tommyz

Well, I have made it as far as a PPI (second time) on the car that I think might be the one. I can’t say enough thanks to this board for the wealth of info you have given me. There is no telling what I would have bought if it wasn’t all the info I have found here. That being said, I certainly can use some more help understanding the results of my PPI and what I would be getting into if I buy this car. I know that I can get some of my answers by searching other posts and I am doing that with every spare moment. But I am also up against the clock to make a decision and no matter how much I read I would feel so much more comfortable with a few opinions about the PPI.

The car is a 1990 C2 Cab with 103K miles. My plans eventually include some DE but I am willing to work on the car to get it ready for that. My main use will just be for sunny day, spirited , driving. I am mostly concerned about having to dump money into keeping it alive when I can be spending that money on improvements.

Cosmetically, the car is 9 out of 10 both interior and exterior and it will take very little to fix the items in those areas. There is nothing in the cosmetics that concerns me at all. The items that were reported to me are:

• Oil Cooler leak – small but needs repair
• Chain Covers have a minor leak – does not need repair at this time
• Rocker Arm Shafts have a minor leak – Shop says 60% chance that tightening when having next valve adjustment will fix this. If not, leak is still very minor and does not need repair at this time.
• Valve Adjustment needed
• Front Brakes needed
• Alignment needed
• Steering Rack Boots torn
• Top Latching Mechanism and possibly Control Unit need replacing
• Passenger Window switch does not work
• Drivers swing window hinge/mount broken
• Rear Boot needs Shocks and insulation
• Front Boot Needs Shocks
• Rear Tires needed soon

I guess the biggest question I have is about the oil leaks. If they do get worse soon, what am I looking at for repair? I tend to reach for a wrench before a checkbook but I am by no means qualified to do any heavy lifting when it comes to repairs (yet). To be truthful, I am really ignorant about what these leaks mean and what goes into repairing them. At what point do I have to pull the engine? (For now, this is the point where I would turn it over to a Porsche shop.) Does anything point to a top end rebuild instead of a reseal? I am trying to get a sense of what I could be in store for. I have no idea if these leaks are signs of bigger issues or if they are just some of the typical drips that I will learn to love.

This is getting exciting!!! --Tommy

hawk911

if you want to DE, then look into the rules. For us around here, you MUST have a roll bar/cage if you have a CAB; no way around it.

clubrcr

I agree with the above post, Cabs aren't that popular as a DE car because of the roll bar requirement. With that said, it comes down to price. Those items you mention aren't too terrible, since alot of the older cars leak oil. You need to get a compression check on each cyl. That information should give you an indication of a top end rebuild. Also make sure all the updates have been done to the motor that help stop the leaks. The older 964s had a common problem with these leaks and I believe there was a fix. They also had a problem with the vent tube on the distributor, make sure it was done. Make sure the services have been performed, and find out when the clutch was replaced. If you get old service records, see if there was a common problem in its history and more importantly use good common sense.

Just my opinion.

hawk911

Honestly, if I wanted to DE, I'd buy a coupe in a heartbeat. If you have your heart set on a cab, then maybe accept a life of auto-X instead. DE and a cab really aren't made for the same sentence. Or, you could buy a Boxster, with the integrated roll bars behind the seats; problem solved; at least for DE.

clubrcr

I feel like we are ganging up on you, but he is right. I love Cabs and have own a few. They are not great DE cars. The price of entry of 964 coupes and Boxsters makes it a better choice for DEs. The coupes tend to hold their values a litte better as well. In this economy, you should be able to make a great deal on either style and find a car with litte or no problems.

By the way, do a car fax and make sure any car you buy hasn't been wrecked. The last thing you want is a damaged car out in a DE.

Rocket Rob

The oil leaks don't sound significant. There are two items that I would want to know more about. What's working and not working on the cab roof? And what does the second entry mean?

# Top Latching Mechanism and possibly Control Unit need replacing
# Drivers swing window hinge/mount broken

hawk911

if they are talking motor on the cab top control unit, those are like $600 each side- ouch!!!

Dr Strangelove

Regarding the distributor vent, you want not just the vent tube, but also some assurance that the distributor belt has been replaced relatively recently. Otherwise, I think it would be prudent for you to factor in a distributor belt replacement. Maybe consult Adrian Streather's 911 Enthusiast's Handbook for the steps to see if you would want to tackle it yourself.

-Bruce

tommyz

Thank you all for the advice!

Hawk / Jim - I hear you on the Cab and DE. I really struggled with which way to go. My decision finally came down to the fact that I have been wanting to own another convertible and to own another Porsche for a long time now. I will get a lot of use out of this car and if I can add a roll bar, harness, a few other minor updates and get a taste of the track it will be a bonus. If I get hooked, it is like my wife said... I need to have two of them, one for us to play in and one for the track. (What a woman!!)

Rob - I am getting my full report today. Yesterday we just went over the list quickly. From what I can tell there is a hinge or bracket that holds the small window in front of the main window on the driver's side in place. That hinge or bracket is broken. The shop told me that it is cracked. I have to get more details for sure. They seemed to blow buy it like it was minor.


Jim / Bruce - I did check the and the dist vent has been done but not a bad idea to replace the belt if I there is no record of when it was last done. That is exactly the kind of mini-project that I am looking for to get more familiar with the car.

I will be getting an estimate to get the top working from the shop doing the PPI. I think that the seller is pretty willing to cover it.

I'll post any details when I get the full report. Thanks again everyone!

Rocket Rob

Two 964's? I like the way your wife thinks. That's how I ended up with 2 myself.

BlueHeeler

I would not buy a car that I knew had a problem I could not fix. That said these cars are quite enjoyable to work on especially because of the support from the Rennlist pros.

TBH most of the items on the list can be taken care of during a weekend, depending how good you are. There seems to be a learning curve with this car.

elbeee964

+100

dfinnegan

+100, too

These folks are fantastic! Thank you, all

deep_uv

Tommy, I would invest $300 in a compression check and leakdown. Especially on a car with 100k+ miles. Full rebuilds on these things run $15k+. Just my .02.

Bearclaw

All pretty insignificant, except:

> the oil cooler leak bugs me - getting to it is one thing and fixing it may not be straightforward

> the convertible-top items can run into $$ fast

Agree about the compression/leakdown.
Be sure you look for crash/bodywork evidence, or have someone do it who knows what to look for. A lot of mechanical shops gloss over this area.

Good luck!