'88 Cabriolet Shell with 491 Wide Body

[Ramp]

I came across an '88 Carrera Cabriolet shell with the 491 wide body option. No engine, drivetrain or suspension. Doors, hood, rear lid are intact. Top frame is missing. No rust or accidents evident. Supposedly it is a theft recovery from 25 years ago and has been in a dry garage since as a project that never got off the ground. Dash, gauges, glass etc are still intact.

Seller also has a trailer full of parts for multiple Porsche's. I'm not interested in the parts (other than those that may be needed for the shell)

Question is, what would be a fair price for the shell ? Is this worthy of purchase for a project ?



Thanks

[COLB]

Always thought the 491 in a Cab was gilding the lily.

Is it my imagination, or is that an UNGO alarm box hanging under the dash of this formerly stolen car?

If it were a coupe, it would be a great basis for a hotrod. But a stripped cab with a branded title?

The best use for this seems to be to rebody someone's 491 that got smashed. That, or weld in a roof.

$6-8k to the right buyer?

[Ramp]

Thanks. I would have thought it would be worth more and have more desirability.

[COLB]

Originally Posted by Ramp

Thanks. I would have thought it would be worth more and have more desirability.

It might be worth more. The economics of old Porsches is pretty arcane. My post is more of a swag than an informed opinion.

[Cornerlot]

Originally Posted by Ramp

Thanks. I would have thought it would be worth more and have more desirability.

A HUGE factor is the title. Does it have one? Is it clean or salvage, or even scrap? If scrap/parts/dismantle then it becomes a body panel donor. Even assembled as a running, driving car without the # matching drivetrain the cost to get there could exceed its resale value. If a coupe, now that's different.

Steve

[onevoice]

Originally Posted by Cornerlot

A HUGE factor is the title. Does it have one? Is it clean or salvage, or even scrap? If scrap/parts/dismantle then it becomes a body panel donor. Even assembled as a running, driving car without the # matching drivetrain the cost to get there could exceed its resale value. If a coupe, now that's different.

Steve

Yes, but probably the same situation if a coupe.

Pricing from the top down, i.e. The value of a nice one minus everything this needs, the value is negative. That is obviously not correct. From the bottom up, it doesn't look like all that much is there besides body panels, the number above is ballpark. The real value is for someone with a wrecked or rusted cab that is otherwise complete. It could be worth 2 or 3 times the estimate above to someone with a bent tub, but otherwise nice car.

If the title is scrap, it's a parts car or race car, but not worth much.

[techweenie]

M491 has Turbo chassis. Expect to spend $5K or so replacing what's missing -- as a start. Possibly up to that amount again for the proper wheels. Everything else is just off-the-shelf stuff.

Good for a toy/hot rod. Not so much for a restoration. And as a toy/hot rod, the "provenance" of M491 is really not relevant.

[drauz]

whatever else ever happens, its always a factory widebody cab chassis.

[Axel84]

just getting the banana arms back would be another 2-3 grand!