Flagg

Wow - Lots of discussion, as always about the RSA. Couple comments:

1) Fully agree that the RSA is not even close the the European RS. It is FAR closer to the C2.

2) I agree with Nathan above. It does not matter RSA, C2, C4. They are all fantastic cars! Anyone that has any of these wonderful cars is very lucky - and should go drive it!

As an RSA owner here are the big things I like, over a C2 - and this is all personal preference:

1) I love the manual steering

2) No sunroof (on my car)

3) Simplicity. The simple door panels, lack of power mirrors and switches, pull strap to open the doors always feels cool, fixed tail, etc.

Once again - personal preference.

BUT IN NO WAY would I ever put down a C2 or C4!!!! I love any 964!!!!

FLAGG

nathan1

Cobalt, I think we are saying the same things. A few points:

-I own a LSD only RSA, BUT it was bought at yesterday's prices, would I buy it for today's pricing, sadly no. Would I have paid a small premium over another C2 manual coupe? Yes, but not a 1-2x they seem to be "asking".

- At one point I owned two RSA's, someone wanted to pay today's price so I let it go, now I have just one. Fine with me!

- If I were going to irreversibly modify a 964 I would start with a less expensive version than a RSA (although currently all are $$).

- My car is being built as RS "replica" but I won't pass it off as the real deal, just lighten it further, upgrade the performance and make the aesthetics more to my taste. Put my stamp on it if you will. Keeping in mind the long term values no changes that aren't bolt ons will be made and all the original parts will be safely stored should I want to make it stock again.

Again I don't think we will solve this debate, it's been raging since 1992! Just enjoy whatever 964 floats your boat.

cobalt

I agree. The reason I purchased a C2 over an RSA was since i planned on using it for track duty as well as a street car I was able to do more to the C2 and have it cost me less to do the same job. I took my C2 off the track last year and I can't wait for the new track build. It should be a blast and until I can afford to build a proper 3.8 I will use a low boost Twin turbo 993 engine I have. With all the benefits of the 3.8RS and more HP it should be a blast to drive.

I am actually reverting my C2 back to stock since prices are rising. I no longer can justify driving my turbo the way I have in the past and sadly it has become more of a show car than anything so the C2 will be my new driver. It is a clean 60k mile car. It is painful to revert some of the features back I came from a 74 RS clone which had no options period, so I like the simplicity but my wife drives as well so compromises are made. I have decided to enjoy the car still so I must retain a few items. Reverting it 100% back to stock is not an option they need to be tweaked IMO.

I have been driving a 2014 boxster which is incredibly capable I even had it at the Glen for ***** and giggles and it was incredibly capable and down right boring to drive flat out. There is nothing as exciting or challenging as driving these air cooled cars and IMO the 964 is the most fun of any Porsche I have driven. Not too refined like the 993 but has the advantages of coil over suspension ABS and air bags not to mention the torsional rigidity the earlier cars lack.

So the C2 will retain the RS sways and drop links along with a more street friendly better than M030 springs and shocks keeping the car lowered. I will also retain the RS clutch and single mass flywheel can never go back to the dual mass (One of Porsche's biggest mistakes) and of course the engine will remain at 290BHP. I have always been a fan of fixed tails (you either love it or hate it) So all I need to do is install the RS door cards and nobody would be able to tell if it is an RSA or C2 but there will be no badging. Other than the seats. (GT3 seats are gone and being replaced with the recaro spotster CS seats from my turbo) everything else is going back to stock and this will be the car I drive on the street. There is something very engaging about these cars that nothing else will satisfy and be it an RSA or Carrera you can't go wrong. I have all the remaining original parts, you never know I may sell one day but that isn't today.

I will add the only thing I wish mine was missing is the sunroof the rest is irrelevant. Never found a use for them so if you have a non sunroof RSA than I am jealous. Although it is not a problem for the street and I will have a dedicated track car with no sunroof but my wife is making me retain the power mirrors but it is all good.

hockenheimr

A few questions, someone said that the G50/05 was on a C2 and not the RSA but this site seems to say the opposite: http://www.gboxweb.com/g50specs.html

I have nil knowledge of gears, but why is it that the g50/05 has a ring and pinion of 3.333 while all other trans have the 3.44? any advantages/disadvantages? I am thinking it should give me a higher top speed at the cost of 0-60 times.

cobalt

I believe that was me. It also says the G50/03 was used from 1990 through 1994?? From everything I have read and observed the G50/03 was used on the 1990 C2's and was switched to the G50/05 in 1992. There were numerous changes to the C2 in 1991-2. Everything from windshield wipers and latches to the indents in the tub that receive the clips to hold the rockers on changed amongst many other changes that are not obvious until you part these cars.

I would agree with you on the higher top speed vs 0-60 times not sure why they would make that change for a market that had no need for increased top end unless it was to make the RSA look quicker?? My 93 has a G50/05 I have a spare G50/03 from a 90 C2 and I know of several RSA owners who have G50/03's as well. One in particular had to replace his ring and pinion and he had a hard time locating the correct unit. It caught my attention because I had a spare the entire time just wish I knew; I could have helped him with parts. Obtaining a new one from the factory was costly and time consuming.

It would be interesting to know why Porsche made the change and only to the US market.

azander

Very interesting indeed. The change would make higher top speed but it'll rev lower (at a given speed). Perhaps highway fuel economy?

David K.

You guys sound like BMW owners ranking on Porsches.

BTW, I have owned my RSA for ~17 years and Love it.
Even more now that it may be worth $100K, time to cash in on my investment.

cobalt

Not bashing just being realistic. Only a small few are bringing the big $$$ fueled by the ROW market. There are several selling in the $55k-$75k range which makes more sense.

hockenheimr

Something is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. The mega rich crowd is growing fast in the US and they like rare things so these values will keep going up. That being said, you can buy a C2 and build it to be better then a real RS for less then a RSA....so for the rest of us that's the plan

I'm going to do the seam welds, the 3.8 engine, the sway bars, light weight windows, carbon fiber hood and bumpers, RS interior but less carpet so lighter, modern GT2 seats, and a bunch of other things....going throw on a RS badge cause it looks good and if any is upset we can battle it out on the track!

Amroth

...and what happens if you lose on the track? You have to rip off the RS badge innit?

Q&A

My experience is that you're better of buying an already race car prepared car then starting from scratch.
The amount of hours are serious and new race parts too. Weight is key. It can loose a lot of weight still. My 964 Cup ways 1220 kg.
There are 964 cars i know just above 1000 kg dry.

So who not buy my RSA 3.8 track car and try to take it a step further ?

cobalt

You have a point. I wanted a wide body build to my specs so it was in my favor to start from scratch but the time i have invested and money could buy me anything out there and most would be more competitive to drive. However I prefer the thrill of driving an air cooled 911 vs a GT3 so I am happy with my choice but it will be a year before I am done and will weigh more than I originally planned. I should be in the sub 1200 kg weight but that should be fine for my purposes.

hockenheimr

Don't make me laugh...it's not funny

YES...and then I will be an Outlaw!

I was just trying to be dramatic....but I'm still not sure about the RS sign although it does look cool.

JJJMCD

Interesting that no one discussed the most prominent visual distinction between an RSA and a C2 - the fixed whale tail rather than the C2's motorized rear spoiler. It appears to be a whaletail from a 3.2 Carrera, but maybe there are differences - does anyone know?

Does the whaletail save any weight vs. the motorized spoiler mechanism?

I replaced the motorized spoiler mechanism on my C2 cab with an MA Shaw RS America replica tail (I chose the replica tail because I thought the rubber lip in the factory RSA tail looked stodgy) and can confirm that it weighs significantly less than the motorized rear spoiler mechanism, but maybe the solid rubber lip in the factory RSA tail evens it out a bit. Thoughts?

cobalt

I have a factory RSA tail on my C2. I purchased a complete tail and lid about 6 years ago for $600 in perfect condition. Now they would set you back a bit more as people try to repurchase the wing to put their cars back to stock.

As you said it is very similar to the carrera tail it is missing the bump for the old style lid mounted wiper but otherwise is the same. It has been a while but the RSA tail added 6+ pounds over the motorized C2 pop up wing. Adding it to my C2 with a front splitter did improve high speed stability on the track. I had noticed my C2 got rather light in the back end at speeds over 125mph with the RSA tail it became much more planted and comfortable at high speeds.