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Hello all- II have been looking at 70's/80's Porsches for the past year. Have had an affinity for the 78-83 SC's since I was a kid.
This week I am looking at an 1980 SC 911. ~110k miles on it and the current owner has been in possession for the last 28 years. Asking $70k (thoughts on that appreciated as well).
I have gained a lot of knowledge from the Porsche community and have found a ton of knowledge on the forum.
I say all that to ask; If you were purchasing this car, what are the non-negotiables you would have inspected/ due diligence for? I know the head studs are frequently cited as an issue but how are these checked proactively? Also- I know the 70's car timing chain tension replacements were a must but not sure for this 1980 if necessary. Any and all info is appreciate, even if directing me to the appropriate post or forum.
I am 2 yrs into full resto of 81 Targa. Check the B pillars where they join rockers. Rust in this area and kidney bowls is a huge job. Also inspect the front bumper mount area for rust, just above bumper shock mounts
70G for an SC seems insane to me .. but maybe tha is just where the market is .. and its not even a coupe. its a Garden variety Targa ...
id definitely get a copy of the used 911 story buy Pete Zimmermann , its a great start.
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if the guy tell you he wants 70G USD , and then tells you " ac just needs a recharge" .. id laugh .. for that money absolutely everything should work 100% ... he will then likely tell yo " none of them work" but still want his 70K .
head studs are easy to check , just like battery rust in the tray,
Definitely have a PPI at your choice of place not the sellers and adjust your offer accordingly
ice-
thanks for your reply. I would be interested what your thoughts on regarding the market for this make/model. The ask is $70 but would likely only buy if available for $60.
I am having a hard time finding cars (SC’s or 80’sCarreras) in my price range. Scouring the sites for several months but am still carless.
ice-
thanks for your reply. I would be interested what your thoughts on regarding the market for this make/model. The ask is $70 but would likely only buy if available for $60.
I am having a hard time finding cars (SC’s or 80’sCarreras) in my price range. Scouring the sites for several months but am still carless.
Appreciate your thoughts
Pricing is very regional . Im in canada , so maybe that is in fact where the Market is ... but if I was paying 70 K USD , id be looking at Carrera coupes.
lets wait for others to chime in on pricing. These are air cooled Porsches, they don't pop up every day ...
There is a guy on here right now who just mentioned he is interested in selling his car, why not talk to him ? ( Edward )
A quick look at the April classifieds in Panorama shows that $70k is pretty reasonable. The May issue is around here somewhere but I didn't look for it. There are a few for less but they're all condition 4 cars. The condition 3 cars are all around $70k and up. If You're not a PCA member you need to join. If you don't already own a Porsche you can become a member by the test drive membership option. There are plenty of 911s for sale in their magazine, "Panorama."
A quick look at the April classifieds in Panorama shows that $70k is pretty reasonable. The May issue is around here somewhere but I didn't look for it. There are a few for less but they're all condition 4 cars. The condition 3 cars are all around $70k and up. If You're not a PCA member you need to join. If you don't already own a Porsche you can become a member by the test drive membership option. There are plenty of 911s for sale in their magazine, "Panorama."
i do find club member cars are always at the very top end as they feel personally attached to their cars and feel that are worth more than they actually are.
I think between 70 and around the 35-40 above poster got his far would be the right price.
I recently purchased a 1983 911 SC w/ 200k miles for $47k. I did have a PCA tech mechanic look at it and gave his approval stating it was top 15% car. It appears w/ these cars each is individually challenged, meaning they have 40+years of life on them and different care. I bought mine based as much on the owner as the car. He had all the service records over the years including prior owners' work. I think this helps but doesn't give you complete confidence. Just know more will need to be done but hopefully not the big stuff. The car you describe in my opinion is high price for that car. Unfortunately the market will correct some but not entirely.
Remember, judging prices based on people's ASKING price is faulty. Find out what they are SOLD for. in any event, expect to pay 50+ US for a good one. They can be had for less but will need work in some way. I bought from a PCA member, west coast car with zero rust. Solid, very nice car, under 50k. Ran/drove fine, but did need about 10k in various work over the year. Like others have said, for 70k, it should be damn near perfect and require nothing but gas to enjoy. I looked for almost a year before I found my "right" car. be patient and 100% buy from a PCA member if you can. Even still, it's an ol Porsche. Expect to put at least 10k more into it fixing little things (and/or big things) over the first year or two.
Head studs are rarely a problem in an SC. Aluminum case, better studs than pre-78 cars. Suspension bushings on a 40+ year old car dry out and can cause other parts to wear (torsion bars, etc.) ask me how I know. BEWARE of any car that has sat for a while. These cars love to be driven often. I have not gone longer than 3 weeks without driving my car, in several years of ownership. Typically I drive it 1-2 times a week and at least 50-100 miles minimum. DO NOT be afraid of mileage. Previous owner of my car put on 500 miles TOTAL in the last 5 years he owned it. I put on about 4,500 per year since i've owned it. All in all, the SC is a SOLID, reliable car. Drive it often and it'll reward you with smiles for miles.
Remember, judging prices based on people's ASKING price is faulty. Find out what they are SOLD for. in any event, expect to pay 50+ US for a good one. They can be had for less but will need work in some way. I bought from a PCA member, west coast car with zero rust. Solid, very nice car, under 50k. Ran/drove fine, but did need about 10k in various work over the year. Like others have said, for 70k, it should be damn near perfect and require nothing but gas to enjoy. I looked for almost a year before I found my "right" car. be patient and 100% buy from a PCA member if you can. Even still, it's an ol Porsche. Expect to put at least 10k more into it fixing little things (and/or big things) over the first year or two.
Head studs are rarely a problem in an SC. Aluminum case, better studs than pre-78 cars. Suspension bushings on a 40+ year old car dry out and can cause other parts to wear (torsion bars, etc.) ask me how I know. BEWARE of any car that has sat for a while. These cars love to be driven often. I have not gone longer than 3 weeks without driving my car, in several years of ownership. Typically I drive it 1-2 times a week and at least 50-100 miles minimum. DO NOT be afraid of mileage. Previous owner of my car put on 500 miles TOTAL in the last 5 years he owned it. I put on about 4,500 per year since i've owned it. All in all, the SC is a SOLID, reliable car. Drive it often and it'll reward you with smiles for miles.
For the most part i agree except for that last paragraph. Studs on an SC are very much an issue and should absolutely be checked before any purchase. On the SC they are Dilivar and prone to rust . The intake 12 are steel but the lower 12 Dilivar exhaust ones are the real issue .
I just bought a 1980 911SC Targa on BaT a couple of weeks ago. It was local to me, so I got to inspect it and didn’t have to pay to transport. It has 71k miles. I paid about $12k less than your seller is asking. Everything works on mine, and it was well maintained. It was owned by an enthusiast that had 4-5 “weekend cars.” At $70k, I’d pass unless it’s exactly what you’re looking for.
If you’re considering buying it, I’d bring it to an air cooled specialist and have them run through it. A leak down test is a must for understanding engine condition.
These are now old cars, so the standard checklist will not really apply but rather be an accessory to the main problems, high mileage, collision damage, (and although the bodies are galvanized) rust. Also owner modifications, missing parts, and wearout issues (like having to recover a set of leather sport seats!). We do prepurchase inspections on Porsches every day here at our shop autoatlanta. The 2000 and up Porsches take two hours, then the older they get the longer it takes because of all of the cars' histories. On some of them it takes all day. Funny I was looking at your pictures, and it reminded me of this shot from my house:
05-05-2024, 07:42 PM
911 SC buyer's guide/checklist
