It looks like it had accident damage and was repaired on the cheap.
This is from looking at the gaps on the left side.

You should get an evaluation on the body & chassis by a professional Porsche body shop.
Then you will know what you've got, what it might take to make right, and the true value of it.

It looks very expensive to repair.

Go back and reread Techweenie's post. There is no gap by the cowl and the front fender, filled in with bondo? Yuch. Makes the whole car suspicious.
Hot rods are cool, and in theory this is a very cool car. But again, and especially since you said you had very little experience with restorations, I'd get it running and sell it, or just sell it.

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Thanks for all of the comments....much appreciated.

I'm leaning towards the "Git'r running" and go from there. The body has definitely had some "shoddy" work...no doubt. But I think its a pretty good tub to start with. Time will tell.

I've loved the long hoods since buying my 1st in Los Angeles in the 80's, and while I do love my current 80's cars, they just don't have the same feel as the early cars. That said, my only previous Targa was a very light weight 78 with no air, 964 cams, SSI's and a sport muffler and it felt very close to an early car. Light and full of spirit.

You guys still gotta realize that these cars were not expensive cars not too long ago - actually, they were inexpensive cars. And to this they invite shoddy and bottom-feeder maintenance and fix-ups. That front fender gap could be just some fender bender and the dude decided to keep the old fender and fix it as-is. It could be just a bad fender.

The dude painted it red, so obviously it was one of those 1980s moments when red was all the rage. And in the 1980s this car was neither desirable or really that rare.

It might be a great car after all - it's probably just had myriad owners who just treated it as an old Porsche.

Nostalgia is all good.

But your 80's cars live comfortably in the fast lane even to this day and age. Will the 72T do the same ?

Touché

Considering the car cost $2500, I think you are pretty far ahead.

The purpose of this thread is to gain insight from the many knowledgeable folks contributing to the Marketplace discussion as to a go forward plan on a 72T Targa considering its current condition...It's not about speculation as to what I may or may not have paid for the vehicle. I'm trying to make an objective decision and greatly value the feedback.

$2500 purchase price- I would take that gamble all day long. Chris911s- did you see this car for sale? Or just messing with us on what the original poster paid for it?

Just ignore the peanut gallery. You don't need to defend what you paid.

The car is rough enough that if it were me, I would be taking the left door and front fender off and taking a good look at chassis condition. Either you find out there's big trouble under there or maybe you get lucky and can rehang them much better than before and get a better idea of where to go from here.

Thx again for the feedback, Matt. Ya, it seems some of these guys like to sabotage the threads for their own entertainment. I guess it goes with the territory.

I hope you end up fixing it and enjoying it:) just my opinion. These cars are a lot of fun to drive.

Not trying to sabotage anything. I had come to an agreement with the seller of this car and it seems he went with a local guy. Frustrating but not entirely surprising.

I think the purchase price is relevant in a discussion like this, obviously, you have more room to work on a car that was 25k underpriced than if you have to pay full freight.

If this is an attempt to gin up interest, also an interesting data point.

Chris, do you have any specific relevant advice that might help me decide on a direction to go with this car? I'm not a dealer or flipper but rather a life long passionate Porsche guy that stumbled onto an interesting car in my backyard.There are a thousand different directions, but I'm most inclined to restore the car for my own use unless I find something along the way that would suggest its too big of a project for me.

BTW, I believe it's my prerogative, not yours, as to whether or not share the details of the purchase. You appear to have an axe to grind. This wasn't a competition.....I didn't even know you existed until you did indeed sabotage my thread. Please get over it and move on. WOW!

Prices are most relevant here. This is the marketplace discussion, not the technical or rebuilding forum.
Feel free to share.

You said it's the Sepia paint code which sealed the deal for you so I surmise you paid a bit more than $2500.

Sour grapes clearly can make some whine...

Unless the buyer knew about Chris' deal and deliberately moved in to snatch the car I just don't see where there is any fault except with the seller. Seller was clueless of market, got flooded with buyers but had already accepted an offer. He decided to get closer to real market value so broke the deal. Not the current owner's problem and not fair grounds for territorial pissings all over his thread.

How much was paid does weigh into whether it is worth restoring for the now owner. But Chris, you aren't trying to introduce value to the discussion. You are just acting like a bia..., and all it does is reflect poorly on you, not the current owner. Go get some cheese and cry in your glass at the bar.

I'm not sure I see the harm in discussing the purchase price if your going to restore the car. It's not terribly relevant if your not planning on selling.

This is the "marketplace discussion forum", it seems eminently reasonable to discuss price in such a venue. Obviously, I'm annoyed the seller chose not to honor his word, the circumstances of that breach can only be speculated.

Ok, back to the intended spirit of this thread.

I must say that I am quite surprised by the potential values discussed. While I'm an avid enthusiast and have certainly seen a rise in the price of most 911's, I had no idea that a really rough old 72T Targa might be worth this kind of money. I paid what I thought it was worth and wouldn't have paid a dollar more. I've gained a lot from the discussion. I certainly feel better about any investment I end up making in its renewal. Parting it out is off the table for sure.

So I'll insure the car for the high end discussed at $30k.

I'll continue my efforts to get it running and I'll get it on a lift and do a more comprehensive inspection of the tub and body and go from there.

Thanks to all contributors.

Dont forget to post progress pictures and keep us updated on what you find along the way;) now I'm curious as to what ends up happening to the car.

Do a build thread in 911 Tech when you dig into it. This rubbish will drop away at that point.