I had a 99 C5 hardtop (the lighter one that became the basis for the first Z06) boosted to 285 hp. Handled very well, went like a bat outta hell and bored me stiff after melting a set of rears in 10k miles doing rocket launches (and that was without wheelspin) and throwing its heft around corners (damned car weighed almost as much as a same year Porsche!) the first year I owned it.

I sold it after putting 78k miles on it and bought an 82 RoW SC. With the 9.8:1 motor w/SSI's putting out 220 HP in a 2500 lb car, I do NOT miss the monster torque of the Vette.

Actually, making a lot of racket (my Dansk sets off car alarms) and riding firm on Bilstein Sports and bigger rear torsion bars makes the car seem even faster than it is and,in my opinion, a whole lot more fun to drive than a late model Vette (or Porsche).

I started shopping for a Carrera but learned about SC's with their cable operated clutch (great feel) and great throttle response (no problems at all with the CIS with 194k miles on it) and I really prefer the lighter 915 trans (which I like even MORE now that I've just installed a WEVO shifter and motor/trans mounts).

No cup holders, no AC,(actually, no radio either); just a pure sports car, raw and visceral and a whole lot of fun (it's my daily driver - I only drive the Saturn wagon on weekends when I have to haul groceries).

 

The impatient,uneven "let's get moving" idle ,the smell of the oil drips on the heat exchangers , the popping and "tinking" sounds as all of the heat radiates out after a hard workout...

The car wants to have a beer with you.

 

Don't discount a 964 Targa. Significantly more power and better A/C than a 3.2, air-cooled but still has the old school Targa roof unlike a 993. More raw than anything after it but not quite as raw as those before it, the 964 is a great middle ground. Only problem is they're much harder to find than a 3.2 or SC in Targa form.

 

Absolutely. And have you thought about a sport exhaust for the 997?

Regards,