Advice Needed on a '72 911 2.4 S Restoration

[Guru]

Dear all,

I'm new to this forum and I am writing to you to ask your advice.

I am about to embark on the restoration of a 1972 911 2.4 S with a Porsche restorer here in Switzerland, Mr. Tobias Nussbaum of the company Flat Six Cars. The car will not be a daily driver or used for rallies / racing. I am not buying the car as a speculation item or investment. It is more a dream car to enjoy in the summer, perhaps 2-3,000 miles per year. I've been waiting to buy my first great car all my life (about as long as the '72 model has been around!).

Mr. Nussbaum has a Swiss donor car with matching numbers ready to go and has offered a complete restoration covering body, engine, transmission, suspension, interior, etc. for a fixed price. This would give me a completely stock 911 S as it was available in 1972. Although I am a layman, I visited Mr. Nussbaum's workshop in Basel and had a very positive impression of his work (I drove with him in a restored 2.7 RS), his professionalism and his trustworthiness.

On Saturday we are meeting to discuss the project (dates, options, contracts, etc.). I am anxious to get the project going because this is the dream car I have been looking for.

As you guys are experts on the 911 S, I thought I'd ask you one or two questions on how you would recommend doing the restoration:

1. The fixed price includes waxing of the underbody but not a complete galvanisation in a zinc bath. This would cost several thousand dollars more. Would you recommend adding this step in order to improve the quality of the car? If, for any reason, I needed to sell the car in future, would this be an important item a buyer would look for?

2. In deciding on how far to go with restoration options, my first priority is to have a car with a sound basis, i.e. to have the right quality built into the car from the beginning. Thus the question on galvanisation. The second priority would be for driveability / ease of use. This might include original Recaro sport seats for my wife's bad back, and perhaps power assisted brakes. Everything above that in the direction of "pimping" (leather coverings, high-end stereo, etc.) I'd like to avoid. However, are there any options or aspects of the restoration that you would recommend that I insist upon, either for useability or because it would be a must if I needed to sell the car later on?

3. Is there anything critical I should review with regard to the restoration contract?

Thank you very much for your advice!


Guru Sivaraman

[nick-moss]

I would forget about the galvanising, it costs £10,000 to do here in the UK and if the shell is properly restored and protected with Ecoat and waxoyled regularly it should last much longer than the original. I wouldn't think that the potential price increase for a galvanised car would cover the cost or even make the car more saleable, the quality of the restoration would be more important.

Fitting power brakes would require some metalwork modifications unless some hi-tech system is developed and I think would spoil the car. Correct Recaro Sports seats would be a great addition as they are a peiod modification and much more comfortable than the standard seats.

Keep it as it left the factory to maximise value if you ever want to sell the car. I restored this 72S last year and the only change from stock was to trim the entire interior in leather, in the same colour as the original vinyl.

[Kjell]

Why not buy a nice example and drive it now? You will save time, money and
aggravation. It's not like they are that rare, or that you have a car with sentimental value. Resorations never pan out like you think they will when you
start (i.e. the time frame always stretches out farther and farther....)

For example this would be a nice car -

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...hreadid=341187

[Guru]

Thank you for your help!

I'll probably think twice about galvanising and fitting power assist to the brakes.

Nick, your restored car looks fabulous. Was a wood steering wheel really stock (or an original option) on a '72 S? If so, I may just get one. It is really a lovely touch.

Kjell, as for getting a nice one now, it would certainly save me time and perhaps headache! But I haven't found a single decent used '72 2.4 S here in Switzerland, and the ones I see elsewhere on the net (such as the one you kindly linked) are pretty fully priced compared to what I've been offered here for a freshly restored car.

More importantly, I'd really like a car in very good condition and I'm not mechanically inclined at all. Since the restored car is not being offered at an outrageous price, I'd rather wait now and sleep easier when I finally get the car, knowing it's in an absolutely "clean" condition when I buy it and having the mechanic who restored it take care of it afterward...

Guru

[nick-moss]

The wood rim wheel was a temporary fitment while waiting for the original wheel to come back from the trimmer.

[911T1971]

PM sent.
-2.4S are getting very rare in Switzerland and prices went recently "trough the roof", at least here in Europe.

-After restoration, treating the car with "Mike Sanders"-grease or "Durisol" by injecting this rust inhibitors to all hollow areas (front pan, side tubes etc..) is a valuable alternative. I did it and have no regrets.
But if you drive the car from march until october only (to avoid our swiss salt roads), if you wash and dry it regulary and keep it in a dry (below 40% humidity) garage during wintertime, you will have no problems if the restoration is done properly.

-A ground up restoration, done properly and with original Porsche parts will cost you close/similar/more as a correct period 72S in same shape. You have the advantage that you can specify all its details/colors to your taste but I doubt its cheaper than a unrestored 2.4s in perfect shape.
Make shure car is "matching numbers" too. (chassis number, motor, transmission are according to model and year)
This is important to (re-)valuate its real collector's value.

[giaz]

If you are interested in a 2.2S I can guarantee that this one is one of nicest around. Not cheap, but worth it all. It is in Milan just beyond the border.
Normally pictures hide the ugly things. Here they hide the perfection.

http://cgi.ebay.it/Porsche-911S-2-2-...QQcmdZViewItem




Having been there, restoration is in most cases more expensive and less satisfactory that finding the right, expensive car at the beginning.

Just my 0.2