Para82

Found one with a restored engine/suspension/transaxle and with some 80's upgrades (whale tail etc.). Car looks awesome.

Any good?

Can they be made to sound nasty like the 964/993 editions? Or should I skip them and look for the 3.0/3.2? I don't want to spend more than 25k.

tbrom

Well on the 75 it depends on how it was rebuilt. The valve guides were notorious for going bad in about 30k miles - so hopefully whoever rebut it use silicon bronze or even something stronger they can be good cars if done right but a later model SC or 3.2 would be ideal if your looking to go back in time to an older Porsche. The 3.2 is the best of the three models you mention but a very nice SC would be better than say a so so 1984 - 86 3.2. Best model SC is the 83 and the best of the 3.2s are the 87-89 w/ the G50 tranny. There were a lot of 3.2s made so finding a good one should not be too difficult and should go for around 25k to 45k for an absolutely special low mileage example like a commemorative or anniversary model. So your not far off - if it were me I'd stick to an SC or 3.2 but the car you found could be that rare exception. Of course a PPI by an inde shop specializing in older Porsches would be a must in any case!

Hope that helps

Para82

That helps a ton actually, thanks tbrom. Are there any books you would recommend to study up the classics?

david

I'd go hang out here and focus as tbrom suggested, on a 3.0 or 3.2.

Ben Z

Back in the mid-80s I dearly wanted a Merc SL. An early-80s 380 ran around $28K (vs double that for a nearly-new 560), but I found a nice-looking '74 for $11K and figured what the heck, it's hard to tell them apart and the 450 had a lot more power. Endid up putting way more into repairs than the money I saved, and in the end it was still worth what any '74 was worth. Just my experience, but if I were looking for an air-cooled now I wouldn't go earlier than an '89. Airbags, power steering, a 3.6L and A/C that actually is adequate in hot humid weather would trump all else.

Para82

I love the 964, but I think owners are a little over zealous right now with the asking prices...

Para82

Great site, also a lot of interesting cars for sale there.

tbrom

Best book in the world for older 911s is "The Used 911 Story". Will tell you everything you need to know about all 911s to present day - great author!

The 964 is a good model but I would concentrate only on model years 93 and 94. And to be totally sure your getting all the updated bits I'd even say just the 1994 model. They are above your price range for a good example however. You need to do some serious study first. Read the book I've suggested - it's short enough and after that you'll know what to do and then you'll know a lot more about what to ask! Great read - you'll enjoy it and it's a short read too . Each model has issues but some a little to a lot more than others. PPIs are an expensive way to learn!

Let me know what you think.

Para82

I remember hearing about this book a while back, about time I buy it. Sounds like a must have for the Porsche enthusiast.

Rotmilky

The other potential problems with the 75 model (and all the models before) is that the sheet metal was not galvanized. So those cars tend to rust out more than the 76 (all galvanized but the roof) and later (77 on were completely galvanized). Even if the car has been kept in a rather dry environment, if someone spilled a soda in the car, the floorboard will rot from the inside out. So, rust areas have to be checked closely.

The 2.7 motors are notorious for having the cylinder head studs pull out. If they're rebuilt properly, e.g., inserting time-certs to correct the head stud issue, they can be a very reliable and lightweight motor.

Para82

I'll be sure to watch for rust then, good tip^

Think i'm going to pass on this, but interested to hear your opinions on it. Link below.

http://www.streetsideclassics.com/sh...5-Porsche-911S