Value??

[chicagobreezz]

I'm relatively new at this and I am wondering your opinions of what early "S" is the most valuable (dollar wise) and the most collectable (seat of the pants wise)?

Mike

Registry # 880

[boxster03]

You will probably find that folks have their favorites but I am sure many would consider the 67 and 72 at the top of the lists

[2POINT7]

Here are the Year By Year ratings taken from the website www.early911s.com But trust me, everyone has their own opinions

1972 1973 Toss up, same power, some like the black out horn grills and extra year of refinement of the '73. Others like the unique oil tank opening and chrome of the '72. Both great.
Desirability 10, overall 10.

1967 Original S model, high strung and pure. Not the best car with many refinements yet to come but still desirable.
Desirability 8, overall 6.5.

1970 1971 2.2l, not that far from 72, 73 but missing the 915 gearbox (not all prefer it to the 901 box though), inertia seatbelts and torque. About a second slower to 60 than 72, 73 despite only 10 less HP. Very nice if you like to rev.
Desirability 7.8, overall 8.

1969 Only a 2.0l engine but 10 more HP and many refinements and the long wheelbase. Also qualifies for some vintage racing that the others don't which improves its position.
Desirability 7.2, overall 7.4

1968 Kind of a lost soul. Not officially imported to the US. Short wheelbase. Doesn't have cachet of the original year but just as good.
Desirability 6.5, overall 6.5.


Targa vs. Coupe

This is largely dependent upon the purpose for which you own the car. For racing get a coupe, for Sunday drives in the sun, hard to beat the open air of the Targa. The Targa is a compromise between an open and closed car. But its 90% of a closed car with the roof on and 90% of convertible with the roof off. Not a bad compromise. Targas are more rare with only two thirds as many produced. Coupes have a more pure styling in my opinion. Best advice is to pick the one you like because that is far more important than any real difference between them. I know there are days I wouldn't trade my Targa for anything.

[sithot]

The 67-S is the Holy Grail. It is the car that started it all and it was the purest in form of the entire series. Generallly the best cars in collections are the first of series and the last. Although the 67-S did not arrive until a few years after the 901/911 was first issued it still broke new ground for Porsche and sports cars in general.
It's a 356 with horsepower. It exudes character. I've driven them all and I like the SWB cars for the sheer enjoryment they bring to the art of driving a car.

I take no issue with any 911. For my money an early SWB 911 is a great value. It's also the most stupid-simple car to work on of the entire lot.

The driving difference between a SWB car and a LWB is as different as the F series long hoods and their kin folk who were "born" after 1973 (and federalized in 1974) There is a discernable difference in feel and nimbleness.

Tom

[pu911rsr]

I have owned all the long wheel bases S's at one time or another. The differenences are really pretty subtle. There are small apprearance differences between the years. I know Alois Ruf favored the 70, 71 version due to High C/R motors. Make sure you like a motor that doesn't come alive until about 4500-5000 rpm but when it comes alive it awesome. Even though they have gotten much more expensive they still look cheap compared to RS's which were built in similar quanties. Buy what you like.
Phil

[fryardds]

Seems to me the highest priced (valuable?) 'S' models are the LWB 2,2 and 2,4 models all things being equal.

I don't have any experience with the SWB 'S' models but of the LWB cars I really have to agree with Mr. Ruf, the 2,2 is the most fun.

[SWBS]

Ed Cave writes: 1968 Kind of a lost soul. Not officially imported to the US. Doesn't have cachet of the original year

Dear Ed: Apparently your map of the universe shows the US of A at it's center. If one follows that schematic, then the fewer numbers here would give the '68 lots more cachet than the '67 Whadya mean, I'm biased?

Jim

[jaudette3]

At the moment Coupes seem to command much higher prices than Targas. A friend of mine recently sold his very nice '72 S Coupe for $58,500 and the buyer felt like he got a bargain. My '72 Targa is every bit as nice as my friend's Coupe - maybe even a bit nicer - and I doubt it would fetch as much as $50K. Not that it's for sale.

As mentioned, fewer Targas were produced than Coupes. And I suspect many more rotted out so there are even fewer nice ones left. But rarity is not always reflected in price. Having owned a Nash-Healey at one time I know the truth of that.

I agree with the majority that Coupes have better lines. I'm older than a lot of guys here, but to me Targas are the best to drive. I drove from Bend, Oregon to Monterey in my '72 Targa last week and it was a great road car. Porsche guru Jim Schrager thinks that Targas will have greater value than Coupes in the next few years. Maybe that's because everyone is getting older.

For most collectible I'd vote for a '67 or '72 S Coupe.

John Audette

[Porsche]

1968 Kind of a lost soul. Not officially imported to the US. Short wheelbase. Doesn't have cachet of the original year but just as good.
Desirability 6.5, overall 6.5.

As an owner of a 68S, I've always read that statement to be quite US-centric. I assume because they had to be "grey-imported" into the US so they are the "least desirable" of all the S's.

[Type911]

Ed Cave writes: 1968 Kind of a lost soul. Not officially imported to the US. Doesn't have cachet of the original year

Dear Ed: Apparently your map of the universe shows the US of A at it's center. If one follows that schematic, then the fewer numbers here would give the '68 lots more cachet than the '67 Whadya mean, I'm biased?

Jim

Ed did not write the model year review...as he stated its from the website
http://www.early911s.com/ That said why would anyone want a 68 anyway ? Just kidding
Any S from 67-73 is worthy in my book.