Contemplating a RS conversion on a '71 911S, will it devalue the car?

[72targa]

Please convert it to an RS clone...it will help the value of my car go up further!

[Richard]

I have often weighed the very decision you are trying to make right now...except in reverse. That's because over twenty years ago, about 1985, I bought a tired yellow '73S with the intention of using it mainly on the track. Adding rear fares to run larger tires was very common for race cars and that's what I did. I also added lightwight front and rear bumpers and an aluminum decklid. I wasn't trying for an RS look. I was trying to reduce weight and run the max tire possible. I never ran a ducktail although it would have been effective on the track. I used the car for much of the past 20 years in every kind of track event I could including PCA, POC timetrials, Ford Shelby Club events, SCCA Regional racing and SCCA Vintage racing. I haven't raced it for several years now and as the value of old "S" cars has risen I've thought about removing the rear flares and returning it to the stock look (I've got all of the stock parts and bodywork in storage). However, at least for now, I've decided to leave it the way it is. It's been flared much longer than it's had the stock look. It's spent most of it's life on the track...and finally...I really like the look of the car the way it is...So, my advise is to do what you want with your car. Unless it's a 100 point concourse car it probably won't have a huge effect on the value which ever route you take as long as it's done right (steel flares, properly welded on, etc.) I've enclosed two pictures on my yellow '73S with flares below. Good luck with your decision.

[Paul Schooley]

Oh man, nasty decision to make. The RS stuff looks cool, but an S as original as yours outta remain original to realize maximum value at resale. That said, of course, it's your car and only your decision...the rest of us and our opinions shouldn't make any difference on what you'd like to do with it. Either way you go I'm sure you'll enjoy it to the max.

[fryardds]

You mention SC flares in the first post. IMHO putting those on would devalue your car the most. If you added factory RS flares that won't effect the value as much but it will definately devalue it to most potential buyers in the current market.

Restore it to stock for all the reasons mentioned or at the least just use bolt on parts for changing the look.

[Milou]

You want to change a real Christine Turlington into a fake Pamela Anderson? Pam is every man's dream for a long weekend but a real Turlington will alway's be elegant and never need a boob job.... Not sure if this translates my point of view...but keep the S forever and modify another car if you have to...

[jaudette3]

Early 911S's are purpose-built cars. The purpose of flares is to enable you to put rubber on the ground. Invest the money in R wheels (well, a little more money than flares maybe) instead of flares, and you can put a bunch of rubber on the ground without doing anything permanently to the car. Fewer than 3,200 2.2 S's were built and there are far less than that left. There were fewer '71 911S's built than RS's.

It would be a crying shame to molest the car.

John Audette

[kenikh]

Here's a thought: how many of you would considier Chuck's car less valuable than an equivalent stock flared 'S'? Not me...

[kenikh]

Invest the money in R wheels (well, a little more money than flares maybe) instead of flares, and you can put a bunch of rubber on the ground without doing anything permanently to the car.

Or spend less money sending your deep sixes to Harvery Weidman; he'll make you a set of 7R rear wheel replicas for far less than all of the previously mentioned options.

[VIper Green E]

No Flares. Find a 7R case and pump it out to 2.7, gear it and add low profile tires. It will drive like a dream. Split the Rear wheels to get a little more rubber on the road. Keep the original engine and drive train.
This will give you a hotrod that will be a blast to drive, you will love it. Sounds to me like after all these years you need to freshen her up, kinda like trading in your wife after many years for one 20 years younger. You would fall in love with her all over again.

The car will still hold it's value. I sold a similar car on a T chassis for S money. When it comes time to sell it, the way the car drives will be way more important than the non original drive train. (as long as the original one is on the shelf)

2.7 and gears is the way to go, they are something special to drive.

[hdavis]

Invest the money in R wheels (well, a little more money than flares maybe) instead of flares, and you can put a bunch of rubber on the ground without doing anything permanently to the car.

Good point