Having now done some considerable research, and taking the advice of "buy the best you can afford"I find myself in the position of being in the $10-$15 range. I wonder of some of the members could clarify a few things.
Are the 74-77 cars the nightmare that many make them out to be? I have seen some cars advertised with some fixes for the thermal reactor problem, but are they still a no no? The reason is they are a little cheaper, but is this false economy.

Given I am buying from Canada with, not such a big market the cars in the USA seem quite attractive price wise. What sort of view is there on year, model when you get down into the lower price range?

 

The 74-77 cars are only a nightmare if they haven't had the necessary engine rebuild done, and done correctly. For $10-$15K, you should be able to find a 911SC in good shape. Don't spend all your money, hold some back for unexpected or near term repairs - they sometimes show up despite a good pre-purchase inspection. If you haven't already, the 911SC FAQ on tech.rennlist.com might provide some additional information.

 

Bill's right.
One thing to know, don't automatically include 74s in with the 75-77s. Yes they have the magnesium case, but NOT the thermal reactors/EGR crap that the 75-77s have. Generally 74s will run a little cooler because of this and not have the over-heating problems. Still, any of them that have been rebuilt correctly and by a pro with all the updates, can be a great running and reliable car.
Good luck!

 

If you can find a '76 or later 2.7 that has been cared for (especially having the engine updated properly), you may have a sweet deal: strong motor, full galvanized body and lower price due to it's "reputation".

 

The 2.7 mid year cars had a reputation of pulling head studs VERY EARLY ON IN THE CAR'S LIFETIME... in other words, within the first few years.

Sorry for the shouting caps ... but I honestly have no idea why people repeat the "2.7 pulling head stud" mantra like it's 20 years ago. Sure, this would have been a serious consideration if you were shopping for a 2.7 in the early '80s. But...

...the last time I checked, it's 2004... and even the "newest" of the mid-year cars (1977) is now over 27 years old.

So this can only mean two things:

1) The 2.7's were unjustly maligned, and so last 25-30 years plus with no problems... or (more likely)...

2) A very high percentage of them were rebuilt two decades (and several owners) ago. I've had at least one 2.7 owner tell me that the Porsche dealers themselves ended up fixing a fair number of 2.7s because the head stud problem occurred often within the actual warranty of the car itself.

- Also, 99% of these cars have long since had the (dreaded) thermal reactors pulled.

- The 74's ran cooler.

- The factory upgraded half of the studs on the 77s (the lower ones, I think... the one's that pulled 90% of the time).

- My 77 without the thermal reactors and only a 5 blade fan runs cooler than two 11 blade SC's I drove (a 78 and an 82).


One more thing when looking at the 3 liter SC's. Their very reliability means that most of them have not been rebuilt. So beware. If you spend any time around here and the Pelican Parts forum, you'll see that now the #1 cars with head stud problems (by a wide margin) are the SC's. With the SC's the problem is head studs snapping. Not because the engines are unreliable, but simply because they are getting up there in age.

So the moral is, don't automatically rule out the 2.7's. Drive as many models as you can to get a good feel for the cars. And always get a PPI done


-MAS

 

Or you could always check out a 1986 911 Targa that's right in your range.



Seriously, though, it boils down to a combination of "the best" and "the newest" you can afford with a heavy dose of "that you LIKE."

Of course, affordability is a primary factor but, if the best or newest you can afford is something you don't like (or CAN'T afford after factoring near/short/long-term maintenance), it doesn't matter if you can afford it at the time you buy it, you know?

Just my $0.02-

Adrian

 

Drive many different 1974-1988 911s to feel the difference before you buy. The vast array of opinions you'll find on this and the other Porsche boards can be confusing and contradictory. (Like I could write that you're making a GIANT MISTAKE purchasing a 74-77 911 when you could purchase an early 1965-1973 911. But I won't.) The only way you'll know which model 911 is best for your purpose is to drive as many as possible before you buy. Good luck with your search.

 

Can't you buy in the U.S. and import? you can get nice SCs and early Carrera's in Los Angeles all day long for $15k (oh, your thinking Canadian Dollars), never mind.

 

Hey Carless,

Don't be missled by the '75-'77 2.7L hype that has lasted low these many years.

All the above is true, but that may not be the whole story. '76 911s are lighter and quicker than most of the later models, plus they are galvanized to prevent rust. They have about the same power as the 3.0L cars and now that they are 27+ years old, are exempt from inspection (here in VA) and the insurance is next to nothing.

My '76 911S Targa had the studs replaced over 100K mi. ago and the radiator oil cooler and the back dated exchaust system.

Today it has 220K mi. on the clock and still runs with the best of them.

You should be able to find one for $5k to $8k on Ebay or in any of the trader sites. Most club members will list them at reasonable prices on their local club web sites.

As Bruce Anderson says, "Buy the newest that YOU can AFFORD". But don't pass up a nice '76 if you see one.

John

 

Yes, the 2.7L car's are the sweet price-performance seet spot -- precisely because they are little-loved. Be sure all internal strengthening has been done on the engine.

Glavanizing started in the early 70's and by the late 70's the whole car was galvanized.