wolds

OK, so I've owned my 83 Cab triple black for almost a week now, spent $1K at Pelican, have another 2K worth sitting in my project folder, $120 on fleabay for a Bentley service manual and can't wait to get home to see what goodies UPS has left at my door. I'll be in the garage "with her" tonight (wife thinks I have a new girlfriend). I think this is some sort of sickness, what's going on with me. Sure, I've lusted for a Porsche for years until a month ago my wife and I were checking out all the Porsches at the show in Granville Ohio hosted by the Ohio Porsche association (good bunch of guys and gals). So I inquire (not knowing much about Porsches as to what years were good and how much I'd have to cough up for one. This guy I'm talking to sez that the late 70's-early 80's are going up in value and might be a good first car. So my wife(whom I love very much) sez, "why don't you buy one"? Well, I say. You think I should? She sez, hell yes. She has alterior motives, likes a manual trans as much as I do. So the next day I'm looking at a 84 Carrara I see on ebay. I take a pass on her, but I get to drive her and I'm hooked. So last week I picked up one I found on Craigs list up in Michigan (this is enemy territory if you are from Ohio and especially if you work at Ohio State whereI do). She's been a garage queen for too long and needs to be on the road (I'll remedy that problem). Anyway, I know I've been rambling on here, but I've got it bad. I sit in my office planning all the things I'm going to do to her. Come to think of it, it does sound like a new girlfriend. So the question is, how do all of you deal with this obsession? Signed, I've got it bad, Warren

SiberianDVM

I think you will fit in well here.

Have you joined PCA and signed up for DE events yet? Until you have, you have no idea of the depths of the depravity to which you will sink.

I've spent almost as much on parts as I did on the car, just trying to get it ready for its 1st track day. Like you, I am slowly working my way through the boxes of new parts. Yesterday, it was turbo tie rods and a chin spoiler.

Since my 911 is a Targa, I doubt that it will become a dedicated racer, but I plan on it being my DE car. At my age, realistically, I have little chance of getting into club racing. But you never know for sure, so I'm trying to do things that will not have to be redone later. I downloaded the PCA Club Racing Rules and have about memorized the Stock and Prepared sections.

On my desk at work, I have a list of things that I have to get done to the car in the next 3 weeks. I try to get a little bit done every evening, but it's not easy sometimes. One "fix" seems to lead to another, and another.

Since your wife seems supportive, maybe you can get her into the garage with you occasionally, so she doesn't feel left out? My GF has been to every DE with me, and she really enjoyed the "charity ride around" at the Peachstate PCA Road Atlanta DE last weekend, although she did almost get carsick.

Good luck, and post pictures of your car and modifications.

wolds

PCA is on my "to do list", I'll probably join over the weekend. My wife and I met while enjoying another passion(motorcycles). We both have 07 BMW R1200RT's so we spend a lot of time riding on weekends and will be heading down the Blue Ridge Parkway Sept 8th. The thought struck me that we could take the 911 instead, but we're going on the bikes(this time). OK, I'm a newbie: what's a DE event? Warren

911tracker85

welcome to the asylum. it is too late for you. no cure, only spending lots of $$ and time with your 911 to suppress the symptoms of your disease.

I have owned my 85 911 twice, first bough in 89. after buying back, started going to DE events. then as I morphed it into a DE track car, she became a bit of a harsh mistress on the street. that was lots of hours and $$ ago.

so got an 84 928 DD about 4 yrs ago.

+1 on joining PCA, get the car all up to date mechanically, and go to DE events. I prefer DE over autocross.

DE stands for "driver education' and is often called 'High Performance Drivers Education'. go to race track, drive as hard and fast as your car, experience, nerve, and instructor's nerve allows. but NOT RACING. when fast car comes up on slower car, cannot pass until slower car signals they see you and give you permission to pass. as you gain experience, you move up into faster run groups until your skills develop and they approve you to drive solo. a total blast, but in the relative safety of the controlled track environment, with both track and class room instruction.

going to DE will let you develop you driving skill and learn the unique characteristics of your 911. and believe me, you WANT to learn how to drive your car properly on the track with instruction. they are fantastic but demanding of the driver. the street is just not the place to overdrive an older 911.

and I have had bikes all my life, but don't ride much anymore. public hiway is crazy and I have become painfully aware of my mortality. actually being turned into a crippled invalid is my bigger fear. current bike I did a frame up restore of a 83 Honda CB1100F.

SiberianDVM, put a full cage in your Targa and it becomes about as stiff as a coupe. I got a bolt in that has mounting plates welded to the frame sections, so very strong and rigid. but can remove when I want.

I am also at an age where I do not see club racing in my future. some of the early performance mods I did were without any consideration of club racing. a few years ago I was sniveling to an instructor who is now a good friend that my car ' needed .... and ,,,,'. he laughed and told me "there's nothing wrong with your car, it's all in your head. you just need more track/seat time." so I decided to invest in safety gear: cage, seats, harnesses, HANS, gloves, shoes, and single layer suit. Helmet was the first/required item for DE.

then more perf mods, and repeated maintenance due to increasing amount of track time. but have kept it street legal. I get a lot of kidding since I did not rip out my full leather interior. I prefer to look good than be a second faster.

you made a great choice in a SC. an SC or 3.2 would have been good choices. but one word of caution. if you are hoping the value of your car will increase over time, keep it stock. perf/track mods and track time would diminish value over time. if I knew then what I know now, would have sold my 85 a second time and buy a DE prepared car. but I LOVE both of my Porsches, each to their purpose. and have loved doing all my own work for the past several years now.

regarding the GF reference. when I bought my car back, my wife came home, looked at the car in the garage and said, "well.. the bitch is back".

frortunately my wife is very frugal, but not happy with my relatively expensive hobby. when I got the 928 she told me I had too many things. offered to sell them all but promised if I did I would go buy a GT3 and be in debt up to my eyeballs. she was not amused. and in reality, I am not sure I would enjoy a GT3 more than my 3.2. and the 928 is a great driver.

good luck and enjoy. that is what it is about.

wolds

Great post Bob, I will be looking into DE events next spring. Yes, I will maintain the car in its stock form. I have the original owners manual(in German), record of import into US in December of 83, a complete tool kit air pump and Blaupunkt radio. If I know my wife though she is going to want to participate, what a problem to have. Warren

Amber Gramps

How long have you worked at Ohio State? The original owner of my car worked at Ohio State. My car resided in Upper Arlington until just a couple months before I joined here. Freaky small world.

Look familiar?

MillenniumFalcon

My car has been in the shop for nearly 2 weeks getting a new front pan welded in, and during that time I have managed to amass two large piles of parts. It is an odd disease, this pursuit of perfecting a 35 year old neglected automobile...

wolds

Can't say I recognize your car, but I love that blue. I've been at Ohio State for almost 6 years and work as an imaging equipment tech at the medical center. Tough place to work, being right on campus with all the flora and fauna. Warren

911tracker85

I have tended to save all the old parts I have taken off my 911 (and 928). many are not really something you can reuse. I have this idea I will assemble a lot of the old, useless parts into an 'object de art' tribute to my cars.

but for now just a lot of boxes of junk in the basement.

SiberianDVM

I have waffled about cage vs. roll bar for weeks, now. I want a cage, but, I may want to do some autocross at some point, and don't they have a rule about roll bars = good, cages = bad?

Does anyone make a PCA approved roll cage where the front section can be removed easily to turn it into a roll bar? That will fit a targa?

-------------------------------

Great line from your wife. My GF hasn't quite gotten to that point, yet, but I can see where it might happen.

911tracker85

http://www.safetydevices.com/motorsp...1963-1989/439/

I think this is the one I have. the front cage section bolts in/out separate from the roll bar assembly. the roll bar assembly is a welded solid unit, it is just the front sections and side bars that bolt in.

I think I have gone to an autocross since installing the cage, but lost interest in autocross the more DE I have done.

PCA approved? I am not sure it is for full Club Racing, but never any concerns expressed so far at DE with several different clubs. I have seen a wide range of roll bars / cages over the years.

one concern many people have is using a full cage for street driving without a helmet. valid concern, despite the SFI padding I use. when I have a period between DEs and I intend to do some street driving, I unbolt the front section. takes < an hour. but once in a while I will take it out on the street with the full cage, especially when checking out pre-DE maintenance work.

another good option is the DAS bolt in roll bar. bolts to the seat belt points w/out any welding. does not do anything for stiffening the chassis.

I had used a set of 'targa body braces' in the past. benefit is marginal at best. seemed to take just a little quiver out of the chassis. not sure if anyone makes them now, but I have a set I would sell if interested.

I am not a fan of roll bars/cages that bolt to the floor pans. just thin metal that could give out in a hard rollover. the one I have requires you weld in mounting plates on the boxed frame sections.

here are a couple pics of installation. first prep the area for a plate, then plate welded in.

good luck

Amber Gramps

My car was owned by a math professor there. Very small world.

irobertson

Hi Warren,

Welcome to the obsession!
Same thing happened to me. She made one slip of the tongue, and BAM, there was a car in the driveway! Well, not quite that fast, but it sure turned my curiosity into an all out hunt pretty quick. I'm fortunate enough to have a lady who insists on driving a standard even more than I do, and she has fallen in love with the car as well. The bad news is that she is currently in the garage (the car), with the motor in 1000 pieces.
"No problem hun. It's just a simple clutch job, no more than $900. Back on the road in no time." ..... famous last words, LOL

To answer your question.... you give her all your credit cards, then you go get another one she doesn't know about and pray she never finds the statement!

cheers & enjoy the journey

Ramp

It's therapy and legal narcotics combined - a great combination.

I've had various cars as well as a 996 before the current '87 911 Cab - I'm a little over a month in and the current list is:

-repaired rear seat latches;
-converted A/C to 134a
-replaced AC drier (today)
-installed Steve Wong Chip
-installed JWest headlight relay
-cleaned ground wires, installed battery disconnect switch
-installed 930s wheel
-tried to fix turn signal switch - broke and new switch on its way from PP

next up:

turn signal switch replacement
speed bleeders, stainless lines, new fluid (in garage)
euro pre-muffler (looking, deciding which one)

Later on will be rotors and pads


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SiberianDVM

Thank, you tracker. That rollbar/cage combo looks like it would be near perfect for what I want.