bmartini

thinking of buying a decent 76 912e conversion to a chevy 350. assuming the job was done well and the car is mechanically sound, are these cars worth anything? i always thought the air cooled flat six was what these cars were all about, does the conversion increase or decrease the value? -and what are they worth?

bmc

you are kidding right? what a hack of a car, the lowest in my opinion. worthless.

old man neri

It's worth however much you are willing to pay for it.

Jitters

Not really a fan of the 350 Porsche conversions. Takes away from the original flat six experience IMO. Similar feelings regarding the XJS conversions as well.

Don't get me wrong I love the sound of small block engines with a set of Flow Masters...it's music to my ears...but, I love my PCAR becuase of it's uniqueness which includes the sound of the flat six...

Also, I'm quite sure that the value will be effected as a result of the conversion as well. How much I'm not sure...

Good luck,

Jitters

JV911

people either love them or hate them

i think it would be a fun track day car - easy 400hp and minimal weight. relatively cheap too

i wouldnt buy one though

bmartini

well, to do the conversion yourself costs nearly $20k. you end up with 400hp, a motor that weighs 200lbs less than a 930 turbo motor, a hell of a lot more torque, but it's not a pure porsche. i am looking at spending $15k-$18k. I know the purists will always poo-poo on these cars but I am after some serious speed, and don't want to take it on the chin when I sell it. How much do you guys think it's worth, just throw some numbers out there. Here are some pics of a prospective:

jakeflyer

Las Vegas-- Craigslist.com. a 1966 912 350v8 driving for $3,500. talked to him yesterday. stock body and tires. unfortunately a stock 4 speed 912 trans

hoffman912

you want to spend just shy of 20K on that? you are seriously buying somthing you will never get your return back on. you can buy a nice SC for that money and be much better off.

bmartini

can i get the link, i couldn't find it

Daniel Dudley

It might be harder to sell, but that looks well done. Don't confuse a good car with an unfinished mess. As it often happens, you get what you pay for.

jester911

One of the main issues with these conversions is engine cooling. Finding a viable place for the radiator is usually the challenge.

LaughaC

A well-sorted 912 V8 conversion should be worth nearly as much as a 911 SC with a good turbocharged 3.2 upgrade.

JackOlsen

As a side note, bmartini, you want to put some high-density padding on that roll bar, especially the crossmember that's up where your head would be flopping around in a collision. Don't use any of that nerf-ball stuff that's currently on there.

Taking it on the chin financially isn't nearly as painful as taking it on the skull when the seat back breaks loose.

bmartini

i am going to inspect it today in a few hours. i'll let you guys know what happens. please keep posting your opinions though as I will be reading them from my iphone all morning, i appreciate it VERY much.

only bad thing is the rear fender flares are fiberglass and bolted on.

update: inspection isn't going to happen today, it started raining

ked

"...are these cars worth anything?"
yes, they are worth something.
"i always thought the air cooled flat six was what these cars were all about..."
no, they are only the engine part.
"...does the conversion increase or decrease the value?"
it depends, are you comparing values of similar-condition cars or ?
in general, engine conversions decrease the value of an otherwise decent car.
"...what are they worth?"
it is a very thinly traded market w/ wide variation, so "avg value" bears little resemblence to a specific example. in this case "they" is not a dependable database.
"I am after some serious speed, and don't want to take it on the chin when I sell it."
buy a used vette. btw, a chev engine will not change your speed unless you also change the final drive ratio. at the very least, get a ppi performed by an expert in por-chev conversions (esp as relates to the history of the donor chassis). if resale really matters, & you want a high top speed, get a proper 930 from the late '80s. on the other hand, from watching the BJ auction, engine conversions are all the rage, so maybe hot rodders will start snapping up 911s (or 911 engines?). good luck.