Crownvic

Hi Guys,

I am not really in the market for one, but in my search for a 993 I came across a nice looking narrow bodied speedster. Do you know if it can be fitted with a makeshift rear seat (for use with the top up)?



If not, I'll get back to my search for a clean 993 without regret.

Cheers,

/Vic

Driver8

Vic,

If that is a narrow body car then it is not a genuine 1989 Speedster, they were widebody cars. Regarding your question about back seats, speedsters have a clamshell that covers the top and back seat area when the top is in the down position (see photo). That clamshell also remains in place when the top is up. So unless you remove the clamshell the idea of a useful back seat will not work.

Aaron

Crownvic

Actually the seller (Rennlist reputed) said that it was one of the very few genuine non turbolook Speedsters ordered in Europe. However he removed it today from his website so it looks like I got there too late?

By the way, what prevents one from removing the hard shell, fitting rear seats, using it like a cabriolet, and once the kids have flown the coop taking out the seats and putting the shell back on? (I know, ugly bolt holes, no purist flames please)

/Vic

ventoGT

Crownvic--you would be burning money if you did that...I don't think the top would work properly, plus you would have already paid a hefty premium for a speedster that you really can't use with the top up [the windows don't seal properly and the top is a PITA]. Bottom line, go get a regular cabrio, have fun with it, and save a ton of money in the process.

Aaron, there were ROW Speedsters that were narrow bodied, as CrownVic pointed out...all Speedsters sold new in the US were widebody.

Crownvic

Hiya Cole,

Thanks for your advice. I thought it could do double duty as a driver and a collectible that might appreciate someday. Obviously they stopped making them for a reason...

I've been looking at 993 C2s but would you say that a 964 Cabriolet would make for greater driving enjoyment?

Cheers,

/ Vic

PS Aaron, here is what the narrow Speedster looks like from the front:

shaynes

Where was this narrow body, in US what website.

Crownvic

Hi Shaynes,

I am shopping worldwide, so it was at a reseller in Austria. After I contacted him this afternoon he removed it from his website, so I imagine it has been sold? He said it was the only narrow body in that pastel color he called Lemon Yellow. It had 66000 kilometers (40000 miles) and looked clean. I sure got lured although I was in the market for the same thing your own search is on for - a 993TT.

Here a the other 2 pics he had previously posted, luckily I copied them before his delete:

racer

IIRC, the '89 speedster for the US used the widebody. The europeans could have either Narrow or widebody speedsters. THe '94 speedsters for the US were Narrow body.

Giantman

We had some narrow body Speedsters delivered here in Australia. This one recently sold here for around $90,000 Australian Dollars (US$67,000!!!). Quite a pristine example too.

ventoGT

I think you would need to drive both and decide from there. I loved my 993 and haven't really spent enough seat time in 964s to tell you all of the differences. I do know that the 964 experience is kind of in the middle of the 3.2 and 993--Not as rough as the 3.2, but not as refined as the 993.

Trader220

The top would not function correctly without the clam shell and the bows, both of which you’d have to remove if you wanted to sit back there. Even if you removed the clam shell and bows in order to use some rear seats you made but then you'd never be able to put the top up without putting the whole clam shell and bows for the top back together correctly.

Bigman_99

No, you cannot put rear seats in the Speedster shell without altering the car completely. The other guys were correct in stating that the narrow body car was available ROW and the N.A. cars only came over with the turbo bodies. I own #704. The top is a pita as stated. Porsche even went so far as to state that the top was never ment to be totally waterproof.

lThe '89 car was always ment to be a special one year type deal. Porsche never intended the car to be a production run type car. It was a special like the Clubsport etc.

As far as it being a driver? I drive mine all the time in the summer months. But I do avoid rain. I got caught once this summer just outside my garage and it was quite comical trying to put the top up fast. It just can't be done quickly.

Jay H

Typically, collectable and driver don't go together. You tend to have to choose one or the other and it really depends on the build quantities and rarity of the car. Whether a '89 (or '94) Speedster will be a collectible could be debated. While these models may not depreciate as much or as fast as a regular '89 Carrera (or '94 C2), there still are enough of them out there to keep the car from being rare.

I'm guessing that over time, the only collectible ones will be the cars that are untouched, extremely low mileage cars that spent their life wrapped in a bubble.

Great cars though!

As far as which model will give a better driving experience (964 Cabrio or a 993 Cab), these cars are more similar than disimilar. The big difference would be going from a 3.2 Carrera Cabrio to a 964 (or 993) cabrio. The 993 gains power, another cog in the manual tranny and a different rear suspension as the major differences over the 964. Otherwise, they are pretty similar for modern 911's.

Jay
90 964

nineoneone

Vento< I have a color question for you on your car. Is that Granite Green Metallic??? Like my gorgous car!!! lol

Bigman_99

There were about 100 narrow body Speedsters built during the '89 run. All were European. As well, there were rumours of a couple of Slant nosed Speedsters as well but I have never been able to confirm this. All of the '89 Speedsters exported to the U.S. were wide body cars with Turbo suspension. I own #704 an no, please don't think about putting a rear seat in it. Just not a good idea.