Read the auction description for the 1987 Porsche 959 Komfort headed to Mecum’s Monterey auction and you’d never know that the low-mileage (the odo reads just 3,657 miles!), one-of-294-produced specimen with a delightful gray-accented burgundy leather interior is anything other than a very nice example of Porsche’s coveted classic hero car.

The pictures, on the other hand -- and they are extremely nice pictures -- tell a completely different story. And a sudden impact with something (a tree? a telephone pole? a brontosaurus leg?) is a major plot point of said story. The front of the car is pretty well bashed in. The front passenger wheel is gone, or at least removed. Who knows what other damage lurks. This thing’s going to need some serious, serious work to get back on the road.

Don’t say it. We know you’re thinking it, but don’t say it: That is not gonna buff right out, and you damn well know it.

Selling a car of this caliber, in this condition, is a bold move on Mecum’s part. And probably a canny one, all told. We’ve seen a spate of barn-find cars encrusted with comically thick layers of grime heading to auction in recent years, but post-crash sheetmetal (or kevlar composite) is novel; this crunched 959 is sure to be a spectacle in its own right. People are going to want to talk about it (guilty) and try to go and see it firsthand (also guilty), which will help Mecum’s sale stand out in an ever-more-crowded Monterey car week schedule.

And again, it’s not like the auction house is trying to hide the condition of the car. There’s even a video of the thing hobbling around under its own power, rolling on a set of casters.

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There’s no doubt that a fearless, deep-pocketed owner could have this car returned to factory spec if cost were no object. But we have absolutely no idea what it would set you back to set this one right; crash damage can be pervasive and pernicious, with effects far removed from the point of impact. No matter how nice this thing looks from the A-pillar back, it’s going to be a crapshoot until you can get it up on a lift (or alignment rack) and really start to figure out what’s been tweaked and what’s still straight.

So…are you willing to gamble? Mecum estimates a $450,000-$550,000 sale price for this car. 959 Komforts in excellent condition are worth well over $1 million these days (the leaner, meaner Sport models can fetch $2 million when the stars align). Hopefully this goes to someone who’s game for a challenge and isn't too worried about what sort of impact a crash on the record will do for this car's value. Potential upside should be the last thing you think about going into something like this.

If you’re not looking to put a down payment on a massive restoration project, Mecum has quite a few show-ready cars on offer at Monterey, including a Lamborghini Miura, a very cool Porsche 550A Spyder, a few Bugatti Veyrons and much, much more. Check them out here. The sale takes place Aug. 23-25.

From the A-pillar back, the situation looks a little more hopeful...at least on the surface. Mecum Auctions

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