I have an open CARFAX but then I realized this is an 80 and of course, the VINs did not standardize until 1981. 1980 for Porsche was a real odd year for a VIN anyway as it was that year that they changed the first three digits from 911 to 91A, then onto WP0.
1980 brought a few changes to the SC. This is the first year that came standard with the heavier lower valve covers (turbo valve covers). This eliminated quite a few of the lower valve cover leaks. The 1980 3.0 engine is rated at 180 hp for the US, same for all states. The earlier cars had better flowing heads with lower compression. The 1980 to 1983 cars made do with smaller ports in the heads but higher compression. Works out the same. The transmission is a 915. They made them forever, some people hate them, I think they're a bunch of pussies. Nothing wrong with that transmission.
The original clutch is rubber centered. It was a shitty idea. Look for repair work indicating a replacement or budget for that. The headstuds are an issue with 3.0 engines. They tend to break, not pull (like the 2.7's). It is almost always the exhaust side that breaks. When a PPI is done, pay extra to have the lower valve covers dropped and headstuds checked. Oddly, some of the lowest mileage engines have the most broken head studs. Heat cycling? A fellow on Pelican had a 60,000 mile car with 6 broken lower studs. That is not a cheap repair. Engine tear down to the case.
That said, the 3.0 its probably the toughest engine Porsche ever made. I've seen the bottom ends of these go a half million miles. There are no notable issues with valves, guides, etc. Carrera chain tensioners are a very desirable upgrade (no mention of this in the ad).
This car has low miles and very nice options. The a/c is a significant upgrade over the stock a/c even though the under-dash vents look abysmall. The dash itself is pretty wavy. Par for the course on a leather dash of this vintage. Very expensive repair. Just ignore it. The sunvisors have been replaced. These are incorrect for the car. But they work, so just ignore that.
The seats are the very desirable factory sport seats, correct for this car. The last pair I sold were cloth covered and went out the door for about 1,000 bucks. Keep these even if he keeps them on a shelf. The targa top on this looks very good as do the seals. The 7/8 wheel option is a nice upgrade. The tail lamp lens are european. Looks cool. Needs the H4 headlamps though to really pull it off.
I suspect the reserve on this is high. Beautiful car, great color combination, low miles and very good condition with desirable options. Bear in mind, the market is really sad right now for all Porsche's. The 23K he lists as high book is a pipe dream right now. In this market, even as nice as it is, this is probably a 16-18K car. If someone really really loves it and it checks out mechanically, it could, however, prove to be a long-term bargain even if you did spend a little more than that.
angela
