[RyanWay]

Mods: I hope this is in the right forum. Please move if it is not. Thanks!


So with my beautiful 72 2002 sold and having been searching for a 911 for a bit I'm facing a dilemma that I hope the Pelican community can help me refine, if not solve.

I'll set the stage: I have about $43K burning a hole in my pocket and if my dear old dad does NOT let me register the car to his Bend, OR address, i will have CA smog restrictions to contend with.

Option 1:

a late 70s SC with low miles, the right color and decent paint, and two engines (a rebuilt for some power 3.0 and the original matching and complete engine on a stand) missing AC, carpet, headliner but with bilstein suspension. i will need to find my own smog pump and put the cat back on to pass smog (and take it right off). Direction I would take this car is Magnus's new SC "budget-esque" Cost: 28.5 to my door then the work begins TRE bumper and splitter RS carpet, SSIs, rennspeed bits, and some suspension goodies roll bar and whatever maintenance items needed to make it a reliable driver.

My guess this puts me at about the $33-$42K mark and my wrench time depending on if I go nuts with the go fast bits or not.

Option 2: Buy a really nice mid-year 911s with some but not all of the goodies I want on it Cost: $35-45K Benefits: no smog drawbacks: 2.7 engine or if I'm lucky a 3.0 and non galvanized body but at that price point it will probably be nice

Option 3: mid0high mileage g50 car and right timing $35-45K

Option 4: higher mileage 993 or 01-02 996tt $40-45K (both awesome but lacking in the older car vibe that I loved so much about my 72 2002.

Lastly NONE of the cars I would consider would need paint/body or "major" rust repair so that might rule out the

Wildcard Option 5: the wrong color painted long hood 911t that can be had for about $35-40K as a starting point which may have a bit of rust to contend with and which would have most likely none of the outlaw bits I want to make a fun canyon carver and a 904 trans).

Open to suggestions. The SC/Carrera body would be my ideal starting point but I have to Smog it every two years. (which would mean dropping an engine and swapping the smog-able one every two years or not doing 964 cams, PMOs, ITBs etc to being with).

Is buying in the winter a better idea?

Thank you VERY much for your suggestions and feedback! I have thought about this a lot but I'm going in circles.

-Ryan