Weighing pros and cons of 79 Coupé FS

[Duniel3000]

Dear fellow members,

in my quest I've come across this restored 79 Coupé being offered in LA for 25K.

TheSamba.com :: VW Classifieds - Restored 1979 911SC Coupe - Petrol Blue Metallic
https://picasaweb.google.com/117142440560552478987/1979Porsche911SCCoupe?authuser=0&feat=directlink#

To my eyes it does look good from the description and numerous photos.

However the ad's been up since August and it was listed here as FS, so I can't help but wonder why it hasn't been snatched up already? I know it's got a non-orginal 3.0 engine. Who knows, one of you might have even been to check the car out and decided to leave it?
What would be a reasonable offer assuming an ok PPI in today's market?

Always willing to learn
Daniel

[MrBonus]

On the surface, it looks like a clean driver. However, it was sitting disassembled (why?) and repainted (again, why?) and is priced near the top of the market for a clean private party stock SC. The non-original motor hurts its long term collectibility and the chrome Fuchs are for an, ahem, specific taste.

Overall if it's what you're looking for, the old adage of "get a PPI" applies.

[COLB]

A nice looking car.

But there is something wonky about the gaps where the hood, bumper, and left wing come together. It almost looks like the bumper is sagging a bit.

Maybe it needs the hood adjusted, and the bumper is an optical illusion.

But I would pay close attention to determine if it was in a front end collision on that side. That would explain why it was sitting disassembled.

Its got a Euro rear bumper -- or at least they replaced the US rubber over riders with the smaller Euro ones when they repainted. But it seems to be a U.S. model.

The sport seats are nice, although the redone cloth inserts are a funky period touch with selective appeal. They are valuable if original, but I question whether it came from the factory way -- the colors don't really go with the paint, IMO. I think it is another Euro touch on a US car -- like the rear bumper treatment.

If the hood thing is just an adjustment issue, it seems a reasonable price, but on the high side given the engine swap. It could be a negotiating point for a few thousand less.

[KNS]

If that car passed a PPI with no major accident damage or big maintenance issues, I'd buy it. It's a great color and the '83 engine is better than the earlier '78-79. I think it might be priced a little high, under $20,000 would be better.

If you're a collector obviously this car won't work.

Edit: My 1980 had that exact same gap in the corner of the hood (and I've seen others like that as well), it improved with new hood struts.

[trader220]

That car has been for sale a long long time even posted on Pelican's cars for sale this past summer/fall.

[r-mm]

I cant comment on the condition but i need to say that it is maybe the best color combination ive seen short of some real exotic midyears. I have a real taste for the odd with these cars, but this is not a polarizing color scheme...Add the chrome accents from an early sc and you have one hell of a pretty car that nicely straddles two decades. Money talks, make an offer?

[asalcedo]

Originally Posted by trader220

That car has been for sale a long long time even posted on Pelican's cars for sale this past summer/fall.

I have seen the ad too.

[MrBonus]

Originally Posted by r-mm

I cant comment on the condition but i need to say that it is maybe the best color combination ive seen short of some real exotic midyears. I have a real taste for the odd with these cars, but this is not a polarizing color scheme...Add the chrome accents from an early sc and you have one hell of a pretty car that nicely straddles two decades. Money talks, make an offer?

I agree with this. I love blues and the funky plaid seating is awesome.

Unfortunately, the ad doesn't state if Petrol Blue is the car's original color.

[MrBonus]

Originally Posted by COLB

A nice looking car.

But there is something wonky about the gaps where the hood, bumper, and left wing come together. It almost looks like the bumper is sagging a bit.

Something definitely looks off between the hood and front left fender.

[COLB]

Originally Posted by r-mm

I cant comment on the condition but i need to say that it is maybe the best color combination ive seen short of some real exotic midyears. I have a real taste for the odd with these cars, but this is not a polarizing color scheme...Add the chrome accents from an early sc and you have one hell of a pretty car that nicely straddles two decades. Money talks, make an offer?

I disagree on it being a "polarizing" scheme. Not the exterior color -- which is nice -- but plaid and pasha seat treatments in general.

Some really like them, others hate them.

They can ad value if they are factory because they are rare -- especially on US cars with sports seats. But I would bet $5 that these are not original to the car. They have definitely been recovered. The question is which of the following applies:

1) Factory sports seats with factory plaid inserts, re-upholstered (big plus in value)

2) Factory sport seats with leather inserts, refinish in plaid cloth (plus for the sports seats, no value gain for the cloth)

3) Non-factory sports seats, recovered and replacing tired originals (minimal value difference -- though selling them separately could net some money as parts)

I would guess #3 applies. They are a nice touch if you like them, and are in keeping with the very light restomod vibe of the car. But have minimal effect on its overall value.

Of course, if one is serious, the facts can be discerned from the options sticker (if present) or a COA.

[DeeJayOh]

Originally Posted by MrBonus

I agree with this. I love blues and the funky plaid seating is awesome.

Unfortunately, the ad doesn't state if Petrol Blue is the car's original color.

Yes it does. It's in the first sentence... the wording of which also seems to suggest that the seats are original

Available for sale is this beautiful 1979 Porsche 911SC Coupe, VIN 9119201192, finished in the original Petrol Blue Metallic over black leather and plaid

Price seems high to me even if it was a car that was all original. I would expect $21-23k. I'd pull the carfax to see accident history. If it was recently in pieces, logic would suggest any accident was in the carfax era. Not that it's a deal killer - these are 35 year old cars and many were in accidents before there was carfax. It's just good to know the damage and who did the work.

[Matt Monson]

I'm going to guess that it's not on the carfax and was fixed "off the record". Though it has clearly had that left front re-hung, and not professionally.

[metzger]

Originally Posted by DeeJayOh

Yes it does. It's in the first sentence... the wording of which also seems to suggest that the seats are original

Start of the second paragraph makes it sound like the sport seats were not originally plaid.

The car was reassembled with new rubber seals throughout, an expertly recovered leather dash, new carpet and headliner and leather sport seats with newly recovered inserts in a period plaid fabric.

Probably were the original seats in the car though.

[COLB]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

I'm going to guess that it's not on the carfax and was fixed "off the record". Though it has clearly had that left front re-hung, and not professionally.

The more I look at the picture below, the more I think the accident was to the right (passenger side) quarter -- even though the gap mismatch is on the driver's side.

Look at the turn indicators and foglights -- the passenger side's look new, while the driver's side do not.

If not properly repair, a low speed collision on the passenger side could easily skew the gaps on the other side.



On the seats, I should have read the ad more carefully -- my detective work was irrelevant!

[cvlcporsche]

Even if the seller didn't disclose the seats as not being original it would be obvious: 1. Sport seats are the 1981-1984 style, not the 1974-1980 style. 2. If the plaid were original the rear seats would also have been plaid, not black leather/leatherette.

To the OP' question whether it might be a good car to buy is being answered by the market. The market is scorching hot for SC's right now. The seller has done a good job of listing this car in multiple venues where real buyers are located and yet nobody is buying it. That should tell you all you need to know. A nice, well priced SC, advertised in the correct venue will literally evaporate in today's market. If it doesn't, beware...

[Matt Monson]

Look at the turn indicators and foglights -- the passenger side's look new, while the driver's side do not.
If not properly repair, a low speed collision on the passenger side could easily skew the gaps on the other side.

Clearly I'm not a body guy.

[DeeJayOh]

COLB - good call on the diagnosis from the picture. The difference in the indicators and fog lights is striking! and the body work looks really shoddy from that angle

The VIN is in the ad. Curiosity leads me to inquire if anyone has a carfax account? VIN 9119201192

[metzger]

Originally Posted by DeeJayOh

COLB - good call on the diagnosis from the picture. The difference in the indicators and fog lights is striking! and the body work looks really shoddy from that angle

The VIN is in the ad. Curiosity leads me to inquire if anyone has a carfax account? VIN 9119201192

Not a 17 digit VIN. Can't really do a Carfax prior to 1981.

[christiandk]

Gaps might be fine. Trickle charger cord going out of a closed bonnet makes it look like this over time.

But not an explanation for the new lights, though.

[trader220]

Looks like an ROW car too