Here we have another 911E, though this time with Porsche’s way-before-its-time Sportomatic transmission. We feature very few examples of the Sportomatic so I wanted to feature this, in part, to get a sense of the relative market contrasts between these and a manual-transmission 911. But also because it’s nice to show some of Porsche’s more innovative designs, even when, in the case of the Sportomatic, those designs were addressing concerns that didn’t appear to exist at the time. As essentially the precursor to their Tiptronic, the Sportomatic was a clutchless manual that allowed drivers to do the shifting but without having to concern themselves with learning how to operate a clutch. While Porsche referred to these as an automatic, there really wasn’t a fully automatic setting as gears still needed to be shifted, but the lack of a clutch allowed Porsche potentially to spread its base market to those who were unable to operate a full manual. So these are a little bit unusual and not very common, even though the Sportomatic was an available option until 1980. The example here is a Gemini Blue 1973 Porsche 911E, located in California, with 115,931 miles on it.
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1973 Porsche 911E on eBay
Year: 1973
Model: 911E
Engine: 2.4 liter flat-6
Transmission: 4-speed automatic
Mileage: 115,931 mi
Price: Reserve Auction
Available for sale is this beautiful and highly optioned numbers-matching 1973 Porsche 911E Coupe, VIN 9113201070, finished in the original Gemini Blue Metallic over black, with the original 2.4E mechanically fuel injected engine and the rare original sportomatic transmission. I purchased this car from the third owner, who brought the car to California from South Dakota several years ago and used it sparingly. When I acquired the car, it was in need of some minor work. AIR replaced the front suspension pan and repainted the hood, performed some minor interior work and did a light service. This car needs nothing to be enjoyed immediately.
The prior owner purchased this car from his co-worker in 1995, and had the car routinely serviced at Carousel Porsche in Minnesota (the closest franchise dealer to Sioux Falls, SD) as well as Classic Import Repair in Sioux Falls. The second owner, also from South Dakota, purchased the car in 1988 after it was advertised in the classifieds of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader from what is believed to be the original owner, and he had the car serviced at Classic Import Repair. I have records from the original classified advertisement in 1988 through 2008, after which the car presumably came to California. I know that the car was serviced at Auto Werkstatt in Manhattan Beach for a time, and are endeavoring to obtain copies of these records, but the last time they saw the car was at least a few years ago. The prior owner had the car repainted and the engine rebuilt in late 1997 and early 1998 (winter in South Dakota). The car received a glass out repaint at Pierre’s Body Shop in Sioux Falls at a cost of approximately $6000 and a complete engine rebuild at Carousel at a cost of over $10,000. Mileage at the time of the engine rebuild was 99,422. The odometer read 15,931 as of 9/7/14, but the car is driven occasionally so mileage may increase. Paint has held up extremely well and was clearly a quality job, showing some wear from use and one area of bubbling in the lower corner of the passenger fender, but when I drove the car to my local early 911 gathering here in Los Angeles, many people asked if I had just painted the car – it still looks that good.
When the car arrived at AIR earlier this year, she had battery corrosion in the suspension pan and tank support area, some paint chips up front and the interior needed some freshening up. We examined the car thoroughly and found no evidence of any accident damage, and proceeded with the repairs. The front pan was expertly replaced in house at AIR and we re-sprayed the front hood. The dash was repaired and recovered using our proprietary process, the modern stereo was removed and replaced with a correct and fully functioning Becker Europa, the seats were recovered and a few other details attended to. The car has five original Fuchs, the jack and the original owner’s manual. I viewed the Kardex summary for this car at the recent Werks Reunion in Monterey. The original engine number per the Kardex is 6239260 (matching the engine in the car) and the original transmission number is 630509 (also matching). The car was a US delivery car with a build date around April of 1973 and included the following option codes: 400 (light alloy wheels), 404 (stabilizer bars front & rear), 426 (chrome fender trim), 466 (appearance group – S trim and instruments) & 568 (tinted glass). In addition, the car has dealer installed AC (which is complete and functions about as expected – it needs to be upgraded to R134), a fully functioning Becker Europa radio, aluminum “S” front calipers, a steel “S” front bumper and tint film applied to the side and rear glass. The car runs and drives very well, with no unusual noises, excellent power and a remarkable sportomatic transmission. Clear AZ title is in my name, this car is ready to be driven or easily taken to the next level. I can assist with shipping worldwide. Over 120 additional photos can be seen in the slideshow above or by clicking on the image below
FOR SALE: 1973 911E Coupe
Please contact me via eBay with any questions or to make arrangements to inspect the car in person by appointment. This early 911, with its original mechanically fuel injected motor and rare sportomatic transmission, is a joy to drive and a technological marvel as the predecessor to Porsche’s PDK transmission.
Please read the fine print: I try to be accurate and complete in my descriptions but all prospective purchasers agree that this description is solely for convenience, should not be considered a complete description of any or all faults, and should not be relied upon or considered a representation or warranty or any sort. The car is sold as-is, where-is with all faults known or unknown. A pre-purchase inspection is strongly encouraged. Remember, this is a 41 year old car; it is not showroom new. If you have ever had an old car, or you are considering owning one, you should understand that there is an almost endless list of repairs, improvements, corrections and details that can be attended to. Like the car, I am old too, so I may have forgotten things that are important to you. I apologize for this lawyerly disclaimer, but we live in strange times. Thanks.
Gemini Blue always looks particularly stunning on these early 911s and the case is no different here as this 911E presents very well both inside and out. There’s just something about this shade of blue that contrasts so well with the chrome and black accents of the 911 and it stands out very well without being showy. I love it. As for the bidding, this one currently sits at $65,100 with reserve unmet so it’s definitely a bit below where we’d expect a manual 911E would sell, but still commanding a pretty good price.
-Rob
