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1973rs project

Nishal Patel

Well-known member
Joined
1 Jul 2005
Messages
232
Apart from smtk's supersport, anyone else think about a classic project that could yield benefits to the owner.

There is a 73rs in need of some love and attention to rescue it to its original glory, owner asking £47K for the carcass (check out mobile.de for details).

What do experts feel the average cost of total restorations are and how long will it take if money is no object (not to say i won the lottery or anything)? Just curious as these babies seem to fetch alot nowdays if properly sorted.

I can forsee frustration if parts are not available or if the bodywork needs alot of work!


Migration info. Legacy thread was 136231
 
it probably would be cheaper to buy a restored one

But it’s up to the restorer on how much you want to spend

For example if you wanted matching numbers car and every thing 100% 1973 Porsche parts then your last name should be Gates

But if you were happy to have 1973 non match numbers and reproduction parts then allot less

Migration info. Legacy thread was 136272
 
Philip (pmjt) hopefully would give his view on this soon. Restoring a 73RS is going to be such a mine field. To start off with you'll need to get the right car, and then you have to be carefull as to how you restore it, 'cos the lst thing you want is to spend loasds on the not quite right jobs and end up de-valueing it instead of turning it into a >£100k car! I would even want to think about it unless I have someone like Philip moving in with me!


Migration info. Legacy thread was 136277
 
Restoration of early cars can cost a fortune *to do it properly*.
Money, time, the right expertise, and did I say money? :wink:

Migration info. Legacy thread was 136353
 
The only people making money on classics are restorers !

Migration info. Legacy thread was 136488
 
As an example, I have been given a guide of £25K to restore my Opel Manta A Series and its already way better than any other I've seen. Last respray was rubbish though and it just annoys me.

The price was from someone I trust implicitly and their labour rate is pretty reasonable. It would take 18 months to two years and the car would be better than new.

I've seen many cars restored by this company including an MGB roadster that the client spent £30K on. It could not be faulted on any level other than it was too good.

I'd double the cost for a 911 as the parts can be so expensive.


Migration info. Legacy thread was 136522
 
Sundeep - I can't agree - if you're very, very carefula resto can be done economically - but you REALLY have to know what you're doing :wink:

Probably the best thing I can give you is the example of my 356 'A' Carrera restoration.

I've owned six of seven 356's and know them reasonably well - although Early 911's will always be my comfort zone - I bought the car in 2000 after researching it extensively - there were only ever five 356 'A' Carrera Four Cams made in right hand drive - and mine, being a 1955 manufactured made it very early and very rare.

I was confident the car was solid - but knowing it had been a race car in the 50's and 60's, reckoned on having to do some work to the shell ha ha!

First - got the car home and realised the gearbox needed attention - a £1k check it over turned into a £5k rebuild. HOWEVER the company (who shall remain nameless) did it incorrectly - so it's just been rebuilt again - for another £5k.

The engine needed love and care - I assumed max. £10k for a thorough overhaul - once we got in there, we discovered the roller bearing crank needed overhaul - £5k alone. Going this deep in, there was only one option - to completely rebuild it - bill stands at about £40k - yes - you read that right forty grand.

Having decided we were going so deep - seemed senseless to not do the job properly - so the brakes were rebuilt - Carrera drum brakes are special and rare - another £5k. The suspension and remaining drive train all overhauled.

Decided we should really see what's under the paint - had it chemically dipped and discovered all manner of horrors - the worst of which is that the car was rolled in the 60's with a half cage in - the front 'A' pillars had collapsed and been replaced - INCORRECTLY - so the 'A' pillars were too short - therefore the roof line was wrong - which meant the door gaps were incorrect.

The shell 'tin work' rebuilt will be around £35k by the time its finished - then add £10k for prep and paint.

Then I've got to reassemble, and of course retrim, replace trim pieces, refurbish instruments - probably another £20k all in.

If you do the maths for me (I'm too scared to work it out!) you'll see this is a HUGE amount of money - when added to the purchase price (which would have bought a brand new 996 GT3 in the day!) this has been a scary project.

BUT - firstly, it's my car, I know it intimately, I've spoken to the sons of the original owner - who remember learning to drive in it, going to the factory in it, watching dad race it etc., etc. It's irreplaceable - there are only two other RHD T1 356 'A' Carreras in the World - and I adore it with a passion.

So who cares - like Ade said - "it's only money!" :eek: :wink: :D

If you're serious about buying a 2.7RS - buy a restored one - the cheapest 'refresh' NOT restoration of one of these cars is going to be £25 to £35k - an engine rebuild is £10k minimum - a repaint £10k etc., etc.

A restored car will - provided it's been done by the right people - will always have cost the owner more than the car is worth - so buy when they've paid the money.

My 356 'A' Cab cost someone £40k more than I paid for it to restore :eek:

Or take the view you'll never sell it, so who cares :wink:

Philip

Migration info. Legacy thread was 136556
 
Philip. I can understand why you haven't totalled that refurb up - all I can say is yikes!!

So, the 911S i've linked to above - good buy? Autofarm suggest that the big stuff has been done and it's just a case of getting it finished correctly.


Migration info. Legacy thread was 136560
 
Previous poster said:
Quote: Originally posted by Dunc on 27 April 2007
Philip. I can understand why you haven't totalled that refurb up - all I can say is yikes!!
So, the 911S i've linked to above - good buy? Autofarm suggest that the big stuff has been done and it's just a case of getting it finished correctly.

Dare I say it - it's cheap for a 2.4S - and that's what worries me - there are lots of detail inconsistencies - for example the seats are completely wrong (much later non-Porsche Recaros) - a correct set of Recaros will set you back £2,500 - then there's the rest of the interior trim - carpets seem to fit badly, no trunk carpet.

Don't get me wrong - it could be a really good buy - and the 2.4S is a gem of a car - wonderful motor in the back - Keith Seume has said in print before that the 2.4S is the best production 911 - don't completely agree with him but I see what he's driving at.

If you want, I've got to go down to Oxford next Friday (provided I can get out of China by then!) so I could drop in and have a look at it for you - if you're seriously interested?

Philip

Migration info. Legacy thread was 136564
 
Previous poster said:
Quote: Originally posted by pmjt on 27 April 2007

If you want, I've got to go down to Oxford next Friday (provided I can get out of China by then!) so I could drop in and have a look at it for you - if you're seriously interested?Philip
Good God no, please don't encourage me. I'll be divorced before i'm even married and homeless with two orange Porsches to look after - yet that still sounds good!

Just a pipedream for me i'm afraid but was interested to know if you thought it had potential. Cant be many rhd S's around and it's a lovely original colour.


Migration info. Legacy thread was 136565
 
Cheers for the info, pmjt and everyone else, now i know where i stand.

Looks like a long job with a deep endless hole in the pocket and even then you may have to end up borrowing some.

Whats everyone's opinion on paul stephens retro 911's, anyone driven or heard about them?


Migration info. Legacy thread was 136575
 
Previous poster said:
Quote: Originally posted by Nishal Patel on 27 April 2007

Whats everyone's opinion on paul stephens retro 911's, anyone driven or heard about them?
I'm sure they're a very good compromise as i'm sure the Autofarm conversions are also. Thing for me would be authenticity where i'd quite like the quirkiness of an early 911 and enjoy knowing that even though its 30-40 yrs old it can still hoon about at an entertaining pace.

I'm sure someone without my ***** fixations of authenticity would find the recreation types very good though.


Migration info. Legacy thread was 136578
 
Now I understand why the restored 356 Speedsters in the South Kensington showrooms are ticketed between £80 and £100K! :eek:

Migration info. Legacy thread was 136583
 

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