TrevMcRev Posted 28June, 2014 Report Share Posted 28June, 2014 What are peoples thoughts on early Porsches in Australia and the global market? While good genuine original Aust Delivered cars command a premium here, I can't help but to wonder about good genuine US cars that may have made it here some years ago - before going nuts - being sold back to the US....? Many will have been converted to RHD...many will have had ridiculous "updates"....but it seems to me like the right US car here could well be cheaper than it would over there! No doubt their market is HUGE - there must be many more buyers/collectors at the tope end able to pay the big bikkies. Are there many examples of this happening? I did see Autohaus sold a 930 to the US.... What are your thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pauly Posted 28June, 2014 Report Share Posted 28June, 2014 I personally don't like US delivered cars. They have the side marker lights in the bumpers, but no indicator on the front quarter. Depends on the porsche, the front/rear bumpers are different. usually bulkier which is uglier IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hugh Posted 28June, 2014 Report Share Posted 28June, 2014 901's are definitely being sought on a global market. Whilst there are typically more on the market in the US potentially making pricing a bit more competitive, good ones still seem to be asking/fetching big dollars that are somewhat compatible globally. I would also agree that impact bumper cars are starting to head this way but still have some time to go if they are gong to reach the ever peaking demand of good 901's - 964's are not far behind them IMO as I know of a few Aus cars recently that have gone to OS buyers. I personally wouldn't miss an opportunity to buy a good condition car based on the fact it was US car for example. I will have a long hood one day and if that happens to be a LHD US car then so be it - it may end up back there when I'm finished with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D'Silva Posted 29June, 2014 Report Share Posted 29June, 2014 Ive been watching the long hood market for a while.. and while I am not an anorak when it comes to which is the most desirable model, I would be more than happy to own a LHD usa car here in Aus. Yes, a gen Aus RHD is worth gold here... there was a nice yellow example on carsales listed at 87000... it was on there for longer than I thought it would .. maybe 2 or 3 months. This time last year, a nice condition LHD USA car in the USA was around the $35k mark.. now they are around $60K for a T... If you imported that $60K T to Aus and had it complied etc, it would owe around the $70K mark at the least. $70k LHD vs $mid 80's for an AUS RHD.. probably is about right. But then again, I'm assuming both cars are of the same condition mechanically and structurally. So many cars on the Aus market have been converted or f**ked with... different engines, seats, interiors, guards, etc. It's surprised me just how many people have cut and modded this lovely cars! And why have so many porsche owners changed car colour?? That Targa I had for a few weeks, was painted red, but the original colour was blood orange.. if it was still the blood orange, I think it would have been more unique than boring old red. For me, the LHD and the old style 901 dogleg gearbox, would be novelties and part of the early experience. And a PLUS for me... When looking at the later impact style cars though, for some reason, I'm not that excited about LHD and the 915 box.. I don't know why. I'd love to buy something to import, but don't have to guts to buy something sight unseen. So far, I've never sighted a car, that was as good as described. Even a PPI by a well known shop in Syd was a waste of money and missed some VERY OBVIOUS problems. If I could afford to move to the USA for 3 months to look for some cars to ship over, that would be awesome... just need to win lotto first. Rant over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAX57 Posted 29June, 2014 Report Share Posted 29June, 2014 If it means getting your beloved Porsche, does it really matter where the car comes from? good luck with that Trev ! Technically all cars are designed & engineered LHD they are only factory converted to RHD to suit those few countries that insist on driving on the wrong side of the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OBRUT Posted 29June, 2014 Report Share Posted 29June, 2014 I strongly doubt it will ever be worthwhile for US buyers to buy cars from here - unless the particular car is very rare/desirable such as a 2.7RS or factory/historied race cars etc. For most 911's there will always be more local stock in the US, which will be easier to inspect, transport etc I think it come down to looking at why does anyone buy a car from overseas? It usually because they can't find a particular model locally and/or the o/s car is (significantly) cheaper. I've imported early 911's from NZ, the UK and the US - for those exact reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hugh Posted 29June, 2014 Report Share Posted 29June, 2014 there was a nice yellow example on carsales listed at 87000... it was on there for longer than I thought it would Rant over. The seller had many offers close to the asking price but was determined to get what he wanted. In the end I believe the car went to a buyer in the UK, near 90k for a 'T' is pretty up there - especially since the car wasn't 100% original but admittedly with desirable engine upgrades. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D'Silva Posted 29June, 2014 Report Share Posted 29June, 2014 wow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coastr Posted 29June, 2014 Report Share Posted 29June, 2014 At some point it will be worthwhile converting cars back to LHD and re-exporting. You won't get top dollar in the uS unless the car is on the ground and titled properly. The natural export market for aus delivered cars is the uK. Easier import and steering wheel in the right place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonoz Posted 29June, 2014 Report Share Posted 29June, 2014 If the car is collectible enough it will pay to convert it back to LHD for export to Europe. I know of two European 1974 2.7 RS's that were converted to RHD here, and both are now waiting for their owners to convert them back to LHD with the export planned on completion. In one case, the owner has already bought a LHD 1974 911 to provide the donor parts, and as he has the skills, he will flip the two over. The delightful irony is that the donor car has turned out to be quite a good thing, and is going to end up forming the basis of a neat RHD 911 hot rod. The US might be different, in that the so many of the early cars that came here weren't good to start with. The main importer of early 911's here in WA used to chop, shuffle, and switch, in an effort to creat a saleable item, either parts or a whole car. There are still lots of those oddities around causing trouble. Surely theres been some later private imports that are in good shape, but they seem hard to find. Perhaps if the dollar switches back to 65 cents or something similar the US buyers might start hunting locally, but thats a long shot. The US 911's were so cheap to buy new compared to anywhere else in the western world that they just didnt have the treasured lives of our heinously priced Porsches, and they are still cheaper there than here, except for the odd rare model. Great topic. Got me thinking about the mechanics of it all, and how 911's can keep us all guessing. What fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevMcRev Posted 30June, 2014 Author Report Share Posted 30June, 2014 Interesting, thanks guys... I guess my thinking is.. in the US, while newer P cars are cheap some of the older cars sell at what I'd call high prices. There is a far greater pool of cash there than here and more serious collectors/enthusiasts who will pay what it takes to get the car they want. Now you might never sell your car to Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld or even *cough cough* Magnus Walker.. but..... If the right early US LHD 91 came up here in Oz, it would be cheaper right now than an equivalent AUS RHD, and a great car to enjoy driving and tweaking for a number of years, and then who knows.... The world is converging with technology, and what seemed ridiculous only a few years ago, is imaginable today, and in a few more may just be normal... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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