As car enthusiasts, we often prefer the strongest, most powerful examples of our favorite marques. But in order to manufacture factory hot rods and pocket rockets, automotive brands rely on mass-produced and cheaper vehicles to offset the cost of building specialty cars that are often sold with a higher price tag. In the case of the Porsche 912, we have a platform that never achieved the 911’s legendary status, but played an extremely important role in its continued development by offering an affordable entry into Porsche ownership. Barn Finds reader Jim S found this disassembled 912 here on eBay, and we’re anxious to hear your feedback on whether this is a good buy.

I’ve always been a fan of the 912. It was designed to bridge the gap between the departure of the 356 and the arrival of the more powerful, luxurious 911. If I were a buyer in the ‘60s, I think the 912 would have been my go – simpler, lighter-weight translated into a car that was easy to maintain and achieved 30 MPG on the highway! It’s incredible to think Porsche was hitting fuel economy numbers with an entry-level sports car that would impress CAFE Czars even today. Buyers of the day obviously agreed, as the 912 initially outsold its big-brother the 911. The 912 was sold as a Targa as well, and the soft window version remains one of the more desirable Porsches on the market today.

When you look at this car, it’s clear the next owner will have a good deal of work cut out for him- or herself. It’s claimed to be nearly rust-free with most serious corrosion already excised from the body. The car lost its floors and rockers due to rust, which means it will require immediate bodywork upon delivery if you want it to be watertight once again. It’s a relief to see the solid bodywork that emerged after the paint was ground down, making it far easier to move forward with repainting this 912 in its original shade of silver metallic. More disappointing is that the engine included in the sale is a non-numbers-matching unit, but the seller indicates it will be refreshed and ready for plug-and-play installation. That appears to be the easiest part of this restoration!

If the bidding stays low on this disassembled 912, I could see it being an extremely gratifying project for the next owner. But in a shop with several restored P-cars in the background, it does make one wonder if the seller sees this as too much to take on with too little pay off in the end. If I were a talented fabricator or metalworker, this could be a sensible buy seeing as you could tackle some of the heavier lifting yourself and offset the cost of sourcing a body shop to do the work. But even once that’s done, you still need to address the interior, mechanical refurbishment, electrical systems, fuel delivery, and the list goes on. Any brave souls willing to take this on as a winter restoration? Hope you have a heated garage!