slight O/T...the bass or the car???

[rhythmCity944]

Long but i'm very picky bout the details...always in everything i do

I have come into a dilema and can't decide...I recently ran into a steal on a 1983 Porsche 944 and I can't decide between my burnt apply SR4 or the car...the story...At an auto parts store in Woodstock, GA while getting prices on 944 spark plug wires for my 1987 Porsche a guy over heard me and asked about how much I knew about the 944. I told him that I have rebuilt my daily driver and built one into a race car and currently building another 944 into a race car...he asked if i wanted to look at the car since he was trying to fix it up to sell because he didn't know how. Well the car was 5 miles past where 140 meets 411 past Waleska, GA just after a corn field with no street signs at this guy's second home. The car hasn't been run since 1999 when he aquired the car from a guy who owed him money and at that time he said it ran rough but he has never driven a Porsche so he didn't know if it was right or wrong for the car. This guy offered for me to trailer the car back to my home where all my tools are and let me have the car for a while to put it back together (the guy painted the car with a $2000 paint job too and the car is apart because of it) and try to get the car running. I told him as is, the car was worth no more than $500 just sitting with having not driven the car and no more than $1500 in good running condition assuming that the timing belts and clutch were alright which I wouldn't run the car much with out doing the belts at least...This guy was at least going to pay me fairly for my time to get the car back together but he said he would think about my offer of $500 just to get rid of the car...beside haven't been run since 1999, the car is very clean, no power options at all including no power steering, black interior and exterior, clean interior with all parts, no rust etc...I told the guy that having the car in the middle of no where, no one crazy except me would drive 50 miles to see it

The hard part...I can afford to buy the car and get it running but to get the car in shape to be a daily driver, something has to go and I can't decide if selling one of my stingrays is worth it to have a second Porsche 944 and get a classic GA tag for the car since the car was built in sept of 82 though the title says 84, the serial on the car's engine and chassis don't lie (they go in order, unlike EBMM serial numbers). My first instink is no, keep the bass, fix up the car and sell it for the guy and make a few bucks...my second thought is keep the car, sell the bass for money to fix the car up and finially have that second car I've been looking for for over a year...if you know me, my basses and my '87 944 are my bread and butter...I just don't know if I can just have the car sit in my driveway probably pissing my mom off (cause I just got rid of 2 rolling chassis in the driveway that had been there for 2 years) until I can work enough overtime to load the car up with money if I buy the car after I see how well it runs...to my mom's complants I always tell her when my dad is around, "well, daddy had 3 porsche's and 6 guitars when he was my age and living in Germany..."

any suggestions as to what any of you might do? i want my bass but i want the car and I'll probably post this on a porsche forum as well

 

[slucas]

Well let me guess here. Everyone on this forum is going to say get the bass and everyone on the Porsche forum is going to say get the car. Just remember, the car could catch on fire near a fire station and noone would be there .

 

[LimDidit]

get both? u only live once

 

[oli@bass]

Do not sell the bass!!!

But get the car. Fix it.
By the time you finish, you'll either want to get rid of it anyways, or you'll have enough money to keep it.

 

[Aussie Mark]

A 25 year old 944 would not be a steal under any circumstances if you require any replacement parts.

 

[adouglas]

Or....

Bank the money and use it to race one of your other cars.

Buying the car gives you a big project that may be rewarding, but it will also be a big headache. Plus as you say you don't have the money to do it up right.

Experience has shown me that if you get into a project like this you'd better be prepared to follow through, and that includes money as well as time and effort.

Consider that the current owner got halfway through the restoration and just lost momentum. He wasn't prepeared (for whatever reason) to follow through and get it done. Don't let that happen to you.

I speak from some experience here...I've been involved in many such fiascos.

 

[Jason5150]

Queen's greatest hits 1&2....though in the US if I remember correctly they are called greatest hits and classic queen respectively....you crazy yanks

Megadeth - Back to the start
Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
DT
REM
Kevin Bloody Wilson

 

[ImABassPlayer]

Dude, the car's 25 years old. If you're planning on just trotting it out on weekends for a car show then fine. But if you're planning on using it as your main ride. I'd think seriously about it.

 

[ashiin]

why don't you buy it, save up more money and then do something with it?

 

[mynan]

why don't you buy it, save up more money and then do something with it?

+1...patience...make sure you're not juggling assets on a whim.

 

[silverburst]

Buy the car, and part it out.

 

[joshbrake]

If it's not 25 feet long, it's no car to me!

 

[rhythmCity944]

My daily driver is already 21 years old, built july 1986 with almost 160000 miles and gives me no problems at all since I replaced things before they went bad and all the car really needs is another 100000 miles on the odometer...If all the car needs for taking a detailed look at the car is the timing belts done, that is 8 hours and $100 out of my pocket...tires are brand new, paint is brand new and a good paint job at that, suspension is still workable, brakes probably will need to be done and a full fluid flush...I work on these cars for a hobby including race them to me a gold find would be this car

The bass that I would give up would be the one I don't play yet, I love all my EBMM basses The guy said he was in no hurry to sell the car and I can probably sit on the car for a few months and work on it a little at my home before I make a final decision since I'm getting paid to do this...sleeping on the issue helped...I might be able to angle all the things that need to be done and i just work a deal out

for the record, most people on a porsche forum said they'd want the car for the manual steering rack alone

 

[mynan]

Well, what do you expect when you put it in terms of racks or Balls?

 

[rhythmCity944]

some people would pay $500 for the rack alone...hmmm...

 

[adouglas]

Hey, I paid WAY more that that for my Balls....



Well, somebody had to say it!

 

[rhythmCity944]

I could buy the car, fix it up (i.e. new belts, clutch, brakes, shocks/struts, and etc...) and sell it for more and buy more bass gear...

 

[Caca de Kick]

Well if that is all the car needs, then buy the car.

But as a guy who has restored many cars, I know all about opening a can of worms. Just make sure you're being realistic.