Classic air-cooled Porsches have gotten expensive, with prices even for 914 4-cylinder modes reaching $20,000 and the entry level for a decent air-cooled 911 starting at $30,000. These values would be for good driver-level cars, not low-mileage, all-original examples, which go much higher.

There’s a less-expensive solution, though, in the front-engine transaxle cars of the 1970s-90s, the 924, 928 and 944 models. These cars are starting to gain appreciating among Porschephiles, but they still can be acquired for very reasonable money.

This is well-illustrated by the Pick of the Day, a 1980 Porsche 924 with low mileage and in apparently great condition, and offered for less than $12,000.

This 924 is the best example of one of these cars I have seen in recent years. It is a true one-owner, all-original car, with only 43,000 miles since new, according to the New Britain, Pennsylvania, dealer advertising the Porsche on ClassicCars.com. If you look at the pictures, you can see that the 924 is an amazing time capsule.

The 924 was Porsche’s first water-cooled, front-engine road car, and it was originally designed to be sold by both VW and Porsche, a flagship car for VW and an entry-level car for Porsche to replace the 914. VW ended up pulling out of the deal and the project was taken over solely as a Porsche model.

When the 924 was introduced in November 1975, it was criticized for low performance. Nonetheless, the 924 was a serious sales success with more than 150,000 built during its 1977-1988 production run. More importantly, it introduced a new generation of buyers to the Porsche brand.

On another positive note, there are few Porsches that are as inexpensive to maintain as a 924. Even changing the cam belt in a 924 is a one-hour DIY job that can be completed by anyone with a decent set of tools who can follow the very simple directions. If you want a Porsche car without the service expenses, the 924 is for you.

According to the seller, this 924 is “the 381st one built in the US production run of 3,700 in 1980 and is in outrageously fine condition. You can be proud to own it, and excited to drive it.” The Porsche includes “every book, service record, tool kit, spare, jack, tire compressor from new, even the window sticker,” the seller adds.

There are a number of other interesting things about this car. When it was delivered to the owner, he had the dealer replace the standard alloy wheels with a set of factory 924 Turbo-style wheels and a 924 Turbo rear spoiler. Not liking the car’s cloth interior, the owner also had the dealer replace that interior with a Porsche factory vinyl interior.

These changes are included in the documentation with the car. The seller still has the original wheels and even has a new-old-stock factory dash cowl, a part that is all but unobtainable today.

If this car were a basic 911 in this condition, with this kind of documentation and low miles, it would likely cost around $90,000 in today’s market. But the 924 is just starting to warm the hearts of Porsche collectors, and as a result, this immaculate car is offered for only $11,900.

If I were to buy this car, I would get it professionally detailed and try to take home a trophy at every Porsche show I attended. That would be after I drove it to Monterey, California, in August and parked it in the Porsche Corral at Laguna Seca.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

The iconic Shelby Cobra rules as one of the world’s most-admired sports cars, familiar to everyone and with so many replicas out there that when you see a Cobra on the street, you automatically assume it’s a replica.

The Pick of the Day is most-certainly not a replica but an actual, low-mileage 289 roadster built by Carroll Shelby’s crew back in the day.   The 1963 Shelby Cobra has had an easy life, according to the seller advertising the car on ClassicCars.com, kept in Hawaii and only driven occasionally.

“For more than 45 years, this beautifully preserved 1963 Shelby Cobra lived in a temperature and humidity-controlled environment in Hawaii, and was driven by the late owner when he visited his second home on the island,” according to the ad. “With less than 17,000 miles on the odometer, which are believed to be original, this lightly used and lovingly cared-for authentic Shelby Cobra has to be one of the most original on the planet.

“Unlike many of the Shelby street cars from the ’60s, this one has never been modified for the track, and is virtually unmolested.”

The Cobra, CSX 2081, has had one repaint and some minor paintless dent repair, says the seller, a dealer located in Garland, Texas, although the car is in Los Angeles and wears a Montana license plate.  Go figure.

The chrome spoke wheels were added in the ’60s, the dealer says, and the Cobra still has its original windshield in place.  The car comes with all its equipment, including convertible top, side curtains, tonneau, jack, tools, grease gun, etc.

While the Shelby still has its factory-installed Ford 289cid V8, 4-speed transmission and differential, it has a replacement Harrison replica radiator and the generator has been replaced with an alternator.  The factory radiator and generator are available on request, the seller notes, as are the original wheels and tires.

“Here’s an opportunity to own a fully documented, original 289… Shelby Cobra, fully sorted and ready to show, or enjoy on a weekend cruise,” the dealer says.

An original ’63 Cobra in such clean, low-mileage condition would be the star at most collector car auctions, and this car is priced according at $985,000, or basically a million bucks.  If everything is as described, it’s a great car and would be a sound investment.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.