68s targa value question- it's a widebody!

[brianvb]

I bought a 68S targa hard window a few months ago . The seller bought it in 72' and fun raced it in 73 and 74 in Riverside. He had the guys that built the IROC cars in 73 put widebody fenders on it. He kept the car till I bought it in 2014. No accidents .Its Silver and has the 70's stereo and fuzz-buster.

Q 1: Should I remove the widebody on my uber cool "California Racer" ?
Q 2: What's it worth?

Thanks Pelicans , your advice rocks !

[Matt Monson]

The factory built the IROC cars and Penske ran the series. Penske had them build a single targa for himself to RS spec with flares. That car is famous and location known. You are going to have to provide more detail and backup to verify your claim if it is to add any value. Penske's car is worth bank today.

[brianvb]

I completely agree. The seller is 63, his story is legit. He's my friend. It's his life story, not a car selling story. He bought it while in Dental school in about 71. Had fun in SoCal and then moved to Canada in the late 70's and parked the car till I absolutely begged him to sell it to he. He made me promise to never cut the flares off. I need him to give me any documents he has. He Told me the shop that converted it, but I forgot the name, I'll ask him again. He said Steve McQueen used the same track at the same times. I begged him for photos. I'm not selling the car. I wonder if anyone knows about it

[techweenie]

"Widebody fenders" implies an ST or RSR look. sometimes people mean 'widened quarters' which could be Carrera or RS. Either way, they would have been adapted to the 68 chassis. the mention or IROC brings visions of 'big bumper' cars, but hopefully it's still a long hood.

If the engine is the original one, the car is worth more put back to original. Value starts in the $75K range and goes up from there.

Racing provenance is only going to make a difference if the car performed spectacularly for a 'known' team or driver.

Matt is correct on the IROC bodywork origin. Back in the 70s, I had the front fenders of the 'frog' car in my possession. I was amazed to see glass air beads in the bondo - Porsche spared no expense in "adding lightness."

[brianvb]

It's serial # 11850060
-He said the conversion shop did a few "customer cars" with the same IROC as the race cars .
- he said he used his school tuition money and paid 8900$ in 73for the conversion
- he said he was accident free at Riverside and Ontario tracks. I don't think he was a serious racer. But he had fun doing it.
- he met his wife and bought her a 76S Targa and a 63 Silver Cloud , then moved to Canada. I bought all 3 cars from him in August.
- I was lucky, he's very hard to get info from.
-I don't know how to put photos on here with my iPhone or I would. It's silver, has flares and a tail. Stock black interior with 8 track stereo and fuzz buster.

-I wish he had a photo with it on a track in about 74 with Steve McQueen. That would probably double it's value.

I'm enjoying the hunt !! But not nearly as much as this cool car !
Thanks Pelicans any info would be fun !

[Matt Monson]

Even though the factory did the iroc flares if he was in SoCal I'm going to guess Vasek did them. That's the most likely.

[brianvb]

Thanks for your input.
If the factory did the cars in Germsny, then it would hardly be possible that this was one of them. If Vasek did the factory cars in SoCal, then might it be possible that this was one if Vaseks "customer cars" ?

[Matt Monson]

I don't think you are following. The IROC cars were RSRs. They were factory (as in Germany) built racecars. No flares were welded in the States. To my knowledge the only major change to the cars once they landed was removal or the ducktail and replacing it with a Carrera tail.
Back then Vasek was the de facto Porsche Motorsports North America. Porsche always sold race parts through after sales. Anyone coil have installed your flares but they likely came through Vasek.

[brianvb]

Thank you for clearing that up for me. I was hoping that the flares had more value because they are circa 1973. I doesn't look like it
The previous owner made me promise to never cut the flares off, or paint it. Believe it or not , we made a contract over it ! So I need to get used to them. They look good though, I have the carerra tail.