First post here... Been a member for a while in order get expert knowledge about the 1.6 motors, but never owned a 356. However, I have a '67 912 that I restored, (with lots of help!). Now a '65C Cab has become available to me from one of my wife's cousins for about $75K. It runs, shifts, stops, but is very rusty needs lots and lots of love, (and hard work!). Motor is not numbers matching but was rebuilt 20-25K ago. I'm thinking $40k-$50K with the potential to be a driver... At least one old crusty guy on this site knows the car and says stay away.... Any general thoughts with respect to what I'm getting into and ultimate value as a driver you can offer would be most appreciated. I'm definitely not looking to flip it as the seller is a good guy and is family.
$75K sounds like too much for a rusty non matching numbers car. I have a 64 without rust and rebuilt engine and I don't think its worth a lot more than that. How about a picture?
How about a location Chuck, there may be more members close by to help with a valuation?
If I had known I would live this long I would have pushed the envelope a little harder.
Cymru am byth
David Jones #9715
David, Thanks for your reply... I had some pictures, (it's a triple black car), but when I initially passed on the car I dumped the pics. HaHa, Looked good from 30 feet.... Car is in SoCal...
Very rusty = $$$ in metalwork alone. Whereabouts in So-Cal? Dialing in your location would help us identify a shop where you might be able to get estimates.
Any 65 C Cabriolet brings strong money these days. It really depends on your definition of "rusty" and how much money is needed to get it "unrusty". As a decent driver the car would bring around $125k and show perfect around $200k. Those are my guesses. New floors are $25k I hear. Outer rust repair can cost much more. They can probably put the car on BaT as is and get more than $75k. There is the dilemma, I doubt you will find a cheaper Cab that runs and drives. The cheapest car is the finished car IF IF IF it was done correctly by qualified people. If you don't have $200k just laying around you could buy the $75k car and nibble away at the restoration over time. My only caution is that you avoid taking the car all apart only to have it sit unused. Try to keep the car usable during most of the process.
'57 Speedster
'59 Sunroof
'60 Devin D Porsche Race Car
'63 Cabriolet "Norm"
'67 911 S Original Owner
'03 Ferrari 575M
'09 Smart Passion
Thanks CJ for your comments and David for his. You guys make a lot of sense. I think the only price I would buy the car at is about $50K... again because the seller is family and could use the money...
A couple of questions you need to ask yourself before you spend any money.
1. Can you live with the car as-is, like maybe drive it for 5-10 years then restore it.
2. If you can't drive it as-is and enjoy it, are you prepared to restore it or have it restored? Both mentally and financially.
www.unobtanium-inc.com
Check out my Barn Find column in the Registry magazine, always looking for good stories.
you say you restored the 912, how much of the work are you able to do yourself? this makes a huge difference in the final outcome. i bought my 58 cab 50 some years ago for 300.00. my wife and i with some help from my youngest boy totally rebuilt everything on the car except the trans. i have roughly 5-6K in parts (some were bought 50 years ago) and about 1K in labor rear splines repaired and shoes matched. don't let some bean counter tell you you have to figure YOUR labor. it's a hobby and fun, your suppost to enjoy it, if not it might not be a good buy. if your going to pay labor on 80% or so you could go upside down real quick.
Jay D.
I invite you to go to Bringatrailer and type in 356C Cabriolet in the search function and review the sales in the last few years. It willget you some idea or what a decent driver level and higher 356C Cab is worth. As Jay said it depends on how much you can do yourself and do you have enough free time the next 3-5 years to do it? If it is that rusty I doubt that it is a Cali car from new. If driven a few years in Germany the Northeast or Michigan year round it would be very rusty.
1965 356C 2000 BMW 740i Sport 1967 Honda CL77 There is never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over.
jay darlington wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 8:13 pm
you say you restored the 912, how much of the work are you able to do yourself? this makes a huge difference in the final outcome. i bought my 58 cab 50 some years ago for 300.00. my wife and i with some help from my youngest boy totally rebuilt everything on the car except the trans. i have roughly 5-6K in parts (some were bought 50 years ago) and about 1K in labor rear splines repaired and shoes matched. don't let some bean counter tell you you have to figure YOUR labor. it's a hobby and fun, your suppost to enjoy it, if not it might not be a good buy. if your going to pay labor on 80% or so you could go upside down real quick.
Jay D. DSCN7685[1].JPGDSCN7579[1].JPG
Jay, You hit the nail on the head... I can't really do body work/paint, but I can do the rest.... I like the process as a hobby, but adding $40-$50K for rust repair on top of the purchase price is a nonstarter.
As noted previously by others, it is difficult to estimate the rust repair expense without a thorough inspection. But you note "adding $40-50K" is a nonstarter. I can virtually assure you that if the car is significantly rusty there is no way you will get by for just $40K for rust repair, body prep and quality paint. It is a fantasy for those who believe that just rust repair can be done, then paint can be done later. A competent paint job alone will cost $20K these days if done by a reputable shop who will insist on strip to bare metal and go from there -- not counting extensive non rust body repair.
You activities will be expensive! HOW MUCH is a question that cannot be answered till you write the final check. Qualified technicians are old. Used parts may be completely used up. New parts are always difficult to find. zim
www.allzim.com
356 Parts and Services
www.facebook.com/ZimsAuto/
www.instagram.com/zims_autotechnik/
"New parts are always difficult to find. zim " Other opinion would be, New parts are very easy to find, manufactured, stocked and catalogued in 165 pages and two websites.
on this site knows the car and says stay away.... Any general thoughts with respect to what I'm getting into and ultimate value as a driver you can offer would be most appreciated. I'm definitely not looking to flip it as the seller is a good guy and is family.
