1968/1969 Porsche 911 E your help needed please

[glyn696486]

Good Morning Ladies and Gents,

First of all i apologise if this is in the wrong thread, seemed to be the best place to start??

Since feburary 1998 when i first laid eyes on my best friends fathers 1972 Artic Silver 911 2.4s i have wanted an early 911. After 13 years of looking and wanting i seem to be getting closer to the possible purchase of my dream 911, although it will probably be a 911 E.

As the possible purchase is getting closer i thought it would be a good idea to sign up to this forum. Now that i have started looking for cars it has become very apparant that fundamnetally i dont know what to look for when viewing cars and what possible problems this could cause. Could any body please point to a thread or offer any advice on what to look out for??? I am based in the uk which i guess means to most of you that i drive on the wrong side of the road!! Any help would be much appriecated.

Kind regards

Glyn (NKOTB)

[MountainRoads]

I'll take a quick swing at this:

1) #1 issue to watch for is RUST. Almost any mechanical problem can be fixed if you throw enough money at it. (Almost) no amount of money can solve rust issues.
2) A *thorough* PPI from a well-regarded Porsche expert is mandatory, unless you are very experienced or have unquestionable complete knowledge of a particular vehicle's history.
3) Scams and fakes abound, due to the money involved. Be careful.

That said, this is a very rewarding hobby for those who enjoy the driving experience. Great cars are out there. There's no reason to apologize for an 'E'. The 'S' might be the glam girl on the block, but the 'E' is no slouch. A stock 'E' is quicker to get to 100 mph than a stock (same year) 'S' and arguably easier to drive, especially in traffic. Good luck in your search.

- MR

[210bhp]

Glyn

As you are in the UK I would sign up to this forum too. Valuable resource in the UK early 911 world. You will find an excellent thread by Nick Moss on the areas to look at when viewing an early car. Are you looking for RHD or LHD?

http://www.ddk-online.com/phpBB2/index.php

Regards
Mike

[Grady Clay]

Glen (New Guy),
First, welcome - you found the right place
Here (and on Pelican) you will find a lot of help.

Don’t feel alone, we all started with no knowledge of this historic car.
Part of your enjoyment will be constant learning.

Since a purchase seems imminent, finding sources of Pre-Purchase Inspections (PPIs) is critical.
You need people and shops who really know what they are looking at and will represent your interest.
Multi-PPIs will be the best money you ever spend.

The general ‘rule’ is to buy the absolute best example you can afford.
After 40+ years, there is a lot of opportunity for things to have happened to a car.
That said, in 1969 they were already rusting from the inside as they were being painted at the Factory.
As MR notes above, rust and prior repair (rust or crash) are the biggest issues.
Virtually every car will have some.
Only a few have been sufficiently disassembled and repaired in a way to have none.


Here is a recent post I find very illuminating:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...ml#post6274551
The ‘theory’ is that every 911 is a $20k (or more) car.

I would put your first order of business to understand the exact order and significance of the Porsche Types and Model Years.
Without doubt, the best print resource is the 3-volume: Ludvigsen, Karl E.; Porsche: Excellence Was Expected.
The current (2008) 3rd Ed. is available new (~$300) and ‘used’ (2003) 2nd Ed. are available for a pittance. The 2nd Ed. having all the same material for our early cars. Try member http://www.toadhallbook.com/book.cfm?GI=2&CI=10.

Your thread title “ 1968/1969 Porsche 911 E your help needed please” encompasses a very important transition from Short WheelBase (SWB) to Long WheelBase (LWB) 911s beginning with the 1969 Model Year.
There are four models in 1969: 911T, 911E, 911S and 912. Yes, the 1969 models began in late ‘68 but are referred to as 1969 models. Some confused books incorrectly refer to these as ’68.
There are the Targa body and the coupe, made both by Porsche in the old Reuter plant and by Karmann, RHD & LHD.
There are also some mid-year transitions during the ’69 Model.
As you can see, a single year can get somewhat complicated.

Another issue is modifications.
Our long-running 911s lend themselves to sorta continuing evolution with engine swaps and more.
An unmolested, virgin original is much sought after.
Depending on your desires, reasonable mods are not necessarily all bad.

Most important – bounce your observations off the group here, DDK and on Pelican (many the same).
You will find these ‘self correcting’ forums priceless – you wont get steered wrong.


Tell us more about your expectations, intended use and mechanical inclinations.
Many here (and on Pelican) are DIY for most except whatever (wide range) is outside our individual ability.
We all learn from each other.

... and YES, sign up on DDK also.
Introduce yourself on Pelican '911 Technical Forum'. http://forums.pelicanparts.com/

Best,
Grady

[beh911]

One simple piece of advice is try to see as many cars as possible before making a purchase decision. You will gain a frame of reference for comparison.

I advocate buying for body first, interior second, and mechanical third. Meaning these areas can be the most expensive to make right in that order and require the most specialized skill to do so. With this logic, a 'rust free' example (uh umm they all have at least a little rust somewhere as pointed out by Grady) that needs some mechanical attention is usually much more attractive than a car with a fresh engine rebuild but needs body/paint work.

Good luck and reach out to this forum for advice