charge

I need some opinions please.
I have the car the used to belong to James Elson, and absolutely adore it.
My dilemma comes from the fact that the original engine was sold to a guy building a 935 rep project, who then chopped it in for a 964 racer with a chap who rents space in my yard. He has worked on the car for the past year, and has done a cracking job, making a Valient homage car with the correct bodywork, wheels, suspension brakes ect.
He is now ready to install the engine, which is the original from my car that James had built by CTR Developments to quite a high spec. As he didn't crack 200mph, he then flat-nosed the car, de guttered it and had a monster engine built for it with no expense spared. See link if interested https://rennlist.com/forums/964-turb...-progress.html
Dave with the 935 has offered the original engine to me on the basis he has the twin turbo engine, but straight swap.
It will cost me around £4-5k to take a fully finished, mapped, no holds barred twin turbo race engine out of my car, to then install the original by the time a new loom is fabricated, tail altered to fit the original cooler, exhaust etc.
I would be keener if the swap over was paid for bearing in mind the £60k engine Dave would be getting with the Inconel headers, Marston intercooler, etc. but he keeps talking values and matching numbers.
I bought the car for what it is and what James achieved with it (212mph in the end!) but really don't know which way to go. Another month, I wont have a choice. Please let me know what you would do?

Flachbau

It seems to me that the value in this car is in it's story and what James did with it over time - and in its final form at his passing. I would leave it as you got it. That is true 'homage'.

speednme

Absolutely NOT! The engine James had built is unique to that car...lots of time and money went into it. I would leave it as is...as Flachbau stated..it's the way James would've wanted it..

Just to add..if you are going to convert the entire car back to original then I could see the need of the original engine...if not then I see no point in swapping out for the original....

charge

Many thanks for both your replies.

I have a warped sense of reality, as I am told daily that matching numbers is the way to go, and as previously stated I bought the car for what it is but doubt about long term ownership has crept in from gentle brainwashing.
Bear in mind James has the original engine very well fettled before he went all in, but you are both right.
I thank you for the reality check, and thanks for your advice!

Metal Guru

That guy is trying to hose you as the engine in your possession is worth far more than the original engine. Also, your car is so far from original that "numbers matching" isn't even worth discussing. At this point, your car has it's own provenance as it is a well-documented project with involvement by some the top vendors in the Porsche tuning industry.
I agree with the others; don't change a thing.