1979 911 sc buying help
Discussion
Things to look out for? Everything.
15k a year? You're brave...
It can be done but you will need a very, very good example. They were well made cars in their day but they are over 25 years old! The environment does a good job of destroying what Porsche put together.
You will need a completely restored example which has had its own cost price spent on it within the last 5 years. I drove a lovely red 1980 SC at the ring a few weeks ago and I was impressed - so there is hope. However that example had had 16k spent on it.
Main thing is get an inspection, the second thing is to put a couple of k in reserve for stuff that will invariably go with all that mileage, and thirdly if you can't find one, contact me and give my friend with the red SC a call as it might be up for sale for around 12-13k (RHD).
Good luck, I hate to say it, but you may need it. I'd personally buy an E36 M3 for 6k; it will eat the mileage and be entertaining enough. You can then spend the rest of your budget on a track car
15k a year? You're brave...
It can be done but you will need a very, very good example. They were well made cars in their day but they are over 25 years old! The environment does a good job of destroying what Porsche put together.
You will need a completely restored example which has had its own cost price spent on it within the last 5 years. I drove a lovely red 1980 SC at the ring a few weeks ago and I was impressed - so there is hope. However that example had had 16k spent on it.
Main thing is get an inspection, the second thing is to put a couple of k in reserve for stuff that will invariably go with all that mileage, and thirdly if you can't find one, contact me and give my friend with the red SC a call as it might be up for sale for around 12-13k (RHD).
Good luck, I hate to say it, but you may need it. I'd personally buy an E36 M3 for 6k; it will eat the mileage and be entertaining enough. You can then spend the rest of your budget on a track car
Hey Dom great minds and all that - I've been thinking about an E36 M3 (pre Evo) for some time and then those buggers at Evo mag go and publish an article that ensures a £2k boost in prices 
...mind you, I was looking at shelling out only £3k in the first place!
As to the SC - it may even be worth buying a tatty bodied car with sound mechanicals to run around in if you really want that 911 experience....but in reality you'd then have a tatty car with interglactic mileage on it after a couple of years. I would add that the guys at Autostrassse do look after several SCs that do get used every day - I used to pass one on my way to work.
...mind you, I was looking at shelling out only £3k in the first place! As to the SC - it may even be worth buying a tatty bodied car with sound mechanicals to run around in if you really want that 911 experience....but in reality you'd then have a tatty car with interglactic mileage on it after a couple of years. I would add that the guys at Autostrassse do look after several SCs that do get used every day - I used to pass one on my way to work.
Thanks for your advice everyone, yeah i know i would be chancing my arm but I am only 22 and i have a bit of a history so the old 911 would be a way of getting some power under my belt with classic insurance another car I was looking at was a 635 csl not sure about the age and insurance but its in perfect nick and its only £5000-6000. i would be looking at spending about 12 to 14k.
Thanks again
Thanks again
Jeez, that or a 635ci, you are a brave soul indeed... LOL.
If you want cheap insurance at 22, get a Caterham Seven. When I was 23 with no NCB I got one and it cost me 800 GBP fully comp unlimited miles, ungaraged, to insure. They are cheap to run, will pee all over 911 SCs and 635is and most other cars that have been invented to date. 12-14k gets you a good one. See blatchat.com classifieds.
If you need practical, cheap to insure transport, maybe consider an E30 M3 or a 968CS if that slips into a classic category. Seeing as you are brave you may also like to try a Delta Integrale Evo - flimsy build but what a machine... try one and you'll see what I mean. 14k gets you a good pick and they are classic to insure these days.
You could go the SC route - my friend's SC could be yours for your budget and it's sorted, but it's not supercar quick like a Caterham (although the handling of his is nicely resolved thanks to Mr Bilstein) and it's till quite an old car so things may go wrong.
If you want cheap insurance at 22, get a Caterham Seven. When I was 23 with no NCB I got one and it cost me 800 GBP fully comp unlimited miles, ungaraged, to insure. They are cheap to run, will pee all over 911 SCs and 635is and most other cars that have been invented to date. 12-14k gets you a good one. See blatchat.com classifieds.
If you need practical, cheap to insure transport, maybe consider an E30 M3 or a 968CS if that slips into a classic category. Seeing as you are brave you may also like to try a Delta Integrale Evo - flimsy build but what a machine... try one and you'll see what I mean. 14k gets you a good pick and they are classic to insure these days.
You could go the SC route - my friend's SC could be yours for your budget and it's sorted, but it's not supercar quick like a Caterham (although the handling of his is nicely resolved thanks to Mr Bilstein) and it's till quite an old car so things may go wrong.
delta integrale..what a machine...indeed.
had one for a year and its the only car i've got myself banned in.
flimsy..yes...but its all irritating bits like alarms and fuses etc.
have'nt driven an sc. got a 3.2
but..i miss that car..made me feel like a very good driver.and the grunt..have to say, would make mince meat out of my 3.2.
which i love..but it sounds as if you want a 911.
go for it..from my experience they'd both end up costing about the same to run..imho..
had one for a year and its the only car i've got myself banned in.
flimsy..yes...but its all irritating bits like alarms and fuses etc.
have'nt driven an sc. got a 3.2
but..i miss that car..made me feel like a very good driver.and the grunt..have to say, would make mince meat out of my 3.2.
which i love..but it sounds as if you want a 911.
go for it..from my experience they'd both end up costing about the same to run..imho..
I'm going to respectfully disagree with Domster here.
I think it's perfectly fine to use an old old car- however I will agree that it needs to be a minter/good one and it is advisable that you're at least mechanically savvy.
I think there is an irrational fear of old cars. Alot of it is from marketing. Marketers have done their jobs well thus convincing us we're going to break down in our 3 year old motors. This philosophy keeps me in a job however....
Before I got my 993tt I was thinking about getting an early 70s 911 as a daily driver- however- this WOULD have been BRAVE- as these cars with their mechcnical plunger pump injection systems and propensity to dissolve DO need TLC. No such worries with the SC which is very solid.
I'm currently using my 23 year old BMW e21 323i day in and day out- on long distance trips also.
Remember there's ALOT less to go wrong with an older car.
If anything the Porsche SC is better engineered than the Bimmer (with it's propensity to rust and it's elastic cam belt drive!). Similarly- a 911 SC is far more robust than a 635CSi at this age.
I would advise going for one with a modern chain tensioner though (from a later model). Bosch K Jetronic , as used on the SC, is a bullet proof injection system and I'd like to see how modern motronic /LH Jetronic cars fair when they get to this age.
If I found a good one, I would aim to change the ignition Leads, coil and dizzy cap/rotor and belts as a matter of course. Because the car is not water cooled you don't have to worry about cooling hoses and radiators- another plus point in the durability/robustness stakes to this venerable 911.
If you do go this route you CAN'T neglect it and MUST keep on top of things.
If you're anything like me- I wouldn't even consider a caterham/westfield- I don't care HOW fast they are- it's not about how fast I go but how I go fast, the FEEL the CHARACTER of the car, but we're all different and different strokes for different folks and all that.
I have a collegue at work who was thinking of selling his 911 SC, and he's been obsessive about it's upkeep- but he may have taken it off the market.
Hope this helps and good luck!
I think it's perfectly fine to use an old old car- however I will agree that it needs to be a minter/good one and it is advisable that you're at least mechanically savvy.
I think there is an irrational fear of old cars. Alot of it is from marketing. Marketers have done their jobs well thus convincing us we're going to break down in our 3 year old motors. This philosophy keeps me in a job however....
Before I got my 993tt I was thinking about getting an early 70s 911 as a daily driver- however- this WOULD have been BRAVE- as these cars with their mechcnical plunger pump injection systems and propensity to dissolve DO need TLC. No such worries with the SC which is very solid.
I'm currently using my 23 year old BMW e21 323i day in and day out- on long distance trips also.
Remember there's ALOT less to go wrong with an older car.
If anything the Porsche SC is better engineered than the Bimmer (with it's propensity to rust and it's elastic cam belt drive!). Similarly- a 911 SC is far more robust than a 635CSi at this age.
I would advise going for one with a modern chain tensioner though (from a later model). Bosch K Jetronic , as used on the SC, is a bullet proof injection system and I'd like to see how modern motronic /LH Jetronic cars fair when they get to this age.
If I found a good one, I would aim to change the ignition Leads, coil and dizzy cap/rotor and belts as a matter of course. Because the car is not water cooled you don't have to worry about cooling hoses and radiators- another plus point in the durability/robustness stakes to this venerable 911.
If you do go this route you CAN'T neglect it and MUST keep on top of things.
If you're anything like me- I wouldn't even consider a caterham/westfield- I don't care HOW fast they are- it's not about how fast I go but how I go fast, the FEEL the CHARACTER of the car, but we're all different and different strokes for different folks and all that.
I have a collegue at work who was thinking of selling his 911 SC, and he's been obsessive about it's upkeep- but he may have taken it off the market.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Thanks again everyone its great to have such a depth of knowledge only a click away. I would have a fair amount of experience as i helped maintain my uncles 911 3.6 rally car but i wouldnt really have a clue about the electrics on a road car. plus my budget would be streched just buying and insuring the girl so maybe it might not be the greatest idea i have ever had, because if something major goes bang i could be in a sticky situation. anyway thanks all for the advice.
mick
mick
I would be very wary of a '79 SC. They were galvanised from '79 but I'd go for an '80 just to be sure I'd got one that wasn't going to dissolve around me. I recently bought a high mileage but fully serviced/reconditioned '87 3.2 Carrera for a price within your budget. Better rustproofing, better G50 gearbox, more power but still a proper 911. Go for it I'd say, either that or save youself a bit of money and get an early 968 or late 944.
I doubt the electrics would be that bad.
Also, 968/944 can be expensive to run if you're unlucky.
I'd say a 3.2 as mentioned previously is a great choice. Lots sorted out over the SC, simple to work on if you have some experience, and within budget to buy and insure.
911s are wonderful. Don't be put off them. Just buy the right one and enjoy it. (You could be in a much worse place if you were buying a 70s Esprit, so the situation is quite sunny really
)
Also, 968/944 can be expensive to run if you're unlucky.
I'd say a 3.2 as mentioned previously is a great choice. Lots sorted out over the SC, simple to work on if you have some experience, and within budget to buy and insure.
911s are wonderful. Don't be put off them. Just buy the right one and enjoy it. (You could be in a much worse place if you were buying a 70s Esprit, so the situation is quite sunny really
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