Mister Moo

So here it is, five months and (!) 9,000-miles down the road since I bought my first Porsche. The '87 Carrera targa is 25 years old and I am 61 next month. Miles spent are a bit more than I expected but a long-awaited knee repair has kept me off the (almost daily driver) GoldWing this spring/summer; given a choice between the Mercedes 350SD and the targa on all but a rainy day... targa wins.

A not-mechanic working on a 911.
The recently top-ended 3.2l mill ran 5,000-miles on just under a quart. That's encouraging. Finally getting my hands a little dirty I learned basic maintenance is easy enough for a guy with coveralls, jackstands, a floor jack and a box of tools. Oil change/tune up is a breeze, air filter isn't really that hard to change and all the minor bric-a-brac an antique demands has been easy enough thanks to a helpful internet community, a Bentley manual and local expertise. Time, rather than complexity, has been the primary decider on "do it" or "job it out." Having now witnessed a large part of a total rebuild I wouldn't call the operation terrifying; this is a hobbists car, after all. I am reading the Bosch fuel injection manuals and find them coherent and fascinating. A shop manual won't fix a rolling idle but at least I know where the parts are.

The drive.
After buzzing around in the smooth, rapid quietness of a recent Cayman I honestly admit preferring the panache, rough edges and relative roar of the old air-cooled fellow. One trip to the track on good (but nearly spent) tires was inspiring; sometimes sorry I replaced them with able-enough H-rated rubber for the daily grind. The drive... what can I say that hasn't been said? Wow. New A/C was the big concession and no regrets there - it keeps things year-round nice in NC. The targa top - solid, leak- and noise free after a couple of hours of fiddling and testing. The targa is the greatest. It also doesn't hold pipe or cigar stink as promised by a forum member. Had I not dropped 50-lbs (down to 195, heading to 180) and started exercising I doubt I'd be comfortable getting in and out of the car or sitting in the sport seats; the car is not for the overly chubby, crapped out backs or thoroughly rotten knees. Improved fitness has improved drive and driver.

The community.
The porcupine joke may apply but, so far, not in my experience. Daily driving has led me to a cordial, welcoming and helpful community. What a kick to find so many nice folks sharing parts, knowledge and experience to keep other peoples old cars running well. Special thanks to gothingNC and flat6pacnc, PeteZ, ice... etc. etc.

Negatives with a 911 as daily driver.
Anticipated rebuilds seem costly and awfully close together but I look forward to rebuilding mine personally. I hate bothering with valve adjustments but tappets are tappets and they're just like they were 40-years ago - inconvenient but not impossible; first adjustment coming up soon. Otherwise, enough roads but not enough time. Should have done this 30-years ago.

Hanging in, driving my Carrera with a possum-eating grin on my face and trying to keep it up to snuff as quick as problems arise. Thanks for the help and encouragement. I'll report back later on the experience if I can find the time to sit and type.

SiberianDVM

Congrats.

Apparently, we got our Targas about the same time. You've put 9000 miles on yours? I've got all of 35 miles on mine.

Somethings wrong here.

Marc Gelefsky

The porcupine joke seems to apply to the much newer cars and a 993 owner here and there

Great writeup! thanks for sharing.

Mister Moo

No mass transit in Lizard Lick, NC.

david

Yup, no matter what other sweet rides you have in the garage, 35 miles driven during five months is disgraceful and you are hereby removed from the Targa club until you get serious about the responsibility you have assumed and drive that sucker!

SiberianDVM

I tried, but jackstands have a very high rolling resistance!

david

In that case, you did extremely good to get 35 miles before you threw a jackstand!

GothingNC

Thanks for the feedback

With a recent top-end you probably will not need a complete overhaul for another 200,000 miles.

I need to drive mine more, I have only been putting about 5,000 miles a year on it

I love taking long trips with the Targa, it is the only car I have driven where a two hour drive felt like 15 minutes and sometimes I do not want to stop.

Need to show off some more photos of your Targa.

Jay H

Mr. Moo,

Great write up. I'm glad you are getting to experience the air cooled 911 experience.

I've been through my fair share of water cooled Porsches as of late. All of them have been sold and replaced, but my air cooled cars never left and are still in their places in the garage. The 997's, Caymans and Boxsters are wonderful cars, but nothing beats an ail cooled 911. They are very satisfying cars that don't leave the owner wanting to trade up or trade away...

The porcupine jokes are all being aimed at the water cooled new ones. Everyone loves old cars and torsion bar cars are now all old cars.

Best,

Jay
90 964
84 3.2

Carrera3.2LG50

Hey Mister Dan - nice write-up.
Like John, mine is not a daily driver so I'm also in the 5000 miles per year club. Hope to see you on another fun run soon!

race911

Oh did those jokes fly during the Miami Vice days, directed toward the then-new 3.2L cars. Especially with the reintroduction of the 930 to the US in '86. And especially especially anything in Guards Red.

You're right about "old" cars--get more interest when I'm out and about with Ruby than the pimp-mobile that is the 4S with the goofy aerokit. (Average person on the street thinks it's a Turbo.)

Mister Moo

The overhaul... distance to overhaul on a conservatively driven daily ride is mysterious. I often see folks discussing top-end intervals (typically related to burning oil/smoke) from 90k to low- to mid 100's. Then a daily driver pops up with 200+, insignificant oil consumption and no end in sight. Last engine I saw cracked open had 150k, bearings were spotless and the crank was in spec. No clue what this means to me.

So, what the heck. I bought the car to use (not abuse) - and use it I do. I like a spirited drive, a drift, crumbling corners and periodic post-warmup visits to rev-limiter territory. But I like keeping belts, bulbs, brakes, shocks, oil and filters up to snuff, too.

Golly... another 200k would be nice. At 15,000 to 20,000 miles/yr I'll be about 74 years old. Hmmmm... tires or medical insurance?

Photos? Latest UV cover has soft weights on the back to keep it down; hooks scared me. The "ParkDog" rear seat and floor covers (I'm quite pleased with the prototypes) are going into test this week with Roxie and her immense paws.

911 Crazy

Great to hear and congrats!

porsche0nut

Fantastic wrote up! Another daily driver here... 10,000 miles in 3 months . It's a dream every time I get behind the wheel.

Also about to do my first valve adjustment - I look forward to reading about your experience with it!

Happy driving!
Jonathan

GothingNC

Let me know when you are ready for your valve adjustment.

I will be working on mine early September.