TaboII

I am a 944 owner and proud of it. "SO no wise cracks. Bottum line is i like to drive, no loss no more. I have been told that the 911 has an excelent stance and is a thrill to drive. I would like to hear from some one that can tell me what good staring 911 would be for fixen up. I am able and willing to put some hard work and time into bringing one of these beauties up to speed. Pardon the pun, but I would liek to hear from the owners. Thanks in advance <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />

Rick Lee

It all depends on your budget and patience level. You can get a reliable '87 Carrera for mid-upper teens and do some work. I'm partial to those with the G50 trans. SC's belong to a group of fanatically loyal owners. I read a lot about broken head studs on the SC's, though a good one can be had for well less than the later Carreras.

JSD

Go for it. If you enjoy cars and sports cars in particular you owe it to yourself to own and live with a 911 at least once in your life. I've owned and driven lots of different cars from different countries over the years and just last year got my first 911. I only wish I hadn't waited so long.

I think an strong case can be made for the 911 being the most successful sports car design ever. No other sports car can match the combination of a 911's historical competition record and street performance. Think about it - the heart and soul of a sports car is the engine and the 911 engine was laid down on paper in the early sixties and the basic design was still winning LeMans 35 years later.

The 911 has won an amazing number of world and local championships over its entire life span -
LeMans, Sebring, Daytona, Spa, etc etc. In fact, it is harder to name a race or championship it hasn't won than those it has. Long distance, sprints, rally's, Dekar, slaloms, you name it and a trophy with a drivers name who rode a 911 to victory sits on a shelf somewhere.

The only major race it didn't win was the Indy500 and IMHO that was only because the regulations were changed when the factory got serious about modifying the engine for the race.

It didn't compete in Formula 1 but McLaren TAG benefited (3 or 4 world championshps) from Porsche engineering and design most of which was learned racing and upgrading the 911.

And the same basic design is perfectly happy in everything from monsoons to rush hour traffic in LA. I know, I drive my 30 year old 911 to and from work everyday in LA and it only gets better.

So, don't hesitate. You will only regret not having done so sooner.

Carrera51

Tabo:
Having been in the same boat you were in 2 years ago, I can relate. My first P car was an 83 944. I tracked it, autocrossed it, and drove it 15 miles each way to work everyday. Great car (which I would still have if I hadn't been hit by a non driving fool on my way home with the tags for my 911).

I ended up getting a 84 Carrera. I picked it up for less than 15K because it had 149K on the odo when I bought it. I know alot of people prefer the G-50 gearbox in the 87-89 Carreras but I am one of the group that prefers the 915. Once you get the hang of it, its great. I would look for an SC or Carrera. I love the 71-73s but the rust issue is always lurking.

I've had a great experience with my 84. Any 911 you decide to buy, have a PPI done and plan on having around 2K to spend on items that will need immediate attention. Mine needed new pads and rotors, tie rods, and a valve adjustment when I bought it.

I even just replaced my first 944 with another, this one an 86.

Good luck in your search.

rayjay...'80SC

I love my '80 SC. I would avoid the 2.7 engine. The 3.0 or 3.2 are reliable...the 3.0 doesn't have the computer stuff, but is a matter of preference. Its really a matter of budget. Buy the nicest you can afford. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

rayjay...'80SC

I love my '80 SC. I would avoid the 2.7 engine, the 3.0 and 3.2 are much more reliable. Its really a matter of budget...buy the nicest 911 you can afford and if you can do your own work, all the better. I'd rather have a nicer older one than a mechanic's special newer one. If mine were stolen or wrecked, I would probably replace it with an '83 SC. The 3.0 doesn't have the computers, but its a matter of taste and your abilities. <img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" /> Good luck!!

HarryD

Hi,

I'll put a pitch in for an early 911. It's simpler but still gets the looks. I drive mine at least 100 miles weekly and it's a blast to drive. Would I want a later one, sure but as others have said, once you drive one, you ask yourself, "why the heck did I wait so long"?

Rust, sure it's an issue, but just look for one that has gotten TLC and kepp it up and it will be a minor issue and part of the experience.

pepito44

I own a 1980 911SC and am crazy about it. It has loads of low-end torque, so much so that I could get lazy and drive around town in 3rd if I didn't like winding it up so much. I would strongly recommend you look at SCs, as the engines are strong and durable and they still have those "authentic" 911 lines. There is a very thorough article you should read in a recent issue of Porsche Market Letter by a guy who did a ground-up on an SC. It was within the last year or so. It's a mean machine: goes nice and slow when you want and goes like hell when you want it to.

Joe Brevard
1980 911SC

Martin S.

78, 79 SC. These are lighter than the 80 to 83 SC cars. Many of them came into the US without the sunroof option.

The 78 and 79, I believe, did not come with blacked out trim...chrome trim was the order of the day.

The 78 and 79 SC came with an Air Pump and a Cat as the smog device...pretty simple stuff.

These cars also came with bigger intake runners than the 80 to 83SC models. The 89 to 83 has higher compression, smaller runners = the same HP. Now what if you were to put late model SC heads on a 78 79 model, add in a Euro Fuel Distributor, take the belt off the smog pump (off the road usage of course), replace the cat with a test pipe..,.add on a Bursch exhaust...Bingo, you have got yourself a little rocket ship.

I sold my 1980SC Weissach Coupe in 1994. It had 123,000 miles on it then. In 2002, it still roams the race tracks of the West as a Club Racer...I believe it has never had the heads off.

nate

I bought my 85 in May and I have never regretted it for a second. It's a blast to drive no matter where I take it. The 915 gearbox take some getting used to (esp keeping the RPMs up when shifting) but is a good solid transmission. My advice is to buy what you can afford and drive it as much as possible. I think you'll find it was one of the smartest purchases you make.

James Achard

TaboII,
If you are considering a 911 might I suggest checking out Dave maynard who owns European Locators. <a href="http://www.europeanlocators.com" target="_blank">European Locators</a> He is located in Natick, MA. I purchased my 911 through him and love it!!! Good luck on your search and hope to see you out there.

Cheers, James