Itinerant Air-Cooled

When I was 10 my favorite Hotwheels was a white mid 70's 911. (Eva has it now). I'll bet that car is a blast to drive, and simple to maintain. Parts may be pricey?

Nice car but still lots to do to get it really road worthy. Front bushings look shot but and easy fix these days ($400).
Gonna have to repair around the battery tray area and repaint plus install a Optima gel battery so you don't have to do it again.

Those engines are really expensive to rebuild so have it checked out by a mechanic who knows em..parts are made of Unobtainium!! (See why the Earth was attacking the blue people in Avatar! They were looking for Unobtainium to make Porsche parts!!)
Those 68-69 912's are collector cars and going up in value quickly as not many are left in stock shape...Lots of em have been converted to type 4 power as its way cheaper...Just imagine a type4 130hp 2056cc with dual Webbers, a 911 Porsche fan setup.. WooHoo!!! Swap in some 73 1/2 and later struts and then you can install vented rotors and calipers off a 3.0L 911 and stop.

Thank you! If I got it I wouldn't really want to put a non-912 engine in it. I really like old cars to remain original even if it costs a bit more to keep it that way. Silly question, but how can you see those bushings are shot (I don't doubt you, but just wondering)?

I have joined a 912 forum and I am trying to arrange someone to join me on a test drive on Monday.

They look original which means like from 1968. Those rubber bushings turn rock hard after 20 yrs so the "fix" is to install either needle bearings ($500) or poly bronze bushings ($350) and the suspension suddenly works again. Meaning the ride is smooooth and comfortable unlike rock hard, jarring, slamming, when you go over a pothole.

Using the original 912 motor is great but lots of guys pull em to store and use a different engine to drive around if you are going to drive the car a lot. Parts just aren't available to rebuild them for a reasonable price. Dunno, but maybe Porsche will re introduce some of these parts.

Just throw a nice 1600 dual port in there. I'll bet it would do the job nicely.

50 vs 90HP! no way will a 1600 DP be as much fun...plus the 1600DP tops out at 4500rpms vs 6500 rpms.

Here's a fun video of the cars that subconsciously inspire me to get a 1960s Porsche. When I was growing up we would get passed by these on the freeway in Holland.
Youtube video

hambone wrote:Just throw a nice 1600 dual port in there. I'll bet it would do the job nicely.

No way a VW 1600 will handle it very happily. Now, a 1915cc or 2110cc T1 with good ported heads and a pair of DRLA40 or 44 carbs .. that'd be more like it.

Assuming you keep the original Porsche engine very carefully preserved & stored in the garage and use the VW engine for romping around, they're a lot cheaper to rebuild.

Saw a nice '69 912 at the Labor Day Sacramento BOR some years ago for sale, came with a fresh 2007cc stroker VW engine and the original 1600cc engine in a crate needing a rebuild. $8500...

You keep forgetting how slow I am. Maybe not.

If'n yer slow, whatchoo want with a Porsche?

covelo wrote:Thank you! If I got it I wouldn't really want to put a non-912 engine in it. I really like old cars to remain original even if it costs a bit more to keep it that way. Silly question, but how can you see those bushings are shot (I don't doubt you, but just wondering)?

I have joined a 912 forum and I am trying to arrange someone to join me on a test drive on Monday.

Honestly, if you are not some yahoo maniac, you can make these Porsche engines last a long long time with careful maintenance, quck warm-ups, and sensible driving (which includes carefully applied high rpm occasionally).
Colin

Amskeptic wrote:

covelo wrote:Thank you! If I got it I wouldn't really want to put a non-912 engine in it. I really like old cars to remain original even if it costs a bit more to keep it that way. Silly question, but how can you see those bushings are shot (I don't doubt you, but just wondering)?

I have joined a 912 forum and I am trying to arrange someone to join me on a test drive on Monday.

Honestly, if you are not some yahoo maniac, you can make these Porsche engines last a long long time with careful maintenance, quck warm-ups, and sensible driving (which includes carefully applied high rpm occasionally).
Colin

How much more involved is regular maintenance? (That is, how different is it from maintaining my bus?)

I think the one in SLO may be gone. I was going to go tomorrow but the seller has someone looking at it in the morning. We'll see.

I found a fun Portland 912 video on Vimeo.

http://bit.ly/8ENzXO

Sounds as loud as my 914! I see he rebuilt the front suspension too.... =D>