complete newbie with questions

[poinNJ]

Hello all, I'm completely new to this forum, completely new to Porsche and could use some help. I've purchased a 65 911 "rolling chassis" that is 100% rust free, had all body work done, was painted, and then stored inside for about 10 years. The 911 has no drivetrain, no interior, and no front or rear glass,no wheels/tires, but everything else seems to be there. Here are a few questions:

1) How much from a 65-68 912 donor car can be used on the 911?

2) Where can I find 911 Steel wheels(other than ebay) so I can at least move the car around?

3) What is the interchangeability of interior parts between SWB and LWB?

4) What is a fair price(GULP) for a 2.0 and transmission? Any good sources?

I'm really looking forward to putting together a nice driver for the weekends and I couldn't pass on this clean body car. Thanks in advance!

[ennisk1]

and get ready to spend some money! At least it is cheaper then a really bad drug addiction! Maybe.
1) Quite a bit can be used from a 912 SWB donor.
2) Do you have a Euro/import salvage yard in your area? Try them for the steel wheels. Also, ask in the classifieds of this board and Pelican. You can also buy a set of cookie cutter wheels. They are also pretty cheap and plentiful.
3) Be careful with seat rails and some other trim items between SWB and LWB. Some of this is specific to the SWB. Look at Pelican or go to Porsche's website and download the pdf parts catolog for your car. This will answer alot of those questions.
4) $3,500 to $10,000 depending on condition and state of tune. Obviously a fresh motor and gearbox rebuilt by a reputable Porsche shop will be at the high end of that scale. The lower end is when you stumble on a running motor and gearbox with some life in it!

And if I can offer some other advice....go make friends with a good Porsche shop and their mechanics. Making friends with a vintage racing Porsche shop is even better! Buy your parts from them when you get a chance as well as Pelican and the catalogs....spread the wealth. Buy them lunch and offer to sweep up or run errands for them! Join the PCA and find the local members that have older cars and do their own work. Ask lots of questions on this board and Pelican. I've met the best people since I've started this addication a few years ago. Good luck!

[Zithlord]

Welcome! You will discover that this forum can answer most or all of your questions.

Most of the 912 interior can be used, exept some dashtrim and carpets. The best thing to do is to buy the book called "a restorers guide to authenticity" by Dr. B. Johnsen (Amazon)This book will answer all the questions about details and parts.

Both steel wheels and drivetrain once in a while shows up in the FS: section at this forum and Pelican forum. You should post a WTB at these two forums. You can also look at Samba and Craigslist.

There is a 65 engine for sale at the Pelican forum:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showt...hreadid=352757

SWB/LWB, very few interior trimparts are the same, again buy the book above.

What is the chassisnumber of your 65?

John

[Chuck Miller]

poinNJ,

Welcome...

Two other points...
This is a rather small international fraternity of of avid enthusiasts with an incredible Early 911 knowledge base... it's more comfortable to link a name with a question... just a first name.

Also, even though I guess you to be from New Jersey, it would be nice to know your general location so our answers to your questions can be more regionally specific .....

Welcome again,

Your adventures have just begun.......

Cheers,

[boba]

+1 on the above advice.

Do your research and make a plan for your project to include a bill of materials. Use this when searching this and Pelican 'for sale' so if something come available you can pull the trigger NOW. Most of what you will need has and will pass thru these sites.
Post a WTB for things that do not come up. You will get offers or leads that way. Be ready to buy when you start looking.

I found a rusty 912 for a friend who had a 67S tub. He got a lot of trim items and was even able to get some rust repair pieces + sell the 912 motor, a lot more economical than buying one piece at a time.

[304065]

What number '65?

A lot from the '12 can be used on a 911. That said, the 911 had a wooden dash and steering wheel, carpets instead of rubber mats, five gauges instead of three, etc.

Steelies can be found in the classifieds, they aren't very expensive. Considering that those are the correct wheels for your '65, you should look for a nice set made in '65 that you will keep.

No interior parts interchange.

A "fair" price? I think I saw one fairly priced once. Aluminum cased engines have been for years snapped up by racers, and are recently being snapped up by people seeking to make a profit off our collective fun hobby. Expect to pay a low of about $1,000 for a basket case. I wouldn't ever buy more than a core engine, because most of them need EVERYTHING, e.g. pistons, rings, timing gears, cams, rocker updates, oil pump update, case work, tensioners, idlers, distributor work, carbs, re-plating of fasteners, etc. The fact that somebody is asking $10K doesn't mean it's been done to the proper standard, unless the shop specializes in '65 911's, chances are things have been "updated" in a way that an expert can tell.

For your '65, a set of Solex carbs is critical. These are also becoming hard to find, see above. There is some EXCELLENT information HERE about setup and tuning of Solexes, but it's a VERY small knowledge base compared to Webers.

One final point. People who buy '65's don't do it for the wide tires and huge power: they do it because the car itself is a time-machine, a throwback to a car that was truly more advanced than anything on the market in those days. In my opinion, the value of the car is best preserved by maintaining originality almost at any cost. The availability of parts that perfectly interchange from later cars, or the dazzling array of performance options available, create almost daily temptation to modify or "improve" performance. I'm going through this on my '66 restoration and I have to take a deep breath and remind myself to stick with what the Doktor ordered.

'Nuff said! How about some photos of your project?

[Flat Six, inc.]

I've got a '65 engine case if you're interested let me know and I'll give you details.

Thanks,
Aaron

aaron@flat6.com

[poinNJ]

Wow thanks for all the quick responses and sage advice. My goal is to keep the car as orginal as possible, no racing, no hopped up performance. As for me, I'm in Morris County NJ(northern NJ) not far from NYC. Thanks again, and I'm sure there will be many more questions.

Thanks, Ryan