JackOlsen

Here's a seven-step program for you:

1) Read Pete's book.
2) Keep looking until you find a good SC.
3) Try not to get emotional about it.
4) Understand that finding a good one will take time, and probably include a few wasted PPIs.
5) Try to find an SC that has had a top end job in the last 30K or so, including new head studs.
6) No matter how mechanically adept you are, get a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) by a shop that knows SC's, and is going to check for snapped head studs, goofy CIS problems, tired transaxle, etc.
7) Before you close the deal, double-check with the shop about those head studs.

Peter Zimmermann

Dave: SCs and 3.2 Carreras are actually pretty dry cars, and most seepage/leaks that might develop are fixable. The '80-83 SCs are a little better than the '78/79 (early) cars. Late cars had Lambda + oxs, early had a smog pump. All have a cat. Carrera tensioners are a great update. '82/83 cars have far fewer broken head stud issues. Your assuption regarding pop-off valves is correct. Cheers!
Pete

theiceman

...and be carefull buying a car from a certain dealer in texas...

flatsixnut

My 83 SC drips a little but does not seem to use oil. I am constantly checking oil level (done while car is running and at warmed up temp), I have a habit of keeping a watchful eye on the oil temp guage and the oil pressure. Perhaps its just that I am new to ownership and have heard stories. So far everything has been GREAT with my 911. I have always wanted one since around the mid 70's.

My reasons for buying a 1983 SC are...
1. Very beautiful lines and sweet as hell musical engine.
2. Last year before the air/oil cooled engines got a little too hard for me to want to "do it myself".
3. 3.0's are long lasting if well maintained....or not.
4. The handling characteristics, power is not overwelming for my driving ability.
5. I can easily do my personal upgrades to the car to keep me happy for many years to come, and stay within my budget.
6. Very beautiful lines and sweet as hell musical engine. 8)

I was origanally looking for a 3.2 in the upper $20,000 range but ex wife and lawyers took away my cookie jar stash.
There are solid cars out there, and if you look at as many as you can....even look at some bad ones, you will find a fine one. I think the closer to $15,000 you go the nicer you will find.

photoguy

I picked up an '83 SC a few months ago for just over $11K. It had 72K miles and virtually everything works - including the A/C (cruise control surges a bit - anyone have any ideas about that?).

The paint is a 10 foot (maybe 15) level and there is a slight oil drip. I also had to change the engine t-stat (it ran close to 230, now around 200).

Like most, I've wanted one since I was in my early teens - and I'm really happy to finally have one.

Good luck! There's one out there for you!

Some quick pics:

theiceman

SC is absolutely the way to go for that money or maybe a litle more. 3.0 litre bullet proof engine , if it has the tensioners and PPI checks out you are pretty well set. I am much like yourself and can pretty well wrench my own stuff, this car is EASY to work on , and the tough problems may require a fuel pressure guage .. that's it pretty well unless you have access to a CO machine , then we all will be your best friend.

Welcome aboard...

ice

911Dreamer

that is sweet car looking for the same interior right now...you scored

Peter Zimmermann

photo: SC cruise control surge is normal - sorry!
Pete

gerry100

If you're already an experienced wrench you've got a big leg up on most of us and should be able to pick up the quirks of the falt six pretty easily.

Many of us on this board are like me, hack/shadetree mechanics that still do a lot of the simple stuff successfully on the older 911's.

An SC should be no problem for you, the only thing to consider is that parts while readily available are relatively expensive. A $10K SC is going to need parts.

Go for it.

Just Dave

Jeremy was right on the money, you folks are all great and I am most appreciative of all your input. I believe I will be looking for a 1980-1983 SC, 1982-1983 preferred, but won't turn my nose up at a good 1981. I have nothing but time, during which the 'Porsche Fund' has time to grow.

After doing PPIs on other cars I completely understand the value of that effort and it was a given I would have one done on whatever I purchase. However I won't do one myself on whatever 911 I look at due to the particular nature of these cars, I will have it taken to John Walker's in Seattle. I know enough to know I don't know enough, if you get my drift. In the meantime I will order up a copy of The Used 911 Story.

I believe I have a good starting point now but if anyone else wishes to chime in I would definitely look forward to what is said, more counselors to draw from is better than few as the saying goes.

Thanks a metric ton,

Dave

photoguy

911Dreamer - thanks! I'm really happy with it. I wanted a driver and it is definitely that and more.

Pete - thanks for the reply - I was starting to guess that to be the case from a few other posts I've seen. I'm not much on cruise so it's not a problem but was curious.

Mitch

Just Dave

Here is another question. To overcome the inherent issues with stock motors and high miles, I am considering having a stock 3.0 motor either built or purchased for swapping out if the car I end up buying has a bad powerplant but is otherwise a good solid machine. How much should I be looking to pay for such a motor? Nothing fancy, not wild cams, super duper ignition systems; just an updated and correct motor.

Ball park figure to the nearest thousand dollar mark and feel free to round upwards. Or is there a place I can buy a motor complete already? This isn't like going to GreenwoodChevy.com and ordering a crate 350 is it?

Thanks,

Dave

JackOlsen

Cost to rebuild a 3-liter? Excellence just did an article on this in their October issue -- their total for the job was over 22K. Problem is, that's more than 99% of all the 911SC's out there are worth. Now, that was a complete split-case rebuild with new (4K) piston's and cylinders, and is kind of beyond a worst case scenario for most of us. But realistically, if you don't do the work yourself, a rebuild is going to be in the 10-12K range nowadays, depending on what you replace and who does the work. 8K might get you a bargain basement job, and 6-8K is doable if you do the work yourself.

A top end job is less, of course -- but it probably should be said that it's no longer really much of a bargain to rebuild 911 motors, relative to the (declining) value of these cars as they continue to age and accrue miles.

Used engines are a bargain by comparison. I bought my 17,000-mile 3.6 for 5K in 2000. In doing so, I doubled my car's horsepower for less than it would have cost to rebuild the motor. But of course there are more unknowns with a used engine. It's a gamble. And 'recently rebuilt' motors for sale are probably one of the fishiest rackets going (outside of Motormeister engine work).

In terms of value, I think it still makes sense to buy the freshest, best-maintained 911 you can afford, ideally with less than 80,000 miles on the clock (but more than 40,000). Try to find one that's been put together in exactly the way you would want to build it yourself, and you'll typically save about half the cost of building a car to your own specifications. The 911 market simply isn't the kind of game where, economically speaking, it makes sense to buy a basket case with the idea of fixing it up.

My two cents.

Just Dave

Thanks Jack, for your input, and it all makes perfect sense. You did mention Motormeister and I had looked at their rebuilds, it appears I can get one from them for about $4K but that seems low. I don't know if that is a good deal or a fairy tale though. Any comment on them?

- David

JackOlsen

Do a search here or on Pelican Parts' BBS and you'll see some stories that will make you never want to have anything to do with them.

Here's one to get you started.