Value of a 77 911S?

[motiv8ed]

Running driving mostly original 77 911. 140K miles with documented ownership history. Seems to be a car with great potential. Has original 2.7 with Webers. Car mostly sat for the last 10 yrs so now chasing a couple of leaks, carb tuning issues etc. Starts right up, has good oil pressure, pulls strong and smooth through the gears. Idles rough(#2 seems to drop off at idle) Lots of receipts including top end 40k miles ago which is when the Webers were installed. Replaced brake master this week and brakes still require more leg than what my other boosted 77 requires so chasing vacuum or booster issue or I just didn’t do a good job bleeding. Mostly original paint is ok from 10 ft. Has some rust in both left and right rockers (see pics) and evidence of some on left front fender along support beam, several door dings and evidence of some previous touch up work in various locations. Otherwise great tub, floorboards, front suspension pan etc. Working Sunroof car with original leather comfort seats with some pulled stitching but definitely repairable. Perfect dash, door panels etc other than drivers side map pocket is ratty (removed in pic). Roll up windows.

My take on the car is that it would be a great fun dependable driver with a little work, or a good basis for whatever direction one might envision. Tons of potential and able to be used while you map out the plan. These middies are great cars that feel very similar to the Long Hoods I’ve owned over the yrs. Light and nimble.

If I decide to sell, I may also sell a spare 2.7 I bought for another project a few yrs ago that I’ll no longer need since purchasing the 3.0. It’s a strong motor that I had health checked and run on a dyno last year at Kelly Moss Motorsports with excellent documented results. I’ll run a 2nd thread on it to get the Pelicanites take on its value potential as well.

Anyway, I might be forced to thin the herd occupying the garage after my wife’s brand new Subaru sustained hail damage last weekend.....while sitting in the driveway. UGH!
I have another 77 slick roof that’s getting a 3.0 installed next week and a 84 with 32K miles occupying spots 2 & 3.

Lemme know your thoughts. Can take more pics as necessary

[SalParadise]

Problem is the rust. That's $10K worth of rust repair, because you are going to find the kidney bowls are probably gone, not to mention some shenanigans under the tar mat on the floor. With that rust it's going to take a special person who wants to sink $10K and a lot of their time to fix (at least). I think it's worth $19K, because look at that beautiful '77 Targa for sale on here that's down to $29K and it's practically mint with a glass-out respray.

[Matt Monson]

$15-20k. Put it on eBay and see if you can send it to Europe. They seem more willing to deal with rust on a car like that.

[motiv8ed]

Great feedback guys, thank you!

[kc911s]

That rust will scare some potential buyers away.

[motiv8ed]

Of course....Thanks.

I’m still on the fence as far as keep or part ways. There’s many things I like about the car and I don’t see it as a huge project. I see it as strong potential for a sympathetic occasional localized rust repair while continuing to drive and enjoy...keeping as much of original paint as possible. The tub, floorboards, front pan etc are all fantastic. But finding a convenient place to store remains the lingering issue.

For decades I’d snub my nose at the mid yr cars, having never driven one. Now that I have two of them, I really like them. The 2.7 is a sweet motor, especially with Webers/PMO’s & SSI’s.

[Matt Monson]

Truth.

[pmax]

At 140K, count on a full rebuild on that 2.7, think $$$$.

And Sal, $10K for rust repair on this car, where do I sign up for that ?

Did someone mention rust ?
https://www.youtube.com/embed/NrelJWYnnLA

[motiv8ed]

Like me, I see any prospective buyer as a guy that likes a driver project that can be enjoyed while doing improvements & partial resto. That’s why I jumped on this car when I found it. If I do decide to sell, I’d hope “that guy” that shares a similar passion jumps to the front of the line. Like they say, its not the destination, its the journey. Drive, enjoy, improve, enjoy.

Thanks for the replies

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by pmax

And Sal, $10K for rust repair on this car, where do I sign up for that ?

I was trying to be positive.

There is a nice Minerva blue '77 coupe up for sale right now in the for sale section for $24K - has no rust. So that maybe would make this red one worth $14K, but no one is going to sell it that low.

[motiv8ed]

LOL...at the rate this thread is headed south, I’d do better donating it to a worthy
cause. Seriously though, good, great and better deals will always surface....I would just want the right buyer at a fair price for both parties.

Regardless, leaning towards keeping.

[thamlin000]

The only running/driving 911s that sell for around $15k are the POS ones. This is not one of those. Has some rust but people drove these cars for years with rust like that as long as it doesn't affect suspension mounts and you aren't falling through the floorboard.

From what I see, looks like a good car. I'd be interested in interior pics. Needs some mechanical sorting and a leakdown/compression #s would be good. It still has wheels, original paint and rare mid-year rocker/fender arch trim. The SSIs are a huge plus. Original paint doesn't last 40 years without a caring owner(s).

I'll go higher than others, ask $25k and eventually sell for low $20s. Someone will pay north of $20k for this car. Keep it garaged, drive and fix it as you go.

[pmax]

^^^Don't understand how people do that.. leave rust like that for years... knowing it's eating the car inside out every minute of the day.

motiv8ed,
Don't know how long you have had this but fix the rust issue sooner than later.

[LUFTKUL]

$25K if you can wait for the right buyer.
$22,500 probably a good sale price for both sides.
$20K or slightly less if you want it gone quickly.

[motiv8ed]

Thank you, Luftkul and Thamlin, for the constructive commentary. I see you both have had 77’s and can speak to their unique character. While I’ve loved every 911 I’ve ever owned, all for different reasons, these mid yr cars strike a cord with me since I avoided them like the plague for decades. Time has a way of changing one’s perspective. Like Luftkul, I have a really really nice original 84 and love it for the longer jogs. But for a blast through the canyons, its hard to beat a Middie or Long Hood. Can’t wait to plug the 3.0 into my other 77. BTW, if you have any thoughts on PMO’s vs the perfect CIS on the 3.0, chime in. I’ve got a set so its just a matter of choosing which way to go.

[nathanbs]

Originally Posted by motiv8ed

Thank you, Luftkul and Thamlin, for the constructive commentary. I see you both have had 77’s and can speak to their unique character. While I’ve loved every 911 I’ve ever owned, all for different reasons, these mid yr cars strike a cord with me since I avoided them like the plague for decades. Time has a way of changing one’s perspective. Like Luftkul, I have a really really nice original 84 and love it for the longer jogs. But for a blast through the canyons, its hard to beat a Middie or Long Hood. Can’t wait to plug the 3.0 into my other 77. BTW, if you have any thoughts on PMO’s vs the perfect CIS on the 3.0, chime in. I’ve got a set so its just a matter of choosing which way to go.

stick with the CIS unless you are changing the cams

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by SalParadise

I was trying to be positive.

There is a nice Minerva blue '77 coupe up for sale right now in the for sale section for $24K - has no rust. So that maybe would make this red one worth $14K, but no one is going to sell it that low.

That car won't sell for $24k, the engine is sitting on a pallet. It needs to be running for $24k.

[pmax]

List this rusty middie on BAT. They don't seem to mind putting in the $$$.

The Minerva 77 is already sold multiple times over.

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by Matt Monson

That car won't sell for $24k, the engine is sitting on a pallet. It needs to be running for $24k.

Aw, c'mon Matt - you of all people should know that thing is worth that even with the engine on the pallet. I bet he had 10 people with cash in hand for that deal within the first 30 minutes. I don't remember seeing a Minerva blue '77 for sale in awhile. It's easily worth $24K as-is.

[SalParadise]

Originally Posted by pmax

Why ?

Marketplace threads gotta be realistic given this car is probably on sale. In other forums, I agree.

Why? Because by his words you could immediately tell he was leaning on keeping it. It's better to be positive when someone goes down the slope - because by the feeling I got is that he was going to start into it and not care what we said.

To me any mid year with that amount of visible rust in those areas is the tip of the iceberg. You say that maybe the floor is mint - but you check under the bitumen tar mat and it's holding it together. You check the rockers, there are gone and so are the kidney bowls. As you know, it's one thing after another.

Let's say it's got $20K worth of rust repair. What are you going to do? Sell at $7K? No, you're going to keep it and get in there and hope for the best.

When you own these cars you have to be an optimist at some level. There's always something to do and that something always costs more than you think - even if you do it yourself.