Value of modified 74 Carrera

[Nate2046]

The car in question is currently listed on ebay;
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1974-Porsche-911-Carrera-Sunroof-Coupe-/230658474422?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item35b45101b6

I'll withhold my own opinion on value because I want to hear what you guys think. I really like the mid year Carrera's and in particular love the color on this car. The car has non-original drivetrain, suspension, instrumentation, bodywork (tail), etc. Thoughts on how those modifications affect the market value of this particular car?

[renntrade]

Wrong side mirror too. Also doesn't have correctly date stamped wheels. Awesome car for what it is though. Being a dealer, I have been tempted to pull the trigger on this one myself, profit be damned!

[budge96]

While very neat and as said enhancements done "in period" I doubt any of the enhancements
done really hinder the value or market appeal on this US Carrera coupe.
When these cars were introduced '74,'75 and '76 they were understood as tarted up stock
911's with the same underpinnings as the standard 911 of the day.
More show than go as it were with graphics ,flares.and tail but oh my the lust factor was great!
The engine swap and other additions were standard fare for the time to try and give some
real boot to the look because as standard mechanics were real snoozers..
The seller Don Ahearn knows these cars inside and out and while very presentable the
market has been somewhat reluctant to give these US Carreras the respect their Euro cousins command,just my .02 Bert

[cellison]

i think that is the same car sloan had on consignment several months ago for $65.9k.

to me 45k is a much more reasonable price especiallly w/ the brums historyand 3.0 upgrade.

[spooldup]

As long as any car can be returned to stock if desired, I see no problem with personal modifications.

[BE911SC]

I think this car is in the Pelican Classifieds as well. Cool car.

[peon77]

Its a nice car, but way way overpriced. I find some misinformation or fraud in the add which makes me think about what else has been misrepresented.

This Carrera has covered just 45,000 miles since new

The original odometer has been replaced and I cannot trust that a 45k mile car has had a 2.7 engine a 3.1 and a rebuild of the 3.1 at 35K miles. The speed/odometer was changed because the trans was changed to a later one with an electronic speedo. Where is the orig trans? It was already a desirable 7:31 5sp.

The RSR instrumentation is a 10k RPM tach for a CIS engine that runs out of breath before 6000 RPM

The car is a nice 76 Carrera3.0 clone built on a 74 US Carrera tub. A nice car but not necessarily worth collector car prices. I think price wise it is more like a nice $ 25,000 clone.

[Don A.]

The car belongs to me and I take offense that you acuse me of fraud. There is no need to throw stones. The miles as well as the other modifications were all verified by the first owner. I am happy to speak with anyone who is sincere about buying the car. The car had two owners before me, the original owner and his friend whom I bought the car from. I have spoken with them both. The original owner was a Porsche mechanic for many years and this was his baby. The car is his interpretation of what a 74 Carrera should be not a clone of anything.

Don

[RatBox]

Car is what it is ...which is an upgraded 1974 US Carrera. The original owner who upgraded the car is a great guy. VERY knoledgable race mechanic in multiple venues of motorsports.

US Carreras , don't really get much respect. They are still special cars. The best you could get legally for the street in 1974 for the US. They will become more appreciated with time. Like most things.

[kilodawg]

Personally I have on more than one occasion come out against the trend to try and link early US Carrera values to those of the Euro cars. The engine of the euro car is the driving force behind it's value and the US Carrera's never got it.

I don't buy the limited numbers argument either but hey there is no denying that there is a market for them at elevated prices. Key to justification for the price has to be originality. There is nothing magical about a VIN number when key components have changed.

Now the car in question is beautiful and has great street presence but if the factor driving it's price is that it started out as a US Carrera.....well.... good luck, perhaps somebody will bite....

I would also counter that for $45K there are a lot of other Porsche options on the table. Ones with more of the "special" car factor that this one has and with originality and performance that tops it as well.

For under $30K it becomes a more attractive option IMHO....

[Don A.]

Looks like it is SOLD guys and not far off the ask Thinking this car should sell for under 30k is silly.

Don

[kilodawg]

Well Don congrats with the sale but my assessment still stands. As nice as she looks I'd take a solid turbo or 993 S any day for real Porsche value....

[Don A.]

You could also buy 2 99 996 Coupes, 4 or 5 97 Boxsters, 2 or 3 944 Turbos, OR 8 NA 944s, But there is something about a vintage Porsche in a color that you are not likely to see.

Don

[kilodawg]

So now I'm paying for paint color and a pre-galvanized impact body car?

If you read my list I only included "vintge" air-cooled cars....

Like I said congrats with the sale.....

[Don A.]

Just having fun. Thanks. I still think of 993s as late model. I guess I am getting vintage.

Don

[ecarine]

As a owner of a 74 Carrera I would like to make a few comments that might be helpful in better understanding this model. For perspective, I have owned many Porsches through the years from 944 Turbos to 964's and have driven many of my friends 996's and 997's of many different iterations. With this in mind, like a lot of the earlier cars, the 74 Carrera is a raw example of how Porsches should be built. The 74 Carrera is much quicker than most people think because of it's extremely lite weight, just over 2300 lbs with power windows added to get it over the 2300 mark. Even though 74 was the first year for the impact bumpers, the 74 Carrera was within 30 lbs of the 73 rs touring. By changing the rear control arms from steel to aluminum, replacing with much lighter recaro seats than its predecessor, and going from two batteries to one, it was able to make up for the added weight of the impact bumpers. The 74 Carrera didn't have any emissions controls, but did retain the rs flares, rs ducktail, rs oil cooler, rs brakes, and was given a much improved suspension over the rs.. The engine is another misunderstood element of the car; it delivers around 175hp (not 165) with torque in the upper 180's. The torque of the 73 rs was not much more than that. Torque is very important and how a car delivers its power. The ring and pinion gear of 7:31 is unique to the 74 Carrera (not 911s) also makes it much quicker than the 175 hp figure leads on. I have spoken to many Carrera owners that have kept up and beaten rs's on the track. We all know that some of that account might have to due with the quality of the driver. According to some that have tracked these Carrera's the CIS is an advantage to the carb setup of the RS because of its ability to deliver power more efficiently coming out of the turns. Being that I am not an expert at the differences in CIS vs. the carb setup I think it is important to note that hp is not the only determinate of what makes a car a fast car on the track/road. I am not saying that the 74 Carrera is necessarily faster, but with the correct driver can give an RS fits. My point in making these comments is just to be helpful in sharing a perspective from a owner who has first hand driving experience. I am not in any way advocating that a 74 Carrera should be worth that of an 73 RS, I will leave that to the marketplace. I due think that they are a special car with a very limited build number. I also love my 944 Turbo and hope to add a 997 in the near future! I would love to hear from more 74 Carrera owners give their persectives, it might be helpful to all of us. Thanks guys for making this such a great forum. Cheers. Eric

[cellison]

Originally Posted by Don A.

Looks like it is SOLD guys and not far off the ask Thinking this car should sell for under 30k is silly.

Don

congrats on the sale. i thought $45 k was a reasonable price for what the car is/represents and is probably a hoot to drive with the 3.0.

[Don A.]

Thanks. I feel is was a lot of car for the money as far as vintage Porsches go. That said having owned a stock 74 Carrera for a long time a few years back it was a fun car but no comparison to a 73 RS which I have owned. The blue Carrera was much closer to the performance of the 73 but still not substitute for the RS which did everything better. I had always looked at the 74 as closer to the Euro version than a US 74 911. It was the same car except (big except) for the engine.

Don

[kilodawg]

ecarine,

Just wondering where you got the 175bhp number from?

[Matt Monson]

If I yell at the sun to stop shining in my eyes, it will not make it so. People can continue to say that '74 and '75 US model Carreras aren't special and don't demand a premium, but the market keeps making them wrong. I'm just saying...