1983 Porsche 911SC

A genuine right-hand-drive UK car supplied on the first day of January 1983, its early years are unknown. However, more importantly perhaps, we do know that it was bought in 1995 by a Mr. Watts, who stored it unused for almost 20 years before selling it to his brother Keith in 2014. Keith then restored the car, having it stripped back to bare metal and resprayed straight away.

He also carried out some mechanical refurbishment, including having a reconditioned gearbox fitted in 2015, before selling it to the vendor in December 2018. The car’s new owner continued with the programme of refurbishment, treating it to a top-end engine rebuild only last year.

But enough of the facts; just take a look at it! A black eighties 911 with a ‘tea tray’ spoiler on the boot and sitting on black Fuchs alloys is the stuff of dreams, eh? Chuck in a set of Pirelli P7s and you’ve got something that’s more retro than the rolled-up sleeves on Don Johnson’s linen jacket

And while you might have thought that the price of a good 911 SC had moved beyond your budget, we’ve got some good news for you. Read on to find out just how good…

The car received a £4,700 bare-metal respray in February 2014. The work was clearly done to a very high standard as it is still looking fabulous, even six years later. The finish is glossy and even, and we can’t see any runs or other indications it is anything other than a top-notch job.

Decent panel alignment and good shutlines help too, as does the optional ‘tea tray’ rear spoiler on the boot. Recent fresh seals and trim help lift it above the usual finish, and we can’t forget the 15-inch cast aluminium Fuchs wheels, either. Refurbished only recently, these iconic rims look stunning with their black centres and polished alloy rims.

They’re also fitted with matching Pirelli Cinturato P7 tyres, all of which still have good tread. That someone has gone to the trouble of sourcing Pirelli P7s says everything you need to know about this car’s recent refurbishment: Keith, we salute you.

As we will never tyre of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The car’s standard specification, as confirmed by Porsche, includes a front spoiler, heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors, front fog lights, a rear wiper, and tinted glass. The factory metal sunroof opens and closes as it should, and seals tightly.

There are, of course, a few stonechips here and there, and the odd mark, but nothing a decent machine polish wouldn’t improve. Black is the most unforgiving of colours, and this one is no exception.

And, you need to remember that this is a well-fettled, much-loved example whose role in life is to get its driver from A-to-B quickly and safely, while simultaneously providing more fun that just about anything else from the same period - and hallelujah for that; the world doesn’t need another pampered trailer queen whose tyres never see tarmac and whose engine never experiences a proper heat cycle.

The black leather interior might be darker than the Earl of Hell’s waistcoat but never mind the colour, just take a look at the quality! Of course, the recovered front leather seats and minty fresh rear seats contribute significantly to the car’s condition but the rest of the interior fixtures and fittings show just how durable these old 911s really are.

All the traditional 911 styling cues are present and correct, including the flat, three-spoke steering wheel, the spindly gearlever, and the five-dial dashboard that places the rev counter directly in front of the driver; no aspect of the 911’s design makes it more clear as to what the engineers’ and designers’ priorities were when it was conceived.

The front ‘boot’ is clean and tidy, and lifting the grey carpet shows only rust-free metal. The spacesaver spare wheel and battery are in there too, perfectly positioned to help equalise the car’s weight distribution.

It all seems to works, too. But then you’d expect nothing else from an eighties Porsche, would you?

A period Pioneer radio/cassette player sits in front of the passenger, and a pair of Blaupunkt Blue Magic speakers sit in the parcel shelf, bookending a period alarm interior sensor. The front speakers are still hidden behind the door cards, just as they were when it left the factory; there are no nasty aftermarket speakers with ugly holes cut in the door trim in this Porsche.

Of course, there is the odd mark here and there, and some of the trim is peeling in places, but its condition is made all the more glorious for its random execution; switches and controls are dotted here and there, and the heater will remain incomprehensible, even after years of ownership. It’s all rather anachronistic, but a wonderfully preserved example and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

If it were ours then we’d probably replace the headlining but leave everything else as it is and just concentrate on enjoying it; patina is nothing to be ashamed of.

And look: it’s even still got the obligatory Fischer cassette holder in the centre console; if that isn’t peak eighties we don’t know what is. (If it’s true that if you can remember the sixties then you weren’t really there, then if you didn’t buy a Fischer cassette holder for every car you owned in the eighties, then you weren’t there, either.)

The Porsche benefits from having had a reconditioned gearbox fitted in August 2015 at a cost of £3,547. It had previously had new heat exchangers fitted in May 2015, and went on to have new front and rear Bilstein dampers, bushes, upgraded track rod ends, and a new starter motor in February 2016, along with four-wheel alignment.

The vendor also had the top-end of the engine rebuilt in May 2019 at a cost of over £4,200 thanks to the head studs having corroded and broken. Enthusiasts will know this is a common problem, and so will appreciate the value of buying a car that has already had this work carried out.

The owner even went to the expense of having the engine bay cleaned and painted, and asked VolksAutos, who carried out the mechanical work, to clean the engine and paint the tin ware. As a result, the engine and engine bay look terrific.

A new battery was fitted in September 2019. Further light fettling in his time includes new bits and bobs of body trim and seals, plus a new/old stock interior mirror. The vendor has totted up the cost of the work that has been carried out on the car since 2014 and arrived at a figure, including the respray, of almost £15,000.

And that’s not all because the Porsche has had other work carried out, albeit work that isn’t receipted. The owner tells us that this includes a polished stainless-steel exhaust system at £1,200, a new fuel tank at £200, a new front windscreen and rubber at £500, and new black trim to the windows at a cost of around £300.

He estimates this additional work comes to another £4,000-ish, making this a very well maintained 911 indeed.

Incidentally, VolksAutos inspected the car while it was with them, and confirmed that it is a good ‘un, going on to say that they can find no evidence of accident damage or welding to the underside. Please see its report (attached) for its full conclusions.

All we would add is that the underseal is starting to peel in a few small areas, so a prudent owner might want to consider investing a day with a wire brush and a pot of good quality underseal to refresh it.

The Porsche’s MOT certificate expires in December 2020. The online MOT history shows nothing of concern bar the likely need for some adjustment of the car’s front brakes and wheel bearings. The owner had this done only a few days later because that’s how he rolls.

The car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a sheaf of invoices and bills to confirm the recent work that has been done to it. Sadly, the car’s early history has been lost; the car was bought from its deceased owner’s estate, and the paperwork went astray at that point.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained in recent years to the very highest standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

Or, even better, why not contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call? You get to direct us in real-time, giving you a virtual personal viewing experience while maintaining the lockdown. We like to call it ‘The Market’s 2020 Vision’…

A Porsche 911 SC is a curious fusion of the great - and the not so great.

On the one hand you’ve got that wailing flat-six engine, a nigh-on perfect driving position, and one of the most satisfying drives available at any price. And, if that weren’t enough, a 911 provides better reliability than most cars of its era and comes pre-wrapped in one of the most iconic shapes ever designed.

On the other, you’ve got what might just be the least ergonomic interior of the second half of the 20th century, unfathomably poor weight distribution, and the sort of sounds and smells that a Victorian engineer would recognize.

And yet, the air-cooled 911 is living proof that the very best cars can also be some of the most flawed; they’re almost human in their contradictions, revealing exasperating shortcomings and flashes of sheer genius, often within seconds of each other.

We love ‘em, and you will too. If you’ve never owned one, then be reassured that this one displays none of the usual faults, having had them all ruthlessly eradicated over the past half-decade, leaving it fighting fit and ready to thrill.

And, with a guide price of just £28,000 to £33,000 this is the 911 SC that you thought had long moved out of your budget. This move is only a gentle correction and one that is almost certainly only a temporary blip, allowing you to buy the Porsche you thought you’d never be able to afford.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.