Ed Hughes

Good luck on sale value....I had a pretty well sorted track-focused car, and I sold it for well less than $20K, and had 2 1/2 times that in her....therein lies the rub- to do it right, takes a lot of cash-typically not recovered in a sale. I think you have to go into these things to build the car you want/love, and see where life takes you.

vt951

Was it a long hood car?

Amber Gramps

No. It was an '84 Targa. Ed let that car go way too easy. He had his eye on a boat, found a younger mistress (993), and was nursing a bum knee. should have never sold Ruby.

Ed Hughes

Calif smog figured in too....but I'd say $.50/$1.00 is typically a good estimate.

Texas RS

The guys I know would go to $35k or $40k with the right stuff and well sorted. I know I would and maybe higher the better the fit and finish. Most of us spent well north of $100k for our .2RS's to take to the track and a good old school car is more fun to drive.

Build it right and it might find a spot in my garage

Ed Hughes

Make him an offer.

My guess is you are talking oranges and he's building an apple.

Texas RS

Can't make an offer until it is done...but you could be right on apples and oranges... This is my idea of an apple.

jellonailer

Great picture Texas RS!

Texas RS

Thx!

vt951

Texas RS, beautiful car. That's about what I have in mind... and I'm up for putting it into your garage when it's done. What I'm trying to avoid, however, is putting $100k into it and it only being worth $40k when it's done.

So, that's pretty much what this thread is about... is there a way to put an early 911 together such that it's worth more when completed than the sum of it's parts (cost). Sweat equity notwithstanding.

Ed Hughes

Perhaps, if the donor was free, and you found a lot of deals on parts. But it is tough to recoup costs on a modded car. I'd say .50/$1.00, that I relayed earlier is as good a guess as any.

vt951

Ed, thanks. I appreciate your input, and don't doubt that you're right. It is a common belief that you're better off buying someone else's completed car than building it yourself. Since I'm starting with sort of a blank canvas, I was just hoping to glean a bit of experience here before I launch down any particular path; just in case there's a particular "formula" for building a 911 that is worth something more than the parts. For example, I think there is an emotional element to the long hood RSR look which can increase the value if the quality of the build is high.

Texas RS

Ed,

When did you sell the car? I obviously didn't see it when you were selling or I would have been interested. Do you have some pictures for our apples and oranges comparison. If you know of another, I know someone who just started looking.

Tim

Texas RS

vt951,

I agree that Ed is right, especially if you pay someone for the work. With a lot of sweat equity and taking into account your enjoyment before selling it, I think you would realize better than 50c/$ invested. Of course you are working for free at that point

cag4

Well... All long hoods are climbing in value (rapidly), so that's a plus. Obviously unmolested, original cars are the most valuable, with pretty much every variation from stock either counting for or against the resale value.

Basically, original 911S's in excellent condition are $100-$200k cars now (depending on quality of originality and restoration, etc). IMHO, really well executed 911 R/RS/RSR clones are about half that -- for really well executed cars, that are extremely well sorted. I've seen some nice looking clones go for as low as $36.5k and up to $60k+ (or $200k+, see Magnus Walker). The Singer Porsche effect is in full force, at least for a while.

Really, valuation is a function of execution and reliability/sortedness... Does it look and feel right, are any modifications relatively subtle and done to a high degree, and can the new owner jump in and drive across the country? "Subtle" modifications are of course highly subjective on something like an RSR or R-Gruppe-type clone, but I mean things that are period correct hot-rod options or subtle variations thereof. The good news there is that most of these are basically fitting newer Porsche bits to an older car, like SC brakes on a long-hood, many of which can still be found in dismantler's stock.

So you've got a bit of room to play -- however, your BIG issue with this car is the stretched chassis... I don't know how you get past that modification... I would never consider the car for that reason, regardless of how nice it otherwise was. Sorry about that, but it's my firm opinion. So, if it were me, I'd choose one of the following routes:

1. Sell it as is and try to get your money out
2. Do a minimal resto-mod, using cheaply sourced, OEM Porsche parts, as an ultra basic r-Gruppe clone, with the idea that the next owner will buy it and finish it to his/her tastes (you still have to do a great job with this to get your money out)... An interesting factory color from a later year 911 would help.
3. Build yourself the bitchinest 911 R/RS/RSR clone ever, exactly the way you want it, and plan on keeping it, and enjoying it yourself, with no intention of flipping it.

There you go, that's my $.02, don't spend it all in one place!
cag4