Enthusiasts Blogging Our Favorite Classifieds
With air cooled 911 prices always on the rise, it seems that enthusiasts are more fearful than ever than to modify their precious sports cars. However, there are still a few adventurous owners out there willing to give their 911 their own personal touch and improve upon the standard formula. Such is the case with the follow mid 1970s 911 coming to us from our reader Nate, looking sharp in RS livery.
I’ve developed a much stronger interest in these cars lately. Not because of any particular affection I feel for the 1974-1977 model 911 itself, but simply because these cars remain somewhat low on the price scale, especially considering their age. They aren’t the best performers and have been known to have engine issues, but I’m curious where the market for them is headed and what sorts of options we come across in terms of the condition of the cars. There were two models produced for the US market during these years (the 911 and 911S), primarily distinguished by a 25 horsepower bump (up to 175 hp) in the 911S, and these cars were distinguished from their predecessors by being the first models to have the new impact bumpers. The example featured here is a Light Yellow 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera, located in Illinois, that has seen 117,500 miles.
So you want a classic 1960s/1970s Porsche 911. Well, it’s not a great time to jump on the bandwagon. We’ve watched prices on these early 911s jump to unprecedented levels – values on models such as the 1973 Carrera RS have tripled in the past year, where now Hagerty Insurance values a top condition example at $800,000. So, sufficed to say you won’t be getting one anytime soon; and even if you could afford it, then what? Would you feel comfortable taking your million dollar Porsche for a stroll with all those Camry “drivers” more intent on the latest recipe on NPR than signaling to change the three lanes over the to exit they just missed? Don’t worry, they’ll back up to take it. So, what’s an enthusiast to do? Well, many have been inspired by the model of Singer; backdating modern cars to look like older and more valuable examples. As a side bonus, you get improved performance and luxuries that the early cars just didn’t have – items that honestly make the drive more enjoyable. A few weeks ago, I saw a Singer-inspired car at Lime Rock Park that just looked awesome – an updated RS that was dependable and, more importantly, a car that could be driven and enjoyed on a reasonable budget. Today, there’s a similar example for sale on Ebay:
As the air-cooled 911 market has accelerated it has been nice to see some of the nicer driver-quality cars come up for auction and the example here fits that description quite well. Here we another car in Guards Red, though this time a 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Targa located in Atlanta. The mileage isn’t too high at 111,500 and this one stands apart from the rest with some very sexy HRE deep dish wheels and custom seat inserts that I’m sure will be a very love/hate addition to this car. Needless to say this is not a Targa that will be prized by collectors, but that means it should be obtainable for a better value. With an engine that should have plenty of life left in it that’s the sort of driver-quality Carrera that we’re looking for!
There is something to be said for a great interior in any car, but especially in a convertible. With the top down and the sun shining every little detail tends to stand out not only for the world to see but even for you as the driver. The interior is what we see and feel and it is what connects us to the car and provides immediate sensory feedback. A terrible interior can make a great car seem boring, and a great interior livens up even pedestrian models. Thus, it should come as little surprise that I really love the interior on this 1987 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet. Other than the steering wheel, I have always loved the layout and look of the classic 911 interior and when presented in this shade of Tobacco leather I find that everything fits together perfectly, especially on a car in a shade of dark blue like the Marina Blue we see here. The contrast works to make the car seem more alive and driving more enjoyable. As we continue our slog through the variants of the 3.2 Carrera, this Cabriolet with 106K miles provides us another look at this escalating market and the current demand for driver-quality examples.