DougM

This is a '78? Correct? I know it is a non sunroof Euro car. I looked at the registry and am trying to figure out the early VIN thing. How early is this car?

Jadz928

Based on the VIN it's a late MY US 78.

If RoW/Euro, would read 928810...

Vilhuer

VIN cannot be correct. It has to be ROW 9288102430 if last four digits are that high.

DougM

It is 10. Hit the wrong key

DougM

What are the true early car values like now? I just started looking, but I have found one. Would love a Pasha interior, but to get a clean early car at a good price....
Completely rebuilt fuel system. New tires. 1 dash crack. Oil pan gasket seeps.

Jadz928

Without knowing more details, the range is broad. Just by looking at it, low side $5-7K. High side could be $10-12K depending on mech, miles, and paint.

I suspect really nice examples will be selling for over $15K on the short side before long. Won't take much for demand to exceed supply.


Looks nice, and well taken care of.

How many miles? Original paint or not? Clutch, electrics in good order?

You could fix the Pasha thing with Bob Budd for $2.5K

PS. Is that a pinstripe running down the side? Also, could you edit the title of you thread to reflect the correct VIN?

DougM

"Sometimes you just have to say 'what they F*ck'"
I went ahead a struck a deal with the seller pending my inspection tomorrow.
The car has 87,000 miles and he purchased it 27 years ago. He said he had the roof repainted a few years ago because of some paint issues there. He is not sure if the prior owner ever had any paint work. It was an occasional driver for him and had maintenance done only when it needed it so I am sure I will have some deferred maintenance. He said 2 years ago they dropped the fuel tank and flushed, cleaned and replaced everything in the fuel system.
He went and looked and it does have a thin pinstripe. He said it was elevated so I will have a look tomorrow and see if it is just tape.
I like the idea that it is a no rubstrip car and does not have the ugly side markers. I wonder why it does not have the federalization markers?

MGW-Fla

Nice looking Shark!

Vilhuer

I would keep interior original color and material no matter what it is. Early cars are geting to age when originality is more important than generally popular color combination. If its worn replace it but make sure it looks and feels exactly like factory version.

Orantes

That looks super sweer Doug. I think you've made an excellent purchase!!

Erik N

Wow. P7's even!

Jadz928

Well done! Let us know how it goes.

Yeah, I like the clean-look early cars too. Many reasons for no import corner markers, but I'd say it goes back to the owner/importer arranging ($) NOT to put them on, as well as keeping the H4's.
Does it have the KPH speedo?

I read you Erkka, but it's quite possible the next car off the production line was camel w/black-white pasha. As far as I see it, that is perfectly period-correct. The materials used by Bob Budd are period-correct as well.
Just like paint gets old over time and needs to be redone (hopefully to a high level of quality), so will the seats of these early cars.
IMHO, original paint color is more important vs. the color of the seat inserts. In a similar logic to that of matching engine number vs. transmission number.

Point is, if the interior is period-correct, and inkeeping with the existing originality, I say go for it.
If you're the slightest bit concerned, purchase a set of early seat cores, and have them redone (save the originals in a closet).

The only ones that it really matters for, on a high level, are the very rare cars.
And even then originality, in it's purest sense, only matters so much. They will all need restoration to some extent.

DougM

I do not plan to change anything on it. If it looks as good as the pictures, I will leave a deposit and get it next week. It will have some deferred maintenance that I will do. I plan to do all fluids and the timing belt/WP. I have become quite efficient with the front end maintenance of these cars after too much practice on my Euro S. If I ever come across a funky interior OB priced right, I can buy it and just sell this. I think it should be pretty easy to sell if it is really as clean as it looks in the pictures.

Jadz928

I'd try to hunt down something to replace that crappy ANSA exhaust.

The early single exhaust setup is rare (they were made of mild steel, ugh!).
I'm installing a dual exhaust from an '80 Euro S on #579.

Oh, and you might want to find an OE Hirshmann antennea.

PS. While inspecting, make sure it has the original stainless steel gas cap (expensive and hard to find).

linderpat

very nice. I too think the earlier cars are becomming more collectable and ultimately more valuable. There is a different driving experience with these cars - they feel (relatively) light and fast.