The world of classic car values is always changing. This is true no matter what you are into. The difference with Porsches is that they are a barometer for much of the rest of the market, as they often represent the peak price point for a swathe of machinery that does not carry the Stuttgart coat of arms. This is valuation by association, and is how much of the work I do at Glass’s Guide is carried out.
Here’s one that just popped up which merits consideration. It’s a 1974 Porsche 911S, all original in Gulf Blue with blue/black vinyl.Under 35k miles from new. The 165bhp 2.7 engine has been rebuilt to eliminate it as a concern. The car has previously had a win at the Winter Park concours (n0t sure when or for what) and there is no doubt that it is very nice. It’s up for sale at $37500 and the seller is not taking bids on that. Bear in mind that these pictures are murky and horrible – the car will be very pretty in the metal.
Considering that most people still regard the impact bumper 911s as bottom end, and that the 911 and 911S are about the lowest on the ladder as far as IBs go, that is a lot of money. OK, it’s low miles and a concours winner, but: 40 grand! The seller is a garage owner who is obviously trying to take all the money that this car is going to make over the next few years out now, so any buyer would want to be sure that they want it – it’s not going to turn a profit any time soon.
Is it worth $38,000? Let’s consider for a moment what else that buys you. That is about the right money for a similar age/slightly higher mileage Corvette convertible. A repainted Maserati Bora would run you about the same. A restored UK 911S in Orange once sold at the peak of the recent crazy market for the high £30k mark, so in this context it could be said to be reasonably priced. If you were someone who just wanted to own something clean and quite unique, and potter along to a few concours events every now and then, this would be a good car to buy. As it’s on sale in Florida, sunroom of the retired easterner, there might be more than one prospective buyer with this level of activity in mind.
We are regularly accused on the ImpactBumpers.com Marketplace Discussions forum of running values on impact bumper 911s down. I don’t think we do this. What we say is that there are plenty of sheds out there priced up as honest cars, and those things are worth lots less than a nice clean car, still running original paint and never having suffered from some of the insane rust that many of these so-called ‘top restored examples’ have already have repaired.
Repaired rust is not a recommendation to buy a car – if it has been rusty and then been fixed, chances are there is lots more rust waiting to come your way. There are some great examples of this available for sale in the UK now, so don’t be taken in by a photographic rust repair history.
If you’re looking for low maintenance, turn key jump-in-and-drive, where your money will be fairly safe then, despite the very crappy pictures seen here, this absolutely original little 911S is the sort of thing to go for. Personally I would prefer a nice original SC for around the same money but beggars can’t be choosers! You can contact the seller, Sid Collins, via his website here.
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In comparison to a similar age/slightly higher mileage Corvette convertible or a repainted Maserati Bora it's got to be a bargain!
I'm curious to know if this is a late 1974 or an early one. One of the photos shows the ventilation grille which appears to be the proper plastic unit for 1974 and the Euro lights are evident in the photos. Many of the 1973-built 1974's arrived in the U. S. with aluminum rear ventilation grilles and also with anomalous gauge clusters. They also often did not have the shock absorbers but the Euro tubes, thus saving some weight. If it is a California car it can now be changed to the row 175 hp without violating smog rules. I'm guessing that it is a late 1974. The original build date may not be available but the build month should be on the B-Pillar on the DOT sticker. I'm restoring a 911 to stock. This appears to be a mostly stock car. And its an S. And it appears to be in really good shape. There's no doubt that a fair price for a car like this if it is in as good condition as it looks and purports is no less than 34,000 and pending inspection, could be as high as 44,000. A look at the limited photo show that is in an excellent state of preservation, but just a look at the stock key hole surround for example, shows that certain aspects of maintenance have been neglected, although the key surround, surprisingly easy to maintain as new if one knows how is one of the most neglected items on the Classic Porsche. If I hadn't already committed similar money on a restoration of a base 1974 911, I'd be in the market to buy this particular S. — Zioo