nine51

I just checked out an 81 SC today. It looks nice, not perfect, but definitely taken care of. The thing that concerned me was the brakes. I'm not use to how a 911 feels so....
The pedal went all the way to the floor, the thing stopped but not quickly.
Just wondering if it may just need to be bled or if it needs rotors/pads.

Thanks for any info. I'm sure it wouldn't currently pass the safety inspection if I buy it.

Jay

DaveE

It should have a nice firm pedal and stop quickly. My '78 SC has excellent brakes. This car definitely needs brake work, Jay.

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Jay:

You didn't say how many miles were on the car but from your brief description, I'd say that it needs:

1) New master cylinder

2) New fluid (ATE)

3) Inspect and replace pads as needed (if they are Metalmasters, throw them away and get good ones)

4) Inspect and replace rotors as needed

5) New rubber brake lines (these do NOT forever)

Hope this helps,

nine51

That helps a lot, thanks.
It gives me an idea of how much money i'll have to throw at it just to go through inspection to register it.
What pads should I use?

Jay

Steve Weiner-Rennsport Systems

Hi Jay:

Pad choices depend on how you drive and what you use the car for. For general street use, you cannot go wrong with either Textar or Mintex.

classic911

Steve-2 quick questions

1) why rubber brake lines over steel?
2) what pads would you recommend for combo street/DE?

Thanks!

Bill Gregory

If I may....Rubber brake lines are a low maintenance item that needs to be replaced around every 10 years. Current Porsche factory racers use rubber lines.... For a combination pad, I used Peformance Friction Z-rated pads on my 911SC, which worked well on the street and for beginning track usage. If you get the track bug, you'll need to move to a pad which favors track usage over street usage.

kahuna

Hate to disagree with mr. Weiner but there is nothing wrong with Metalmasters for street use, or Textars or Axxis. When and if you track the car by all means prepare with some of the more expensive options.

Peter Zimmermann

Actually, Metalmasters are junk. You might as well run Pagids worn out to the backing plates! MMs are terribly hard on rotors, are noisy, and perform inconsistently through temperature ranges. Only when one is highly experienced with a variety of pads (I've used Porterfield, Pagid, Jurid, Textar and others extensively) do you learn the differences between pads. I've repaired Porsche 911s for more than 35 years, and I've never found a set of factory installed MMs yet! And the factory knows best...
Pete

kahuna

I guess that you are entitled to your opion too, I like them, they don't dust, they don't squeel(Carrera), theay are reasonably priced.

The factory doesn't use Ferodo or Pagid for general sales either. Does that make them poor as well?

Noel

I agree with Pete. MM, in my experience are Junk. You get what you pay for.

g-50cab

Actually pagid makes the stock 993 pads.

I think for stock the mintex are fine. For DE - that's one of the first things you should do is upgrade the pad.

Bill Verburg

All the 993 pads I have seen are Textar, but i haven't seen them all.

r911

1. Also, the rubber hoses are a commonly neglected maintenance item.

2. Steve has a typo above -- He means "(these do NOT _last_ forever)"
- I don't want to be hyper-English teach here, but a lot of inexperienced people read these threads (even if they don't post). So if your rubber hoses have not been replaced w/in 10 years, or you aren't sure, then replace them - its a safety item.

Peter Zimmermann

No Kahuna, that does not make them poor as well. The aftermarket leaves one with many choices, some great, some fair, and some not very good. BBS wheels and SSI exhaust products, for example, are outstanding products. When I made my reference to the factory never using MMs, it was only to illustrate that single point. I did not intend it to be a blanket that says if the factory didn't use a particular brand they were no good - only that the factory never used MMs. Mintex and Ferodo also make quality pads, in addition to the ones I've already mentioned. My opinion has been formed during well over 30 years of daily exposure to items such as this; I've won SCCA road races with Ferodo pads, the factory didn't need to endorse them (or the BBS wheels that covered the calipers that held them) for me to know that they were good.
Pete