1968 Porsche 912 coupe; Beautiful car, silver with black interior

1968 Porsche 912 Description

Up for bids is a beautiful 1968 Porsche 912 coupe built by Karmann. It has the 5-speed gearbox and chrome wheels. The exterior is silver, and the interior is black over gray.

The top 3 reasons you want this car:

1. It is a southwest car, and is almost completely rust free.

2. It is a good example, and has not suffered the fate of so many others: whale tails, racing seats, alloy wheels, etc. No sunroof, no subwoofers, no slant-nose kit.

3. It has just seen a thorough refit and is in very good mechanical condition. I would get in and drive it anywhere.

The owner, who bought the car in 1998, has not used it since 2010, and has commissioned us to put the car in good running order and sell it for him. It comes with a clear New Mexico title, signed by the owner. We have done a great deal of work on the car to make it a solid, reliable driver. It is not restored, and it is not a show car. It has some needs, but it will make a good driver or good starting point for a restoration. Personally, I would enjoy it as it is.

Here is a list of the recent work done in our shop:

· Removed engine and transaxle and cleaned both. Re-sealed both engine and transaxle, including pushrod tube seals, both crank seals, oil cooler seals etc. The cases were not split, and the pistons and cylinders were not disturbed other than decarbonizing the piston crowns. The heads were bead blasted and re-assembled with new valve stem seals. Compression is 135-140 PSI all around, which is good for our 5000 foot altitude. All the engine sheet metal was bead blasted and painted, including the fan shroud. The transaxle had the axle seals, shifter seal, and input seal replaced. The backup light switch was replaced, as the old one had failed. The oil pressure switch was replaced and the light now works. Both the engine and the transaxle are clean enough to eat off of.

· Both carbs were disassembled and cleaned. The accelerator pump nozzles were cleaned, so the pumps are now working on all 4 venturis. All jets were cleaned, and the carbs were synchronized and tuned. All of the ball-and-socket throttle linkages were cleaned and lubed, and the bushings in the bellcrank at the transaxle were replaced with bronze bushes.

· A thorough tune-up was done: valves adjusted, oil changed, distributor serviced, new plugs and plug wires, timing set.

· The fuel pump was rebuilt with new diaphragm and springs. All fuel hoses were replaced, as was the fuel filter. The old fuel was drained from the tank, and replaced with fresh premium. The filler flaps were replaced.

· The shift coupler was rebuilt with new bushings, and a new boot was installed between the tunnel and the transmission nose. The shifter was disassembled and the front bushing and ball cup were replaced (yes, the lock wire was installed too.)

· The clutch release ball socket, side bushings, and cable trunnion were all replaced. The clutch disk is a late-model type with a spring hub rather than the older rubber hub type. The disk looked almost new, so it was re-used.

· Both axles were removed and disassembled. All 4 CV joints were thoroughly cleaned, greased, and new boots were installed. The axles themselves were repainted.

· The brake fluid was replaced, pumped out through all 4 calipers.

· New lift struts were installed up front.

· A new battery was fitted.

· A new flasher relay was fitted. Turn signals and dash indicators are working now.

The Good:

· The body on this car is almost 100% rust free. There is just one spot that looks soft, under the driver’s seat. (See photo). It measures less than 6” square. The seat is solid, and we opted to leave it alone. No idea why it would have just this one spot when the rockers, wheel well trims etc. are pristine. Any ideas? We have come up with a few, but they are pretty far fetched or unprintable.

· The car appears to be fitted with European heater boxes and a period extractor muffler system. It is loud, but not too loud. It is what my friend Darren would call “Rorty”. I like it.

· The interior is so nice that I figure it must have been re-done. The seats are comfortable and have no rips or tears. The headliner is cloth, so I’m thinking it must have been redone. The carpet is in good shape all around, and the door panels are nice and haven’t been cut for speakers. The dash is beautiful.

· For the purists: All 4 wheels have matching date stamps of 1/69. Maybe dealer installed? A couple wheels do have some flaky chrome near the valve stems, but not noticeable without kneeling and other things I don’t like to do.

· The glass is all in good condition, and the rubber seals around the windshield and back window are still quite supple. The aluminum trim around the doors and the windows is in good condition.

· All 4 seats have seatbelts.

· All the exterior lights work, wiper and horn work. Releases for the hood, decklid, and fuel filler all work.

· There is a spare (unchromed rim), jack, and lug wrench all included.

The Bad:

· It appears that it was repainted many years ago. There is some cracking in the paint on several places around the car. I have tried to photograph them as well as I can. I think the cracks probably can’t be seen from 10 feet; maybe 5 (or less if your eyes are like mine). There are a couple spots on the RH side of the hood, the area where the right door meets the front fender, and above the right tail light. Tapping with a loosely calibrated finger does not set off my bondo radar, but I cannot make any promises. There are a few minor scrapes and blemishes here and there on the paint, but no real dings. All in all, it looks great for a 50 year old car.

· The odometer does not work; the speedo works fine. Actual mileage should be regarded as unknown.

· I think it is about time for strut inserts and shocks. We opted not to replace them, as there are so many choices. We could install the parts of your choice here if you like. Let us know your intended purposes, and we can guide you if you like.

· The right heater box shows typical rust on the bottom; the left one is much better. See photo.

· The clock doesn’t work. Big surprise. We have a good VDO guy here if you want to get it fixed.

· There is a JVC stereo installed. It appears that there were once some box speakers in the rear, but they are gone now (thankfully they didn’t cut holes anywhere). No idea if the head unit works. You will have to sing on your way home.

· The oil temperature gauge is pegged all the time. Maybe needs a sender?

· The center of the horn push is missing. The push itself works, and the horn works.

· I think the door strikers need to be adjusted, as both doors stand proud of the rear quarters by a few millimeters.

More details:

· The car starts well, and idles almost immediately. Clutch operation is smooth and free from juddering. Steering is tight, and handling is good. Throttle response is crisp, and I have revved it out to redline more than a few times, always with a smile. Rorty.

· Tires are better than serviceable. Fronts are Nankang 195/65-R15, rears are Falken, also 195/65-R15. Both have more than 50% tread remaining. The fronts have some light weather checking, but I would drive them anywhere with confidence.

· Brake pads are 50%+ front and rear, and they work well. The parking brake also works fine.

· Shifting is exquisite, nice and tight. Downshifting into first is met with some balking, especially when cold. I’m not sure if this early gearbox has a synchro in first or not. All other shifts are perfect up and down, hot or cold.

· Any additional work you want is negotiable after the hammer falls. Hopefully you will have seen the car in person before then, and know what, if anything, you would like done. I’m sure we can beat the shop rate at the vintage Porsche places in Santa Cruz.

The Reality check:

·This car is almost 50 years old. It is in good shape, but it is a used car. It has not been restored in any way, shape or form. I have done my best to suss out its strengths and weaknesses, and to present them honestly. It does not come with a warranty, roadside assistance or a guarantee that it will get you home. Like any old car, you will have problems with it. I hope you will enjoy figuring them out and fixing them.

· I have put about 50 miles on this car recently, and believe it to be in good running condition. I have not had it out on the interstate. I can’t recommend that you fly in and drive it to Bismarck without shaking it out a bit more first, (although I have no reason to think you wouldn’t have a great trip). The odometer reads 34,623 miles, but the odometer reading on the title reads 35,444 I cannot explain the discrepancy, so the actual mileage is unknown. The title will reflect this.

· It is my hope that you are mechanically inclined and enjoy owning, driving, and servicing your own cars.

The Boiler Plate:

· This is a 7 day no reserve auction. Please bid early and bid often. The high bid will buy the car. End of story.

· Your winning bid is a contract, not an option to buy. Don’t bid if you don’t have any money. The owner is probably not interested in whatever you want to trade.

· A deposit of $500.00 by PayPa, wire transfer, or cashiers’ check is due within 48 hours of the auction close.

· Balance is due within 7 days, by wire, or cash in person. Balance can be deposited at any Bank of America branch.

· This car comes with a clear New Mexico title, signed by the owner. The odometer reading will be recorded on the title. You can add whatever you like for the purchase price and the date.

· Please do not contact me offering help selling this car or anything else.

· I seriously recommend coming to see this car in person before the hammer falls. We are 30 minutes from the ABQ airport. Hop a cheap Southwest flight; money well spent. I will make time for you.

· If you opt to ship the car, we will work with your shipper to get it picked up here during daylight hours. I will not meet him in Denver at 3:00 AM.

· If you opt to fly in and drive it home, my hat is off to you. I will support you any way I can. I will meet you at the airport, etc.

· We can offer secure storage for a maximum of 30 days. I cannot guarantee that it will be indoors. Longer storage is negotiable, but not free.

· If you need additional information about anything on this car, feel free to ask a question or call me at (505) 379-7250 during polite calling hours (mountain time). I will try to provide any special request photos that don’t exceed my limited artistic capabilities.

We have some additional photos, particularly of the underside of the car, on a google shared folder. I cannot provide the URL in the listing, but message me or call and we will get you the link.

Thanks for your interest.

A bit about me:

· I am a retired engineer and long-time car enthusiast. I grew up working on Fiats, Beetles, Porsches and things weirder. My first car was a Porsche that was an incredible rust bucket, which really helps me appreciate the almost rust-free car on offer here. My Jag is a ’66 E-Type roadster, which I bought completely disassembled in 1994, and spent ~3500 hours putting it back together. I also enjoy Microcars ( Isetta, Messerschmitt, and 600 Multipla) and (mostly) European motorcycles. I now run a small shop catering to European car enthusiasts. Our business is built on quality workmanship, integrit, and enthusiasm.