New member, just bought a '70 911

[Cavallino]

Hey, I'm new here, trying to learn as much as possible.

I just bought a 1970 Porsche 911T. The car is black on black with 30k miles and has some tasteful update mods. Not exactly sure what's been done other than the wheels, whale tail, bumpers. I was hoping to learn more about the car here.

[John Z Goriup]

I just bought a 1970 Porsche 911T. Not exactly sure what's been done other than the wheels, whale tail, bumpers. I was hoping to learn more about the car here. ]

What do you mean you're not sure what's been done other than change the wheels, whale tail, bumpers ( don't forget the front fenders, SC flares added to the rear fenders, spoiler & rear valance). Externally, the car looks completely changed from a '70T to a later impact bumper car ('74 - '89). Thirtythousand miles ????? Are you sure ???? Are the original parts still with the car or available ( especially the wheels ).

Is it reasonable to assume, based on what you wrote, that you bought this thing without a thorough PPI ( Pre-purchase inspection.....by someone who knows early Porsches inside & out), a look at the records & receipts, a long talk with the previous owner, and any & all additional available information, some of which might have revealed what's been done before money changed hands.

With all respect, but I think it's going to be kind of tough for anyone here to help you learn about your car if you bought it but didn't take the time to find out everything you should have found out yourself before you bought it.

I wish you the best of luck.

JZG

[johndglynn]

Welcome Cavallino. What my compadre is saying in a slightly roundabout way is that he is glad you bought a 911 and that you like it, but that it may not be quite the bargain you currently think.

I like the impact bumper look, but not everyone would agree that this facelift is an upgrade. A '70 T in black is a nice looking car and in good condition probably worth a chunk more than what you have. I hope you didn't pay a fortune for this one.

What's done is done, so now just do as you are: read as much as you can, learn as much as you can, enjoy your car and decide whether it is maybe worth taking back to the early look, which might also add to the value.

Main thing is have fun with it and don't take it too seriously. I guess you are driving the car regularly which puts you at least one step ahead of a certain pair of orange 911 owners

[kenikh]

Ouch. John, go light on the poor guy - we were all noobs once.

I think what John was saying is that the pictures don't match the description. The car was clearly updated to the later style impact bumpers and flares to mimic a newer car. In the '80s that was de rigeur - these days, expecially on this site, it isn't exactly considered 'tasteful'.

That said, if money has changed hands, it is your car and there really isn't any reason to look back at this point.

John's point stands, though: there is so little left of the original car that there really isn't much to go on other than if you supply the VIN and motor numbers and color codes so we can comment on what the car used to be, as opposed to what it now is...

[signature65]

Seriously John....relax.....

Welcome to the board. Nice looking 911. Not quite the early look we all love here but shes still a Porsche and a 911 at that.

[John Z Goriup]

John & Kenikh, I apologize if my response to Cavallino's very first post was too blunt and made you uncomfortable,..... perhaps it was, therefore I extend my apology to Cavallino as well.

JZG

[Scott Clarke]

Cavallino-

First things first: the only one you need to make happy is yourself. If you like the car, that is all that matters. That having been said, the reaction you have received is a result of changes that have been made to your car that, from a contemporary perspective, don’t seem logical. Back in the ‘80s, it was cool to have a new Porsche, and the pre-’74 older cars (the ones we call “longhoods”) were, to those mostly trying to impress others, just old. Now, early cars are comparatively rare, and more valued than the SC or 3.2 Carrera (and certainly the narrow bodied ’74-’77 cars). This is a partisan board dedicated to early cars, so members generally have an antipathy towards the kind of changes your car has been subjected to.

There is a seemingly endless amount of information on line about 911s. You should also check out the Pelican Parts board. It is for enthusiast of all vintages of 911s, and there is much to be gleaned from the site. The boards are kind of a shot gun blast of information, though. I’d recommend two books that will help you understand what you have. The first is Porsche 911 Story by Paul Frere. This is the book that made it inevitable that I would own a 911. It is authoritative, accurate, well written, and importantly, succinct. It traces the development of the 911 in a way that enables the reader to understand why changes were made, and also to recognize that not all changes were of equal merit. After reading, you will be in a good position to evaluate the changes that have been made to your car, and understand the merits of each (or the lack thereof). The second book is Original Porsche 911 by Peter Morgan. This is a book that contains good photographs of original cars, and describes the differences between each from a largely cosmetic perspective.

There are many courses of action you could reasonably take with this car. You could enjoy it as is, or sell it if you want a car closer to original condition, or you could change the car in a number of ways. I’d personally go in the direction of an early hotrod. You could leave the rear flares and the wheels, but replace the rear lid, install a fiberglass RS rear bumper, find early hood and front fenders and install a fiberglass R style front bumper. You might be able to remove the finish from the window trim if it is paint over the original bright aluminum. Replacing the mirrors would be easy. You could find a pair of Talbots (my favorite) or reproduction Durrant mirrors. You would also need to loose the rocker panel covers.

But, that’s just me! Do what makes you happy. Owning a 911 is very, very rewarding, if not inexpensive. Part of that fun is really learning to understand the cars. I hope your journey is as good as mine has been.

Welcome to the board,
-Scott

[rgrimm]

Cavallino: Again, welcome.

As you no doubt have figured out, there are a lot of opinions and dirctions you can go. Some folks are preservationists and agonize whether they should make even the most minor performance/safety upgrades. Others throw everything out and build a hotrod. Ultimately, it's whatever you want.

+1 on picking up a couple books and doing some reading. It will give you an appreciation for the 911's development and perhaps guide you in what you might want to do with the car in the future should the opportunity arise.

For now...drive it and get more familiar with the car. If you don't have a lot of experience with different 911s, find someone who will swap cars with you on a short drive, or even go for a ride with someone. You'd be surprised at how different two 911s can feel. My '68 and '84 and like night and day...

It's a nice looking car as it stands, so I'd enjoy it. Don't worry about how it looks. Start by looking it over and having someone help you look it over and check the to make sure all is okay mechanically and maintenance is up to date (true of any used car, not just Porsches--for example, do you know when the last time the brake fluid was changed?). Getting a baseline so you know where you're starting from can help you set up a maintenance schedule and make the ownership experience more enjoyable. Then settle in, do some reading about history of 911s, surf the boards, ask questions, and as you said "learn more about the car."

And again, go for a drive...several, in fact!

[W6CZ]

I see Calif. plates - north or south???

One other thing you might want to do is join the Porsche Club of America and participate in local autocross. You will learn how your car handles with little worry of damage. If you push it to 11/10'ths, all that will happen is some traffic cones get crushed. I had introduced a few people to it and they are hooked. My AX mentor told me when I started that it would be the most fun I could have with my clothes on - and he was right.

[j911brick]

Other must have books:

911 High Performance Handbook by Bruce Anderson

and

101 911 Projects by Wayne Dempsy.

If you expect to do motor work or upgrade you might consider:

How to Rebuild and Modify Porsche 911 engines by Wayne Dempsy.