dmw

I am considering a 1977 911S w/ 115k miles. It has had the engine rebuilt and looks to be in clean condition with no rust. What is the ballpark value for a car like this? Any tips on what to look for?

pu911rsr

I'd say $8-12K, depends on condition. You'll want to know details of engine rebuild. Have car professionally inspected, these are galvanized but still inspect carefully for rust, make sure tranny is OK. Most people will recomend an SC instead of a 74-77, which are the most unloved of the 911's. However if engine has been rebuilt properely these are good cars and generally pretty good deals.
Phil

Edgy01

Even with an engine rebuild I would avoid a 77 like the plague. Unless you are absolutely committed to a narrow body 911 of that vintage (1974-77) you would be better off served with a bullet-proof 911SC or 3.2 Carrera. The magnesium engines were on their last legs by 1977 and that, coupled with all of the plumbing work-arounds that those engines were to suffer with, made for a poor model year. (I had one, I should know,--and ordered it new in 1977, driving it for a bit over 110,000 miles before moving it along). There will be corrosion on that car, particularly on the engine parts that are cadmium plated. It's unavoidable. Other problematic areas would include those areas at the window seals (front and rear) and in the area of the headlight buckets and rear tail lenses. Value? It's priceless to me,--no value.

jakeflyer

What was done to the case at rebuild and who did the work? Were new Maule pistons and cyls installed? If this was a proper $6,000+++ engine rebuild, you can feel safe with an offer of $6000 IF IT IS A COUPE.

Doug&Julie

Some harsh opinions here. If the motor has been properly rebuilt, it can be a great car. With the lighter mag engines they're not much heavier than (and feel a lot like) the longhoods, which are commanding significant premiums these days. They'll at least give you a more "early" car experience than the SCs or 3.2 Carreras.

Do get a thorough PPI and look over the entire car for rust.

I agree with the $8k-$12k range, depending greatly on condition of rest of car. Most seem to fall closer to the $10k and under range. But because of some of the things mentioned, I would avoid a "cheap" one. They'll end up costing in the long run.

Brads911sc

If its clean, and the rebuild was great... 10-12k... Id just go with the SC... it will be 12-15k and will give you a more reliable car with more peace of mind... i personally wouldnt buy a 74-77 regardless of the price...

dmw

Good info. Thanks for the input. I'm not looking for a project or headaches.

RoninLB

there are some great 2.7 911 deals around.

if you find one where $ wasn't an issue for upgrades and mods buy it.
Otherwise if $ invested was only to keep it running go buy a Carrera.

not to blow my own horn but my humble 1977 has a 2 1/4" gauge that cost over $2,000 and took over 30 hours to install. There's a similar list also.. don't ask or I'll have to.......

LaughaC

It's priceless IMO. (jk)

I'm biased because I have a very reliable '77 and keep hearing comments from non-owners of '77s. The people who bought new long-hood 911s all envied the 2.7 in '74.

Years from now maybe the few surviving mid-year narrow cars will get the respect they deserve. It would be interesting to find out how many are left intact.

By the way, my brother owns a 996 and quit Rennlist because of all the negative comments posted about those engines. Searching will also reveal 964 and 993 bashing. "Top Gear" Jeremy Clarkson said the 911 dash is as disorganized as sneezed debri and the "2 1/2 Men" show labeled the Boxter as a woman's car. The SC is a sweet and and so common that prices are low, but 3.2 owners crticize its lack of torque and valve guide wear. G50 owners criticize the 915 and 915 owners criticize the 901 transmission, so it goes on and on. There was a time when 914 owners were embarrased to go to a PCA event but we always see them at the front of the pack on track day.

Yes, many 2.7 engines lived less than 50k miles because of the heat generated by their crude US emissions systems. Porsche regretted their last-minute attempts to comply with US emissions and anyone still running those destructive original heat exchangers is completely ignorant or lives in a cool climate.

Bottom line: Don't overheat any engine, and the 2.7 came with a bad emmissions system. You are wise to research before buying and I hope you find the car of your dreams. Chances are that the seller no longer considers it his dream car and that's why you will get the opportunity to buy it.

dbryant61

FWIW, the 2.7 can be a very durable engine, even if flogged to death. A good friend of mine is an independent P-car wrench who built a club-racer from a 75-77 911S (can't remember the exact year). The only thing special he did to the engine was to time-cert all of the head stud threads in the case and use 993 head studs and nuts. That car ran like stink for over 900 track hours and well over 20,000 miles before a money shift caused some additional top-end work. It is still at VIR almost every time I am there. It often sees double duty.

dmw

This is helpful. I had a 1995 Carrera and sold it when I got my 996. I really miss the older car and want to jump into more of a "vintage" 911 if the right car comes along to keep alongside my 996.

ked

Chris, you make some good points about the mid-yr cars & Porsche critics.

All Porsches covered on this forum are getting pretty old - 20+ yrs & more now... I think the mid yr cars suffer from that agedness (as do all) on top of some problematic engineering decisions courtesy of (&/or forced upon) PAG, topped off by owners who didn't / couldn't address those issues nor pay for proper maintainence over the decades. Mid yr cars depreciated quickly, became cheap enough to be an entry level 911 while still fairly new, & so were purchased (used) by a segment that aspired more than they could make good on O&M investment. Such examples can really bite a 1st time 911 owner.

As to critics, I don't recommend Porsches to anyone overly invested in what others think of the cars or themselves. While image reflected by culture & its denizens may be part of some prospective owner's motivation to acquire a 911, I don't know of any cases where owning a 911 for image purposes ever made someone truly happy.

wpriller

I have a 1975 911S with the original 2.7 engine, which was a California car with the mag case and dreaded thermal reactors. I brought this car in 1980 and still own it today. The key with the 2.7 mag case be it 74 or 77, is that a proper rebuilt top to bottom be done with the steel inserts.

If this has been done, you can get a lot of longevity out of the 2.7. If you are considering a 77, make sure there is documentation that the engine has been rebuilt, with the steel inserts, not dilivar because they were problematic, and updated tensioner kit, you will be good to go.

Peter Zimmermann

You may find my book (my signature below) helpful. I used a lot of pages to tell the 2.7 liter story, including the already mentioned rebuild - and how to do that rebuild correctly. Amazon.com might be a good place for you to visit! BTW, I love good 2.7 liter cars... they just need a lot of love ($ spent) - and your chances of finding a diamond from that era are slim.

dmw

Peter - Great book! I have it.