Affect of mods on resale value Options

[bbrock]

I have a couple decisions to make soon on my restoration that could affect resale value of the car. So I'd be interested to hear opinions.

The car is a numbers matching (I'm pretty sure - need COA) '73 2.0L so on paper, very desirable. But it is currently a rust basket case, but becoming less so every day. I'm trying to restore it to a very high standard but it seems silly to think such a Frankencar would ever be a concours contender. I certainly have no interest showing it. But I am kind of a fanatic about originality with a few exceptions. I'm keeping the car very near original with a few "bolt-on" mods that are easily reversible like euro signal lights, reproduction parts for budget (no thousand dollar OEM interior light going in here), etc. The biggest mod is that the engine has been converted to carbs, including cam. But I still have the original FI and may start working on restoring that down the road. I'm contemplating a couple of mods that won't be so easy to roll back but I don't want to sacrifice potential resale value of the car. Below are the mods and my twisted rationale for doing them:

Delete Fender Warts - this is the biggie. I hate them and the warts I have are in bad shape. I hate to think of spending money to replace something I think is ugly and Porsche didn't really intended to be on the car. My rationale is that no warts and euro lenses ARE original in European markets. But if I sold the car, would that kill the originality premium?

Late style fuel pump location A PO relocated the fuel pump to inside the steering rack and did a crap job of it. I recently picked up a 75-76 fuel pump blister with the intention of cutting the firewall to relocate the pump the way the factory did. Makes sense to me. It's a factory improvement, right? But what would a buyer looking for an original car think?

Black anodized trim My car is performance group, but not appearance group so it has black bumpers which I like. Decades ago, I lightly sanded the scratched up window and targa trim and painted it satin black. I really like the look and am thinking of having them black anodized as part of the restoration. Or would it be smarter to go back to bright anodized to preserve resale value? Seems like this would be an easy one to reverse if someone wanted to.

I have no plans to sell this car but never rule it out. Just curious how far a person can deviate from dealer delivered original before the car loses that "all original premium"... And realizing that such things are impossible to predict.

[Tom_T]

The rustoration itself - if done properly, won't detract as a "resto-mod" - that's just what resto of older rust prone cars is about. Andy T./SoCalAndy resurrected a basket case 914-6 in a way that was period correct & he has the ability to put his original 2L -6 back in, so it hasn't suffered any value loss from being a rust bucket - more like amazement from folks who see the start point.

The key is to do nothing irreversible, if you want to be able to benefit from an original car value.

So things like ability to put it back to EFI, using those 914 logo cover plates instead of welding up the F-side marker holes, having the chrome/shiny aluminum/SS trim bits to put back on in the future, for the black you want - are all things that are reversible.

FYI - your PO didn't just "wing" that FP relo. That fuel pump relocation to up behind the steering rack cover on 70-74 914s 4/6 is the factory Service Bulletin location, so I'd say just clean it up, & use the 70-74 3-port pump with new hoses, clamps, mount ring, isolating rubbers & other bits (AA sells a FP relo kit with the parts originally supplied with the factory kit). It's less work for you, less cutting to create the access hole/cover, & less to change the plumbing from the original 3-line to later 2-line, etc. - & the 3 port pump was a better & more durable pump.

Many of us 70-74 owners have that factory relocation done - either back in the day (mine was done in 76), or in the time since. Being a FSB work, it won't detract from originality nor value, but will save you from vapor lock!

Dollars & percentages are all over the place on this now, as they will be in the future, for your "whenever" time comes - but the values across the board will be going up. So mistakes now, will cost more value then than now. When I did an informal survey on 914s color changed from OE with another 914 correct color, I found that the color changed ones seemed to sell at 25-50% of a correctly restored to original, & the other more serious mods which you're contemplating may be as much or more of a devaluation.

The more desirable 914 sub-models will always be more valuable, & therefore more important to maintain the best value by staying with the originality. So the factory versions of: 914-6, 74 914-2.0 LE, 73-74 914-2.0, 75-76 914-2.0 are probably always going to be worth keeping as or easily back-dated to original. If yours is a factory 73 2L, then it falls in that group. And as time goes on, supply drops & interest increases, even the 1.7s & 1.8s will come up & be well worth saving as originals.

If that 2L motor is the original, then you could also do a carb swap into another core 2L engine, & put the OE motor back to original with EFI & proper cam etc. then store it, if you still want to run the carbed substitue motor - maybe at 2056 or something a tad more than stock HP/TQ.

That said - hey, it's your car, your time, effort & money - so you have to make you happy - then just swallow the consequences for changes.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
Tom
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[bbrock]

FYI - your PO didn't just "wing" that FP relo. That fuel pump relocation to up behind the steering rack cover on 70-74 914s 4/6 is the factory Service Bulletin location, so I'd say just clean it up, & use the 70-74 3-port pump with new hoses, clamps, mount ring, isolating rubbers & other bits (AA sells a FP relo kit with the parts originally supplied with the factory kit). It's less work for you, less cutting to create the access hole/cover, & less to change the plumbing from the original 3-line to later 2-line, etc. - & the 3 port pump was a better & more durable pump.

I should clarify here. I wasn't complaining about the location of the pump. It was the quality of the work. It may have been a nice factory relocation job at one time, but by the time I got it, it was two rusty sheet metal screws barely holding the pump on and a rat's nest of crimped on butt splices and chaffing wire. My interest in relocating the pump to the 75 on location is just that I think Not that one location is better than the other from a vapor lock standpoint. I do like the idea of the little door to service pump and filter without getting under the car. It's also the kind of detail project that I like. But not at the expense of originality. The 3-port plumbing is something to think about too. I'll be stripping out all the fuel lines and replacing (this car still has plastic lines). And I'll be running a non-stock pump for the carbs for now. But... I might be going back to stock FI some day. Honestly, if I had started the engine rebuild today instead of 30 years ago, it wouldn't be a question, I'd be restoring the FI. But back then, all the cool kids were doing it.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Anyone have any pics of a reversible side marker delete? I'm having a hard time picturing anything I'd be satisfied with. I forgot to mention one of my twisted arguments for deleting. It IS reversible, you just need a hole saw and drill bit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

Lot's to think about. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[worn]

[quote name='bbrock' date='Aug 14 2017, 04:54 PM' post='2517014']
[quote name='Tom_T' post='2516993' date='Aug 14 2017, 06:05 PM']

Anyone have any pics of a reversible side marker delete? I'm having a hard time picturing anything I'd be satisfied with. I forgot to mention one of my twisted arguments for deleting. It IS reversible, you just need a hole saw and drill bit. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/lol-2.gif)

Lot's to think about. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)
[/quote]

I am gonna say it again. I lived through the side marker transition and it saved a lot of lives. If the car is driven at night they make a huge difference in visibility from right angles. Consider that you will be driving through intersections inhabited by very large cars and distracted drivers who may not even recognize a 914 as an automobile. If you only drive by day it makes less difference. I am amazed by how tough the 914s are but consider that even a Macan is twice as massive as the 914.

When I did the six conversion I cut off the motor mounts and sent them to Cary for a restoration of his. No turning back...