Porsche 3.3 Turbo engine - what's it worth?
Porsche 3.3 Turbo engine - what's it worth?
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Discussion

DemolitionDan

Original Poster:

50 posts

271 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
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As regular forum members may know I bought a 1980 911 3.3 Turbo on September 11th. It turned out to be a very nice car except for a broken head stud.

The head studs are currently being replaced but fearing the worst I started enquiring about second hand cylinder heads, pistons, barrels etc and unearthed a complete engine, gearbox and clutch from a write-off.

The engine has been unused and out of the car for 12 years and is stripped for inspection, it is in excellent condition but the intercooler is missing (was flattened in the crash).

It looks like I am not going to need any of the parts from my car since my engine was rebuilt 10000 miles ago (everything except the head studs was replaced). I have toyed with the idea of ‘project Skoda’ but I don’t think I’d have the time for it so I am probably going to sell the engine.

Does anyone have any idea what this little lot (Engine-Intercooler+Gearbox+Clutch) is worth ?

domster

8,431 posts

294 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
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I would have thought studs would be replaced with most engine rebuilds - most stretch slightly AFAIK, it is only a few like Raceware that won't. Maybe I'm wrong.

Re engine and box, I would say a 930 engine would be worth 1500-2000 GBP or so, if it is minus the odd one or two bits. The box, assuming it is a 4 speed turbo box, would be worth perhaps 800-1000 GBP or so. All above prices simply in my estimation and may be incorrect

DemolitionDan

Original Poster:

50 posts

271 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
quotequote all
Thanks Domster - I would have guessed maybe a bit more for the engine and a bit less for the gearbox but will probably sell it as a job lot anyway.

I might stick it on e-bay and see how far it goes....

clubsport

7,401 posts

282 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
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Agree i would have thought the engine may be worth £3k,depending on condition,,,the gearbox may be liked and well bid by guys like Dom building an Ultima or other kit car.
The box can take the power and 4 speed is fine with a torquey V8.

AJLintern

4,350 posts

287 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
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Which is the best air cooled 911 engine for tuning? How much would it cost to purchase and get it up to 300bhp? How much do they weigh? I'd have thought they're fairly light compared with any water cooled engine of similar output.
Thanks

chris_n

1,232 posts

282 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
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IIRC correctly there was a recently rebuilt (receipts available), still under warranty, 3.3 turbo engine and box available in the Parts section of Porsche Post for £4.5k. Anyone with back issues might correct me if I remember this wrong. I also seem to remember it could be heard running.

If I've remembered the above rightly, next to this your expectations look a bit high to me. Not to be cynical, but "stripped for inspection" would make me very nervous as a buyer. If I was forking out the sort of money you're looking for I would want to either see it running or have it properly inspected i.e. by someone with all the right engineering skills. Do you know for sure the crank is true, the heads aren't warped, the crankcase isn't cracked, the turbo isn't shagged etc etc...

If I saw this on e-bay I might be prepared to take a risk and bid up to about a grand but beyond that I don't think I'd risk my cash.

Don't suppose you'll reveal what you paid for it???

Chris

ninemeister

1,146 posts

282 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
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Selling stripped engines is a nightmare, the best you will get is £1500. I bought a 3.3 T2 engine for this with a view to rebuilding but when I added the cost of gaskets, rings, bearings and labour to build it up there was no way that I would get £5k for it excluding any profit on the engine itself. In the end I broke it for parts.

DemolitionDan

Original Poster:

50 posts

271 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
quotequote all
Head studs are going to cost £300 and gaskets a further £2-300 so a rebuild is not going to be cheap. I haven't advertised it at any price just wanted an idea what to advertise it for if I do sell it.

I will probably use it in part payment to the Porsche specialist who is re-building my car so expect they'll give me a 'trade price' and they will also know whether the engine is true. I'm a chartered Engineer and have a fairly good idea what I'm looking at but haven't had the parts on an inspection table so there is some element of the unknown. I do know that the Main bearings look excellent, the turbo looks OK and the combustion chambers look good.

As with any rare piece of kit it is only worth what people are prepared to pay for it.

I did see a second hand set of pistons/barrels on Ninemeisters web site for £850+VAT so maybe I'm best off selling all the parts seperately?

chris_n

1,232 posts

282 months

Wednesday 26th November 2003
quotequote all
DemolitionDan said:
... maybe I'm best off selling all the parts seperately?


Sounds like that may be your best bet.

No harm in putting it up on e-bay first with a reserve though. May be someone out there who's looking for exactly what you're selling. For the negligible cost of the auction, it's got to be worth it before letting it go to your engine builder who is sure to give a low value against it.

Post up the link to the auction on here, I may even put in a bid myself!

Chris

DemolitionDan

Original Poster:

50 posts

271 months

Thursday 27th November 2003
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Will do that if the engine builder makes a derisory offer.

Can't wait to get my car back, it's been gone nearly a month now