Should I have bought it...
 

So found a car on craigslist last week.

1977 911
-Guards Red STEEL turbo 930 wide body [Done Right]
-1975 2.2 liter engine bored out to a 3.0 liter fresh rebuild
-Needed some missing interior carper
-Needed new seats [current ones were worn]
-Needed oil pressure wired up [gage not working but had pressure obviously]
-zero rust
-98k miles
-wide fuch wheels

Car runs and drives great. Paint was beautiful and only had a few dings on the body. Asking 20k cash and was willing to let it go for 18k cash to me. I was thinking it over and was about to go pick it up but something came up. The car sold today unfortunately..

Should I have bought that same day when he said 18k would take it?

Was that deal pretty good? I feel like it was a steal of a price, the seller didn't know how to advertise the car and didn't respond to e-mails (I got lucky and found his #)

Did I miss out? Thoughts anyone?

Have pics for those interested

I think you lucked out not getting it. Congrats! But post some pics.

Btw, 75 engines were 2.7.

It sounds like pics should be posted in this thread! --->

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-marketplace-discussion/887142-boss-sheeper-them-all-28.html

As they say it all happens for a reason.

It's sometimes very hard to make an educated decision in a minute, let alone days when it comes to an old 911 purchase. I think psychologically it's hard when someone buys something you want. Naturally it makes you want it more.

I wouldn't beat yourself up over it. $18K was a fair deal in this market. It would have been a joke as those guys suggested if it were 4 years ago.

The steel 930 body is a plus, and it being a '77 is OK. I don't know about the 2.7 being punched out though.

Don't beat yourself up. The right car will come along. Save a little more money and the right car will be there. $18K sounds like a good deal until you spend another $3K on the fuel system, another $3K on the interior, and another $3K on misc. (and this is being very low and that's if you are doing everything yourself) so suddenly it's a $27k car - not so much of a deal now.

Be patient.

^^^^^say what? $9k for that?

Never paid that much, but maybe it's because I do it myself.

MattR

With all the threads showing rusted out non running 911's and 912's for over $20k; no one thinks a running driving 911 is a deal at $18K?
It is a sheeper with the Turbo look, but it was a fair price. I bet most of the $30k cars need the same engine and suspension work.
It seems you need to be in the $60k range to get a semi sorted car now.

Yeah Matt, say this. Yes, I do it myself. Any CIS system that old will need work, and even if you do it yourself:

1) Fuel Distributor and Warm Up Rebuild At reputable shop: $545.
2) New Injectors: $340
3) New filter and accumulator/new plastic lines: $175
4) New Tunnel Lines: $260
5) New Fuel Tank (or boil out): $490/$150
6) Fuel Pump: $100
7) Misc things when all this is happening: $300

I'm almost at $2k in parts, and it's not done. Granted it's the entire system, but the car is 40 years old.

2) Interior

1) Nice Carpet set: $300
2) Nice pair of used seats: $600
3) Interior Trim Pieces: $325
4) Dash Repair: $200

I'm at $1500 in parts, at the very lower level, and if the car needs anything else like 1) Door Panels, 2) Handle work, 3) Rear Seat work, then it's another $500.

3) And all the other misc things a 40-year-old 911 needs like new tires for safety, brakes, and the such I am budgeting around $3K.

And yes, that's all if you are on a serious budget AND DO IT YOURSELF. So $9K is nowhere near far off. So if you get your parts for free, then I can see it. But if you think that a car like this is going to take less than $9K to get it safe and sound, you're out of your mind. I'd like to know what you pay since you never 'paid' that.

Never said it wasn't a deal, but there are other cars out there that he can probably get if he's serious and works at it. But anything out there this old is going to take time and money to get it safe no matter what.

Sounds like a fair price for a sheeper running under its own power. I'm with Sal on you're $9k away from a sheeper in good shape, and then it's still a sheeper.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

Sal(ivator):

You're speculating. Based on the condition described (of the above car) it wouldn't take near that to get a nice roadworthy driver. Did you even read the description?

I've redone a a lot of cars, and it varied on costs. But as an example on my 78 my CIS only required a tank clean, injector refurb and WUR adjustment. So minimal $'s there.

The OP's interior doesn't sound like a 3k job either.

I ain't saying the costs can't get there, just not for what was described.

But hey, pay what you need brother. I will keep trying to save as much $ as I can.

MattR

I know sheepers..

But wanting a wide body on a 911 that isn't a turbo doesn't make it a sheeper.. Not sure if a lot of old Porsche dudes are lost.

Having a turbo wide body targa with horrible vents and turbo badges everywhere is a good sheeper example. Well-done STEEL wide body cars with a nice set of wheels are great IMO. The purists will say different but some nice cars are getting mixed up with sheepers just cuz there isn't a turbo in it.

Not everyone can spend 100k on a turbo and some don't even want the power sometimes.

Firm believer in it wasn't meant to be also.

Your post summed it up well. Thanks!

It was a very fair price but being that I have one more semester before graduation, my parents would look at me like I was a lunatic spending 18k on a 77 911..

I found similar examples I might jump on but just hard setting out so much cash. Especially since it'll be sitting till spring.

Everyone had good points but Matt is correct with the car not needing much.

The car had a couple thousand miles on the rebuild and healthy. Needed just a couple black interior peices to be complete and some new seats if you wanted to be comfy. Oil pressure could have been fixed with an aftermarket unit no big deal.

Again could have bought it and daily'd it the same day.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps6k1x1pym.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psvwvetsls.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psxygo3lfd.jpg

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psf0lszr3c.jpg

This changes everything and lines up with SalP's comment "It all happens for a reason". You should focus on getting life going and making money before you start spending it.
But do whatever you want. It's your life.

To me, any 911 that looks like a Turbo but is not powered by a turbocharged or big power n/a engine is a sheeper - including the factory "Turbo look" cars which are over priced sheepers. That said, I don't think there is anything wrong with that (each to their own), butt a sheep in wolf's clothing machine is not for me (neither is a wolf in sheep's clothing - aka, a sleeper).

Yup and like I said I completely agree 100% with him. Was tryng to purchase bikes and random cars in the last and told the sellers if it's meant to be ill get it, if not then it's all good.

I have the dash and I don't owe on any loans. Have a job already lined up so that's not a problem. Was just looking for some input and you guys helped shine some more light on the subject. Thanks!!

Was a good deal but still needed some love to be a comfortable daily. Timing was bad, hopefully deals pop up in May. I'll keep my eyes peeled.

Yup gotcha makes sense.

But there is a grey area I see a lot of people calling out as bad buys when it's a pretty well done 911.

The horrible ones are easily differentiated from the well done examples.

Timing is everything. Thanks for the photos - it does look pretty sweet though. No matter what Ronnie says I like the Turbo body and those wheels look nice. Looks like the guy did it right. I can see why you wanted it. To me it's not a sheeper, but hey, now you get to hunt for another car which is half the fun.