1968 "Normal" in rural Iowa - Anyone here know/buy this car?

[M3pilot]

I heard about this car last summer though decidedly non-car-related channels. I was told that it had been sitting for quite a few years and that the owner was interested in selling so I got in touch with him to get some details. According to the seller, the car had been sitting for at least 15 years but "was parked only because the rear brake pads had worn to the point that the backing plates were rubbing the rotors". While I knew very well that there would be more to the story than that, I figured anytime you hear about an early 911 tucked away in a shed in rural Iowa, you have to check it out so a friend (a noted specialist in high-end early Porsche restorations) and I drove the 3 hours to have a look. If nothing else, I got to drive my friend's '59 356 - up and back!

After moving the tree that had fallen onto the shed blocking the door, we got to the car - a '68 Burgundy Red coupe. I won't go into detail but suffice it to say that it was a major project, both mechanically and structurally. My friend and I agreed that the seller's asking price was at the very, very top end of reasonable and that there were still plenty of potential surprises.

Since then I had been mulling over calling the owner with an offer but time, work and an absolutely horrid Iowa winter intervened until a few weeks ago when he called me to see if I was still interested. I shot him an offer and he said he needed a day to sleep on it. After a couple weeks of not hearing from him, I broke down and called him. He told me that he "found someone on the internet" in California who offered him significantly more than his original asking price, sight unseen.

So - is anyone here the lucky new owner? I'm not too upset that I didn't get it but I must admit that I am curious how closely the buyers expectations meet with reality.

Stuart

[JT912]

Sounds like Beverly Hills Car Club got wind of the car?

[M3pilot]

Hmmm . . . maybe. I wasn't familiar with them but their website makes you think its the kind of thing that interests them.

[JT912]

I had a very similar thing happen recently. Looked at a '68 911T that was supposed to be a mechanics lien. The shop said the owner was going to turn over the title in lieu of payment. We agreed on a sales price. Was supposed to call back the next day to arrange getting the car. The guy was working late so couldn't meet. Called back the next day and got his daughter who said the owner wasn't willing to turn over the title and that it would need to go to auction. I said "OK" let me know when the auction is. Fast forward about three weeks, I am looking on the Samba and the car pops up on BHCC site. WTH? I call the girl, "Hey just checking on the car and was wondering what was up." She says, "Oh the owner picked it up yesterday". I said "Really, just yesterday? Because it is listed for sale on a site in Southern California." She knew she had been caught in a lie. Not sure what went down the day after we agreed to a price, but somehow they got BHCC involved.

[mrgreenjeans]

Bottom line :
world is full of flaky sellers.....

they reside here on this site as well.

Only thing that counts is money, not any arranged agreement prior to an exchange of 'filthy lucre'.

We remember and move on

[M3pilot]

Don't get me wrong - I don't begrudge buyer or seller in this case. I made my offer and took my chance. Given the opportunity I might have paid more but nowhere near what I'm told the car sold for.

I was really just curious if someone here ended-up with it and if so, did the actual condition match the description (again, the seller was waaaaaay optimistic IMHO).