DOTS: German Overload Edition

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
05/26/2020 at 22:42 • Filed to: Dots, Mercedes-Benz, porsche, 914

Before I hit the peak dinner time orders delivering, I decided to visit a shop I always see with lots of old Porsches out front. You only see a few because it is high up on a hill overlooking the south loop, but I found my way there anyways. Boy am I glad I did. Turns out the shop specializes in 914s but has a little of everything.

The view coming in is pretty promising initially. A guy was dropping off, or maybe picking up, a pretty rough looking 914, but no one else was around.

Then I saw inside. At least 6 914s in a line on the exit and around 5 more on lifts in varying stages of disassembly. And that was only half of them.

I saw this lovely green example first. It appears to have been totally restored. I can’t remember the price but it wasn’t all that much.

I never see 928 s around anymore. They were the poor man’s Porsche for too long I guess and most got thrashed beyond saving.

I like the pop up headlamps. And the 944 behind it. I like them all, really.

Each of the cars out front under the awning had another behind it inside a small compartment with a flip up window as a garage door.

This shop has it all. Most of the windows contained 914s.

I don’t know what about this white with red targa panels example speaks to me but I love it.

I’m not familiar with this car but it sure is a looker. I’m sure one of y’all will familiarize me.

And of course the shop has some classic 911s. I love the headlight covers.

And a slant nose for good measure.

And some 80s 911s.

And a random wrecked Carrera for good measure.

And now the other Germans. Yes, there are plenty more. I stopped outside the fence of a Mercedes Benz specialty shop during a lull in Doordash orders.

And of course I got right up to the fence to look inside. I have been passing this place and meaning to stop and check it out.

Hi there, kitty. You’ve been sent to stop me? Well, I’ll stay on this side, thank you very much.

This Fleetwood seemed a little out of place but there were lots of oddballs in the lot.

The 2002 looks great in any color but this is exactly the perfect shade of green. Orange is also quite a fetching color but this green! No interior and a rough body means this was probably a former project turned parts car.

I very rarely see coupes. The survivors are almost always sedans, bucking the usual trend. The terrible interior means this might not be going anywhere anytime soon.

This lovely red fintail doesn’t have a windshield but otherwise appears very solid. What’s with the Cadillac XLR? I’ve sure seen a lot of them lately. Did they only come in black?

Pre fintail era Mercedes are awfully rare around here. That’s the first I’ve seen in quite a while. Nice shade of maroon too.

And of course there was also classic Jaguar. My neighbor has an absolutely insane RHD one with “an E Type engine” crammed inside, which holds the title of personal tighest engine bay seent. Doubtless this tired old LHW example is a little less crazy.

I saw a whole lot more stuff so expect to see the non shop related DOTS tomorrow morning. Did you spot anything I missed?

DISCUSSION (23)

dumpsterfire! > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/26/2020 at 22:47

Wow, that is quite the Teutonic paradise

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/26/2020 at 22:48

You stumbled onto the 914 Mecca that is Automobile Atlanta.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
05/26/2020 at 22:54

914 Mecca is an understatement. So so so so so many 914 everything!

Wait, are you Atlanta area?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > dumpsterfire!
05/26/2020 at 22:54

Yes, I'm more of a Frankophile myself in the automotive department but all that pure German iron was quite the treat.

VincentMalamute-Kim > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/26/2020 at 22:55

Typo in the caption for the fifth photo: 928, not 924

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > VincentMalamute-Kim
05/26/2020 at 22:57

Fixed, thank you.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/26/2020 at 23:01

No, just Have ordered a lot from them over the years. And George Husseys 700 tech tips is required reading if you own a 914

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
05/26/2020 at 23:05

So basically there is no better place in the country to own a 914. Got it. Wow the chances of me just stumbling on this place based on a single 914 seen on a hill.

CompactLuxuryFan > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/26/2020 at 23:07

That bright red 911 doesn’t look to be a slant nose. The yellow one with the high mirrors, however, is.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/26/2020 at 23:08

Can’t recall when I last saw so many 914s, nice.

928 was actually kind of a rich man’s Porsche, only exceeded maybe by a 911/930 Turbo. Another one with complexity enough to cause them to hit a point of no return if they have neglectful owners.

Kitty appears to be on a 63 Fleetwood.

W111 220SE coupe appears to be a 63-65. Stratospheric restoration costs keeps all but the cabrios from being restored (some 280SE 3.5s may be restored) , but maybe full of some good parts. Red W110 fintail is 1965-68, indeed looks decent, hopefully just waiting for a windshield. Fun gaggle of other MBs around it, too.

That particular vintage of 928 with those wheels makes me think of this classic:

Kinja'd!!!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CompactLuxuryFan
05/26/2020 at 23:19

Sorry, I don't know my Parshes. I know there is a name for the one with the oval vents on the front.

RPM esq. > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/26/2020 at 23:21

The yellow thing is a slant nose 911 with some very (ahem) period modifications. Based on the proportions I’m guessing it’s an aftermarket body kit, not factory, even underneath all the [waves hand] stuff.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail
05/26/2020 at 23:24

I’m not sure I get the reference (GARY and WYATT?) but I guess I don’t know too much about that era at all other than what I’ve absorbed.

Why are the 63-65s so expensive to restore? They didn’t have the air suspension like the later MBs, did they? That looked more like an older restoration to me from that distance and its prime spot probably means it just had maintenance done. I can see why the less desirable body styles would make it a little rarer to see now though.

I’d like to see how the windshield got smashed. Can’t have been a crack or else it wouldn’t have been removed without a replacement.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RPM esq.
05/26/2020 at 23:26

I feel like it should have had the cocaine and blood color scheme of the adjacent 914 with all the period modification. That was a baller's car and a baller without good enough taste to stop reloading the parts cannon.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/26/2020 at 23:37

A fun 80s movie. They don’t make em like they used to:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090305/

All of the W111 coupes will cost about the same to restore, but the V8s carry the biggest value. A nice 6cyl model might hit in the 40K range - but you’re going to spend 150% of that to get a basket case to that level, if you are lucky - these cars have to be right to get top dollar - no $3K paint jobs and hobbyist interior kits. I bet you’d be in for 25K for proper paint and interior on that coupe - if you are lucky . Hopefully it has a loving owner and is being saved as a labor of love. The V8s bring more, but even one of those is a gamble to restore. However, the cabrios bring real money, 280SE models into 6 figures and even smaller engines not far off, so those are saved.

For fintail-related cars, air suspension was only on 300SE-badged models. Although they look similar to W111s on the outside, the unique engine and suspension classifies them as W112.

Fintail glass isn’t insanely hard to find, so hopefully it just waiting. One never knows what could have happened - something fell on it etc.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > fintail
05/26/2020 at 23:40

I always enjoy this specific insider knowledge about the chassis and engine and other details, since the alphanumeric soup just confuses me. I guess it is another case where there are more cars than people with the money and time to save them.

I'll watch that movie another time.

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/26/2020 at 23:51

not on this side of the Atlantic. helpful group too.

fintail > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/26/2020 at 23:54

Some people fixate on certain brands - mine is M-B. I like to think I am fair at identifying most old cars, but I can really get into small details with MB.

Those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s had movies that might not impress young people today, but at the very least, John Hughes was a master at casting cars.

jeepoftheseus > CompactLuxuryFan
05/27/2020 at 08:00

Wait a second, that slant nose started life as a 914!

http://www.autoatlanta.com/carsales/porsche-listing.php?id=48267

punkgoose17 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/27/2020 at 08:11

I’ll have the white 914, yellow slant nose, and Jaguar, thank you.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > punkgoose17
05/27/2020 at 10:38

Bold choice, going for the cocaine influenced baller mobile. I also like the white 914 for some reason.

punkgoose17 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
05/27/2020 at 13:28

It does not even look like a 911 any more. I also like that they used Dzus fastners on the luvers. I think the white one looks great because all the trim is white, the wheels are more up to date, and the red is a perfect contrast color.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > punkgoose17
05/27/2020 at 14:00

Rear taillights are clear too. I think it would look worse with the Targa off.