Tom R.

I found an 83 SC that is local.

The owner said I could call his shop. A compression and leakdown test was done a few thousand miles ago.

Here are the numbers

Cyl Comp Leak
1 95 10%
2 93 20%
3 100 18%
4 95 14%
5 110 14%
6 100 12%

First question: How much life is left in this engine? The shop that did the leak down test put the pop off valve in, if that helps analyze the way the car was driven.

Second question:
The car is a targa, no records before the current owner got it two years ago, but he says it never had bodywork. no dash cracks, something wrong with the heater/ac blower.

Assuming all he says about the body/paint is true, and the mileage at just under 100k is correct what would you say the range should be?

TIA

Steve Zitelli

I'm not an expert but it looks like the engine is a little tired.I believe leakdown on a healthy engine should be 6% or less.Also the compression #s are fairly close from cylinder to cylinder but the numbers should be higher.I would think they should be in the 130-160 range.Maybe some more experienced wrenches can back this up.

g-50cab

Any idea on how much oil it's using - Leakdown and compression is one of the factors usually it will tell you when one cylinder is greatly out of whack- looks like #2 is going bad or on the road to, that is... Yes, numbers for compression should be higher - but they are pretty consistent. Was this a cold engine?

Tom R.

Jeremy,
The seller told me the name of the shop that worked on the car. I called the shop and carbons of the bills were pulled. The shop does a lot of work for the local PCA guys, and the owner is a regular contributor of racing tech articles.

There was a note on the bill saying it is due for a motor. I am just wondering how long till things have to be done. I don't know much more than that, and it had a tune up and new valve cover gaskets. I asked about the studs and the shop owner told me he thought they were good.

I don't know about clutch age, etc. The seller wants 10.5

Kurt V

I wouldn't buy it unless I priced in the cost of a rebuild. DIY = $5000, Shop = $8000. Good '81 targa goes for $10-12k so I would give the seller $4-5K for the car.

Tom R.

Do you know of SCs that are otherwise clean that went for that little?

g-50cab

Well Tom - you are essentially looking at a roller if it needs an engine. What are you looking for - I know a good track car for $13.5 and there was an SC in the St. Pete paper for $9K

Tom R.

can i get a season of autocrosses and maybe a few DE's out of that motor? The head studs are supposedly OK. I would get a PPI of to confirm what else i would be in for.

If I buy it as a roller, use it for a season or two can i sell it as a roller for basically same $$?

What is a roller with 98k worth?

AHEDAU

Theres no way the guy would take $4-5K for it! He'll just hold out until a less knowledgeable buyer comes along. No harm in trying I suppose, I know what my reply would be though.

Tom R.

I know it's cheaper in the long run to buy the best example. I see cars advertised with "all" the work done with mileage around 125k for about 16k. like this one for example http://drlnet.tzo.net/

If the motor work is about 8k that brings me down to 8k. and i haven't negotiated with the 16k sellers.

If I were to get the local car (not that Im horney for the car, just trying to get a better grasp of 911 economics) for say 8k which seems like a bit much when the numbers are crunched, can I drive it for say 10k miles with that motor, and sell it in two years for7k plus whatever little things I put into it, with the same tired motor?

Kurt V

Tom what you are looking for is a guarantee and you aren't going to get it from us. You could buy that car and get another 50K miles out of it or you could be driving it home from the seller and a ring break or a valve head snap off from the stem. The point being with those compression and leak down numbers at best you have a tired engine, at worst it is going to have something serious happen and you are looking at an immediate rebuild. You are rolling the dice with this car.

Tom R.

Kurt,
That sounds fair. Is there much of a difference in price between a 911 with a tired engine and a 911 with an engine in need of an immediate rebuild?

If there isnt much difference in value what have i got to loose buying it with a tired engine? if i get 20k miles out of it im a winner, if something serious happens i can sell it as a roller at a small loss.

Is my logic all screwed up?

What is the most i should pay assuming everything else is 8.5/9 after a PPI?
And thanks. I sincerely appreciate your input.