Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums - My son is looking at a '86 3.2 Carrera

As the author of The Used 911 Story, currently under development as the 9th Edition, I will provide the OP with a treat - the just finished new text for 1986. Obviously it's not the whole story, and the chapter is designed to be used with the rest of the book, but here's some of the story. Enjoy. (The 8th Edition will be available from Amazon.com until 9th Edition production is completed.)

1986
VIN: WPO ABO 91 O G S 1 2 0100
a. WPO = World Producer Code
b. ABO = VDS Code (body code)
A = Coupe (E = Targa/Cabriolet), B = USA Engine, O = Seatbelts (2 = Airbags)
c. 91 = 911
d. O = Test Digit
e. G = 1986
f. S = Stuttgart (Manufacturer location)
g. 1 = 3rd Digit of Porsche Type (1 = 911)
h. 2 = Carrera Coupe (6 = Carrera Targa)
i. 0100 = Consecutive Chassis Numbers

1986 Trivia Quiz – Choose (1):
a. Larger anti-roll bars make emergency maneuvers and high speed lane changes safer.
b. An optional “Super-Short” shifter reduces shift motion by 20% from ’84 and earlier models.
c. A power-operated Cabriolet top is an available option for 1986.
d. All of the above.
Quiz answer may be found at the end of this chapter.

Perfection can be subjective
Is the 1986 Carrera coupe the perfect car? In hindsight, it might be. It’s fitted with the same basic type-915 transmission, as well as the same basic clutch and operating system used since 1977. But it’s smoother than the ‘84/85 models. Deliciously smooth, like the ’73.5 CIS T. Why? I have no idea, but everything fell into place with the ’86 cars; maybe the key is refined electronics. In addition to the coupe, a very full dealer showroom included a Targa, a Cabriolet, and Turbo Look models in coupe, Targa and Cabriolet, in addition to…drum roll, please, Turbo coupes, Targas and Cabriolets.
Turbos? Yes, indeed, they are back! But first, let’s talk Carrera. The ’86 cars, the last with the venerable 915 transmission, were fitted with the same shifter as used in ’85, and the even shorter-throw “super-short” shifter was available as an option. In the handling department, ’86 Carreras were fitted with larger anti-roll bars; the 20mm front bar was increased in size to 22mm, the rear from 18mm to 21mm.
All 1986 models built for use in the USA had the first generation high-mount 3rd brake light; coupes had the light at top center, inside, of the rear window. Cabriolets and cars fitted with a whale-tail rear spoiler had the light mounted on the rear bodywork, at the forward, center position of the engine lid/spoiler. That light quickly became known as an “E.T.” light, named after, of course, the famous movie character. Worldwide sales of ’86 Carreras, including Turbos and Turbo Look models, eclipsed the next highest 911 sales total, the ’73 models, by about 2400 units, with total sales of almost 18,000 cars. For comparison, the poorest sales year, for long wheelbase cars built since 1969, was 1980, when not quite 6500 cars were sold. It must have been the mirrors in the sun visors, or maybe the larger air vents in the dashboard, that changed everything in 1986.
Larger dash vents? Better A/C? Well, not really, but maybe a little better. A single wheel lock was added at each corner of the car, a power Cabriolet top was optional, and the seats were installed about ¾” lower than in the ’85 cars. You might not think that less than one inch would affect seating that much, but it does, big time. If you’ve watched long distance racing, like the LeMans or Daytona 24-Hour venues, you’ve seen driver changes during pit stops. Almost always a special seat insert is removed or added, and many times that insert is less than one half inch thick, all to be able to put the driver in the perfect position in the car. Another example of how effective a re-engineered seating position can be is the 2005 Boxster. The pedals in that car were moved forward by about a half inch, and the roll-over bar was moved to the rear by 1.2 inches. Those two changes were enough to provide a wonderfully comfortable environment for my 6’3”, 215 pound frame.
Tire Pressure
Porsche provided so many 1986 models, with different service requirements, that it might be a good time to review something that all car enthusiasts consider extremely important; tire pressures. To illustrate how they’ve changed over the years, I’m going to go waaaay back:
a. 1960-63 356B: F = 1.6 bar (23 psi)/R = 1.8 bar (26 psi)
b. 1964/65 356C: F = 1.3 bar (19 psi)/R = 1.5 bar (22 psi)
c. 1964/65 356SC: F = 1.6 bar (23 psi)/R = 1.8 bar (26 psi)
d. 1965-71 911: F = 1.8 bar (26 psi)/R = 2.0 bar (29 psi)
e. 1972-83 911: F = 2.0 bar (29 psi)/R = 2.4 bar (34 psi)
f. 1984-89 Carrera: F = 2.0 bar (29 psi)/R = 2.5 bar (36 psi)
g. 1984-89 Turbo Look: F = 2.0 bar (29 psi)/R = 3.0 bar (44 psi)
h. 1976-79 Turbo Carrera/Turbo: F = 2.0 bar (29 psi)/R = 2.4 bar (34 psi)
i. 1986-89 Turbo: F = 2.0 bar (29 psi)/R = 3.0 bar (44 psi)
j. Factory Slant Nose Turbo: F = 2.5 bar (36 psi)/R = 3.0 bar (44 psi)
The above pressures are determined by Porsche to be optimum for factory-fitted equipment, and do not consider the myriad of optional wheel combinations, or a specific-purpose personal preference that an individual might have.
Wheels/Tires
Wheels available for the 1986 Carrera were as follows:
Original Equipment (Carrera):
1. 6 x 15 (F) cast aluminum alloy with 185/70 VR 15 tires and 7 x 15 (R) cast aluminum alloy with 215/60 VR 15 tires.
Optional Equipment:
1. 6 x 16 (F) forged aluminum alloy with 205/55 VR 16 tires and 7 x 16 (R) forged aluminum alloy with 225/50 VR 16 tires.
2. 7 x 15 (F) forged aluminum alloy with 185/70 VR 15 tires and 8 x 15 (R) forged aluminum alloy with 215/60 VR 15 tires.
Wheels available for the 1986 Turbo and Turbo Look were as follows:
Original Equipment:
1. 7 x 16 (F) forged aluminum alloy with 205/55 VR 16 tires and 9 x 16 (R) forged aluminum alloy with 245/45 VR 16 tires.
The Turbo - Returns
Welcome back, Turbo. From 1980-85 traffic congestion in Los Angeles worsened, which made the re-introduction of the Turbo somewhat less exciting than it should have been. The same problems; 4-speed transmission, relatively high 3800 rpm boost point, sluggish bottom end performance, all carried over from 1979. Couple it all with the traffic, and it was almost preferable to own a Turbo Look instead.
I’m sure that Turbo owners in Montana, and other areas with sparse traffic, enjoyed the cars immensely. Thermal reactors were replaced by a cleverly constructed catalytic converter that was so well hidden, nestled alongside the car’s muffler, that the uninitiated would have no knowledge of its presence. USA engines, although fitted with a catalytic converter and oxygen sensor, had to be fitted with a smog pump, aka secondary air injection, but still managed to pump out a potent 282 horsepower.
The Turbo’s engine weighed a staggering 615 pounds, compared to only 441 pounds for USA delivery 1982/83 SC engines, or 485 pounds for USA 3.2 liter Carrera engines. It’s not surprising that Porsche chose to fit Turbos with hefty 26mm rear torsion bars, and 9” rear wheels fitted with 245/45 tires. Like its little brother, Turbos also received larger anti-roll bars, which were carried over from 1985 RoW models. Those bars were increased to 22mm (F) and 20mm (R). Also carried over from the previous year RoW production was the 4-speed manual transmission (930/36) used in those models. The type-915 transmission, fitted to Carrera and Turbo Look cars, finished its 15-year run as the 915/73. 1986 Carrera transmission numbers were written as: 7 4 G 00100
a. 7 = 6 cylinder engine
b. 4 = 911 5-speed USA/M 298 Euro/Japan
c. G = 1986
d. 00100 = Consecutive Serial Numbers
1986 Turbo transmission numbers were written as: 7 7 G 00100
a. 7 = 6 cylinder engine
b. 7 = Turbo
c. G = 1986
d. 00100 = Consecutive Serial Numbers
1986 911 engine numbers are written as: 6 4 G 00100
a. 6 = 6 cylinder engine
b. 4 = 911 Carrera USA/M 298 Euro/Japan with 930/21 engine (8 = 911 Turbo)
c. G = 1986
d. 00100 = Consecutive Serial Numbers
The full line of Carrera and Turbo Look cars were all fitted with the same, 207 DIN horsepower engine (930/21), the same, as mentioned, 915 transmission, as well as the clutch, clutch linkage and brake system as used on the ’85 models. The 1986 Carrera coupe is a perfect commuter car, as are the Targa and Cabrio. The Turbo Look models have a little bit of the “Hey, look at me,” attitude, but are genuinely, if not as fast as Turbos, performance oriented with their Turbo suspension pieces, huge Turbo brakes and wide Turbo wheels and tires.
Summation: Turbos are, well, Turbos. Somewhat hard to drive in the twisties, and somewhat frustrating in the city, but if there is a wide-open highway, and a weekend with little-else to do, I can’t think of a better car to go out and play with. I encourage everyone with late model Porsches to avail themselves of some level of professional driving instruction, and the ’86 cars qualify. By 1986 Porsche 911s had become serious players on the big dog stage. They are fast, but in a different way than muscle cars or super cars. They are not designed for the stoplight grand prix, they are designed to be driven quickly and competently, at high speeds. They are only as good as their driver, and, in most cases, better.
Trivia Quiz answer: d