The TYP901 Purchase "Process"

[e72phil]

I have posted about this in another thread and thought it time to resurrect this discussion since there are so many new members recently joining the Forum.

It would be good if members could post about their experiences with the "Process" and how they went about the hunt for their first early 911.

It might give new buyers some useful tips about the do's and dont's when looking at early 911's.

In my experience, the first thing I did was go to Technical Bookshop in melbourne and invest in a few good reference books. I still have these books today and only yesterday referred to one for some VIN numbers advice. I am sure Amazon.com can also assist.
The best book I found for initial education about thee cars was Peter Morgans 911 book with plenty of helpful photos and valuable VIN, Engine number and colour codes info. I know some people query the correctness of some numbers but I found it generally OK .

Hopefully other members can chime in with book suggestions that have proven useful as good references to get an early grounding about 65 - 73 911's. Excellence and Porsche & 911 World also seem to be good magazine references and I subscribe to Excellence (which is very cheap by car mags subscrition standards).

I am afraid there is no easy way unless you have limitless funds (mainly to pay for the repairs to the car you hurriedly rushed in to buy too quickly).

[Fishcop]

I started in 1997 with some fleeting and fanciful ideas I began with the purchase of 911 & Porsche World and Excellence magazines (which I still have today).

1999 saw me sell out of my motorcycles on the promise that after my impending wedding, I could get into a Porsche 911. My thought at that time was to look for an SC. I bought the Anderson book and the Paternie "Red Book".

Late 2000 saw me financial after my wedding and I began the search. I was keen on the first car I saw which was local (SC), fortunately I did listen to advice and got a PPI. This was a brilliant decision for two reasons... the car was sh!t, and I found a mechanic with brilliant p-car knowledge who was genuinely interested. I revealed to him that the I really prefered the early cars, but that I wanted a galvanised body for rust reasons.

My mechanic (German ex-pat and former Porsche Ag. apprentice) convinced me that I need not necessarily be frightened of an early car. I was convinced and as an added benefit, at the time, early cars were significantly cheaper than the later cars!

Nine cars later... I found my Aussie delivered, matching engine/gearbox sunroofless coupe. It was in far from original condition having been 'forward dated' at some stage, and trimmed in non-original coloured fabric. It was a sporto (definitely wasn't happy) and it leaked like a seive. BUT, the monocoque/chassis was in remarkably rust free condition and it was in a colour I adored (Arrow Blue). My mechanic explained that it's much more preferable to have a sound canvas as the mechanicals are more easily restored than the shell. I think it was good advice.

Eight years later the car has morphed a bit - there was too much changed and missing (courtesy of previous owners), so before it was popular I had been putting together a 'sport purpose' 1969 car - somewhat of an ST homage. It runs the RS spec 2.7 and a 915. But the 2.0 and sporto are under the bench!

[matt911]

I wanted an early car since I was a kid, watching my dad race at Amaroo and Oran park etc, in the seventies and eighties. I always new in the back of my mind the time would come when I was ready.
I started following the market place and started, like John, buying as many Porsche magazines as I could. I bought any early 911 book i could find, and of course searched the net. This was atleast 3 years before I was ready to look for a car.
The time finally came (cash), and I started to properly look at cars for sale. I was in no hurry at all. The limiting factor for me was a minimal budget.
I looked at almost every car I could in my price range, and others above what i could afford. For me it was so valuble to look at everything on the market to understand what I was up against. Some of the cars were CRAP, some were conversions, some were updates etc etc. I knew what I was looking for ie; Original RHD, complete, with no missing parts and something I could drive straght away with the idea to restore and udgrade as I went. More than 2 years went by until found the car I bought. In the 5 years since, I have never looked back.
I guess the moral is...knowledge and patience, maybe a bit of luck (you can make your own luck).
This forum is a blessing for anyone new to the 901 world.

[griffiths_r]

this brings back memories...

http://www.typ901.org/showthread.php?t=396

[e72phil]

Rich,

thanks for resurrecting that thread about teh purchase decisions on your car. Its a great read for newbies looking for their first car. The comments are all still relevant but the numbers need to be revised up as prices have risen.

[Terminator]

My search commenced in sometime 1994. Ihad owned several 1750 and 2 litre 105 Series Alfas a couple of HSV cars including the "batmobile" and a couple of absolutely awesome cigarette deals (I used to own a high volume Convenience store) gave me lots of spare cash that neede to be spent so I went Porsche hunting.

I actually did some reading, very rare for me, and someohow decided I needed to have a 73 E or S. I wnet to the PCV concourse and saw several such cars, all restored, but badly and decided I neede to buy the best body i could find and if mechanics needed fixing so be it.

Eventually an ad appeared on Sat in The Age for a 73E in Light yellow it was a tourist delivery and apart from minor rust spots still was very original including carpets, dash, seats etc etc just my cup of tea.

The mechanicals were totally stuffed.

I luckily met John Gregory soon after as he did an inspection for me and soon my money and I were parted as John rebuilt all mechanical parts of the car as I meticulously cleaned and disassembled every mechanical bit had them re finished as per factory and re assemebled. Total engine rebuild with gearbox rebuild and all suspension etc cost a whopping $20,000 back then.

Probably 3 times that now for what I had done.

Quite a first project....the car still exists pretty much in the same form as it was bought from me in 1996 by a Melbourne guy who has been overseas ever since. Spencer knows the car.

Following that came 73 2.4S Coupe, 73 2.4S Targa (the famous rest that sold for $149,00), 73 2.4S Coupe again (same car), 73 RS Carrera, 71T time warp, 69 S, 74 Carrera, 73 RS Carrera again!!

Yes I have it bad.

I am itching to tackle the 69S but have not as I know I won't be able to help myself in going nuts again!!!

[Stuttgart]

In my experience four things stand out. Firstly, the body must be sound, void of rust and as straight as possible - mechanics can always be repaired well. Secondly, there is no short cuts when it comes to an engine rebuild - it will cost bucks. Thirdly, it's a 35+ year old car, it will require some on going maintenance. I purchased it knowing it will be an on going expense. And fourthly, use the car as much as possible. That's what it's there for, enjoy it because life is too short.