a 4 speed in the 930 (not sure what the gear box was called in the 930).

[group911@aol.co]

No. I think by 76, most 911's used a 5 speed. May have been an option in Europe but probably standard

[javadog]

You could get a 4-speed in a 911 up until 1978, when it was dropped and all 911s were 5-speed cars, unless they had a Sportomatic transmission. A 4-speed was much more common in Europe than in the US. The 5-speed used in the '76 Carrera 3.0 was also used in other models that year. It's a gearbox that was only used for one year, as it has minor differences to the one used the year before and to the one that followed.

A Carrera 3.0 is a great car. The car in the auction looks very nice, although it has a lot of modifications for something that was restored to that level. Not that any of the modifications bother me all that much, they make the car nicer to drive, apart from maybe the stiffer suspension. It will be interesting to see if the bids are real and if it sells. That kind of money is considerably more than a Carrera 3.0 normally sells for in the US. They are somewhat unknown here and prices here have lagged those obtained in Europe.

JR

[jwakil]

I used to have an 83SC with a Carrera 3.0 engine. It had the same kind of power ramp as my 930: no power, no power, then all of a sudden zoom, even without the turbo. Sadly I sold that car for $10k in 2011

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by group911@aol.co

No. I think by 76, most 911's used a 5 speed. May have been an option in Europe but probably standard

Porsche was weird with the "standard" gearbox on the middies. Pulling from memory, US 74 and 75 4spd was standard with 5spd no cost option. ROW 5spd standard.

Then in 76, 5spd became standard in US, and if you wanted a 4spd you had to order it. BUT 4spd became standard for ROW, with 5spd still an option. Was about the 2nd year of the SC that the 4spd was dropped all together. None of it makes any sense to me, but I'm sure they had their emissions and fuel economy reasons back then.

[javadog]

Matt,

FWIW, I don't think you could get a 4-speed in a 911SC.

I think the popularity of the 4-speed in Europe, if you can call it that, came down to price. Lots of markets paid more for a 911 than the US did and our cars were typically more heavily optioned. Europeans seemed much more frugal and seldom ordered a car with many options.

JR

[Bill Verburg]

The last 4 speed non turbo was the MY77
915.65 used in 911/911S
915.66 used in 911/911S/Carrera 3.0

a '76 C3 came w/ either a
911.49 4speed
911.44 5 speed

back in those days things like the right side mirror(on LHD cars) were optional.

[Matt Monson]

Sorry, I was confused in my memories. That's what happens when I don't look things up. It was the Sporto that was dropped for good in 79. As was said 77 was the last 4 Spd 915.

[biopsea]

hoping the bids are real. about time the 76/77 Carrera get some love

[Fly911]

I think $250k is insanely over the top for a Carrera 3.0...!!! This was a regular "mass produced" car from Porsche, and not much different from the SC that followed in 1978.

[a0128]

Originally Posted by Fly911

I think $250k is insanely over the top for a Carrera 3.0...!!! This was a regular "mass produced" car from Porsche, and not much different from the SC that followed in 1978.

Agreed $250k is probably unrealistic however, not sure how you can call the 3.0 Carrera a "mass produced" vehicle.

It was sold between 1976-1977 – built between two other models in the 911 line up: the standard 911 and the 911/930 Turbo. During its short two year life span, only 3687 cars were built – a tiny amount compared to nearly 58,000 911SCs and 76,500 3.2 Carreras produced. (from Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0)

[a0128]

Not sure the date of this ad, however looks like the car was up for sale for $175k at some point.

1976 Porsche Carrera 3.0 Coupe - Used Porsche 911 for sale in Morgan Hill, California | Cargeni.com

Likely someone bought it and is trying to flip it.

[77Targa0912]

They are limited production. Only 3600 examples made over a 2 year production. 2500 coupes and 1100 Targa's

[Fly911]

The Carrera 3.0 was produced in 3,749 examples over a two year run. For comparison, the SC was produced in 4,214 examples for MY 1978. So compared to other limited run Porsches of that era, the Carrera 3.0 is not really a limited production car.
It's just beyond my comprehension that anyone would pay that amount of money for a fairly common production 911 model. But looking at the way 911 prices are spiraling to the stratosphere, maybe even this would be a wise investment?
However, I think it's sad that so many great driving cars end up as museum pieces, or even worse, stored in a vault just waiting for the prices to go further up. Many of these cars are not bought by car enthusiasts, but by investors that only see them as a way to increase their value.

[javadog]

Originally Posted by Fly911

The Carrera 3.0 was produced in 3,749 examples over a two year run. For comparison, the SC was produced in 4,214 examples for MY 1978. So compared to other limited run Porsches of that era, the Carrera 3.0 is not really a limited production car.

Let's compare apples to apples. If you compare the Carrera 3.0 to the Carrera 2.7 (including the RS), there are about 150 fewer examples of the Carrera 3.0 than earlier Carerras. And, I'm just looking at the earlier cars that had the MFI engine, so I'm forgetting all of the US Carreras.

A comparison to an SC is pointless, if you're looking at it from a rarity standpoint. They made nearly 60,000 SC models and more than 75,000 Carrera 3.2 models.

Look at what a 2.7 MFI Carrera will cost you...

This car won't get $250k, or anywhere near it. I don't think the bids are real. Still, it's worth a lot more than an SC. Have a look at Carrera 3.0 prices in Europe the last 5 years.

JR

[group911@aol.co]

If you look at surviving examples, I'll bet the numbers are pretty low. European's were a lot harder on their cars than US drivers

[biopsea]

Haven't seen many come up for sale in the US. But as Javadog stated, the prices for C3's in Europe are, and have been, on the rise. I know finding a proper 930/02 engine (basically a turbo block without the turbo) is a challenge. And expensive. Ask me how I know.

[cary]

I need to start paying attention.


All the original parts are sealed in a crate.
1977 Carrera 3.0 #1492