Deciding the fate of the 71 soft window

OK guys, time for a sanity check on the 71 T targa softie restoration. I listed some of the good points and bad points of the car in this thread. The chassis has a lot of good stuff going for it but as many of you know, the cost of a restoration can be outrageous, even doing most of the work myself. The thing I'm having the most trouble getting my brain around is the ultimate cost of the restoration and the value of the end product. As much fun as it would be to put this thing back together, I'm estimating a roughly $15 - $18 K investment with a ~$10,000 car in the end. The question is, is this car significant enough to pour that kind of cash in to it, or, is it as stated in this thread a somewhat desirable but not that valuable of a car.

How about another option? I pull the front end, the rear bumper, and the soft window hardware. Sell off the chassis. Find a front end wrecked SC/Carrera Targa. Do you see where I’m going here? Graft on the early sheet metal. Install the soft rear window. Add on a ducktail of course. Paint it signal orange, viper green or Jack Olsen black. The cost of a decent wreck is ~$8500. I can do the body/paintwork, so ~$800 for materials. About $600 for a new soft window and boot. Say $2000 for misc repairs. I made an initial investment of $1500 in the roller. Am I missing something here or for around $13.5K I can have a very cool and unique car with early bodywork, rear flairs, a later drivetrain, and soft window. What are you guys (and girls) thoughts? As a reminder here is another pic of the roller.
Mark

[Chuck Moreland]

Buyers remorse?

I don't know what the ultimate value of the car is. But if you're restoring for profit, forget it. If your not doing it fun, don't do it.

An SC tarted up to look like an early car (bet you never heard that before) is cool, but it's not an early car.

[9XI]

Maybe I missed it on an earlier thread of yours, but what is the goal? Make money now? Drive the car for 20 years? Very different answers for very different goals, IMHO.

No, not buyers remorse at at. And profit motive never entered my mind. This is my third 911 and I know full well that they are an expensive hobby. The point of my post (and maybe I didn't make this very clear) was to seek opinions/ideas from other members about the highest and best use of the car without sinking a ridiculous amount of money in to it. Porsches come and go out of our lives and owning one car for 20 years is probably not in the picture for me. Losing money on a 911 is almost a given. I'm just not willing to give up my retirement for one.

[9XI]

If you are going to keep it for a while and use it a lot, I would invest the 17 to 18 grand, if it can be done for that. I would just assess whether you plan to use it 7 to 8 grand worth. If the answer is yes, then you go forward.

Who knows. The soft window might surprise you and appreciate. People seem to put them in a separate desireable category, and you would have quite a nice example once you were done.

My vote is to restore it, if you really think it can be done at a reasonable price.

[82SC]

I am in the midst of a restoration too
it is a 73 chassis signal orange and I want to customize a soft rear window

DON'T DO IT if resale value is your main concern...

doign the SC route won't save you much in the long run your car will be a freinkenstien of parts and will not sell well

where if you restore the car you may get close to breaking even on your investment while enjoying a great car

but return can't be priority...

you also have to think that you are paying for the "privilidge" of working on these cars and paying for the experience, and paying for the time that you get to enjoy the car...

good luck...and remember me if you sell off the soft rear hardware!!!

MJ

[Chuck Moreland]

Then I say stay the course. It will be an awesome car when it's done.

[Early_S_Man]

Third 911, including the early 'E' with the sport muffler from the NW, isn't it, Mark???

As a project without a profit motive, it sounds like fun ... I assume you just don't want to pour money into a bottomless pit, only to find out later it doesn't have much value.

One thing I would suggest is to ignore any naysayers that suggest that an early Targa (any Targa) will NEVER have much value! The soft-window Targas haven't really ever been differentiated from the glass-window variety, so tracking a history or plotting trends would be very, very difficult! However, the rarity of soft-window Targas is beginning to be appreciated, and a few have recently brought very hefty sums!

I vote for doing it 'your' way, enjoy the project, and don't worry about opinions of those who aren't Targa fans!

[rudy sanchez]

I think you have found a special car. I think that soft window feature places it's value in a narrow but higher than standard category. I think you will appreciate having a special car at the end.... if not sell it now to some of the many people who would be seeking such a project and not just any 911.

just my stinky opinion. that thing does need work. but if you can do it at your leisure you will be the one to see the rewards. and I hate to see beautiful cars that are assembled from a hodge podge of later/newer cars. if you want an early car do it, if you want a later car get that. but I think your resale will be worse w/ the variety approach

best of luck no matter what you chose!

rudy sanchez

[Tim Walsh]

I personally like the best of both worlds with a long hood on a galvanized car BUT.. If you don't get it exactly right then your buyers not going to like it. I'd say stick with a stock year look.. aka flares for wider tires are cool but a c2 body on a 75 just doesn't cut it in my book. To me that just seems like rice.

[real550A]

Carefully fog and preserve the engine, stick the car in an old barn in North Carolina, put a tarp over it and wait 5 years. Somebody will contact you and gladly pay $5-8000. for the title!
Just a fleeting thought. Really, good luck with the project in whatever form it takes. Mike

[chuckw951]

My vote (FWIW of course) would be to restore this car or at sell it to someone that will. There aren't many of these out there. Sure a soft-window isn't THAT valuable/desireable today, but who knows abouts tommorrow. I think that early 911s will always have a following. And, as everyone knows, early cars are better looking and more fun to drive than the 74-on 911s

Restore the car and drop in a bigger motor. Put the window down, free up the exhaust and listen to the music.

Chuck

All good stuff guys. Warren, you are correct, this is the third. The E is now in the hands of a local collector. Here are my 3 mistresses.

[Bobboloo]

The 71' T softwindow Sporto Targa is not an investment. Most of the Collector Cars that demand top dollar were hugely popular in their day. Something this car never was.

Moving the unusual parts to an SC chassis will indeed turn that car into one of the Frankensteins' that show up on ebay that we talk about with most people hating and a chosen few liking.

There is no short cut for bringing this car back to life. Just commitment.

That car is unique and needs a unique owner that doesn't care about markets or opinions. The question is are you that owner?

Sorry if I seem harsh. I'm just trying to cut to the chase. I've posted questions here and have found the non sugarcoated replies very helpful.

[john70t]

Well, you have made the rounds in terms of individual character and now you should appreciate and enjoy the identity of the new project opportunity (you don't want to just give up and sell it do you?). Sorry that was the best pep-talk I coould muster at 4 a.m.

The 71E- sporty, thin, lightweight, silver and more silver(ooh-ahhh), very retro...........
The SC ducktail- quirky looks(but works very well), modern, heavy, low pull, luxurious.........
The Targa- same as the E but top-down summertime breeze, drive-in-theatre delight, and........some details that changes it's character to suit you.
Please dont cut it up with flares, cage and 'glass though. Someone decades from now will thank you.

[atlporsche]

good job keeping it...you'll be glad in the end...

If it were a manual car, I'd say dump it...the fact that it's a sporto...keep it.

I'd have been banging on your door to get it to atlanta if you didn't keep it.

sjd

[jpnovak]

Mark, if you pass on the the restoration will someone please restore this softie. I tried so hard to find one several years ago with no luck. I would love to have one and have collected most of the parts for my conversion. A 71 soft-top is a rare car. While it may not be the most collectable in terms of money, It is to some of us for its cool factor.

I know that projects can be expensive, time consuming, and a pain in the butt. The joy of turning the key for the first time, putting it in gear, and completely being engrossed in the experience that is all 911 is what its all about.

Jamie

[stealthn]

Mark,

Keep it original and do a full restore...sell it at next years Barrett-Jackson for $140,000.

sell it at next years Barrett-Jackson for $140,000

Only if Don Johnson drove it on to the stage.

Remember that the original engine and tranny (the deal didn't work out) are gone, so a full on matching #'s restore will never happen. How would that affect any of your decisions?

[thrown_hammer]

Mark,
I say do the late car early body thing with the soft window.