Do I want a triple black '96 993

almico · 03:07 PM

With a '76 and '06 in the 2-car garage, please help talk me out of getting this 6-speed 993...

The good:

Original paint except for the bumpers.
Clean body, very mild parking lot door dings you have to sight down the side to see.
3-owner Texas car. No rust
Original buyers order and window sticker.
1" worth of service records, lots of little ones, nothing major.
No obvious issues.
Starts right up cold, runs smooth.
Scanning tomorrow.

The bad:
Needs a roof
Assume it needs brakes and shocks.
Fill in the blanks

______________

Marine Blue · 02-14-2023, 04:15 PM

Short Answer: YES!

If you’ve been hunting for a nice 993 Cab then it looks like you found it. Have you had a PPI done to confirm if there’s any mechanical issues? The door dings can be easily removed with PDR for not much money.

As far as adding another Porsche to the collection, the 993 would be a great stablemate. Modern with lots of similarities to the 06 with the aircooled charm and better build quality.

Good luck with the decision.

almico · 05:35 PM

I asked if I could leave my 997 there and take the 993 45 minutes away to my tech. He said I'm more than welcome to bring him there, but they have had a few instances of cars acquiring issues after they leave their possession. I'm going back tomorrow AM to drive it. He said he can scan for me to see if there are any codes. I need to make sure I can plate it in NJ.

FWIW, the seller is not and individual or a dealer. They are more like Porsche collector/enthusiasts freeing up some space. I feel better knowing that they know Porsches. Here's a look at some of their toys:

I really would like this one:

Marine Blue · 02-14-2023, 05:42 PM

I’ll take that Wimbledon Green 964 Turbo please! I love that Green RUF behind the cab you’re looking at too. Wow that’s a nice collection.

I’m pretty sure the black CGT is on cars and bids right now so that’s also leaving the fold.

Good luck, hopefully it checks out ok. Maybe ask for paintmeter readings to verify original paint.

almico · 02-14-2023, 06:09 PM

I'll check the rest of the panels tomorrow.

almico · 07:54 PM

Drove the car today. Didn't help talk me out of it. It really is clean.

Paint meter said 4.0 all over the car except for the left front fender where it was 10.5 under the headlight by the bumper cover, 7.5 in the middle and 6.0 down by the rocker. Best guess is the it was blended or had a small repair when the bumper was repaired. The hood was not repainted.

Front shocks are toast and likely original...like the rest of the car. The seller is putting on a new pair. If I don't come to my senses before driving this car home, I will probably have the whole suspension done.

Brake rotors look and feel good. Horn, wipers, doors/checks, windows, conv top etc all work as they should. Top has a 12" tear by the rear window.

I heard an intermittent ping sound coming from the engine compartment. It sounds like the fan is making the occasional contact with the shroud (or something).

Definitely some oil seepage above the engine cover with lots of old, dry oil/dirt gunk. After I left, the seller's mechanic came in and removed the cover, cleaned up the bottom of the engine and looked for active leaks without success. He sent me a video which I'll upload and post a link.

Here is what I saw with limited visibility:

That one drip in the middle of the photo is coming off an O2 sensor. Here it is cleaned up:

I spoke to my tech about it and he wasn't concerned. What 26 year old 911 isn't leaking? He just wants my to buy it to help fund his kids college education 8^)

https://youtu.be/cbAQJemb-uo

Marine Blue · 02-16-2023, 04:49 AM

If suspension is original then you’re right to want to replace it and should assume its needed. Shocks alone won’t fix it as we know, it it will need bushings followed by a proper alignment.

That’s definitely an active leak from the engine, likely the valve covers or perhaps the timing chain cover?

You noted the car has all the service records, did you confirm if its had regular oil changes and brake flushes along with the filters etc?

almico · 02-16-2023, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marine Blue

You noted the car has all the service records, did you confirm if its had regular oil changes and brake flushes along with the filters etc?

It appears so. I didn't not go over them with a fine-toothed comb, but lots of $399 receipts. I noticed at least one brake flush.

If (when) I get the car, I'm planning on making a spreadsheet of the work done and time/mileage record. My other 2 911s did not come with all service records, so this is my first chance to document its history.

I'm also planning on bringing it my my tech for a PPI (post purchase inspection). I understand valve guides are an issue with these cars, but I didn't notice any smoke post warmup.

almico · 12:55 PM

NPD

Since nobody jumped up to talk me out of this thing, I picked it up today.

Front struts are gone.
Fan making some contact to shroud. Needs adjustment.
Brakes good
Interior excellent.
Tires 80%.
Wheels clean.
Everything works...but the Speedo!!! Service records indicate the same mileage showing now as on the last receipt dated 9/22/21. Ugh. Not a really big deal. Car is nice. It's been sitting for 2 years. It needs to be driven like it was stolen. Seller will pay for the repair.

Got it for $43K all in including tax. Needs a roof and tonneau - $3000. Full suspension I guess ($4000?). I think I'm going to put in that Porsche Classic Radio with the Apple Car Play feature ($1200). After all that I'll be into it for $51.2k.

Might want to paint both bumpers. Thankfully, I have friends in the auto body biz.

Service history:

Docs

almico · 05:55 AM

Fan hub bearing is shot. Just ordered one as well as a set of Koni Special Active Struts and Eibach springs. Tirerack has the Konis on special.

And so it begins again...

Marine Blue · 02-17-2023, 08:51 PM

Congrats! That’s a really good price and you’re pretty close with your estimates on the repairs so you know what you’re getting into!

Make sure to check the fan for cracks if it’s made contact with the housing.

Enjoy in good health!

almico · 02-18-2023, 06:04 AM

Fan blade looks good. I might take on the hub bearing project myself and will check it thoroughly when the blade is out. I don't want to drive it again until that is addressed.

Just ordered a top and boot cover - $1600 (GAHH)
Struts and springs - $1400. (Koni/Eibach)
Fan hub bearing (Porsche) $180.

And so it goes...

almico · 05:00 PM

So I don’t see anywhere in the service records that the alternator was ever replaced. While I have the alternator and fan out to replace the fan hub bearing, do I want to just put a new alternator in?

Tirerack didn't have one of the Konis I ordered, so I took that as a sign and canceled the order and bought a set of PSS10s. I found them on GMP for $27**. Go big or go home, right?

aigel · aigel's Garage

Looks like a good car! Be prepared to just pull the engine and reseal everything that is seeping.

I'd replace the alternator. How much do they go for nowadays? I replaced mine as preventative maintenance while I had easy access at 140k or so miles. It was around 350 bucks at the time, IIRC.

almico · 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aigel

Looks like a good car! Be prepared to just pull the engine and reseal everything that is seeping.

I think so. It doesn't look like anything major was done to it. Steering rack and a transmission service. Had a clutch put it at 70k. The bad news is at 110k miles, lots of things will need to be done to get it to 200k. I don't even see anywhere in the service records where the spark plugs were replaced. The good news it the car still feels very tight so it hasn't slipped too far down the slope.

I don't want to drive it again until I replace the fan hub bearing. I'd rather not add a new fan blade to the sorting list. After that I'll install the Bilsteins and then bring it to my tech for the geo alignment and a good go-over.

Marine Blue · 02-19-2023, 08:28 AM

My approach on these older cars is to research the typical failure points and when something needs to get done look for other WYAIT parts that will be accessible. As we know, the labor is a big part of the ownership cost.

Looking forward to hearing more about the progress.

jjc4scab · 02-27-2023, 10:04 AM

Enjoy!!

almico · 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjc4scab

Enjoy!!

Thanks! I think.

I haven't driven the car since I brought it home. I need to replace the fan hub bearing and I don't want to explode the fan before I get the job done.

Bearing came and it's in the freezer awaiting the time when it gets pressed in to its new home. But before I tackle this job I need to get my garage/shop in order. I hate working in chaos, and my garage is the very definition of chaos.

I started throwing out some crap and trying to organize the space. You would think a 20 x 30' garage would be enough for two cars, some cabinets, a work bench, tool boxes, shelves and storage. It's not.

I'm far from a seasoned mechanic, but I've managed a few jobs successfully in the past. I've also boogered a few. But It hasn't taken me long to realize that owning these cars means getting used to turning my own wrenches.

I'm going to attempt the fan bearing job and probably the suspension install as well. The new soft top arrived, but that will be farmed out to the guys that do it all the time.

I came upon this other Pelican thread http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/1059182-lets-create-realistic-sensible-list-tools-first-time-diyer.html

So I'm cleaning out the old toolbox and setting up for Porsche repair. I bought a floor jack, jack stands, an impact wrench/sockets and a case of WD40.

Say a prayer...

Marine Blue · 04:32 PM

We have all been there before and if you’re comfortable handling the suspension then you’re way ahead of me!

I agree wholeheartedly on the organization aspect, I’m all about having a clean well lit and organized work space. Working on a car can be frustrating enough when things don’t go as planned (which they often do for me), why increase the stress by having to hunt for tools that you know you have.

Good luck and keep us updated.

almico · 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marine Blue

We have all been there before and if you’re comfortable handling the suspension then you’re way ahead of me!

"Comfortable" might be too strong a word! But hopefully with a little help from our online Porsche friends, I can get it done without an abundance of bloodshed.

Start of the tool collection. the fan hub bearing needs to be pressed out and back in. Porsche gets 4.5 hours at $225/ for this entire job. The press was $93 delivered. I'm a coffee roaster by trade and have lots of bearing bearing equipment. I'll get more use out of it. But it's real estate intensive.