afinepoint

My blue 84 911 Carrera sits quietly sleeping under its cover. It has been thus for a couple of years. Turn the key and she starts right up.

Here’s my quandary. The car has about 115k on the original engine and 915 transmission. Why am I not driving it? Well she is and always has been a fair weather lady. To get the point I am trying to figure out if she is worth restoring or selling and moving on.

Her “issues”

1. Peeling hood and front fender clearcoat. Requiring a repaint. $ depends on who I ask. I figure $3000+

2. Drooping targa headliner. Needs total restoration. $1000+

3. O2 wiring harness connector has disintegrated. New harness is $800 or rebuild old connector. I got feedback on how. I installed new sensor in exhaust. Just can’t complete the circuit.

4. Shifter to transmission slop causing transmission to occasionally bind in reverse. Requires serious force to disengage. I have bushing that may fix problem but have not installed. If not then $$$$.

5. Targa top to body leaks. You will get wet in the rain. Also gauges always fog in wet weather. $? Who knows.

6. No heat if below freezing. Per shop this is a trait of this car. Haven’t checked all blowers. Dampers from engine to passenger compartment work.

7. AC compressor requires replacement. Was $1500 for compressor alone years ago.

8. Cracking window seals especially the rear window. A pain to remove and replace I hear.

9. Rear deck needs replacing.


These are the high notes. There are several minor issues many cosmetic.

I loved driving her but we don’t have a lot of 70 to 75°, clear, dry days. It’s often hot or cold and wet here in Va. In reflection it seems either I spend the coin to fix her up or let someone have her who will. This is not a rare collectible so I have no plans on making this a “price is no object” endeavor.

For me the minimum to keep her: the paint has to be done, transmission issue fixed, climate control restored, headliner done and water intrusion stooped. I am guessing the price for what I can’t do will top $6000.

Thoughts? Serious replies please. No quips, highjacks, admonishments or non sequitur remarks.

It feels like a sell and move on. Forget (most) all the above and go track car? I miss the track.

Reg

500

#3 & 4 sound like potentially inexpensive fixes. I would try to get them done and then look at selling. All the other stuff on the list is expensive to do right and it is better to sell it as it is (so the prospective buyer sees what needs to be done and can decide for him/herself).

From the sounds of it though, you won't get a great price in the current market. If the engine and transaxle are in good condition, that will help.

Without more info, I cannot suggest a price you would get, but if we just say for argument's sake that it is a $9K car as-is, then putting that $6K into it will make a car that will struggle to get $15K... so it is a bit of a zero-sum game in my opinion. These cars are expensive to sort out.

I think if the thought of fixing it up does not grab you as something you really want to do, then that is telling you everything. It does sound like it is time to move on.

rusnak

Most of those are DIY items that you can repair in a few hours. I am biased however, what with this being a Porsche DIY forum and all. Your quoted prices seem about 20% high.

race911

IF you want a track car, sell this for market value and get a track oriented car.

(If you go the restoration route, I'm pretty sure I've got a couple of 3.2L A/C compressors around. Finding them in the "junk parts" warehouse might be a challenge, though.)

afinepoint

I think I would be happy with getting $6 to 10K.

Thanks Race911. What would you want for one?

I could chip away at a restoration overtime but would it be worth it? Is the car salvageable? I am a diy and good mechanic, a perfectionist and stubborn - I am told.

I always wanted more punch. Heck my chipped F350 diesel can give her a run for the money.

Reg

Ed Hughes

This is a question none of us can answer for you. YOU need to decide what you want to do.

The A/C is something that can be done down the road, and independent of anything else, so take that off the list.

If you have that much slop in the linkage, the front bushing and R&R of the rear coupler will probably be the answer.

Check your heater hoses for holes, and check that the big blower in the back is working.

Unless your top is trashed, it probably won't be $1000+, probably more in the $750 range from Pechtel. He can also help you with the new seals.

115K is certainly not high miles on a Carrera.

Paint is costly, but if you keep it, will probably pay off-with that, you'll address the rear window seals as glass out is the way to go.

I made my own O2 connector with common electrical components. Most of these fall apart sooner or later. Not worth a new harness, IMO.

So, you really have a couple of maintenance items (O2 and shifter), a top and seals to refurb, and paint. Paint can be between $4 and 10K depending on the quality, work needed, and if you do some of the removal and assembly. Then, A/C at some point.

Again, none of us know your enjoyment of this car, and what the rest of it is like, or your finances.

afinepoint

Thanks Ed,

I don't expect clairvoyance just gearhead input. Just people with the same or very similar car who have seen the issues I speak of and can provide intelligent input - as you have done. For example race911 may have a compressor rolling around. He also may not but that's a possibility. I have no intention of paying a dealer $1500 for one even if I won the lottery tomorrow.

By the way it was Mr. Pechtel who gave me the $1000 qoute for the top.

A $10K paint job is out of the question. Even $6, 7 or 8 is not doable. The rear looks ok I just want the front redone. A neighbor has his entire 83 SC done for $4k or so and it looks good. As for the quality I don't know but time will tell. You do get what you pay for.

Thanks for the food for thought.

Reg

irobertson

I have more into my car than fair market value, but it doesn't bum me out and I'm planning on doing more work on it to freshen up a few things. I don't think of it as a monetary investment, but more of a hobby. That's me though and I have an emotional attachment to an inanimate object ;-)
I'd rather have a less than perfect car that I know well, than one I don't, but then again, this one is my first and I waited years to be able to get one.
Like Ed says, only YOU can place a $$ amount on what the car is worth to you.

Regards

ked

if you are $ constrained, why blow $ on a paint job? - the #1 function of paint is to prevent the metal from rusting... beyond that, "all is vanity". & if you want to go to the track, why not just use the Targa? then you won't have to do all the comfort, convenience & appearance items (pricey), just keep it in proper tune.

afinepoint

I've done a few track days. She struggled. I know most is on me - entering and exiting corners etc but acceleration was dismal.

Every gain made in the turns was quickly lost on the straight. I didn't enjoy my days. Either a major diet or HP increase is needed for the track. Not to mention trailer and other goodies.

Reg

TroyN

Acceleration was dismal compared to what? Sounds like maybe your car needs a tune-up?

afinepoint

The big boys. Including a couple of vettes, a GTO and a few others that streaked by. Sad part is it was tuned. Heck I was outrun by a Ford SVT F150 on the highway. Sigh.

Reg

Ed Hughes

Ruby has never felt dismal. You may not be getting full throttle. Check and see if you have full travel.

ked

what Ed said (plus alot of other off / miss-tuning possibilities). I'd go back to the track for a PCA DE & have a Carrera-experienced instructor take the wheel & tell you what's what in terms of comparative perf. &/or drive in a group full of similar-spec Carreras...

if your Targa is solid (no bad rot / no major hits), complete & you know its history, all is not lost. get it driving / perf right w/ as little $ as possible, before deciding to invest more (& also deciding whether for cruising the Blue Ridge or club racing), or to sell it. when it performs well you will be able to sell it fairly. if you pour $ into the appearance & comfort issues before selling it, it will just take time AND you are unlikely to recoup all that $$$ - at least that's how I'd view things.

911sccab

While the question seems to be "Should I keep this neglected Porsche?", I think the answer is you neglected it because you never cared much for it anyway.

And that's okay. But spending thousands to put it back into top shape will just make it the car you didn't really care for in the first place, so why bother?

I have an '83 SC and it's not as fast as my old 5.0 Mustang, my supercharged Marauder, or my wife's station wagon for that matter. But it's a delicious peice of semi-vintage machinary, and I appreciate it for exactly what it is.

Cars & technology have come a long way in nearly 30 years. SVT's & GTO's can pass me all day long on the straights, but I own the car for the turns, and it will turn with the best of them.

My top leaks some (its a cabriolet) and my A/C is mediocre at best. Pittsburgh's weather is no more enjoyable than Virginia's, but I love the car for what it is.

I'm not sure you ever really did. That's fine... no harm there... but spending thousands to regain what you never liked seems like the wrong direction to me.

Fix the shifter bushings and maybe see if you can get the front clip re-sprayed to make it a good 5-footer instead of a bad 10-footer, and go find something you really like!