80 SC Targa with some mods

[K Sykes]

I am considering selling my 80 SC and trying to understand what might be a realistic price. I have done a fair amount to it that improves handling and power, but reduces originality. Overall the car is sound mechanically and suspension wise. Paint (Gold) looks great from 10 feet, but has issues when you get closer. Only rust is a bit of blistering around the windshield corners. No perforation. Replaced the seat covers and carpeting about 8 years ago and both are in good shape. Some of the other interior trim is tired, but should be cheap to fix up.

I have had the car for about 17 years, bought it with a salvage title, no idea why. No obvious historical issues. Indicated mileage is about 75k, but it's a 160mph speedo, which was not stock for the car and there's no paperwork for an exchange.

Trying to be as explicit as possible, the car really does run well. If I was going to keep it, I'd repaint it and it would be perfect.

I did one DE with the car, and it handled it well. I really enjoyed it, but not enough to spend $1000/weekend. Otherwise the car is an occasional daily driver.

With the market heating up, it seems time to think about other options. I am away from the car right now, but have some pics from the top end rebuild

Mods-
Suspension
- Elephant racing polybronze bushings front and rear.
- Control arm mono balls in rear
- Turbo tie rods
Engine
- Rebuilt 10 years ago, and top end just redone
- Elgin "Super SC" cams
- Megasquirt fuel injection - dyne tuned and puts out 175HP at the wheels
- Megasquirt/EDIS ignition - Both of these add a lot to the drivability of the car
- Transmission rebuilt with original engine rebuild
- Stock exhaust, but gutted cat
Body/Other
- Targa top redone by Dan Pechtel about 10 years ago
- "10 foot" paint
- AC removed
- Backdated Heat
- Cruise control removed

[NYNick]

Sounds and looks like a nice car. Salvage titles are never good for values; I'd Carfax it and see what shows up. Somebody is going to do it anyway, so you might as well have it for buyers.
Targas are harder to sell obviously. I'm not a stickler for paint. I'd rather have an original paint job that's not perfect than a bad respray.

I'll stick my neck out and estimate $22-$25k. But with this market, who really knows? Times'a'wastin' for summer cruisers!

This is the kind of car that needs a local buyer IMO. One who you can speak with, who you can show the car to, and who can appreciate the work and drivability.

GLWS!
Nick

[speeder]

Who did the rebuild?

[K Sykes]

Original rebuild was done by an Atlanta area shop that went through a change of ownership in the middle of the rebuild. All was good with it, except valve guides on the exhaust side did not get done. That resulted in bad smoke on deceleration last year. I did the top end myself, except for sending out the heads to Motowerks Racing in Cumming GA. They did the assembly but sent the actual machine work out. The new heads and cams really woke the engine up.

I seem to remember trying to do a carfax when i bought the car, but i don't think Carfax can handle the older VIN #'s. I'll give it try when I get home.

Thanks for the input. Agree on the local seller comment. I would much prefer to put in in the hands of someone who can use the tunability of the megasquirt to good advantage.

For $25k, it's yours...

[COLB]

Interesting car.

This is one that is extremely hard to peg because of the suspension upgrades and engine work -- and megasquirt injection -- counterbalanced by the salvage title.

I would guess high teens to low twenties.

[NYNick]

Oh right, forgot about the short numbered VIN's.
Maybe $25k is high, but low $20's in this market for a car like that to a local buyer is a good buy.
Thanks for the offer, but I'm not shopping right now. My '78 does the trick for me!

[geshaghi]

If your title is branded salvage, whether or not it shows up in carfax, this remains a significant (25% or more IMO) knock on value and also takes a much longer time to sell. As nice as it looks, I would be surprised to see a car like this reach $20k. I would think $18k is more likely, and even this might be a stretch unless you find a European buyer who doesn't car about the salvage title, or a buyer who appreciates the mods and targa combo.

[K Sykes]

Reviving this thread as the title is generating at ton of conversation on BAT. Interesting data point on the bottom end of the SC market.
http://bringatrailer.com/listing/1980-porsche-911sc/

[gtc]

Looks like you're missing a bolt in the left side heat exchanger/catalytic converter flange. -$7,500.

All kidding aside, looks like a nice driver. Good luck with the auction.

[Nachtfalter]

Love the color.

[Matt Monson]

We've been discussing your car on RL. I'm surprised the bidding has stalled on it. I thought you were going to go over your ask from your ad here. Might still go there. I was considering bidding on it for a bit.

[COLB]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

We've been discussing your car on RL. I'm surprised the bidding has stalled on it. I thought you were going to go over your ask from your ad here. Might still go there. I was considering bidding on it for a bit.

The BaT harpies are swooning over the title issue.

The rust in the cowl may be a bigger deal than the title, and no one is paying any attention to that.

I think the megasquirt may scare a lot of buyers off, too.

I think it will sell in the high teens, though. I bet there are some legit "old school" Porsche owners who are watching this thing closely.

For all the hair pulling and teeth gnashing about speculators "ruining the hobby" -- here is a car for the "real" enthusiast. Lightened, backdated heat, "improved" injection producing a significant bump in power, "upgraded" suspension -- all available for a discount because the flippers/purists are afraid of the title.

This thing screams track/DE car, but it is almost too nice to gut.

[ncskier]

The market has spoken. $16,850.

Seems about right, if not slightly low.


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[Otter74]

This seems as good a place as any to mention that I bought this car.....I look forward to picking it up and driving it home! I don't really care about the title (I'm not buying it as an investment, and the older the car gets the less it matters), and it's very good on all the things that were most important to me. I had written the seller when he re-posted it here last month, but he didn't see his messages until after it was committed to BaT and pointed out that I might be able to get it for less than his asking price here, which was indeed the case. It came in well under my budget floor (set by the least I thought I could get the kind of car I wanted for) and under my self-imposed limit for the auction. It even came in far enough under my budget ceiling that I can probably keep my boring-but-reliable-and-modern-and-air-conditioned Japanese sedan if I want to and still meet my maximum-spending goals.

[snbush67]

Congrats to the seller and the buyer, you done good.

Edit; After a second look I think the buyer did real good!

[Matt Monson]

Congrats.

[COLB]

nice car. Bet it is a hoot to drive.

just paint that godawful fan.

[Westy]

Congrats Otter......hope your drive home is more than you expect. Glad you got one!

[Otter74]

Originally Posted by Westy

Congrats Otter......hope your drive home is more than you expect. Glad you got one!

Thanks! I'll take a day off work to give myself more time to get home - there are lots of mountain roads just outside of Atlanta and they are calling my name....

[gtc]

Originally Posted by COLB

...
just paint that godawful fan.

Or just slap a motormeister sticker on the fan shroud.