302596 wht glv

[sithot]

Sort of…

http://www.ansaautomotive.com/make/porsche/

I had one years ago on a '74 Coupe.

[luke-44]

Picking up on my story where i left off: Flying to Indy, deflation and a reality check, meeting the family

I woke the next morning, ready to head out Indy in the early afternoon. An early morning quick check of email showed that Luke had been busy, contacting another Porsche owner in the Chicago area who said he would try to track down a Dr Brett Johnson who lived in Indianapolis. The email was to the point “He wrote the book on early swb cars, he is without question the right guy to have look at the car, if we can track him down and if he’ll go. The only number I have is xxx-xxx-xxxx” I called the number – some publishing house, voice mail. Oh well, I’m on my own, I thought.



Then late morning the phone rang - it was Dr. Brett Johnson. After some brief introductions I gave him the web link to look at the thumbnail pix of the car. He wasn’t available to see it in person – the car was a good hour from him, and he had other commitments. But, he would look at the pictures and offer his comments. “Hmmm, he mused. “Non-original wheels, front and rear bumpers are wrong, badging on the rear deck isn’t right, exhaust is non-original. Be very careful. These are generally signs of a car that has been modified and maybe not properly restored. But if you still want to go forward, here are some other things to look for. Oh, one other thing - you do need to read my book. It’s kinda’ dry, but it’s thorough, and you’ll know what makes an original car”. I was sold. I’d track his book down…later.



I was out of time. I was through airport security and onto the plane. I hung up from Dr. Johnson and I texted my buddy in Canada just before US Airways did an Alec Baldwin on me – “Greg - this may not be the car I thought it was, but I’m going to take a look anyway”. I wasn’t sure how I felt…totally deflated is probably the best phrase…



I arrived right on time in Indy, got my rental car, and headed east to Terre Haute. From there it was 5 miles south to Farmersburg. Of all places, who would have ever thought my Pcar hunt would take me to Farmersburg Indiana?


I was a few minutes early so I stopped for a very late lunch and to catch my breath. I was still digesting Dr. Johnson’s comments, seriously disappointed actually. “I better be really careful, I really don’t know these swb’s at all,” I thought. My cell phone rang, it was Joe Burton. I was still 10 minutes early. “Where you at? he asked. “Be there in 5” I said. Hmmm, he seems more eager than me…what’s up with that?



I drove up the long driveway – the car serving as it’s own landmark. When I arrived I was greeted by a small crowd gathered around the car, like proud parents and family relatives of the decked out prom queen on display. Joe was there, as was Don and 3 other people I was not introduced to. It was clear I was not just coming to look at a car. I was being interviewed. This was very important to them. This was James pride and joy, and more so, his legacy. Midwesterners are some of the nicest people you could ever meet, but you better not come off like some fast talkin’ east coast smart-ass. Cash deal or not, they’d just as soon run you out of there if you weren’t the right buyer for them. This wasn’t just about the money….



Next UP: Checking out WHT GLV, getting down to business, and how being totally naïve can sometimes be a good thing…

[72targa]

What a wonderful story!...

[beh911]

Yes, please keep up the posts.

[gsjohnson]

Interesting how bank checks practically look the same today as they did 47 years ago.

[Bert]

Great story so far. Keep the posts coming.

[mrgreenjeans]

yeah, you are killing us man........

Great story. I am as we speak gnawing my arm like a trapped wolf in a leg-hold trap.
Am waiting for the good stuff to keep coming~~~~~~

[redbug2]

Nice car. I believe that is an Ansa exhaust. I have one on my 65. Looks like they put a different rear bumper section on yours and filled in the original exhaust hole to fit the exhaust. Mine was just bolted on without any modifications to the body. http://williampowell.net/porsche/DSCF4480.JPG

[luke-44]

Next UP: Checking out WHT GLV, getting down to business, and how being totally naïve can sometimes be a good thing…

I started my walk around. Everyone was watching me – I felt like a stranger who had been invited to sit at the family dinner table. The car sure looked pretty awesome to me, but what did I really know? I checked the obvious things Dr Johnson had schooled me on hours earlier – at least everything else he warned me about checked out. I took all the pictures I could think of, confirmed the serial numbers, engine numbers and generally started to form my opinion. There was no question the car appeared to be in awesome condition. But…. I knew the wheels weren’t right, the front and rear bumpers didn’t seem right, the exhaust had 4 pipes, so I knew that wasn’t right, the trunk badging wasn’t right. It had been put away in a garage in San Diego for 6 years – brake lines, belts, rubber probably all needed checking, and we’ve all heard the “mouse-makes-hidden-nest and wrecks wiring” stories. What do I do? At this point I didn’t have enough early 911 experience to know if all the correct parts were even available, and if so, what they would cost?



Now bear in mind, I had been looking at countless pictures of original early 911’s. The concept of a “hot rodded” car had never entered my mind. I was going on the basis in my head that it had to be original in all respects, and this car clearly wasn’t. But, the general condition of the car sure looked good.

There comes a point when you just can’t look any longer. The light was getting low, but the family stuck beside me, ever patient. They were going to give me all the time I wanted.



Old Don brought out the documents piece by piece, offering proof of their story. All the maintenance records, the Vasek Polak delivery slip, the title. One thing they were most proud of was that they saw WHT GLV as a bit of a celebrity – it had appeared in Randy Leffingwells 2002 book “Porsche 911 Buyers Guide” about identifying the various model years of 911’s. The car was exactly as it had been photographed 10 years earlier – they had even left the tape over the fog lights, and proudly pointed this out. The brought out the signed copy of Randy’s book thanking Paul for allowing his car to be photographed, as even more proof of its authenticity.




From my earlier discussion with him, Dr. Johnson’s words rang in my head “Listen - the book means nothing - you’re buying a car, not a book”. But, what can I say - it was still kind’a cool to see the exact car sitting right in front of you appearing in a 10 year old 3-page spread. And looking exactly like it did in the book. Like a time warp.




Oh god what to do? It was time to either s%*t or get off the pot. I knew enough about early s/n cars to know it wasn’t going to last long, but what did I really know about the values of these cars? After all, this was the first one I’d ever seen in the flesh. (A few weeks earlier I had almost jumped on a beater 911T for half the price of this car, that thankfully I was talked out of by this board and cancelled my trip to go see it.) I was still learning a T from E from an S, and now here I was looking at a car built in Nov ’65, that was none of these.

“Joe, can we go for a short walk?” I asked. “Sure”. “Joe – we know the car’s condition appears to be excellent…but….”. I chose my words carefully. I sensed an insult would not go over well. “The car has had a number of …um…period-correct modifications. James did what was popular at the time when it was just a use car being updated, but the car is no longer, um…totally original…”.

My voice faded away, almost sounding apologetic. How would he react? “Well, Joe began, I understand your point". “Yeah, period-correct”, Joe said, as if trying the phrase on for fit. “Nothing wrong with what James did, it’s what everybody did back in the day, and the books and pictures you are showing me convince me that yeah, you’re right. Let me go talk to Don”.

Ol’ Don had been sitting in his lawn chair for over an hour and a half now, saying very little but intently watching every move I made. I had a feeling something was up – more to the story not being told to me. Why would an an ’83 year old man who had hired a lawyer to help in the disposing of his brothers asset be so intently interested in what was going on? Boredom? Hmm. My instincts were telling me something, but what? The car had been moved from California in January, and it had sat for months in the garage in Farmersburg and was only just now being offered for sale? Something didn’t add up. But I couldn’t put my finger on it…

I knew I was going to have to make a decision. If I walked away to “sleep on it” I may be walking away from a car that may take months or even longer to find in similar condition, or at least would cost a lot more money. But…then again…documents and history or not, it wasn’t…well…certain parts weren’t original….



Joe the lawyer and ol’ brother Don were talking off to the side. I walked over to my rental car, sat down in the passenger seat, and called Luke. Couldn't think of anything else to do. Thank god he picked up! “My phones dying, so talk quick” Luke started. I explained what I was seeing as quickly and concisely as I could. “Oh, that front bumper – sounds like an S bumper, that’s no big deal, lot’s of guys went for that look, even today. As for the exhaust system, it’s a nice upgrade … sounds like an Ansa, which is quite valuable actually. And yes, you can pretty much buy any part you need to go back to original if you want. As for Webers vs Solex’s, you can get the Solex’s on the used parts market, but a lot of guys will say the car is easier to tune with the Webers – that’s why Porsche switched over to them in ’67”. As for the wheels, I can’t say much, because I haven’t seen them, but original steelies are no problem to find. He continued, “I really don’t see how you can go wrong, even if you pay full price for it. You just can’t get hurt long term on a 302 serial number car in good shape…”. “Why not throw out a number to them, knocking say… 10 grand off the asking price…and see what they say…. what’s the worst that could happen”.

As dumb as it sounds now, I actually hadn’t even thought of that. I was prepared to pay full price, and being the "sharp" negotiator I am, maybe even make an offer to knock a grand off, and not even think about it. The price seemed very right as it was, based on my limited knowledge. Wow, nice to have an impartial, objective and knowledgeable guy in your corner.



Next up: the deal gets done, solving the wheels mystery, and Early 911 Hotrodding 101 from a guy named Magnus

[mrgreenjeans]

Coooool story,

time to start gnawing on the other arm..... the torment is killing me till we get to the bottom of this