$15,000 Porsche: Are we stupid, or the smartest bargain hunters you know?

Tom Suddard said:

Thanks for all of the comments/encouragement everybody! It's certainly a big project, but I'm more excited than ever about it.

To answer the question: No, I don't have any plans to flip this one. I think it will look great in the garage long-term. 

And I did ask a friend that parts out Caymans if the transmission would fit anywhere in the car. Their response? "Absolutely not--don't even think about it."

Oh jeez. I just realized this thing is going to have seriously limited luggage capacity. I guess I have a couple of months to get really good at packing bags efficiently.

I have a hat with patches....  one of them says "that's a terrible idea!  when do we start?"  I may have to send one to the staff at GRM!  

In reply to Nicole Suddard :

I'd be pushing for the truck & trailer option.  FL to WA and back in... two weeks? 

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Nicole Suddard :

I'd be pushing for the truck & trailer option.  FL to WA and back in... two weeks? 

$80,000 says you can get there and back in 48 hours, at least according to the tall guy and the short guy wearing the same suits 

Of all of the times I had driven transmissions where an internal bolt had backed out, or gear teeth decided to leave the gears, none of them ever had a problem with the debris jumping up from the bottom of the trans and getting into anything.  I drove one trans for about two months with most of 2nd gear laying in the bottom of the case.

I think it'll be just fine.  I wouldn't try to engage 5th or 6th though, in case for whatever reason it does manage to go into gear.  It might stay there.  Having R-1-2-3-4 is better than having only 5 or 6.

Keith Tanner said:

Jerry From LA said:

Looks to me like you did inherit the sheer lunacy gene.

He's not really surrounded himself with sensible people either. There are no people telling Tom this is a bad idea. It's enablers all the way down.

Once upon a time, I sold a car to Tim.

After repeated, unsuccessful attempts by email to convince him NOT to try driving the car from Massachusetts to Florida, I finally broke down and gave him a phone call.

He said, "Look, here's the deal... I'm an A-hole, and I'm going to do this anyway."

Fair enough.

californiamilleghia said:

When are you going to get it ?
Does it have a spare tire ? Full size ?

Lots of  lonely road out there if you have a tire problem  !

PS , plus any other Porsche only stuff , fan belts etc

These cars don't come with a spare tire of any kind, just a bottle of syrup and a compressor. 

Bonus: No jack either.

One day soon I'll be doing a fly and drive, I keep telling myself- last time a pandemic got in the way lol 

Tom Suddard said:

And I did ask a friend that parts out Caymans if the transmission would fit anywhere in the car. Their response? "Absolutely not--don't even think about it."

I'd bet money your friend has tried lol

Tom Suddard said:

Thanks for all of the comments/encouragement everybody! It's certainly a big project, but I'm more excited than ever about it.

To answer the question: No, I don't have any plans to flip this one. I think it will look great in the garage long-term. 

And I did ask a friend that parts out Caymans if the transmission would fit anywhere in the car. Their response? "Absolutely not--don't even think about it."

I bet it would fit in the passenger seat area

yolo

Lots of storage space!

https://www.autoblog.com/2020/06/11/porsche-718-cayman-luggage-test/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGWp4HKK66v4m6-E17uEbbZGUVYB0ADtbFYZqN90mA11xxvhWRPrL9YtaiQ8wTYjmRy0_PV8DZqT3_z73CfK-CLV_V-MLhVB6LHfUt3n-p8SWtKkctrAkpU7pJVbiLTuvMAXkWTDSK10wvvBJ6ffxU2i6DMFO4qEMto1dlVlJvtJ

In reply to Tom Suddard :

Could you find a known blown transmission and autopsy before heading out? 

If you can find a transmission in Seattle, you could just strap the used transmission to a pallet and ship that back to FL.

Pete. (l33t FS) said:

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Nicole Suddard :

I'd be pushing for the truck & trailer option.  FL to WA and back in... two weeks? 

$80,000 says you can get there and back in 48 hours, at least according to the tall guy and the short guy wearing the same suits 

 

Of all of the times I had driven transmissions where an internal bolt had backed out, or gear teeth decided to leave the gears, none of them ever had a problem with the debris jumping up from the bottom of the trans and getting into anything.  I drove one trans for about two months with most of 2nd gear laying in the bottom of the case.

I think it'll be just fine.  I wouldn't try to engage 5th or 6th though, in case for whatever reason it does manage to go into gear.  It might stay there.  Having R-1-2-3-4 is better than having only 5 or 6.

I did have a broken VSS gear destroy my automatic Civic's transmission...I haven't checked the damage or pulled it yet, but it did enough damage that I think the transmission seized up or blew a hole.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

To me, it's less of the question about if the car can do the trip, it's more of would I want to if I had more comfortable options.  I'm also someone who will explore all options available before flying, even if it takes a lot longer. 

Of course, rolling the dice and driving a semi-broken P-car from Seattle, WA to Daytona, FL makes for a lot more interesting magazine content.

Ian F (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Of course, rolling the dice and driving a semi-broken P-car from Seattle, WA to Daytona, FL makes for a lot more interesting magazine content.

As Steve Martin once said in a skit on SNL... "You see these pants I'm holding up? ... Now I can deduct them!"

edit:  I was personally willing to travel to the other side of the continent and the other side of the border to fly and drive a car, sight unseen, for someone else.  A car for which there is practically zero readily available parts support.  I have a fear of flying, a fear of extreme paperwork, and I still don't have a passport. 

I was willing to overcome all of those difficulties, partially because it was for Patrick and mostly because OMG i get to drive a black R32 GT-R look at me I'm Nakazato from the Night Kids.  I am sure the novelty would have worn off around hour twenty of driving.  Maybe.

I wasn't going to go alone, though.  I was going to bring a friend who has much fly and drive experience, including both a 560 SEL (might have been SEC?  Big Merc) *and* a pre intercooled Esprit Turbo, both from Florida.  Anyone who would fly and drive a 30 year old turbo Lotus would have no issue with a mere Nissan

l love the idea of this project so much!  I'm guessing this car is on the "Eastside" of Seattle?  Here's a great option for working on the car to swap out the transmission.  Their lifts are easy to use, and each bay comes with a large selection of air tools to use.

Stews Self service Garage

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Oh I get it. I did drive my Triumph Spitfire and TR8 from central MI and western OH respectively with minimal support/planning.  Generally putting my trust in the sellers of the two cars. Not quite the same as driving across the country, but still not without risk. My riskiest drive was my 1800ES from NNJ to CNJ with a toasted center support bushing - the driveshaft banging against the tunnel for most of the drive.  The TR8 drive was done last year, so I can't claim youthful ignorance - just aged stubbornness. 

That said, if my camper van/tow pig was ready, you can be damned sure I'd be taking that option.

Send that trans right to Deman or similar for a set of shorter gear ratios.  At 15k buy in you will get all your money back and then some.  The extra couple grand for the gears is negligible since it already needs work.