912 Purchase - Advice Needed

[Skepa122]

Hi everyone,

I am looking at a potential 1967 912 purchase. Have seen the car and it looks like it will need a lot of work to get it fully sorted.

The list would include:
- welding of body work and some rust repair
- repaint
- fixing the peeled headliner
- gauges in dash not seated well and are loose
- new dash as now it only has a cover
- probably a new wiring harness as the car has random electrical issues
- full suspension refresh
- rebuilding of calipers
- possibly something wrong with tranny (had trouble getting into gear)
- engine was "restored" but not sure what the parts are and what was done to it, the odometer shows 90k miles
- Chassis plate shows VIN#462750
- etc etc

And lastly, there is no history on the car (previous owners) and where its been and everything that it went trough. The engine also looks like it is missing its engine number.

What is something like this typically worth? Everything has a price and if it is inexpensive enough it could be a fun project but as they say: "the most expensive exotic is the cheapest one on the market" and I would hate to get into something that has a shady history (stolen or write off) and is an endless money pit.

Any advice would be welcomed. Thank you in advance

[Skepa122]

Found this ad for it from a shady instagram page when it was being sold last year. Not sure what to make of it.

Again, any advice would be appreciated. Run away or perhaps offer something lower to take away the potential big risk.

[Skepa122]

[cmpski]

Unless your ready to drop another 35 to 50K above selling price look somewhere else. I look at pictures of many of the DIY body repair jobs and just cringe. They are proud of their work and to me the car is ruined for all time. The two cars I sent out for proper rust repair cost 30 to 50K. Proper transmission rebuilds are 5 to 10K. I just had 2 901 boxes rebuilt. One was 8 and the other 10K. Everything that showed wear was replaced. Proper engine rebuild 15 to 25K. Please don't use el cheapo P&C's. Y and Z (the best) wire harness 4 to 6K. It goes on and on. If you want a no issue car and one that will be problem free for the next owner it's expensive. 80% of these cars have been repaired so poorly I would not want to own one of those cars.
I'll probably get roasted for this post. Either do it right or for far less money buy a nice used Boxster or Cayman.
Chris
If you have questions my contact info can be found at Â* reSee works​ - ​Where a vision becomes reality - Home

[JaredM]

^ Nice looking motors.... but two comments. It's just an old car, don't shy away from repairing things yourself, and be scared into paying top dollar to someone who happens to link the business.
You could be the next shop restoration shop guy down the road. Wont know until you try...


Also. Maybe try investing 4 -6k for a proper website....

[JaredM]

To come back and answer some questions...

First off, all classics are money pits. How bad do you want “it”?

What the car “needs” (to me) is subjective.
What do you want that car to be? What do you need it to be, to be happy?
Doesn’t “need paint” or anything to enjoy driving a classic 912.

If it’s a solid runner (even non-matching numbers) in 2021 dollars a driving,
SWB 912, with floors - for 20k is a great price.

Doesn’t look horribly rusty from the few photos provided, but that can be a deal breaker (and truly expensive) if you cannot weld yourself. Rust never sleeps.

Looks to me like a great running project, deal with the suspension, dash, etc, over time. If you get satisfaction from doing the work yourself - while having a classic longhood to take to coffee and cars.... can’t beat it.

If you don’t like doing the work, there are plenty of shops to take care of that for you,
build a sweet POLO motor, or twin plug 3.2, that can be done, for $$.

Again... it’s just a car, it doesn’t “need” to be anything, more than you like it.
Let the professionals pass on them, more 912s for the rest of us.

[WFBowen]

This car reminds me of numerous 911/912s and 356s that were always around in Los Angeles during the mid 70's. Groups of guys with various spare parts would throw what they had into a rusty shell. Some had interiors, some engines, etc. Finally, someone had the skills to bondo/braze the thing together, paint it and get a for sale sign on it. You usually found these in the Green Sheet or Recycler on Fridays and they'd be sold by Sunday - usually to a 'first-time' Porsche buyer.
I'm always leary of 911/912 cars with no rocker moulding. Unless it's an "R-type" tribute, it usually means someone patched up the rockers and, in doing so, lost the locating holes for the moulding.
IMO the two choices are: 1. Put on your best track shoes and sprint away from this car.
or: 2. Buy it for the price of the doors, wheels, motor and trans. Then just run it into the ground and when you've had enough, sell it for whatever you can to salvage part of your investment. If you choose this option, be sure to update your tetanus shot. I think there's plenty of hidden rust under that quicky paint job. IMO it's much better to just buy an honest driver quality car which will be considerably cheaper than the dollars and frustration of owning this car.
Good luck,
Bill