Should I buy this 911?

[dustinhu]

I have a chance to buy a '68 911 Targa for $3k. 95% of the car is in outstanding shape but a truck hit the front end and the damage around the hood is pretty serious. My concern is that a body shop won't be able to straighten the body out well enough to let me put on a new fender and hood. If they can, the car is a smoking deal, but I don't want to buy it and find out later it isn't anything more than a parts car.




What do you guys think? Can it be repaired? Any idea on how much $ to straighten something like that?

Thanks,
Dustin

[TT Oversteer]

If you're serious have the car put on a flat bed and taken to a couple body shops for inspection and estimates. Without seeing more who knows what needs to be replaced or how bad the unibody is bent. Can you take some comparison measurements from another car to see if the strut tower is pushed in? Is the pass. side door area damaged also? Is the door jamb pushed out of alignment?

At a minimum I would guess: new hood, fender, bumper, light assemblies, horn grille, strut, A-arm, tie rod, wheel and who knows what else. A body shop can fix anything with enough $$$$. The question is can it be straightened or will a new front clip need to be welded on. No doubt it will be big $$ with straightening, parts and paint.

Remember history is important on these cars; will it have a salvage title after repairs? The parts alone will exceed the price you pay for the car. Body shop labor is anybody's guess. I wouldn't touch it without at least two opinions from reputable shops that know Porsches.

[Flat6pac]

What you need is to find some shop that has a Cellette frame machine. Its used in the German auto reconstruction and they can pull the car to the factory specs.
Bruce

[dad911]

Don't forget, repair of an accident that bad will reduce it's future value. And it may have a marked title if there was an insurance payout.

[BoxsterGT]

Dustin-

You don't list your location, but Damon at Series 900 in Sunapee, NH has (2) factory Cellette frame machines, and he is a 911 chassis expert.

He can tell you what must be done. You can reach him at 603-863-0090.

If this were available to me, I would buy it in a flash. These early cars are just too cool not to save.

Len

[carnutzzz]

Looks terminal to me.

[cashflyer]

Too much tub intrusion, IMO.

[304065]

Pulling it is not that big of a deal. Damon could straighten that out, no problem.

It's not the pull. It's the $100,000 resto you have to do after it's pulled that's the problem.

The most expensive SWB 911 is the one you get for free.

Now. . . if it's a 68S targa. . . . all bets are off.

[BoxsterGT]

How about a 69 911S Targa????



Accepting offers..

Len

[RWebb]

you might just buy it; pull it straight and drive it; while fixing it up very slowly

prices will rise again over the next few years, even for a "T" [i.e. a non-S]

[gregk1]

I: bought this car friday night!!! for $3500 I put a new strut on it last night and will be on it's way to the frame shop monday afternoon for a verry easy pull no more than $500 i have all the parts to fix it allready i had to buy one front blinker light assembly that is it so i have spent $50 so far on parts. this is a verry solid no rust at all the front pan has been replaced that is all i could find, it is a 68 softie with the hard window installed. early 68 aluminium block engine that runs SWEET!!!! interor is nice it will be a nice driver for under $5000

[jh225]

Originally Posted by gregk1

I: bought this car friday night!!! for $3500

So you bought it out from under dustinhu nose?

[gregk1]

no i found the car on hemmings website and called them. brought a cashiers check with his name on it and my car trailer and loaded it up. i bought basicly sight unseen other than the pic's but it does help to have all those SWB parts laying around. they said nothing about anyone else wanting the car I was suprised that it was still there so i guess the anwser to his question would be yes buy that car

[Winter]

Originally Posted by gregk1

so i guess the anwser to his question would be yes buy that car

wow. . .

not sure what to think, but the saying "he who hesitates is lost" does come to mind.

---

Tom '75 targa

[GaryR]

Originally Posted by jh225

So you bought it out from under dustinhu nose?

Unless he saw this post and then went hunting for the car I would say Dustinhu's hesitation cost him the car buy.

[gregk1]

no I never saw this post, i was looking on the early s reg at 911 t prices and one post had a link to hemmings website, so I clicked on it and this was the first one of about 10 and it was about 4 miles form where i was sitting at the time. it is a true softie with the short chrome strip under the targa bar and the boot snaps still below the window

[WilsonTC]

Originally Posted by jh225

So you bought it out from under dustinhu nose?

First off, dustinhu makes one post and doesn't provide his location or any identifying info about the car or its' whereabouts. How is someone going to "track the car down" based on a pic alone?

You're probably the same guy at the bar who complains when another guy swoops in on the woman you were "checking out"...



...

[robmog]

greg,
was it a salvage title?
i can't imagine that will be easy to pull without a cellette rig.
and somewhere in that fender is the right battery box.
let us know how the frame shop works out.
good luck

[Turboo934]

68s only have one battery.

[gregk1]

no salvage title the took it to the frame shop last night he said it woun't be easy but i was lucky the hit was high and forward of the winsheld cowl he said about two to three days
he has been doing this for many years and did a twisted 914 for me and it turned out great so he has done 911's before pain in the ass to get right but said no problem about $800 to $1200 bucks to do it we shal see and keep you posted >>>Greg