This Maryland-based salvage-yard enthusiast did the impossible and found a 1999 Porsche 911 on Craigslist – and attempted to restore it.
He paid $6,000 for the car and his aim was to spend less than $4,000 on the restoration.
All in all, this would mean a total spend of $10,000.
With that budget, he admitted it was ambitious.
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The 1999 Porsche 911
While he’d always been told that ‘there’s no such thing as a cheap Porsche’, Maryland-based Lee of ScrapLife Garage wanted to prove everyone wrong.
Sitting several states away, he was able to find a 1999 Porsche 911 in black over tan with a manual transmission for an equally sleep $6,000.
Bar the normal wear and tear of a 25-year-old vehicle, the car was clean inside and out.
Everything was seemingly intact, but the Porsche 911 seemed to have some potential engine issues due to coolant mixing with oil possibly caused by a cracked cylinder head – a common issue for the engine model.
Lee’s plan was to get the car up and running again for $10,000 – meaning he had $4,000 to play with to restore it.
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The journey to restore it
As for this Porsche 911, the interior was in good condition but needed a new steering wheel and head unit.
Under the hood, the engine drop was easier than expected, due to the car being a rear-wheel-drive model without a front diff or driveshaft.
Thankfully, Lee found the engine had a non-serviceable IMS (Intermediate Shaft) bearing, which is typically considered more reliable.
This meant a replacement engine may not have been necessary after all.
So, after reinstalling the engine and transmission, the car finally started without any warning lights flashing up at all.
When he tested it, it exceeded all expectations without the need for realignment.
Finally, a $700 replacement steering wheel brought Lee’s total investment to $4,650.
While Lee admitted that the car looked ‘amazing’, he urged people not to overspend while restoring vehicles.
“It needs a few other things to make it absolutely perfect and the way I want it,” he admitted.
“But, spending way more than you originally thought is kind of how the whole car game works.”
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