Once in a lifetime Barn Find

[Richard Windsor]

I'd be interested in seeing pics of the rocker covers, pedals, etc. for assessment of the mileage. And thank you for posting what you already have already.

I am NOT interested in seeing the thread get derailed by pwd-was-a-72s.

[Zeke]

Well, I feel privileged. I'm going to see the car and eat my padding. We'll call it 911 pudding.

I've read the pros and cons here and I'm afraid I started the cons. What I and others have to understand is that a Bugatti was taken from under water not that long ago. It was in terrible shape, if that, with around 20 % of the car being salvageable. Yet, it was a low mileage car. As the story goes, it was nearly new when pushed into the lake where it lived for over 70 years.

Apparently, mileage and condition are not necessarily absolutely mutual.

[126coupe]

Thank you Milt the nay sayers will eat crow, amazing.

[126coupe]

I guess I will interview the seller video tape it and quiet down the minions

[RWebb]

Tell us your plans - concours? period correct? hot rod?

[Dan J]

This is no way to treat the man that started the "Chest thread"
I bet this car turns out great, It's in good hands

[onewhippedpuppy]

I am NOT interested in seeing the thread get derailed by pwd-was-a-72s.

Rofl, and more than happy to remind us of it.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Well, I feel privileged. I'm going to see the car and eat my padding. We'll call it 911 pudding.

I've read the pros and cons here and I'm afraid I started the cons. What I and others have to understand is that a Bugatti was taken from under water not that long ago. It was in terrible shape, if that, with around 20 % of the car being salvageable. Yet, it was a low mileage car. As the story goes, it was nearly new when pushed into the lake where it lived for over 70 years.

Apparently, mileage and condition are not necessarily absolutely mutual.

Indeed, when a car sits in a field in TX for 20 years, it just doesn't look like it's only gone 71K miles.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by RWebb

Tell us your plans - concours? period correct? hot rod?

I think he said he would return the car to it's original splendor.

Originally Posted by Dan J

This is no way to treat the man that started the "Chest thread"
I bet this car turns out great, It's in good hands

Hear, hear.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I think he said he would return the car to it's original splendor.

I sincerely hope he pulls it off...but OMG it's going to take a TON of work and a lot of money.

[RWebb]

Very true.

"original splendor" could be something short of concours too, esp. the way concours winning is done nowadays.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

The hardest part of this restoration will be finding a correct, NOS dash. Otherwise it looks straightforward and relatively easy. With $20K in the engine, $20K in the body and $7K in the interior, it's probably a $60K checkbook restoration if there really is no rust.

[speeder]

Unless he sends it to someone like John Willhoit, in which case it will be a $200k+ resto.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

I sincerely hope he pulls it off...but OMG it's going to take a TON of work and a lot of money.

You haven't been tracking Magnus Walker. He pulls the car down and sends the body out for paint. He assembles the car with his choice of parts which can be purchased easily new or refurbished.

If I had a 40,000 mile car to do, I would divide the project into 3 areas of endevor: body, mechanicals and interior. A qualified interior specialist could do that car over in a week. The paint work can be done in not that much more of a time frame depending on how much direct time is devoted to that particular car. 2 men full time should be able to turn that car back out of the paint shop in 2 weeks. Assembly of the body trim and mechanicals can take as long as you want it to. But, in all reality, most shouldn't take more than another 2 weeks.

But that's hustling big time and that method is not a lot of fun. Magnus likes to sit and look at his latest project and enjoy it while he conjures up what he might otherwise do. I, myself, liked to keep the pressure on during the dozen or so projects I have done. But I never disliked stopping before turning the lights out and gazing at what had been done.

For Mark, this becomes the latest resident of the shop. As a resident, it has full privileges to develop as he wishes. Money is a product of time and energy working both ways.

[pwd72s]

Good point, Milt...I suppose we all look at a car like this through our own eyes...how we'd do it. Or in my case..not. Just looking at the pics, I see stuff I'd consider "unobtainum"...such as the dash mentioned earlier. But hey, I've been out of the early 911 loop for nearly 5 years now...stuff is coming on the market all the time.

[azasadny]

Wow, what an incredible find! I'm really looking forward to following the progress!!

[Steve Carlton]

[126coupe]

Been around show cars, restorations since I could walk. This car will be a concours, white glove type. I don't care what it costs, the plan is to show it a year drive it weekly, road trips, and club events. I will never sell it, just an addition to the collection. Ossi Blue will look great in the cave, along with red and white. Only the best craftsmen will touch it, before I even found the car I already knew who the painter, upholster, mechanic would be. I'm not a newbie at this, been involved in all my dad's restorations since I was very young. Honestly a 911S is much easier to restore than anything we have done in the past.

[Steve Carlton]

I'd be curious what you paid for it (and totally understand if you don't want to disclose that). What do you figure your restoration is going to cost and what do you think it'll be worth in the end.

Is there any documentation to show the miles are original? I would think a buyer at over $100K would want to see something convincing, or if not, how much less is it worth with miles unknown? You mentioned the leakdown supported 40K miles? What was it?

What's your motivation? A little coin, the fun of it, to see a car like this brought back? I look forward to see this car come back to life, too. Good luck!

[126coupe]

I paid a fair price, I am thinking 40-50K+ to make her perfect, the car should be worth 120K to 150K, i believe these 911S's will continue to appreciate rapidly evidenced by the marketplace, hell my 300SL Gullwing has almost tripled in 3 years The value does not matter only to my heirs I drive all the hard and frequently. The mileage is evidenced by the original owner. Still brainstorming with the engine builder whether to even tear down the engine, I'm inclined to peak inside.