by John Glynn | Jul 1, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices
Catching up on some overdue Porsche insurance valuations today, I tripped over this superb 1970 Porsche 911 2.2 T Targa for sale in Kleve, Germany: just inside the border with The Netherlands.
First registered in May 1970, this Signal Orange 911 Targa has clocked up 135,000 kilometres, or about 84,000 miles. I did email the garage for some better pictures but they haven’t come back to me yet. So I apologise for the picture quality, but you get the idea of potential condition: seems super original to me. I also like the ad text.
“Here we have one of the few completely authentic 911 Targa vehicles, almost as delivered. The car has all the attributes of a historically valuable vehicle, also because of its small sympathetic errors. Average paint coating thickness of 140 My (only a point slightly more).
“Well documented: a plethora of bills, original service history, all keys. The vehicle was picked up in Stuttgart by the original owner. The train ticket from 07/17/1970 is here. Apparently matching numbers, aluminum brake calipers, 5 x “Deep Six Fuchs wheels“, radio, etc.”
No doubt a skilled eye will find some holes to poke in condition, and the ad doesn’t say how many owners, but a nicely patinated Signal Orange Targa with the original train ticket from factory collection? I just love it!
Let’s slip back to July 1970. Jimi Hendrix starts his first recording session in New York City, Casey Kasem’s Top 40 show enjoys its first recording (RIP, dear Casey) and the first Boeing 747 lands in Amsterdam, en route to Brussels.
As the Jumbo touches down in Amsterdam, a man steps on board a train, bound for Stuttgart. Awaiting his arrival is a new-for-1970 C-series 911 Targa, with the brand new 2.2-litre engine and alterations to front suspension geometry for a less fidgety feeling on the road. Signal Orange is the colour of choice: a brave decision.
June 1970 was a fine, sunny month: some German towns enjoyed more than two weeks without rain. July kept it going, and August was also a scorcher. September recorded fifteen days with no rain in some parts of Germany: perfect weather to enjoy a brand new 911T Targa. Oh, to be back in the ’70s!
What’s the verdict? It’s on Mobile.de, priced at €71,000. Not bad money if it’s solid.
by John Glynn | Jun 30, 2014 | Market & Prices, Porsche News
Dropped in to see Jonas Zambakides and a pair of perfect Porsche 911 Turbo S models this morning and catch up on used Porsche sales activity. Some interesting discussions on the state of the market and whether values have indeed peaked: I think we’re on the same page, but that’s a post for another day.
Classic Porsche fans who don’t hang on every detail of newer 911 machinery may be unaware of the 997 & 991 Turbo S. Both of these Weissach-tuned performance Porsche 911 Turbos have just sold, so it’s interesting to compare them in fantasy garage style and wonder what the choice would be if funds allowed.
Porsche 997 Turbo S
Introduced in 2010, the 3.8-litre Porsche 997 Turbo S was developed in response to customer demand for a bit more excitement. How about 523 bhp with 516 lb ft of torque and the sole transmission offering of 7-speed PDK with standard Turbo four-wheel drive. PDK gives launch control, offering 3.3 seconds to 60 mph and a top speed of 196 mph.
Spec includes PCCB (ceramic brakes), dynamic cornering lights, carbon seats, Sport Chrono and centre lock wheels. The Dynamic Engine Mount system is one of my favourite new-Porsche concepts and that is standard on the S. Porsche Torque Vectoring is an active diff that splits power across the rear axle depending on what the car is doing, improving traction and stability.
Porsche 991 Turbo S
New to the market last year, the 2013 Porsche 991 Turbo S beats the 997 in Top Trumps: 552 bhp, 197 mph and the grunt to sprint to 60 in 3.1 seconds. Interestingly, Porsche says it is faster around the Nürburgring than the GT3 RS 4.0, managing a 7:24 on Pilot Sport Cups. Hardly a surprise, but not a point one might expect Stuttgart to make.
Weighing just over 1600 kgs, the 991 Turbo S features the latest active rear wheel steering, active anti-roll bars and active/adaptive aerodynamics. EVO magazine knocked the 991 Turbo for a fuel-saving intermediate PDK gear setup, which shifts the car up a gear earlier than normal. Their tester said it made the car “deeply unresponsive: it feels like it’s on the verge of stalling”. As the latest 911, it is also fresher faced but, parked up side-by-side, all I can think of is how good the 997 still looks.
Brand new, the Porsche 997 Turbo S cost £123,000 from new, which is about £137,500 in today’s money. List price for a Porsche 991 Turbo S is £140,850, so a little bit dearer. The Porsche 991 Turbo S was a pre-owned example with 1,300 miles on the clock and sold for £135,000, while their Porsche 997 Turbo S had less than 25,000 miles and was closer to £75,000. That’s a 60 grand difference for new versus (not so) old.
Not saying the 991 is not worth the money or that the 997 is super cheap but it certainly puts choice and value into perspective. The reality is that someone looking at the 991 Turbo wants a 991 and the real purchase choice is this versus used McLaren, or used Ferrari. In comparison, the 997 Turbo S is a well priced list topper for those in search of the ultimate GT 911.
Given £75k to spend on one 911, would you go for a Porsche 997 Turbo S? Or would it be early 911 – maybe a simple 911T? 930 of some description? I could be tempted to opt for the 997 Turbo S. That shape rings true in my head: more than I remember a 993 or 996 ever doing.
by John Glynn | Jun 23, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods, Road Trips
Nice email thread this weekend, as my buddy Craig from San Francisco picked up his latest Porsche purchase: a 1976 Porsche 911 Turbo Carrera. Bought in Denver, Colorado, Craig and wife Lori picked it up in person, then drove it home to California in a two-day road trip.
On my last trip to northern California, inveterate Porsche chopper Craig had the most amazing early 3-litre 930, in special order Albert Blue. He’d found that one on the other side of America, bought it and attempted to register it under the state’s smog laws. However, the work required to get it CA legal put him off. Being a muppet, he sold it.
Now, I can’t say too much here. I’ve sold cars I should have kept: no doubt you have too. But a SPECIAL ORDER ALBERT BLUE 930 is not the same as a common or garden SC, so I’ve booked a nipple tweak for Craig next visit.
Our friend then attempts to soothe his troubled soul by snapping up a 930 advertised on one of the US boards, within hours of it going online. Silver with Lobster interior is a nicely period combination, but the new owner has some work ahead to find the missing 15″ Fuchs, Recaro sports seats and who knows what else is no longer present. If anyone can do it, Craig can. That’s why they call US classifieds “Craig’s List”.
“It’s official,” said Craig. “I’m now the owner of a ’76 Turbo Carrera…again. Last year (for reasons that still escape me) I sold my Albert Blue Turbo Carrera. I’ve regretted that decision ever since. These cars have really gone ballistic since: mine sold for $155k shortly after I sold it. Just as I was thinking that I would never be able to afford one again, this one popped up in CO for a not-so-crazy price. I still can’t afford it but I bought it anyway! Not pretty, but all mine.
“With the keys in hand, it’s time for an epic road trip. I took the top shot from our hotel room while waiting for the wife to get ready, best angle of a 930 in my opinion. The first mod is already complete: R Gruppe license plate frame! WerkCrew sticker coming soon.”
The drive home offered a number of options. Ironically, Craig chose to ignore the opportunity to visit Craig, CO, and instead headed north from Denver into Wyoming. Cutting through Laramie and over the Medicine Bow National Forest, husband and wife entered Utah at Salt Lake City, skirting south of the Great Salt Lake before stopping briefly at Bonneville Salt Flats.
“I have to say, as bumped and bruised as the body is with 167k miles on the clock, she drives like it’s 1976 again,” says our hero. “This Porsche 930 is a good thirty-footer, but tracks perfectly straight and feels as solid as the day it was screwed together: a testament to Porsche engineering. No funny noises or smells or anything but, yes, those wheels must go!”
From Bonneville, it was over the border into Nevada for a monumental thrash through nowhere.com. I offered $50 towards a full-bore speeding ticket, quickly supported by fellow upsetters. When Arjen then shared a copy of his $1300 fine for doing 70 in a 55 and Craig said the tyres were 12 years old, we let him continue in peace.
The car eventually reached the safety of its new home late on Sunday night. Will he find the bits and pieces? How long will he keep it? What dramas are waiting to befall the Porsche fan when he goes to register it? All this and more in future updates. As the licence plate frame Craig took off the car on purchase said: “it’s cheaper than being married.” Aha!
by John Glynn | Jun 18, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices, Project Cars
Loyal readers of my original Classic Porsche Blog may remember the story of when Porsche 911 parts I bought on eBay were flown to me in person. I just found some of the old pictures and thought it was worth a re-blog.
eBay Porsche Parts Shipping
In need of some parts for The Varmint – a Porsche 911 SC Coupe I had bought in San Francisco on Craigslist, used in California and shipped back to England – I went on eBay and hunted around. I needed a door pull, door pockets and a few other bits. Peter had been backdating a 3.2 Carrera and was selling all the parts I needed on the auction site. He also had a few other NOS parts including a headlamp washer pump and some light lenses.
We did a little deal on the lot, I gave him my address and he went off to get a price on the postage. I had an email ten minutes later. “Are you near Silverstone and free tomorrow?” I’m just down the road from Silverstone, and I work from home, so that was no problem. “Meet me at Turweston and I’ll have the parts with me,” said Peter.
Turweston Aerodrome
Just a few miles from Silverstone circuit, which was a huge aircraft base in the war, Turweston also served as an airfield in WW2. Wellington, Avro Anson and USAF Mitchell bombers flew from its three runways (including a 1.6 kilometre-long strip still used for F1 car and MotoGP motorbike testing) until the aerodrome was closed at the end of 1945. After that, it was used for MoD storage until reopening in the 1990s as a private airfield. It’s where most helicopter taxi rides into the British Grand Prix start from.
It turned out that Peter was the only qualified town planner in the UK who specialised in airfield planning and permission issues, and Turweston was one of his clients. He had flown up from Kent in his Europa 2 Tri-Gear light aircraft and brought my eBay 911 parts with him: I was knocked out by the service.
Driving the distance would have taken more than two hours. Flying took less than a quarter of that, with a lot less fuel used also – the 100hp Rotax 912S engine in Peter’s self-built Europa uses as little as 6 litres per 100 kilometres while cruising, so about a gallon of fuel to get to me. It was a very cool experience: I know lots of Porsche guys are pilots too, so thought I would share pics of the aircraft.
Of the Europa 2, Peter says “The Europa offers a rare brilliance in light aeroplane design and handling. There is very little in the marketplace today that offers so much performance for so little cost in maintenance.” The car is, of course, my 1976 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0 Coupe in Continental Orange. Sits well against the white and blue paint scheme, with the orange on the tail. Here’s some video of Peter’s plane in action:
by John Glynn | Jun 18, 2014 | Classic Porsche Blog, Modified Porsche Hot Rods
Had a nice email from Raleigh up in Utah, who thanked me for pointing him towards Impact Bumpers (you’re welcome mate) and shared some pics of this very smart 1984 Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera Coupe in rare Ruby Red. With just two owners and low mileage from new, it’s the antithesis of yesterday’s Targa Speedster feature car.
Introducing the Porsche 911 3.2 Carrera
1984 was the first year of the 3.2-litre Carrera. The new 911 was a development of the 911 SC, which had sold well for Porsche through the late 1970s, when Porsche management was planning to axe the 911 in favour of the 928.
New Porsche CEO, Peter Schutz, saw that enthusiasts were not ready to abandon Stuttgart’s rear-engined sports car. Schutz reversed the 911’s sentence, and gave orders to restart product development. In 1981 there was had a power hike for the SC, then another in 1983 (RoW) and then a displacement increase and fuel injection system change for the new model 911 3.2 Carrera in 1984.
The 911: Saved by Schutz
“The decision to keep the 911 occurred in the office of (engineering chief) Helmuth Bott, when I noticed a chart on the wall,” recalled Schutz. “It showed the ongoing development schedules for the Porsche 911, 928 and 944. Two of them stretched far into the future, but the 911 line stopped at the end of 1981. I walked to the chart, took a black marker pen, and extended the 911 line clean off the chart. I’m sure I heard a silent cheer from Bott.”
Bott went on to father the 959, and the work his engineering team did on the Carrera paid off handsomely, as the new 911 sold in record numbers. Bosch Motronic was a clear step up from the earlier CIS or K-Jet system used on the 911SC (and every other contemporary Porsche), giving better efficiency. While the bigger displacement came via a longer and lazier stroke, the increased capacity and better intake system gave more headline horsepower: quite a marked jump for US enthusiasts. More power, more prestige, more sales.
Two Owners from New
One man keen to sign up for the 3.2 Carrera was Raleigh’s father-in-law, who ordered this 911 brand new in 1983, and had it delivered that Christmas. Those early 3.2 seats are still as 911SC: most early 3.2 trim shows no change from previous. Teledial wheels were Carrera additions and are rare items now: sunroof and air con is not super common outside the US.
The classic Carrera has covered just 41,000 miles and looks in superb condition. Raleigh took over the 911’s upkeep one year ago, and reports the only change to standard as an updated radio – literally nice to hear. Good job, Utah Porsche guys: this 3.2 is a cutie.
