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I bought a 911s on BaT

42K views 378 replies 88 participants last post by  ADDvanced 
#1 Ā· (Edited)
If you are a reader of the ā€œBring-a-Trailer watchā€ thread, you already know that I just bought this car, but I thought Iā€™d start a thread to document my experience with this car.

Here is the link to the auction on Bring-a-Trailer:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1977-porsche-911s-22/

I woke up Thursday with no real intention of buying a car that day. But I did. I have been watching various backdated and cloned versions of 911RS and 911RSR type cars on BaT and on various websites. This particular car caught my eye because although it wasnā€™t an RS clone, it was a genuine 911s from 1977 which had steel flares and a nicely started interior. Seemed like less than half way to an RS clone with some interesting bits. I thought if I could buy it low enough, it could be a fun project to take to a full RSR clone or maybe just drive as is.

The car was built as an outlaw hot rod without consideration for originality and clone-ness. So many people stayed away. A non original engine also concerned some bidders.

As the auction came towards the close, it looked like I might actually get it under $40k. That was my cutoff. In the end I was high bidder at $41k. Kinda shocked myself but feel like I got a good deal. Plans to be further discussed....



My lovely wife was cheering me on as the auction ended. I told her my plans would start with:

* headliner replacement
* clear headlight lenses
* ducktail and new rear decklid (paint)
* Carrera Side script
* possible pepito (houndstooth) seat inserts.

Over time as I drive it and if I enjoy it, I would put on new exhaust, clean up the engine and maybe go with a full conversion to an RS front bumper and maybe rear bumper. I could even go so far as to have it painted in green or tangerine. However, those things are probably unlikely. If I did, though, I could be all in on this car and far less than what most of the backdated RS clones are selling for these days.

For now, Iā€™m just going to enjoy it. My next post will update you on the process of getting the car in my hands from Connecticut to California. Then I will update you on the process of getting the car recertified in California and passing omissions testing, given that it is a post 1975 car and will have to pass smog testing. Although the engine has been swapped, it is a newer engine and larger displacement, both of which are allowable by California law.
 
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#3 Ā·
After the auction, I immediately contacted the seller. We immediately hit it off, as he was a terrific guy and a super car enthusiast. He had put lots of love and attention into this car and although it was a build that others may not have seen as standard, he did it just the way he liked it. It turns out he has quite a bit of background information and documentation on the car, which did not come out in the auction.

We spoke for about an hour, and got everything arranged. Within 24 hours after the auction ended on Thursday, I had wired him the money on Friday morning and he had started to FedEx the car documentation and the signed ownership papers. Within 36 hours, I had already arranged an enclosed trailer from Connecticut, and arranged to have it picked up on Saturday. The car got picked up today, less than 48 hours after the end of the auction, and it is on its way to California. The seller and I have been talking quite a bit, and he really misses the car already. Heā€™s making room for a 993 that he has had his own for a while, but he is also building a larger garage and has asked to potentially buy this car back next year. I did not have the heart to tell him it would not be looking the same at that time if he did, but I told him he would get first shot if I did sell.

Here it is getting loaded on the trailer.





 
#4 Ā·
If that car is accurately represented (and I bet it is based on your seller interaction) you did very well.

More importantly it looks like a whole lot of fun.


Are you thinking you can integrate the ducktail with the louvers?
 
#5 Ā·
Those haunches are amazing. Well bought.

Iā€™ve been following a lot of the older 911 auctions and wondering if I could feasibly daily one. Like you said, itā€™s just an itch youā€™ve got to scratch sometime.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#7 Ā·
Dave, congrats!

I watched that car come up and instantly thought is was a great car for the right buyer. So cool it turned out to be you!

I love a hot-rodded G-body and just like you with your new S, I don't care much at all about originality with my SC. I'm building it the way I like it and driving the hell out of it as I go :)

Can't wait to watch what you do with yours :thumbup:

 
#18 Ā·
Dave, congrats!

I watched that car come up and instantly thought is was a great car for the right buyer. So cool it turned out to be you!

I love a hot-rodded G-body and just like you with your new S, I don't care much at all about originality with my SC. I'm building it the way I like it and driving the hell out of it as I go :)
Your car looks fantastic! I may be hitting you up for some advice! My 1986 930 is bone stock so I've never done any modding to a car of that era. Noob!!
 
#10 Ā· (Edited)
The great part about BaT is that you can go read the auction thread and see exactly when each bid was placed.

But yeah, much action happens at the end. This one was at $30k or so with an hour to go.

I sold a car on BaT that was at $48k with 20 minutes to go. Then to $80k at 5 min and ended at $105k in the last seconds.
 
#12 Ā·
That carveith IROC front and rear or SC/RS front bumpers & either an IROC or ducktail would be perfect

Cool car!
 
#16 Ā·
Awesome pick up! This era 911 is one of my favorites.

* headliner replacement
* clear headlight lenses
* ducktail and new rear decklid (paint)
* Carrera Side script
* possible pepito (houndstooth) seat inserts.
Great taste--I didn't know it needed a headliner but otherwise that's exactly what I was imagining looking at the pic. :thumbup:

Oh...and thinking about it...if some Fuchs wheels happened to appear on the car they might work too. :laugh:
 
#20 Ā·
Great find Dave! I love seeing these cars built and driven as hard as they're meant to be driven.



I'm interested in this as well. Tire/wheel fitment seems to be rather finicky on older 911's... the aesthetics can change a lot with a small increase in tire/rim size.
 
#27 Ā·
Thanks! The ā€œhotrodā€ label is typically used with Porsche guys as merely meaning modified and sometimes trying to evoke some badass-ness. Not sure it truly qualifies here, but it is significantly modified from stock with wider rear fenders, removal of side valances, custom gear shift and larger engine and loud exhaust, wider wheels and tires, stiffer suspension, and the custom louvers for cooling. The stock rear deck lid would have only the standard grille for cooling. Here is a stock 1977 pic for comparison.

 
#23 Ā·
Those look like original French-spec selective-yellow headlamps, from back when those were required in France (pre-EU harmonization). There were three ways of doing selective-yellow: yellow bulb OR yellow reflector OR yellow lens. Pretty much everyone, including all the French manufacturers, just put in the required bulbs in the same silver/clear headlamps that could be used in most other countries. Porsche, for some reason that I've never understood, made entirely different headlamps with the yellow lenses, which changed the look of the car significantly and must have cost more to make for a relatively small portion of their market.
 
#24 Ā·
That 3.0L lump is arguably bulletproof.
Imo, the most favoured of that generation 911 for reliability and problem free fun (if maintained of course)

Your list of plans sounds great - I would add some more comfy seats, but itā€™s your comfort :D

The chrome trim looks good with the chrome lipped hoops.
Subā€™d!
 
#25 Ā·
Don't let its "Widowmaker" name worry you, just play it cool and remember how that rear end has a habit of breaking loose.
 
#28 Ā·
Outstanding car. The first time I opened this thread I saw the mismatch on the deck lid vs rest of the car and thought it was a bit shabby; a perusal through the BaT thread shows it is anything but.

I look forward to a thorough thread about this car and what you do to it. Frankly, this price gives rise to the hope that these cars will be attainable by regular people again, not all $100k+.
 
#31 Ā·
I remember when these were the red-headed stepchildren of 911s. The magnesium case has a bad reputation of pulling head studs and the thermal reactors were very problematic. They used to be the bottom of the barrel, now they're gaining serious traction.

I don't see how getting rid of the original engine is a bad thing- not too many survived intact over time anyway. Bodywork is a little strange on this car- super wide rear tires and stock front is going to drive really weird. I'd say downsize the rears to a much more reasonable stagger and it will be a much more balanced car- they don't make enough power with a relatively stock SC engine to be an issue.

Definitely a neat project car, I'll stay tuned to see what you end up doing to it.
 
#32 Ā·
Bodywork is a little strange on this car- super wide rear tires and stock front is going to drive really weird. I'd say downsize the rears to a much more reasonable stagger and it will be a much more balanced car- they don't make enough power with a relatively stock SC engine to be an issue.

Definitely a neat project car, I'll stay tuned to see what you end up doing to it.
Thanks! I'm not too worried about the larger rear setup, as I may offset that with a wider front setup (eventually - if I convert fully to RSR spec). But I will drive it and see what it's all about first, maybe downsize the tires a tad. Note the seller and the builder (car was worked on by ButziGear - speed shop in CT, and Black Horse Garage), swear that it is a good setup with all they've done. According to the speed shop Butzigear (on BaT):

"As for suspension it has been lowered and Rebel Racing Coilovers with eibach springs have been added to the rear to help with / eliminate squat under load. The system was engineered with Clint at Rebel Racing and Ira at Tarett Engineering and it drives very well with the comfort of stock torsions and the support of adjustable springs in the rear (working with the torsion bars)."
 
#34 Ā·
Can't remember if I commented in the BaT thread, but just to be sure: Noice! :thumbup: Keep us posted on what you do with her.
 
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