Found one locally I'm going to look at. Love old Porsches. AFAIK, the 912 is a contemporary 911 with a smaller engine, basically? What should I look for? Is it just a bad idea altogether? Apparently it needs transmission work and paint.
Found one locally I'm going to look at. Love old Porsches. AFAIK, the 912 is a contemporary 911 with a smaller engine, basically? What should I look for? Is it just a bad idea altogether? Apparently it needs transmission work and paint.
Yes, the 912 is basically a 911 body with (essentially) a 356 engine and a downgraded interior. They are supposed to handle better than a 911. They sold in greater numbers than the 911. 1968 was the last year for the short wheelbase cars. Look for rust everywhere. 912s used to be cheap but the market for these things is skyrocketing. You can build one into a 911 very easily.
Thanks, Woody! I'm hoping it's not rusted. I can deal with anything else.
How bad are the transmissions to rebuild?
You really have to check these things very carefully for rust, unfortunately they seem to try and out-rust the Italian competition and not all the critical rust is easily visible.
Re the transmission, I'd be concerned about parts prices. Porsche parts prices are generally rather high so you'd really need to get a steal of a deal on a car like that, especially if you can't rebuild the trans yourself.
I likely could rebuild the trans myself, unless there is somethink really tricky. I've done some manual trans rebuilds before, a few SBC builds as well. But, you know, this one would be German...
The price seems incredible, apparently his wife is making him get rid of it. We'll see.
What year is it? While the 60's cars have the 356 engine. The 70's 912 E's have the VW type 4 engine
1968 912. Ad says it's a straight car, needs manual transmission work and paint, recently rechromed bumpers. The fact that it was undergoing some restoration gives me hope against rust. I hope. Now if he'd just call me back!
Well now you got me all excited. So now you have to buy it. 
RossD wrote: Well now you got me all excited. So now you have to buy it.
I feel like I should make this the driving force in my life from this day forth!
Egghead Racer wrote:RossD wrote: Well now you got me all excited. So now you have to buy it.I feel like I should make this the driving force in my life from this day forth!
912 prices are rising nearly as quickly as 911 prices. If all it needs is some paint, and a rebuilt trans... it might be costly.... but far less costly then the trans AND a full on restoration of a rusty car.........
Is the 912 still selling for a bit less than a comparable 911? I seem to remember Woody posting a while back that they are basically a wash now for price. Just curious.
They're not a wash, but they've gone way up over the past five years. I blame R Gruppe...
Really depends on what you call a comparable 911. Longhoods sell for a lot more, but the same money that buys you a nice 912 also buys you a decent to nice SC or Carrera 3.2.
Long hood 912's in perfect condition can fetch pushing $50K, drivers are pushing $30K. Short hood 912E's with the type 4 motor can hit $30K mint, mid teens for a driver.
My next door neighbor saw a 912E on the local CL for $3k about 18months ago not running. Assumed it was a junker so didn't bother. A mutual friend out ours went to see it and bought it on the spot. Sorted the induction for a few hundred $$'s and had a nice rust free original driver he sold for a mint six months later.
They are catching up with 6 cyl cars, but the rate of appreciation has outstripped 911's as 5 years ago they were essentially worthless.
In reply to Adrian_Thompson:
They weren't exactly worthless, but the best ones had a hard time bringing $15k. Most were under eight.
Woody wrote: In reply to Adrian_Thompson: They weren't exactly worthless, but the best ones had a hard time bring $15k. Most were under eight.
OK, I exaggerated, but for a 912 to get $15K 5 years ago it had to be an early early long hood in better than mint condition with all original parts.
I agree.
In reply to Egghead Racer:
Transmissions are straight forward, it's similar to VW. The most common problem is damaged synchro teeth esp on 2nd gear. After market tools and teeth are available at considerable savings over replacing the gear and its mate.
I hate that this guy posted the car up, and hasn't returned a text or call about it. Really chaps my caboose.
Egghead Racer wrote: I hate that this guy posted the car up, and hasn't returned a text or call about it. Really chaps my caboose.
Read this tale of woe , make sure you see and touch it before swapping $$"s. Cliff notes. Guy 'bought' a 912 from 'Smokey's Auto Sales', paid for a PPI even and still got schamed. Car was for sale in several places, the company was a real address but deals in crap cars etc etc. Dude is out $30K
Oh yeah, I want to lay hands on steel, as it were, hence the phone calls about when I can come out and lay hands on steel...
Of course now I'm all about the 912...
If you are going to need to rebuild the transmission, go to 914world.com and look up Dr Evil, no seriously
901 with flipped R&P, gearing will be different, but parts from 914 transmission will work
I thought they had a 914 engine.
914Driver wrote: I thought they had a 914 engine.
The 1976 912E got a version of the 914 2.0 engine. They have a bunch of unique parts that are hard to find.
The 65-69 912 got a version of the 356 engines. All of the 912 engines that were removed to build 912/6s are now in the barns of guys who race 356s.
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