Now SOLD to Kartik in California! Congratulations!!! Also a Bugeye owner, and a wonderful addition! Enjoy every mile!!!
I was really lucky, because my dad had an E-type one summer when I was a kid, and he let me shift it from the passenger seat. I was hooked on British cars from that moment onward. But he also loved 911s, and the first real sports car I ever drove was his 1969 911S Targa, which in the late 70s was certainly valuable, but no one had any idea that car (and all 911s in general) would become as collectible as they are today.
For me, this 1978 911SC captures the experience of driving my dad’s ’69S, at a fraction of the cost. Come for a drive with me in the video below!
Many British car owners confess they also love air-cooled 911s. I was excited to find this nice low mileage example in a unique original color. I bought this car as part of a larger collection, and I have been holding this 1978 911SC for about six years. But I am just not using it… so it’s time to send it to a new home.
This is a great car. 911s have been climbing in value and these 3 liter SCs have been appreciating nicely! This one is stunning, especially if you like a 911 in something other than red, white, black or silver.
The body is great. There are zero dings on the sides of the car. It’s very clean, as you would expect with a low mileage vehicle. The engine is strong. Leak down and compression numbers are all excellent. We recently put in a pop off valve and replaced the hydraulic engine lid damper and replaced the oil S hose. The car is ready to go!
This car is unspoiled and feels like a time capsule. Everything is as it was when it left the factory, except the steering wheel, which is a very nice and high-quality “Dino” brand replacement. Coco mats help evoke the spirit of the era, as does the distinctive and simple mechanical targa top. By the way, have you seen the current 911 targa tops in operation? The entire rear window lifts up automatically and a motorized assemblage of levers and arms moves the top into the back of the car. It’s an engineering marvel, and I shudder to think of the repair costs down the road.
This is not that.
This is a top removed by flipping two levers. The top assembly easily collapses to fit in the trunk. Simple. From another era. And the targa top was all professionally rebuilt just last year by a 911 specialist.
In fact, the window mechanism is also simple, this is a wind-up window car without A/C. It also has a mechanical radio antennae (listed on COA). In the engine bay you can see the air pump has been removed because it was in the way and no longer connected anyway. I have saved all the pieces in a box to travel with the car. ( I also have the sun visors).
The car originally had air conditioning, but the compressor has been removed some time ago and I don’t have those parts. I am told these never had the greatest A/C systems, so perhaps that’s why.
Included are the two factory sales brochures from 1978, which verify the accuracy of this example (see photo album below). When you get into this car, the factory shag carpet and colors stand out because this seems nothing like modern automotive color palettes. When did you last see a dark brown car? For me, that’s what makes this car particularly special.
Turn the key and iconic round warning lights come to life. (These are the same lights I would see in the ’69 911S my dad once owned- this car gets you that look and feel without breaking the bank). I have a 1997 993 as well, and that car’s square warning lights (and there are a lot of them) just don’t as beautifully convey the soul of a 911. This dashboard is much more reminiscent of the older cars, which is one reason I love this vintage so much–more affordable, but still with the heritage and feel of the early 911s.
This car certainly seems to have spent much of it’s life garaged, the dashboard and gauges are great, they are not sun-faded or worn and there are no cracks in the dashboard. Thus the car looks much it would have in 1978. The interior is excellent.
The car comes with a notebook full of receipts and information from the prior owner, including the Porsche COA as shown. It was repainted once and shines beautifully. Everything works (except the horn) and it’s a blast to drive. The transmission is excellent, with no complaints from the synchros and the gearbox is a joy, with easy downshifting.
We have done a bit of maintenance on this car during my years of ownership. We added a new premium Deka battery two years ago. We changed one rear wheel bearing and rebuilt both front calipers. We adjusted the valves, put in new gaskets, changed the injectors, air filter, plugs, wires, cap and rotor, as well as the “S” hose and the oil, which has few miles on it since. New tires were just installed and the Targa top was also completely restored by a Targa specialist. Headliner, vinyl and all Targa top rubber is now new.
This car has the original engine, as verified by the pictured Porsche COA (see photos below). The timing chain tensioners were upgraded by the former owner about ten years ago. The head studs were replaced at that time. Receipts are included. VIN number is included in photo album. Build date was 12/77.
I’ve added a few photos from the original brochures (included) that show the original interior of this car, a pin-striped velour. You can also see information about Porsche’s revolutionary body panel galvanizing process, which was new with this series.
The car is a blast to drive. Call if you are interested!
