Is '74-77 the 911 sweetspot now?

[JoeyJoeJoJr]

Obviously 996 TT is the best value, and 997.1s are pretty good too. How 'bout in the aircooled arena? With SCs and 3.2s going up, it seems as though the 74-77 cars haven't quite taken off.

[zedsn]

I bought my 77 widebody S project last fall and it is my first 911 and it looks like a well made nice looking ride with a galvanized body like my 89 951 S has. I probably could not have afforded it if it wasn't reasonable though and I am glad these cars have remained fairly affordable because of this.

[wally509]

I think that ones that have not been widened or otherwise updated have already taken off. A narrow body, bright trim car in a '70's color like orange or bright green at the top of the list. Just my opinion...

[brisboats]

I think the mid years always got a bad rap thanks to Bruce Anderson and others harping on the 2.7. A well care for 74-77 is a blast to drive and will have all the engine problems corrected by now. 76 was the first year for all galvanized bodies so they can be found without rust easier than the early cars.
As far as taking off I have seen some lately bring what I thought was strong money but then again everything air cooled seems to bring strong dollars. The red headed step child mid years developed into a Gina Davis.

B

[brisboats]

I don't know but there maybe others like me who are on the lookout for a galvanized narrow body for a back date project and that may be pushing mid year values, even for the rough cars Personally I wouldn't mind a galvanized relatively rust free mid year tub to backdate than starting with a rusty early car. Every roller I have considered seems to go in the 5-10k range now hard for me to stomach when considering all the extra $$$ a proper backdate will cost.

B

[CountD]

A clean no-stories Midyear will bring more than a SC or Carrera, but finding a clean no-stories mid-year is probably an impossible task. I prefer a '75 or '74 because of their simplicity and lightness. These are good years, and compared to longhoods they drive more like modern car and have less of that 'old timey' feel. The longhood romance is great but they feel old to me.

I am not drawn to '76 or '77 but they sure are a heck of a lot more practical when it comes to the galvanizing.

Plus parts are much, much, much cheaper for a midyear.

At the end of the day, they still took as much hand-work, hand-crafted care that the longhoods of the era received as essentially a midyear was still a hand-built car (as much as they were in the early '70s).

As far as a sweet spot? I don't know if I would pick one over a comparable SC or Carrera because these are better cars still compared to a midyear.

[Matt Monson]

At this age galvanized no longer offers protection. I like the light simple not smog encumbered '74. Also not required to smog in my state.

There's a good thread here in marketplace that started in 2006. You can see the changes over time by following it's progression. A member bought the car and is now driving it. It's a $25k+ car today that I snubbed at $7500 5 years ago.

[Matt Monson]

Here it is.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-marketplace-discussion/320158-price-check-1974-911-a.html

[Luki]

I agree with CountD.
So much so that I recently bought a 75K mile 1975 S with no stories for $25k. I wouldn't sell it for $40k because its a great Porsche. I have owned 356s and early 911s and for me the 74-75 bright trim cars are the best 911 for the money right now. Both looks wise and performance wise.

The 74-75 cars share a lot of the earlier car attributes except they seem to track better on the road. They feel very solid.

The 2.7 pulls like crazy right past red line if you're not careful.

The body lines are very similar to the early cars except for the bumpers. The euro bumper setup is less obtrusive and can be fairly easily retrofitted if that bothers you.

So get yourself one before they're all gone.

[Matt Monson]

'74-75 also have the short 7:31 ring and pinion.

[Jrboulder]

'74-75 also have the short 7:31 ring and pinion.

I thought US 75s had the 915/40 with the 8:31?

[Matt Monson]

I should have said "and some '75" but was being lazy.

[NYNick]

Love the mid year value these days. Get 'em while you can.

But for best value, besides the 996TT, the early, normal 996's are getting hard to pass up. Do people 'hot rod' and lighten these? Could be an awesome vehicle. My '03 with a ROW suspension handled better than almost any car I've ever driven.

[Matt Monson]

NYNick,
There is a pretty large group of guys running 996 Carreras in a spec class. You can get hundreds of pounds off them.
Old Koni Challenge 996 Carreras are a good buy. Pro level race cars selling for $25-40k. I tracked one and 997 GT3s couldn't keep up.

[CountD]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

Here it is.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-marketplace-discussion/320158-price-check-1974-911-a.html

I love this thread. The green '74 that so many people stayed away from and never chased down is probably one of the most desirable midyears out there. Not just being almost or completely rust free, this rookie card has a fantastic color and it's a coupe.

Wow, I look at this car now and in my mind it's saying 'freakin' sweet', wish I got over myself and all the hype, saved my money and went to the OP and bought this car without ever looking at another 911 or looking back.

Now try to find one like this that's even close.

[Matt Monson]

Yep. I kick myself for not buying that car.

[2cam]

I love the mid-years (narrow body and bright trim) and would trade my 3.2 for one in comparable condition in a minute.

2cam

[brisboats]

The galvanized bodies do mean something even now. I have seen some pretty rusted up 74's 76's not so much same climates. ROW cars always seem to be much more prone to rust.

B

[Shamus911]

In a word, yes!

I recently picked up a very straight (and decidedly un-messed-with) '76 911S for many of the reasons already discussed, and I figured my chance at getting one was dropping by the week. The galvanized metal, the narrow body, a well sorted out 2.7 and the rare-ish color were pluses.

As with many of these cars, it needed some attention in the CIS, WUR, FPR areas due to sitting for awhile which helped in the price negotiations. Those issues now largely sorted (luckily via tuning, and without too much expensive replacement) the car is an absolute blast.

To me, the original flat 6 Fuchs, chrome brightwork, rear vent windows, and narrow body really help it look old-school so it bridges between the Carreras and the longhood cars beautifully and it's a real joy to compare it's vibe to my 964.

I say get a good one if you can!

[christiandk]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

At this age galvanized no longer offers protection. I like the light simple not smog encumbered '74. Also not required to smog in my state.

There's a good thread here in marketplace that started in 2006. You can see the changes over time by following it's progression. A member bought the car and is now driving it. It's a $25k+ car today that I snubbed at $7500 5 years ago.

Galvanization not offering protection because of age? What?

If it is broken or worn down yes, but because of age - no way Jose!