Spyerx

You're silly sometimes.

I'll put a 997 GT3 motor up there with the best of the A/C motors.

But, a hot rodded 2.7 MFI and a 3.6 964/993 motor.... delicious.
3.2 can get there too.

sjgreco

Check this car. My RS and former 996 GT3 were both hard to beat as well.

grgallo

I'll continue my narrative, the videos on the "smart" phones, the laptops, computers, etc, cannot replicate the sound/feel of an air-cooled Porsche. I've done it: listened on line then went to listen in person. Not even close.Must be experienced in person.

09mageec

I second that. I had been watching videos of these cars, as a kid, many years before I got mine, and they sounded incredible then.... Until last summer when I flew out to Santa Cruz to see mum. I went to the Rolex Motorsports Reunion... Words cannot describe how these cars sound in person, or any car at that. Videos do no justice if you ask me. You need to FEEL the vibrations of these things, smell the fumes. They are a sensory overload, and I fell in love all over again that day.

-Cam

Amber Gramps

Imagine the sound inside my ragtop with the back window unzipped. Heaven.

Edward

FWIW, and perhaps slightly OT, I don't care for loud exhaust systems for street use. I find them utterly obnoxious and totally narcissistic with a complete disregard for everyone out there who still has good hearing. Yes, I am serious.

That said, a good exhaust note, with just a modest increase in volume, can be a wonderful thing! As was already noted, the aircooled engine, itself, makes a mechanical noise that is music to the gearhead! And all a loud system does is drown out the natural song our engines make.

Reference point 1: my 993 is stock exhaust with drilled-out airbox for sound. It is my DD commuter so must be daily tolerable, but mash the go pedal and the intake roar is niiiice, along with the mechanical whirring, reminding you exactly what is hanging out there behind the axle

Reference point 2: my SC has SSIs and Dansk 2-into-1 (and sounds similar to DaveInc's vid, maybe quieter since mine is a 2into1) and sounds glorious! Mild-mannered on steady cruise but race toned without being obnoxious to bystanders is a win-win! And the engine sounds are still very present. Yeah, it's the stuff all we nuts gush over!


Edward

09mageec

Me when a straight piped Harley passes by my open window...

theiceman

I whole heartedly agree with this . You already drive a Porsche, you have nothing to prove. Leave the attention grabbing fart cans to the ricers.

That said I have two SSIs sitting on the shelf, a 2-1 dansk and the early oil lines , to get the sound Ed is speaking of in his second point. My only question is ...

why haven't I installed them yet. ?

Drisump

I do love the sound of any a/c 911. The Turbos do not really measure up to the naturally aspirated though...LOL! In my experience the water cooled cars need exhaust mods to try to get SOME of what the a/c cars had from the factory. I must admit however that on a drive behind a 991 GT3, when he wound her up to 8000+rpm, it was quite the show! It's all in the ears of the listener but to me that sound of the separate bits and pieces doing their thing at idle....but gradually becoming a symphony at 3500 rpm, is one of the coolest things about these cars.

Amber Gramps

Just curious.....is the Bisimoto Pulse Chamber considered a fart can? Paired with the original cat mine isn't obnoxious at all. Young people that do turn their heads all give me two thumbs up. Most people don't even notice even when I am totally on the pipe off a light. The P/C and chip combo added 29 RWHP so it's well worth it. Sounds like a turbo WRX to my ear only much deeper.

rusnak

Doug, you just compared your 911 sound to a Subaru 4 banger. I'll ignore the question about the fart can and refute your comparison in it's entirety. You need to stop hanging out with Asian youth street racers.

Amber Gramps

You know I don't associate with Asians. They all grow up to be pharmacists and doctors and land developers and crap. Some even own pumpkin patches and gas stations and have hot "secretaries".

I was just saying that my car has a deep turbo sound with the Bisimoto exhaust. I assure you that nobody thinks it's got a fart can or a four banger.

Mike Murphy

I dunno, I've had both an air-cooled and water-cooled, and in my opinion, the exhaust sound and induction noises can be good or bad with both, depending on the model and if there are any modifications.

My 88 Carrera was super quiet and didn't sound that good until I modified the intake and exhaust. After that, it sounded good. Same applies to the Boxster S I had and 996 I currently have now. They were all just very tame and lame sounding...until I "fixed" them.

What gives the air-cooled sound it's unique sound is the fan and the valves, not to mention the sound of it ticking when you turn it off. A liquid-cooled car doesn't have the fan or the valve noise. But a liquid cooled 911 can sound absolutely fantastic from an exhaust and intake point of view if it's done well.

spreeleon

that was exactly my thoughts about the sounds from both air cooled and water cooled. From what ive seen in person and on youtube seems like its mainly the modified cars that have aggressive nice sounds. The non modded/stock 80s 911s also sound very quiet to me not just the 996 and other water cooled.

rusnak

You didn't even see the hot one, haha!

You're too funny, Dougie!