Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
The Speed Yellow 2004 Porsche 911 GT3 we featured in June remains for sale. The price has not changed, but I still think that price remains fairly reasonable all things considered. The GT3 is one of the best of the 996 and unlike some of the other 996 models should stand to hold (or even increase) its value fairly well. Now seems like the time to snatch one of these up.
As interesting as they might be, some cars probably aren’t meant for eBay. I think this 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupe may be one of those cars. The intriguing thing about this 911, which also happens to be the aspect about it that will take the most time to figure out, is that it has the body of the Porsche 930. While the ‘Turbo look’ would become a factory option on the 911 in the mid-80s, in 1975 this wasn’t the case. As such, this is said to be a dealer installed option requested at the behest of the first owner who was unable at the time to import the 1975 Turbo Carrera. In line with these desires, the engine is also said to be tuned, though exactly what that means isn’t made clear, and it has received upgraded brakes. That makes this 911 one of the first true Turbo-look 911s to be produced.
Another 3.6 liter 964 Turbo? Yes, another 3.6 liter 964 Turbo. Though I hadn’t come across an interesting one of these for a while I’ve now seen two this week that both captured my attention, each for its own reasons. My interest here is two-fold: first, this color combination is really speaking to me. I don’t want to try to over-analyze it because I do enough of that with other colors and these aren’t that unique. But I haven’t seen it much on this model and photographed here in mostly direct sunlight I love it. The second reason I’m interested is because unlike many of the other ads we’ve come across this one is actually an auction. It’s a reserve auction, but an auction nonetheless and therefore we might get a better sense of where these models are being valued. If you just want to know the asking price you can check Hunting Ridge Motors’ website (it’s a high price), but my curiosity is simpler. I’ve long wondered where the prices of these Turbos would stack up against their twin-turbocharged successors, the 993. The 993 clearly appears to be more highly valued than the 3.3 liter 964 Turbo, which shouldn’t surprise us, but what about the 3.6? The 964 has rarity in its favor, while the 993 is noted for being the last of the air-cooled Turbos. But it’s also all-wheel drive, a point that might shift the 964 back into the lead for some owners.
I feel like it’s been a while since I featured a long-hood 911 that was in original condition. Though not as aggressive and eye-catching as many of the modified and backdated 911s that we come across there still remains strong appeal to these early models. That is especially true of a 911S in a nice color. Of course, it is the very high values that these cars command which has encouraged so many owners of more recent models to backdate them in order to reproduce the original design aesthetic. Though the backdated models typically feature improved refinement and more modern mechanicals sometimes there’s just no substitute for the real thing. For the 1969 MY Porsche increased the wheelbase throughout the 911 range helping to provide a little more stability to the rear-engine rear-wheel design. Some buyers prefer the original short-wheelbase dynamics (and many collectors do), but I think many consider the change an improvement. Purely from an aesthetic standpoint the longer wheelbase creates a little better balance as the eye stretches a little more down the entire length of the car. Regardless of which side of that aisle you choose, it is the long-hood design itself that remains of paramount interest. The example we see here shows one of the better Porsche colors of this vintage: a Signal Yellow 1969 Porsche 911S Targa, located in Colorado, with a reported 39,060 miles on it (though the seller’s phrasing casts some doubt here and suggests the odometer may have rolled over).
Contrasts: they don’t always work, but when they do they create something that is much more interesting than the norm. I think we see this a lot with modified cars where contrasts in style become much more prevalent. With factory cars these contrasts usually come about through color combinations between the interior and exterior, but even more so when those colors appear to contrast with the ethos of the car itself. That is what we have here. The 930 needs little introduction. As Porsche’s turbocharged rear-engine Goliath it provided rewards to those able to master its dynamics and treachery to those who could not. Subtle is probably the last adjective that might be used about it. In neither appearance nor performance is it anything approaching subtle. Cassis Red Metallic seems a near opposite. A color that is both vibrant and also soft that may even suggest playfulness. It’s beautiful in a way that belies the nature of the 930. When combined we get a stark contrast, one that has been found on many Porsches before and after it and which remains one of my favorite hallmarks of the brand. Does it work? That will be up to individual buyers. But it’s about as far from triple black – the über aggressive alternative – that we can get.
