DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

Thought this was a cheap 2.4S for somebody:

https://www.historics.co.uk/buying/auct ... -911-24-s/

Is that really all premium cars are fetching now? They were nearly double that a few years back. They'll be 911 T money soon at this rate

Probably because it's one of those less desirable - RHD - models ...

Why does a restoration take 3 years?
Presumably, this car took 3 because the shop did others as well?

Are people getting screwed?

911hillclimber wrote:Why does a restoration take 3 years?

I know, bonkers. Breakneck speed. Mine's already taken longer than that, and I'm miles off finishing.

Serious answer: the good places have waiting lists. Sometimes long waiting lists. In the case of this car it was Sportwagen - I doubt you can phone them on a Friday and drop the car off on Monday for them to make a start.
And as your comment implies, with a few exceptions (eg Barry) most places work on multiple projects in parallel. So even if you go one-stop-shop you have to chase to make sure your project gets the attention you'd like. Is that getting screwed? It's annoying but I wouldn't say that. It's not exactly an unexpected problem in the old Porsche world.

Then if you use different suppliers for different stages (not one-stop-shop) the perfect project plan can quickly go wrong when one step is delayed and you lose your slot for the next step. That's not getting screwed either. Why should a business with more work than it can handle sit idle, waiting for you to turn up with your shell? Need to negotiate to keep the delay to minimum, but accept that they will have cracked on with something else in the meantime.

A project might also involve deliberate delays to let the wallet cool down a bit....

Rome wasn't built in a day!

No quite, it takes me years to get a car together. A few years ago I met a chap on a flight back from the gulf who, once he'd sussed I was a genuine enthusiast revealed his extensive collection of metal. 2.4S several modern 911, a Rod Stewart lime green Muira, a gull wing in restoration, 300 roadster just done, shopping for a 275 Ferrari, etc., etc. Normally takes me quite some years to get a car together with external help from usual sources. Well it was taking him about as long to pay somebody else to do the whole thing as it was taking me to do most of it in my piecemeal just at the weekends when the wife's not on my case sort of way, so I didn't feel to bad about it now. But I realised his thinking, free garaging and in those days the things were just gaining equity at a stupid rate that it was cross subsidising his resto costs so he wasn't losing sleep.....

Interesting they say 1971 when it’s actually MY 1972

Nov 71 is MY 72.

That’s a very nice car. See it over the years at Sportwagen and Jaz. Good buy for someone I think.

But, as I read it, the car had taken 3 years solid work to do, and cost 150k$ so the standard is simply 100 point because it took so long.
I can fully understand a private project taking ages, but this one had the engine all ready done so a chunk of time not spent on that item.

If this car had gone to (say) Autofarm for restoration then I doubt it would have been there for 3 years?

Anyway, a nice rhd S for less than the restoration cost.
Familiar story, owner makes a loss, new owner get a deal.

911hillclimber wrote:But, as I read it, the car had taken 3 years solid work to do, and cost 150k$ so the standard is simply 100 point because it took so long.

I didn't read it that way.

In my view, this part...
"With a restoration project now taking some three years to complete and costing circa £150,000"
... is a generalisation about resto costs these days. So pure auction BS, albeit not as ludicrous as some of the things one reads in auction catalogues.

Whereas this part ...
"A significant history folder confirms the full extent of the restoration with invoices totalling of £35,000 in labour costs alone plus a huge list of parts"
... refers to the specific car. So it wasn't a massively costly resto. As you say, engine not touched (presumably not gearbox either).

Assuming the metalwork and paint were indeed done to the highest standards, agree, looks a nice car and a good buy for someone. Anyone on here?

The total price paid for the vehicle is £151,200.00 which is comprised of the "hammer" price of £135,000 plus selling commission of £13,500 plus VAT of 20% on the commission which amounts to £2,700. So probably not the "bargain" it first appears.

Plus,
Auction entry, catalogue and likely fuel to get there and an overnight stay.

Plus,
You can’t test drive it for engine,transmission,brakes, electrical faults.

Plus,
You can’t drop the knee bar to check the secret number or check any date stamps (instruments, Fuchs etc)

All a bit of a gamble on an expensive car. You only have the catalogue description (which is hardly going to mention any negatives) and your own wits.

And once the hammer drops...........




Far safer just to buy Andy’s next sale car !

Regards
Mike

Is anyone aware if that is the original colour?
Not a single one of the 23 chartreuse RS’s built was delivered in rhd so not a popular colour in the UK back in the day and I am suspicious the car here in question is a colour change which would (imho) detract from the value (of a rhd 73 S built, likely, the the first week of production).

Regards
Mike

Hi Mike,
Pure speculation, but following the usual rules of interpretation of auction descriptions I get:

They say "and a superb paint finish was applied", which means colour change.

Had it been repainted in the original colour, the blurb would say "and repainted to the highest standard in the original colour of Chartreuse, a distinctive shade to set this beautiful car apart from today's silvers and greys, and so evocative of the seventies, the halcyon days, Le Mans, McQueen, flares, free love, blah blah blah, that's enough now - Ed".

Hope that helps, cheers, Richard.

Sorry, forgot "one of only x cars in this superb colour delivered to their lucky new UK owners in 1972"

Only been driven a little over 5,000 miles in the last 10 years too ...