At what point does a Porsche become a FrankenPorsche ?
 

I am mostly curious about this due to the mere fact that I tend to lean a bit more towards a unique look than you purists, however, I am cognizant to the fact that when I do buy a P-car, I will likely resell at some point and the market for a modded P-Car is significantly smaller than that of stock and would not realy want to be sitting on a Frankenporsche.

This leads me to a question of at what point does a porsche become a Frankenporsche...I realize this is subjective, but would like to have a bit more knowledge as to where people tend to draw the line.

TIA

When you drive into Transylvania!:bigbye:

The further from original that you go the smaller the market at resale. That said, the order of magnitude of the negative impact will also vary by the base car you start with. As an example, if you were to hot rod an early LWB car (69-73), if you start with a "T" the impact will be much less that if you start with an "S". It would be almost sacrilege to modify an "S" with anything other than period correct and reversible mods (example install a sport muffler and keep the original so it could be sold with the car).
There is a market for track and "sport purpose" modified cars that are well done and in line with the vintage of the original. Another route is the backdate project, which is usually to a longhood sport purpose configuration. There are buyers for these care when done well, but you can count on a 50% haircut on the cost of the project, so do these for yourself not as an investment. If you go too wild you may have no market at any price so do a lot of research before you spend. Here, on Pelican, and Early 911S Registry are lots of discussions of projects and what is desirable and what is on or over the line (return and market wise).

When it's got more scoops than a box of Raisin Bran. :) I think there's just a silly meter that has to go off in your brain to get to that determination. When you look at a car, and it just looks silly, it's a FrankenPorsche, particularly when you get to the one's that are all flared and winged out and still have the beat up 2.7 L with pulled studs in the engine compartment. I think it's more an issue of the whole package. If there's a mean engine to go with the mean body kit, then there might be a whole package there that works, rather than some half-baked chop job.

Brett

a little goes a long way and go with a factory option/ factory racing look.

As soon as you add a piece of carbon fiber to a street legal 911, you have stepped over the line. :)

<------- My Shelby was Certified 100% CF Free.

What do you mean "you purists"?

Racial inference made in jest :)

OK...I've stuck my neck out here on this board that it just doesn't HURT anymore when you guys slit it a little further, so here goes another one.

I LOVE Jack Olsens car (who doesn't) and I was wondering in my little mind what if I bought this car and changed front and rear up with RSR front fenders (not sure what Jacks rear is) add a Duck tail, add some bigger wheels.......Exterior its going to look close, but obviously interior, engine, suspension etc far from it.

Do I end up with a Frankenporsche/wasted money ? Or is it still a Porsche ?

Well, you are not going to hurt the value of that car

... its already been taken care of.

A car like that was reworked for a reason. Either it was updatred back in the 70's because someone wanted to have the "new look", or it was damaged and fixed....

Personally I wouldn't go for an updated long hood. You need to know how they updated the front fender since they can really hack up the car getting that way. It also has a 2.4L in it..... The suspension is still pre74.

Look at the pieces that catch your eye and source them out. Add it up and add that to a stock pre74. You can get another car at that price that's stock and doesn't have to be back dated to it's original appearance. Like the previous posts, that seller should expect a reduction in value since it's modified car.

Personally, modifying a car to make it a different car (see above) is a FrankenPorsche. Modifying a car for performance or asthetics is different. Making a convertable from a coupe, or a 959 from a 911sc or updating to hide damage is a FrankenPorsche.

With all due respect Ed.......Is Jacks car (exterior) modded to be a different car or modded for asthetics ? Thats where I'm a little confused on your comments.

I'm kinda guessing/reading between the lines, but I suppose if the car in question had a 3.2L or 3.6L it would be a sweet ride and not a Frankenporsche candidate ?



Regards

Keep the Porsche spirit. Big FG fenders, outrageous wings, slant noses on mid year 2.7's are just some of the no-no's.

Two lines of thought going here, first in your original post you asked about resale at some time in the future. On that topic the less you color outside the lines the better off you will be.

The second line is more the, "what can I do to it and not look the fool?". As someone who has ventured outside the norm among his projects my answer would be its your car and your taste. If it works for you then it is OK. Some of the stuff that came out during the '80's was hot then, and not so much any more.

When you ask about Jack's car, that project is very well done and captures a historical style and a mechanical purpose. And it works.

There are many historical references that you can use to build a project. It is when you try to mix the incompatible references that you get into it being a "frankenporsche". That would be a narrow body SWB with turbo wing and slant nose. Or a widebody cab with a 2.0 T. Those do not work, and beg the question why. A ST or 2.8 RSR bodied long hood with a hot rod motor works, an IROC or 3.0 RSR bodied car with a stout motor works, and don't forget the suspension and brakes to match.

From what I recall Jack's car is a pre74 tub with pre74 exterior. The car you are looking at is a 72 with a 74+body. In my opinion, that's a negative. Especially when you make a car look like a 74+ turbo look with a 2.4L, it's all fluff.

Now if you're putting the old fenders (or flared) back on then I see that as a plus. But you don't want to start with one that's already been hacked. If you chose to replace the fenders you're going to have to remove the FG flares on the rear and modify new flares on which (could) require additonal metal work than just fitting and cutting the original fenders out. You're work would be like Micheal Jackson's 5th nose doctor (He was working with damaged goods from the get go). Also you have to now deal with the front fenders and what they did to fit the new short hood. There's metal work need to make that happen. Did they do a good job? Who knows until you get it apart.

And IMHO a hotrod look with a low hp motor isn't a FrankenPorsche it's a poser mobile. (I'm really not trying to be a jerk but it sounds like it).

Maybe I can best explain it by saying that I prefer performance over image. If you're going to spend money on a car, I would rather someone say, "Whoa!" when you take them for a spin, rather than, "Oh......"

Function over Fashion.

I hope that helps clear up what I said previously.

I think Ed Harrison is right. This is not a car to un-hack and re-hack. It's been chopped up once.

FWIW, I like the look. Later model Turbo look, OK. I like the 15 in wheels with a lot of rubber showing, more period correct look. Lowered stance. I'd try a duck on it to see if I like it more than the whale. It appears to be a hot rodded engine. Would need to be evaluated with regard to all that was actually done to it and who did the work. A lot would depend on how it drives. It should be pretty light, and with an advertised 250 HP, should be pretty quick. Might be a really fun car... at the right price.

Brett