carby

OK, OK....I wrote it, its my story but I wanted to share it with the good folk of this forum before I gradually drift away to another flavour of PCar. I sold the car a few weeks ago and in the meantime was asked to write a few paragraphs for a friends auto blog.

http://motoringconbrio.com/2010/09/0...964-carrera-2/

Before I don the flame suit there I will post a disclaimer that I had immense pleasure from my 964 as a daily driver. My point about it being more suited to weekend warrior status is based on the increasing age of these cars. To keep them trim and comfortable for the daily grind is getting expensive.

In anycase, I hope to be back in the aircooled fold sooner rather than later!

cheers,
c

911Jetta

Wow!

What a great article with stunning photos... your words are wonderful and really tell a great story. A must read for anyone looking at a 964.

No flame suit when I read words like..."daily chainsaw wrapped in cotton wool sonatas" and "...There is nothing like the way a 964 piles on speed. Big lungs, that soundtrack, and the tiny size (compared to today’s cars) make it an addictive exercise and an exercise these engines like plenty of."

Now I really want a white 64 with black wheels!

I completely agree with this statement, "Buying a 911, no matter how practical they are, is a commitment. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise."

bigunit_271078

Thats a great write up. I have just purchases a 964 C2 in Guards Red with black rims and some RS features. Love the car so far as well. The sound is intoxicating.

I am interested in the comment re: decat being an EPA issue in Sydney. I am from Sydney originally (live in London) and would like to bring the car back. Pretty sure its got the decat with g-pipe. Will this be an issue with getting it authorised for use on Oz do you think?

Rgds,

GeorgeK

Great writeup. There is more to these than driving.

CT944

Nice write-up. Thanks.

Henry964

Nice write up!! I was under the - wrong - impression that aussies had no taste in cars (been there, saw mostly japanese and korean rolling appliances) but obviously some of you are cognoscenti and true sport cars lovers congrats!!!!

carby

A car with no cat will be a headache if you cant find a certified workshop to turn a blind eye. Im not sure what the regs are on 89 cars ( I think the law changed then ) but I would be lining up a borrow of a cat (or something that looks like a cat!) for the inspection.

What are you planning on bringing back? Seems as long as its rust free you will be still ahead given the cost of these cars here.

Having said that Australian delivered cars (as mine was) command a 10-15% premium over imports. Odd.

carby

Ha! The Australian governments of the past few decades have made it as hard as possible to be a car fan, bans on imports to protect the two major manufacturers and tough design rules have kept our selection small. There are some great roads and a healthy motorsport heritage though. (coff...sir Jack Brabham...coff)

We prevail!

cheers

bigunit_271078

Carby - car is exactly same model as yours just in Guards Red! Its a 90 car so i will look at that if and when its time to ship it (plenty can happen btwn now and then). As a 90 car - have to own if or a year here as a personal car and bring it back under the personal import scheme (so much red tape!!).

Pre 89 cars (if not modified) are pretty easy to import.

Am getting any corrosion sorted with a front end respray around Nov.

Jimjacqmx5

You'll be pleased to know your car is currently getting lots of love, has just had engine out and refreshed and is currently rolling around on one of my spare sets of track rims in Richmond, Vic. Apparently yours are getting re powder coated...

Jimjacqmx5

Not sure which city you visited or which suburbs but around where I live, it is very strongly European influenced. Thankfully over the previous ten years, there is a much greater percentage of nice metal on the road and down here where I am in Melbourne's South Eastern Suburbs, it's Beemers, Audi's, VW's, Porsches, Mercs and Rangies everywhere with a sprinkling of Honda, Lexus, Nissan and the usual Ford/Holden locals. Sadly, a few too many SUV's (X5's ML, XC90 etc though for the soccer (football) mums!!
Car club culture and track days is now very popular with at least three to four events on at various racetracks, motorkhana and hillclimb venues throughout the state each weekend as well as many car clubs doing touring events.

Porsche Club Victoria is very competitive and regularly fields 80 plus competitors in various classes for each of the ten events each year.
Thankfully we have quite a few fantastic racetracks within easy reach of the city.

sml

Hopefully i don't need to know this information for 3 or 4 years at least, but what was done and how much did it cost in AUD$?

carby

I couldn't answer that, I sold it back to RSR and they are doing the work before they sell it. It needed a top end rebuild and the gaskets were never retrofitted in that car so I wouldn't want to guess what the figure is.

From my research around the traps of retail service time I would think yourself lucky if you came away from a bare minimum rebuild (to stop smoke for instance) for less than 5k in Australia and the usual 'while your in there new clutch etc' would more likely run you to around 10k.

Of course, YMMV.

c

sml

I talked to a mechanic today and the top-end rebuild in my car that was done a few years, cost about $6k. This sounded like pretty much the cheap end of rebuilds ... new rings, a few new seals, head ... but no new pistons and the case was not split for any bottom-end work, etc.

flash_malmö

Great writeup! Can only agree with you - I also have come to the conclusion that the 964 is best as a weekend pleasure. If used daily it becomes tiering - and frankly I think I would loose my hearing over time ;-)