whatstherisk

Currently looking into purchasing my first Porsche- I have been looking for some time so would say I have novice to intermediate knowledge about the vehicles but am by no means an expert. I have an idea of what the car is worth and items to look for before making an offer but wanted to see what advice the thread would offer...

Car is a one owner (I would be the second) 79 911SC Targa with approx 75,000 miles on it, purchase and service documentation are limited at best but I know the owner so can validate they are in fact the original owner. Color is petrol blue metallic, with black interior and black Targa top- the Targa hoop is aluminum not black. A matching Porsche tail was added to the car after it was originally purchased. It also has AC (not sure if it works I forgot to check) and black fuchs wheels- I do not have a picture of the options tag so can not validate if this car came with the upgraded performance package. I did decode the vin and it is accurate. The car is completely original with the exception of the driver and passenger seats being reupholstered, and aftermarket shift ****. The car has received regular oil changes, occasional 'tune ups', tires replaced and I'm sure a break job was done at some point, but no service documentation really exists.

I would rate the overall condition as fair- the exterior paint is original and to the avid collector would need a repaint, but would be a solid 5-10 footer with a good day or so of work but would still show some scratches and aging. The top has two minor rips but are not total holes, and the rubber seals have begun to crack so would need replacing. The interior is in a bit better shape and needs a new shift ****, really good cleaning and eventual rear upholstery. While inspecting the car I did not notice any rust or major body/structural issues; there was a whole about the size of a quarter next to the battery that appeared to be from battery acid corrosion. A small oil stain (about an inch or two wide) was on the garage floor under the engine, but no other oil spots/leaks/seeping seemed to exist.

Car has always been garaged kept and in all likelihood never saw bad weather, unfortunately the car has only been driven a handful of times over the past few years. It started right up and drove with no issues or hesitations that I could notice. When it first started it did produce some white/blue smoke and made a tapping noise while driving- which I believe to be results of the oil sitting and not fulling circulating but will have it checked out either way.

I am in the process of scheduling a PPI before I make a final decision on whether to make an offer, and if so how much. Any suggestions on value, items to ask/look for, and necessary repairs/upgrades and associated costs would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Amber Gramps

Good looking car. Doesn't sound like it has too many problems. I'd certainly take a closer look. ...then again I happen to like a certain old blue 911.



http://www.finecars.cc/en/detail/car/107855/index.html

JCP911S

This sounds like a very solid, correct car... one-owner is a big plus. Also original paint is a big plus (even though it might be faded), it indicates that there was probably no body damage on the car.

The PPI is critical. Go to a reputable independent Porsche specialist... (if you tell us where you are located, somebody here can probably give you a good recommendation...) broken head-studs, chain tensioners and gear synchs are the major issue on these cars, and the PPI will reveal this.

Other items:

The A/C sucks on these cars... If it were me, I'd just tear it out (keep the parts, though), but if you NEED A/C there a upgrade kits that work... lots of good info on this site.

Budget $1.5-2K for a total rebuild on the Targa top and seals.... this sounds expensive, but these cars all leak if the seals are not in top shape, so just do it now.

If the paint is factory original, I'd think twice about a re-paint... a lot of collectors value it, even if it is faded ("patina" in car speak), and a factory-quality re-paint will run well north of $5K... (maybe more like $8), and can always be done later... not a deal-killer IMHO.

I'd guess in today's market $18K for this car would be a good deal, $20K reasonable, and I would not be shocked if a buyer offered as much as $25K.

These are really nice cars... can't really go wrong if you get a good one.

GTgears

That's a $25k car all day long. If he likes you and offers it to you at $20k, take it. If he put it on BAT it would likely go to $28-30k in that color.

JCP911S

Yeah, could be... the market is very dynamic right now... I'm probably 12 months behind.... point is, if the car checks out, and you like it, even at $28-30K, if you are buying for yourself, and not just to flip, you can't get hurt in the long run.

GothingNC

Looks like it has sold.

What was the asking price?

JCP911S

Oinks...

Collectors buy quality regardless of price because they want it and can afford it.

Dealers make markets to unite a buyer and a seller and take a commission.

Flippers end up on an Egg McMuffin.

whatstherisk

Thanks for the replies i appreciate the insights...i will let you know if it all checks out.

Starbuckslova1

Best of luck!

Logik

With those miles, he can easily ask $30k.

whatstherisk

Thanks for the advice all-

i did decide to purchase the vehicle and everything appears to check out thus far...and found a very good independent pcar mechanic along the way. Compression and leakdown test were great, windshield seals are fine, breaks, clutch, tires etc all in good working order.

A few things do need to be updated with the suspension and i am thinking of replacing the chain tensionsers with newer model ones (1984?)...thoughts?

Can anyone recommend some websites that has parts (preferably oem) for this series car so i can begin to look at buying some interior trim/seal pieces that need to be replaced?

GTgears

Pelican Parts

JCP911S

Most folks upgrade to oil-fed Carrara tensioners.... this is a common fix, so most good P-Car mechanics know how to do it... but it's not cheap... there are also mechanical tensioners that work just fine for a street car.

But I would definitely not mess around with this... a tensioner failure could cause a top-end rebuild.... on a 75K car, with no headstud issues, you should be good to go for a decade, before you need this, so I'd definitely spend the money.

Suspension is another matter... even on a low mile car, bushings, tie-rod ends, etc can get brittle and fail.... shocks can deteriorate.

I'd sit down with your P-Car specialist and put a total plan together... set some clear objectives... is this a pure street car, or do you intend to do track? The stock setup is perfect for the street, but if you want slightly more aggressive handling, there are lots of options... the trick is that everything must be designed to work together as a single system... there's a "book" on these cars, so its really a matter of deciding which package best suits you.

Once you start on suspension work, its best to do it all at once... new bushings... turbo tie-rod ends, re-valved shocks, wheel bearings, and a good alignment... it may cost $2-3K, but you'll end up with a car that will be a delight to drive for years.

There are lots of good folks doing this, so I don't want to recommend a single shop, but I have had experience with Elephant Racing, and they seem to have a good rep... but do your homework... lots of good people out there... this is a big investment, so you want to get it right first time.

I think you'll love this car.

Charles Freeborn

AutoMotion & Parts Klassik too.