What to look for when buying a used classic Porsche 911

Hello!
I am a new member on this forum, who does not own a Porsche! I have been restoring several several Triumph cars(mainly TR3 and TR4s in past (and now a TR3A) and Harley Davidson motorcycles , as well as putting an awesome looking Jag XK120 (probably one of the only ones with manual gear box; hence pretty authentic looking - so much so, it was sold within 24 hours of putting on the local Kijiji!). On teh other hand, my daily driver have always been German (Started with original buy in 72, then various Beemers and MBs, and now still with MB).

It is quite funny how I became enthusiastic about old Porsche 911s. While I really enjoyed driving my nephew's 2011 Carranza Cabriolet in Toronto a couple of years ago, the car itself did not attract me (or grabbed me, most probably because I am not presently interested in acquiring a recent model car beside my beloved MB!. However, a couple of days ago, looking for an antique VISE (yes a bench vise), I encountered the following site:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...beauty-ii.html

. . . then, unfortunately watched the video at the end of the website (A 100% MUST SEE (I am sure it may be an old news for to you enthusiasts). Since then, despite my wide's disagreement, I am now certain I must get one of those black candies!

So, expert enthusiasts, I would appreciating your advice on the following issues (or direction to appropriate websites):

1. From what I have gathered one of the decent 911s to get is the one from late 80s (however, I much prefer the earlier years' simpler body style.)
2. How reliable and DIY friendly are these Porsches (I am reasonably handy in changing clutches, fixing carbs, welding and bodywork and painting; I also rewired an entire car).
3. How much do you think to invest on the first 911?
4. Should I consider 911s on the Ebay?

I know some of these questions are quite general and require lengthy discussion; nonetheless, any feedback, no matter how general they are would be highly appreciated.

FYI, I am a university prof recently passed mid-50s, and live in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Cheers,
The Antique-Car-Crazy guy!

A 911SC or Carrera 3.2 is a good place to start. You will be able to do almost anything on the car if you can weld. The later cars are galvanized but rust is always the biggest issue, then tired suspension bushings and dampers. Invest as much as you can in the car itself. You get what you pay for. You can either pay up-front or later, and if you pay later you pay more and you don't get as much driving enjoyment. The cars are also appreciating in value so buy the best car you can get and it will be lots of fun while you decide what you want to tinker with- because tinkering is half the fun.

Forget about it and stay British. Let's not forget who won the war.:)

I used to be into 356's years ago but have been mostly a British car guy. My best buddy and I are building up a Triumph TR8 historic racer since we raced Spitfires together in the 1970's when we were in our 20's. He owns a 1965 911 and a 1994 911 RSA so I raze him all the time about his "glorified VW bugs". But since he also owns a TR3 I still call him my friend. :) In theory the TR8 could be a 911 basher in its historic race class, so I think he's torn between loyalties. :D

Seriously, that's a nice looking car. There's a few good guide books on 911 purchase. There is a recent thread about this on the main forum. I already own a couple of the mentioned books. I'd do a lot of research before running out and buying a 911. They're more complicated cars than your Triumphs and parts are a lot more expensive. Because of the recently rising prices there are a lot of dogs out there that people think are worth big bucks. Personally I'd never buy a car off ebay, but my buddy has sold some, but he was always honest about the car.

1. From what I have gathered one of the decent 911s to get is the one from late 80s (however, I much prefer the earlier years' simpler body style.) Late 80s 3.2s are certainly very good cars, and even though they are now at least 25 years old, a well looked after example can easily be used as a daily driver, they are very reliable and all parts are easily available.
2. How reliable and DIY friendly are these Porsches (I am reasonably handy in changing clutches, fixing carbs, welding and bodywork and painting; I also rewired an entire car). See above. They are all (up to and including 3.2s) easy enough to work on, requiring very few special tools. One of the more common issues on 3.2s is wiring and earthing problems, often cause by previous works, and the Porsche wiring diagrams can be rather difficult to follow.
3. How much do you think to invest on the first 911? The best 911s to invest in are the pre-impact bumper cars, but you may well have missed the boat. Beware, there are some very nasty cars out there for sale, with all sorts being dug out from garages and workshops to take advantage of the current price madness.
4. Should I consider 911s on the Ebay? No reason why not, whilst being aware of the above.