by John Glynn | Sep 27, 2012 | Project Cars
I just spent two days up in Yorkshire with the lightweight Porsche panel manufacturers at EB Motorsport and picked this up on my travels: a tidy 924 tailgate from an eBay seller in Bolton.
It’s not perfect and suffers from the same peeling glass paint they all have, but the spoiler is in better shape than the original one on my 924 Turbo, so I was pleased to get hold of it. I’ll strip and refurb the hatch with some help from Racing Restorations and get it on the car when we do the fresh paint this winter.
If anyone ever asks whether a 924 tailgate fits in the back of a Subaru Outback, I can confirm that yes, it does. Don’t expect to fit more heavy stuff in there, though.
by John Glynn | Sep 16, 2012 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices, Project Cars
The auction for the earliest LWB Porsche 911 just ended on eBay. Final price was £37,100. Assuming a quality Porsche restoration will cost at least £60,000, that makes the car £100k done. I’m sure whoever placed the winning bid thinks that will prove a good price in time, and I’m inclined to agree.
See below for a full copy of the eBay sales text. Here’s a screen shot of the bids from start to finish: the highest bid for most of the week was placed two days into the sale. The winning bid was placed twenty minutes from the finish.
That early bidder did well to judge the likely price so accurately – I wonder what stopped them going just that little bit higher.
The seller was my online Porsche friend, Brendan Mullan, up in Scotland. Here’s a copy of Brendan’s eBay sales text:
One of the most significant road cars in Porsche’s history
Chassis (VIN) number: 119200001 The First LWB Chassis Number
Engine number: 6290001 The First LWB Engine
Gearbox number: 2281682 Type 901/03
Build date: 28 June 1968
THE FIRST EVER PORSCHE 911E – MATCHING NUMBERS HISTORICALLY IMPORTANT 911
This is an amazing barn find story!
The car was discovered in a barn, where it had been for over 25 years, by two committed long term early 911 UK based enthusiast/owners and totally researched by us as genuine. Factory confirmed and virtually complete with unique colour combination. Probably the very first long wheel base (LWB) Porsche ever built. Totally unique.
First three owners were contemporary Porsche factory drivers of the day; Robs Lamplough, Paddy McNally and the immortal Jo Siffert. Built two months before actual LWB production began and used as a mule for six months at the factory. Converted by the factory from LHD to RHD for the first road driving owner. Personal letters from one of the first three owners confirming its early history. Unparalleled provenance.
This car has matching engine, gearbox and chassis (VIN) numbers. The very first ever LWB chassis (# 119000001) and the very first ever MFI E engine (# 620001). Confirmed as a factory Versuch (prototype) model, one of only three or four known to exist and this is the earliest LWB example. The car retains all its original Versuch tags with the factory prototype numbers along with the usual VIN plates. Documents on hand confirm its status. Contains a mix of SWB and LWB parts as would be expected in the summer of 1968 during testing of the new model. Unique original colour combination of light ivory exterior and red interior (all items present). Repainted black in the mid 1980’s but original colour still evident everywhere. Correct date stamped original parts, including four matching dated five and a half inch Fuchs wheels. All body panels except one front wing and the engine lid are original. Engine is complete from heat exchangers to air box. Gearbox original and complete. Original hydromatic front suspension has been replaced many years ago as most have. Interior in restorable condition. Uncracked SWB dash top. SWB rear lights. Seats, door panels, lower dash, carpets all in good to excellent condition. Original undamaged glass all round. Door pockets reasonable. Lovely date stamped steering wheel, stained and torn headlining. No hood badge.
As can be seen from the pictures the ducktail is obviously not original but the decklid grille fitted to it appears to be the correct one year only three bar 1969 grille. We have a very nice one year only 1969 decklid that will come with the car. The front seats shown in the pictures are also aftermarket replacements. We have the original red seats which are in restorable condition and will also come with the car. Although not shown in any of the pictures we also have the original bonnet.
This unique 911 will require total restoration: The shell is in a poor state and mechanical components will need a total renovation/rebuild. It will need a complete top to bottom nut and bolt rebuild but such an historically important car must be saved. Once this car is restored it will represent a benchmark example of the whole 911 development and in particular a watershed moment in the pre-impact bumper (longhood) programme.
We are both well-known contributors to early 911 forums. This is a private sale. We are not dealers. You can read all about the discovery of this amazing barn find 911 on our thread on DDK
The car is available for viewing and is currently located near Prestwick Airport in Scotland.
We would love this 911 to be bought and restored by an enthusiast who understands its position in Porsche history. We will be happy to assist any overseas buyer with transportation but any shipping and other charges will be the responsibility of the purchaser. We reserve the right to withdrawn this 911 at any stage as it may be sold elsewhere. Thanks for looking and good luck with your bidding.
An opportunity like this will never arise again. Car is sold as seen.
Please note that bidders with zero feedback should contact the seller directly before bidding as all bids with no feedback will be removed.
by John Glynn | Sep 7, 2012 | Classic Porsche Blog, Market & Prices
Classic Porsche simpatico, Brendan Mullan is selling his recent barn find Porsche 911 on eBay. But this is no ordinary Porsche dragged out of a barn.
Chassis number 119200001 is the first ever long wheelbase Porsche 911 built in Stuttgart. Bolted together on June 28th, 1968, I was five months old when this 911 rolled out of Zuffenhausen and under the bums of Lamplough, McNally and Jo Siffert: Porsche test drivers at the time.
The eBay description is as good as you’d expect from the Porsche enthusiasts selling this car, and the provenance is solid. More solid than the chassis itself, but rust is nothing that can’t be repaired. You can switch it back from RHD to original left while you’re at it.
What will it fetch? Who knows, but I’ve already had one phone call discussing possible sale price. It’s currently sitting pretty at £35k with 8 days left to run. I doubt it will be cheap, but what’s cheap in an ever-rising market? Interest rates are close to zero: putting (a lot of) money into this will return better than that in time. And if it sells to someone with a factory restoration team to do the work, then all the better.
by John Glynn | May 3, 2012 | Classic Porsche Blog, Project Cars
British law says that cars over three years old must have an annual safety inspection, known here as the MoT (Ministry of Transport) test. Racing Restorations UK recently took our Project 924 Turbo for its test. It’s the first step in registering the Italian-plated Porsche here in England.
The test checks what you’d expect:
- Body or vehicle structure free from corrosion or damage, engine mountings secure etc. Fuel system: No leaks. Security and condition of pipes or hoses. Fuel cap fastens and seals securely.
- Exhaust emissions: dependent on the age and fuel type. Exhaust system: secure & complete. Catalyst where one was fitted as standard. Without leaks and is not too noisy.
- Seat belts: checked for type, condition, operation and security. All seat belts must be in place. Seats: driver’s seat can be adjusted. All seats for security and seat backs can be secured in the upright position. Doors: Latch securely. Front doors open from inside and outside. Hinges and catches for security and condition. Mirrors: minimum number required, condition and security. Load security: boot or tailgate can be secured in the closed position. Bonnet: securely latches in the closed position.
- Brakes: condition, inappropriate repairs or modifications, operation and performance. ABS or electronic stability control (ESC) where fitted. Tyres and wheels: condition, security, tyre size and type and tread depth. Spare tyres are not inspected.
- Registration plates: Condition, security, colour, characters correctly formed and spaced. Lights: Condition, operation including HID and LED headlamps for cleaning, self levelling and security. Headlamp aim. Main beam warning light.
- Wipers and washers: operate to give the driver a clear view ahead. Windscreen: condition and driver’s view of the road. Horn: correct operation and of suitable type. Steering and suspension: condition, steering oil level, operation, a check for inappropriate repairs or modification including corrosion to power steering pipes or hoses. Operation of steering lock mechanism.
After an hour’s worth of checking, the 924 failed, but only on a few things.
First was the headlamps, which are left hand drive and dip to the wrong side. Track rod ends and one rear wheel bearing were past it. There’s a problem with the rear fog light being intermittent, the windscreen washers don’t work and it needs new wiper blades. The tyres passed but they are pretty old, so we’re changing them.
Rob at Racing Restorations will do the track rods and wheel bearing, I’ll swap the lamps and fix the other bits from my stock of 924 and 944 parts and we should be good for a re-test next week. Then I need a letter from Porsche confirming the build date, and we’ll be ready to submit a registration application.
The boys say it drives well: worn second gear synchro being the only real issue. My transmission guy has our spare gearbox apart and apparently it’s not pretty, with worn selectors on 1 through 4. We’re still trying to figure out what bits Porsche and Getrag used in the early 924 Turbo gearbox: must be Mercedes or similar from the period. More news on that as we find it.
As an aside, I’ve just bought a complete 924S back end including the aluminium arms from a mate, so that might come in handy. Aluminium arms will be nice if we go for this Carrera GT idea and try for trick underpinnings – same as fitted to 944 Turbo.
by John Glynn | Apr 24, 2012 | Classic Porsche Blog, Project Cars
My growing car collection just went up a notch, as new Ferdinand Magazine bought its first Porsche project.
The new addition is a 924 Turbo: a Series One car from the late 1970s, in Silver. It’s LHD (of course) and has a non-sunroof shell. Condition is reportedly very solid, but I’ve not seen it yet so will advise when it arrives with me, later today. The seller knows his Turbos and says this is the fastest one he’s ever had. Count on some test drive video! I’ve been looking for a good 924 Turbo for ages, so I really hope this is as sweet as it sounds.
The odometer is showing very low kilometres, which may or may not be genuine. There is absolutely no paperwork with the car, so a detective hunt lies ahead. It still carries its Italian registration: tracing that back should be interesting. Completely unconnected, I just started Italian lessons but have enough Italian Porsche friends to help me with the digging.
Plans for the car: it is seriously tempting to make this a Carrera GT replica. I’ve always loved 924 Carrera GTs and a silver one would sit well in the garage with the Orange 911 and my M3 saloon. I’m having the car delivered to Racing Restorations UK in Pershore, where Rob Campbell will give it a good going over. Rob has just finished tidying up the M3 – chopping out some rot in the sills and overhauling the suspension and underside – so the 924 will drop into that space.
Whatever about the Carrera GT plan, I know I have a gearbox fault to fix on this 924 first, so the spare transmission I bought with the car will be stripped later this week to check it out before swapping it into the newbie. Once the car is MOT’d, we’ll decide what to do for the future.
I know you will now ask me: what’s happening with the 944 Kombi/Estate project? The donor car we bought and paid for turned into a bit of a nightmare, with the seller initially agreeing to store it for a while, but then moving it and refusing to tell us where we could pick it up! Buying through eBay with Amex was a sensible move. We are back on the hunt for a donor: I still have my 86k-mile 1983 944 Lux stashed away, but I think that’s a bit too nice to chop up.
More updates later: follow Ferdinand Magazine on Facebook to get the news first.
