Value of my '80 SC widebody

[Sicklyscott]

Hi Folks -

I went to a track day last weekend and am contemplating selling my weekend toy for a track toy. I'm curious if I'll get enough out of it to fund my desires for the next car or if at the end I'll be sitting with a pile of cash too small for the elusive replacement.

I have quoted the previous for sale thread from when I bought the car a few years back. There have been some minor changes to the car in the wheel and stereo department but it is basically the same car. I will also add that although the odometer says 81k miles that it is not the speedometer that came with the car. I can say it has been with the car since 2002 and the top end refresh was indeed done 30k miles ago.

980 Porsche 911 SC
Miles: ~81k
Widebody conversion using factory turbo steel flares
VIN: 91A0140491
Exterior: black
Interior: black/red

Body/Exterior
Full widebody conversion using factory turbo flares and butt welds
No rust
Factory color is black and car appears to have been resprayed factory black after the widebody conversion. Paint is average and about 7/10. It is a looker from about 10 feet away. There are slight waves in the paint on the rear passenger-side quarter panel and various chips (mostly on the front-end) from normal wear and tear driving. This is not a concours-quality car, but looks great when washed up. Perfect for use as a daily or weekend/DE use.
Sunroof (fully functional)
Euro amber lenses front and rear
Custom bi-xenon headlights with 5000K bulbs. Superior to stock lighting, clear cut-off, high-quality fit and finish. Never been flashed in over a year and a half of driving with these lights. Full build described here: Got Lights? New Custom HID Headlights Arrived.
IROC-style front valance (GT Racing)
Authentic Fuchs wheels. Front: 8X16. Rear: 10.5X16 custom Stratton wheels with 22mm spacers. Very unique and light. Centers professionally painted black and lips fully polished in 2011. Left rear has some curb rash (see pics). No known cracks or damage.
Tires in good shape and have 8mm tread remaining on fronts and rears.
Getty duck tail
Carrera script and fender guards removed for a smooth and clean look.
New manual antenna (installed 2011)
Front windshield has "Porsche SC" etched onto the right and left edges from a prior owner.
Window trim originally black but anodization has faded in places and appears purple. Eventually would need to be resprayed to look proper.
Front and rear window seals replaced in early 2011. Water leaked into the front cabin when I bought the car. I had the issue diagnosed and culprit was front window seal and drain tube from front fresh air vent. The drain tube was not secured properly to the outlet tube and was repaired. Water no longer leaks into the cabin.
Vitaloni California mirrors painted to match and installed on stock flag mirror bases (stock mirrors come with)

Interior
Recaro LS heated seats with adjustable lumbar bladders. Cloth inserts with red vinyl bolsters. Professionally reupholstered in 2011. Installed 2011 and much better than OEM seats. Custom and OEM quality switches installed using OEM auxillary panel for center console.
Black/red Coco mats
Rennshift short shifter w/ manual reverse lockout, extra-long shift lever, Momo AirRace Leather knob, Stomski coupler. Installed summer 2011 and shifts great.
Fittipaldi three-spoke steering wheel. Looks and feels like 340-350mm, but not sure.
Carpet in good condition
External/internal thermometers with digital readout installed along lower dash edge. Easily removable if desired.
Alpine headunit with iPod connectivity
Air conditioning currently not functioning. Needs a new evaporator and new hose that runs along front driver-side fender. Front tire was rubbing against the hose. PO spent over $2800 on AC including new compressor, hoses, and fittings. PO believed it was converted to R134, but unconfirmed. I only used the AC a couple times and never had need for it after it stopped working.
Headliner near the zipper for access to the sunroof has a small rip.
Rear seats are stock red and worn/cracked. Never used and always had the rear shelf down. Rear seat belts were removed before I bought the car.
Power windows fully functional.
Slight crack in the dash, but it is worn. Overall still looks good.
Tachometer needle will occasionally get stuck due to high heat in the cabin. Originally I thought the tach went bad, but after research, discovered this is a common issue. The needle is situated very close to the plastic window and in high heat conditions, the plastic expands and thus causes the needle to stick against the plastic lens. Proper fix is to disassemble the tach and slightly bend the needle away from the plastic lens. This happens when the temp is around 90+ degrees.
Ashtray has sticky actuation and only closes about 98% of the way. I am OCD and notice this, but most people will probably not care. I do not smoke and have never let anyone else smoke in the car so the ashtray is never used.

Drivetrain
Stock 3.0 engine and runs strong. Was resealed and gone over around 50K miles (have paperwork). Never leaked oil and was bone dry until November/December 2012. Now it leaks 1-2 small dime-size drops after being driven and then stops. I believe it started because I stopped daily driving the car. I adopted a dog September 2012 and bought a BMW wagon and started using it as my DD. Porsche stayed in the garage most of the time since then and is only driven 1-2 times per month. Proof these cars need to be driven. A PPI was just performed on the car by Gerber Motorsport (GERBER MOTORSPORT | HOME) on June 21, 2013, including compression and leakdown. Numbers were so good, they tested it twice to make sure.
MSD electronic ignition
Carrera tensioners
stock 915 5-speed transmission. Shifts great with Rennshift shifter. You still need to be deliberate with shifts, like any 915.
Clutch is strong, no slipping.
SSIs and M&K 2-1 exhaust (installed May 2011). Added power and great sound. Not too loud/obnoxious, but sounds sporty.

Suspension (all installed June 2011)
22mm front and 29mm rear Sway-A-Away torsion bars
22mm front and rear Weltmeister sway bars
Elephant Racing rubber bushings all around
Turbo tie-rod bump-steer kit
Front strut brace (manufacturer unknown)

Maintenance
all maintenance completed by John Walker (unless otherwise noted) since purchased:
new Bilstein HD dampers
distributor
front hood shocks
front brakes and hoses
new manual antenna
air filter
splark plugs
fuel filter
steering joint
4-wheel alignment and corner balanced (Tru-line Seattle) in Aug 2011.
valves adjusted March 2012
distributor vacuum unit
oil pressure sender
clutch cable

and a few pics:

Untitled by sicklyscott, on Flickr

Untitled by sicklyscott, on Flickr

Untitled by sicklyscott, on Flickr

Untitled by sicklyscott, on Flickr

[bbturbo]

Oh, I like that. Nice work.

[Nachtfalter]

Driver condition stock SC in that shape is 28-32K all day. That one being modified narrows your audience to someone looking for a toy, not an investment. There are a few wide conversions to choose from:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-cars-sale/876063-1977-911-wide-body.html

This one is really cool and great interior.... granted, only a 2.7 motor but only got to 21K on ebay.

I'd guess somewhere between 25-30K for yours. Just a guess. Cool car, I love it.

[matt930s]

That car has a lot going for it. Why not just use it as a evolving track project? Get solid with the 3.0 power and then maybe move up in engine size? You could get a pretty penny for that motor...

Btw..I saw an SC supercharger on eBay recently for $2k..

My 2 cents...

MattR

[CountD]

That's one bad-a$$ 911. I have no idea what the market is on something modified such as this. I think the usual always pertains to these cars: you never, ever get your money back on all the bling and accessories.

Flares (if done right) I don't think add to the value. If they are done right and they rarely are then I would say it would be worth close to stock in value. If it were a factory job that would be another story...

It looks like a sweet ride and you'd have to find someone who wants the look and is able to pay for it.

[racer]

What do you envision as your new "track day" toy? What are the shortcomings with the current car to use as a track day toy?

[bbturbo]

I would say 25-30k, too. I absolutely love it though. The 7/10 paint pulls the price down, but it's tough to get over 30k out of a conversion car. The right buyer would have to be around.

[cajun]

Are you looking to buy a ready-made track car? Or are you looking to buy a car that can be built into a track car???

[Sicklyscott]

I am toying with the idea of selling this car to fund a 996 turbo purchase. I would t consider it a "track car" but rather a weekend toy I wouldn't mind taking to the track.

All the conversations of 911s being dangerous in inexperienced hands and the fact that it would be one of the slowest cars on the track have led me to be way too intimidated.

[CountD]

Originally Posted by Sicklyscott

I am toying with the idea of selling this car to fund a 996 turbo purchase.

I'd say this is one smooth move - and a smart one. Get it now before the door closes.

[Nachtfalter]

While I agree that the 996 is a good performance for the dollar choice, with 997 Turbos showing up in the 50K range, I seriously doubt 996 Turbos are ever going to go up in value.

[NYNick]

I like the car, but there are things I would personally change if I were to buy. That being said, $25 to $30 feels about right.

[bpu699]

My modest opinion is to track the car you have...

I just started tracking a 88 930, and am having a ball... I am cautious to the point of being slow (cogniscent of the value of the car... sigh)

If you move to a 996 turbo, you won't necessarily have more fun.

The old adage rings true: Its more fun to drive a slow car fast, then a fast car slow!

I see folks in the fastest SCCA run groups with near stock miatas, s2000, and even Saturns!

One guy is running a Saturn he is getting ready for 24 of Lemons. He stripped the doors, windows, interior, etc. The car looks like a wreck, but keeps up with the corvettes. He is into it for <$1000.

Is your goal to be fast? Or to enjoy your car?

Two very different things...

[CountD]

Originally Posted by bpu699

If you move to a 996 turbo, you won't necessarily have more fun.

The old adage rings true: Its more fun to drive a slow car fast, then a fast car slow!

I see folks in the fastest SCCA run groups with near stock miatas, s2000, and even Saturns!

One guy is running a Saturn he is getting ready for 24 of Lemons. He stripped the doors, windows, interior, etc. The car looks like a wreck, but keeps up with the corvettes. He is into it for <$1000.

Is your goal to be fast? Or to enjoy your car?

Two very different things...

This is really something to think about. My old college roommate had a Honda that ran rings around, ahem, the 911s on the track.

[racer]

Originally Posted by Sicklyscott

All the conversations of 911s being dangerous in inexperienced hands and the fact that it would be one of the slowest cars on the track have led me to be way too intimidated.

Lolz...with the size of your wheels and a stock SC, YOURS is perhaps the safest 911 out there!

Now, a noob in a 450+hp awd 3500lb turbo? that spells more trouble to me A turbo will only mask your lack of skill. 996 turbo track consumables (tires, brakes, etc) will be more $$ than the SC.

Learning to beat up turbos (ok, maybe just Caymans, or 944turbos.. or Boxsters) with only 180hp will do wonders for the ego.

Since your car isn't stock either, it would make a perfect tinkering test bed to upgrade things as you go along.

[puddy]

Wow looks like an awesome car, wish it was in Canada and I'd have buyers for it.

[Rick Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by racer

Learning to beat up turbos (ok, maybe just Caymans, or 944turbos.. or Boxsters) with only 180hp will do wonders for the ego.

Beat up turbos and more. Last year at Lime Rock there was a guy with a Lambo Murci who spun at the left hander on his first lap and did the rest of the session at schoolbus speeds. A grandmother in a '93 corolla would have lapped him before the checkered flag came out.

[Matt Monson]

996 turbos are a pig on the track. Heavy and go through rubber and brakes trying to stop all that power. And the awd hinders the handling though the perception is they aren't as twitchy as a 911. I'd keep the SC and become a better driver. That's an awesome looking car.