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I would argue against fixating n lightness or speed or anything else for the street. For numerous reasons. Personally, when I started autocrossing seriously 20 seasons ago, I've stopped caring about pretty much anything on the street. Other than maybe some level of comfort. Street is scary. Unpredictable, stupid, scary. I drive like a grandma on the street.
To the logical question of "why a 993, then?" the answer is: "because old, convertible and yellow".
Agreed Granny - I'm not trying to promote irresponsible driving on the street. I drive like a grandma on the street as well - that's what the track is for. But even on the street you can readily appreciate the benefits of weight reduction. The car is faster, handles better and stops quicker. You don't have to race on the street to enjoy these benefits. If you did, there would be little point to driving a 911 on the street at all...
The last two factory installed flooded lead acid batteries lasted 16 years and 15 years. The cars were sold, so who knows how much longer they went.
If some of these "high tech" batteries are supposed to get me 3 to 5 years the life of my regular battery, then I'd expect at least 45 years out of them. The fact is, I highly doubt you'd get more than 15 years out of them.
After 2 lead acid, then 4 AGM (Optima Red Top - only one ever warranty covered) and 2 battery maintainers over the past 17 years, I decided to try a Li battery with dedicated maintainer/ charger for my garage-queen.
The biggest issue I've had, after I discovered early on that cars that sit tend to drain their batteries (duh) is power failures causing battery maintainers to fry AGM batteries (took the second time before I figured out what was happening - my Cytek needed to be in a "snowflake" mode to maintain an AGM battery - at a power reset, it automatically went into a Lead-Acid mode ).
I'm used to plugging my car in after a rare drive - so maintaining a Li battery is no issue for me.
The sale over this past Black Friday helped push me toward an AntiGravity brand.
Scott at AntiGravity has been extremely responsive to all my email questions and issues.
But even on the street you can readily appreciate the benefits of weight reduction. The car is faster, handles better and stops quicker. You don't have to race on the street to enjoy these benefits. If you did, there would be little point to driving a 911 on the street at all...
There;s no question that lighter car is better on the street. I'm just far, far from sure that too many can feel that 30 lb reductions. I know I wouldn't. I'm also sure that I'm not ready to spend $30 per lb on reduction for the street car. For the race car - quite possibly, but not for the street. Not really enough of a cost/benefit for me, personally.
The last two factory installed flooded lead acid batteries lasted 16 years and 15 years. The cars were sold, so who knows how much longer they went.
If some of these "high tech" batteries are supposed to get me 3 to 5 years the life of my regular battery, then I'd expect at least 45 years out of them. The fact is, I highly doubt you'd get more than 15 years out of them.
Yeah Alex, but you live in a temperate climate with a minimal swing of temps year in and year out. No wonder your Interstates last 15 years.....
Hope you are well my friend. “Your” distributor is still pickled and in storage and am running the reman in the garage queen.
Yeah Alex, but you live in a temperate climate with a minimal swing of temps year in and year out. No wonder your Interstates last 15 years.....
Hope you are well my friend. “Your” distributor is still pickled and in storage and am running the reman in the garage queen.
Hi Mike, well if you call -25F to 90F a temperate climate. lol Cold winter starts are hard on a battery just as high temperatures are.
Actually they were Panasonic batteries and they only came fitted in the Toyota and Honda out of Japan. Mind you, all connections, the charging system and battery were checked.
As for the rebuilt dual distributor, I can't believe anyone would just install just a belt without doing a full rebuild with all bearings considering how old these are.
On the street or the track, the value of adding lightness is compelling. Thirty pounds is just a start, but a good one. I’ve stripped over 300 pounds off my 964. The car is noticeably faster .... on the street. It’s cheap horsepower.
On the track, yes. My SC is down to 2550 with aggressive gutting of parts on a bone-stock chassis and body. Very beneficial and immediately noticeable BECAUSE the track is a controlled environment where one can gauge progress --or regress-- with clear, objective data.
On the street, one who is honest about results must ask: to what end, and at what cost? Cost compromise vs benefit? Cost in comfort? Actual, REAL tangible benefit? Drop 300lbs on a street car and you'll feel it. Drop 30?...c'mon. If one is seriously going to abide by this mantra, then drive your street car with a few gals of gas and fill each day! Do the math on 19 gallons of gas ...there's some serious weight! And don't forget your calorie and carb count?!!!
Oh, and FWIW, I put a smaller conventional lead battery in the SC because it was a bit smaller/lighter than the stock sized one! I just recently replaced it after, oh, maybe 8 or 10 years; cost was 90 some odd bucks. So cost over the years is ...well, never mind
Love seeing folks spend serious money as it does, in fact, fuel the economy.
"Street" and "granny" versus ax and track..
When we drive on most streets in mot urban areas it's more granny mode, aka defensive mindset and style- a necessity in Portland, OR. It's the reverse on a track or ax- OFFENSE. these drivers maintain their cars, usually know how to drive, aren't under any influences, have insurance, etc. Opposite from what the street too often reveals.
Whether weight reduction, more power, gearing, or a combination, given harsh realities of street driving, enables degrees of faster acceleration and responsiveness, perhaps avoiding an accident or incident, and dealing with some of the dangerous, stupid, reckless driving that is too often now mainstream. Dealing with crew cab pickups and monster suv's in "normal" driving is often challenging in our cars..
Check the Allstate 2018 ratings- Jim, Boston, and Portland close behind, are total losers; this is my personal experience regularly.
12-28-2018, 04:50 PM
- I'm not trying to promote irresponsible driving on the street. I drive like a grandma on the street as well - that's what the track is for. But even on the street you can readily appreciate the benefits of weight reduction. The car is faster, handles better and stops quicker. You don't have to race on the street to enjoy these benefits. If you did, there would be little point to driving a 911 on the street at all...
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