jago

ok--so i sold my targa last year and have been getting the itch to get back in.

i posted in 993 land because i want a critical opinion on the 964s.

i had been looking at listings of 993s, then pics of the 964 widebodies caught my eye. after a little research i discovered i can do a hi quality body conversion with steel flares, for a price of course. i dont want a coupe and do think i want a targa.
i like the cabs too but my kids find the cab rear seats too 'vertical' (i agree) and that seems to be the case in all models, from 964 thru 997, from what i've seen.
964 cabs and targas can be converted to widebody btw. i want a tip so no RS America widebody cabs either.

since i am considering throwing fair amount of dollars at a conversion, i would seek a relatively low mileage car with a long lifespan left, at a reaonable base cost.

i just havent driven a 964 and wonder how it compares to the 993.

the 2 cars share a lot of underpinnings no?
interiors are close, i think like the 964 seats too.

i had a nice suspension kit (M033 ROW springs and bilstein HDs)
can this setup work on the 964?

i also wonder about performance lag. i had a vram engine w/motor sound. i dont want to be too far away from all that, i was happy with it.
do you lose much in sound and grunt in a 964?

i will assume that reliability and maintenance are somewhat the same between the two. i do like avoiding SAI now that NY testing catches it.

i love the 993 but i am really smitten with the widebody 964 idea and the lower prices of the 964 justify some of the expense.

any experienced opinions would be helpful.

thanks , j.

schred

I have not owned a 964, but have driven a few of them.. To me, the 993 is a more refined car. more modern in feel and comfort than the 964. the 964 feels more like the older cars to me. I however love the older cars so for me that is not a bad thing. I would probably steer away from a 964 C4 due to its more complex 4 wheel drive system, and try to find a C2. The 964 feels more like my 930 , raw, rough and ready for trouble. From what I read into your post, I wonder if you might be a bit dissapointed with a 964 even after the mods you are talking about. I also feel that a 993 is going to hold more value in the long run? Good luck in your decision, you know either way you will get a fun car!
FS

ChuckG

The 1992 American Roadster is a wide body cab, available with the tip.

jago

that so? thanks didnt know it came in tip.

Adrienne

Jago - I can echo Ford's sentiments. I have owned both 964 and 993. The differences will likely come down to your personal preference. Some of the reminiscent feel of the older Porsches remains in the 964, and is ever-so-slightly removed from the 993. I personally like that old-school feel and miss that in my 993. However, when the varioram kicks in, and that motorsound gets that growl, it's hard to convince me otherwise. You've got a hard decision to make, but in reality, you can't go wrong either way.

Your Targa was one of my favorites on the board by the way. I love the color combo!!

Edward

A well-sorted 964 IS a thing of beauty! Ok, that out of the way...

Assuming all is well and you found a good example, maintenance prob be similar except that you'll have to do valve adjustments. I hate that (own an SC myself), but if it's not your daily ride and you don't accumulate miles too quickly, it's not that big a deal.

Performance: 964 from the get-go is already down by about 22 HP from the 95. Add extra weight of body work, and you're going to feel even less svelt. You could try and offset some of the weight gain with lightening your load, but that's going to come at more cost, and likely compromise some aspects of comfort. The obvious answer here is forced induction (take yer pick). Sure it bumps up your bottom line, but there's no arguing the effect: wide body plus x-charging is a definite formula for smiles per gallon!!

And while I love the direct feel of the pre-993 chassis, the 993's LSA rear end really is a wonderful trait that keeps the rear end very well planted while *increasing* ride compliance --seemingly contradictory, but it's that good, IMHO. Still, there's plenty you could do to make a 964 suspension a very capable performer.

All told, I think you have to weigh your motives here. If you are planning on keeping the car and this is a labor of love, then go for it. But in the absolute sence, you will pay loads for a good-quality conversion (parts+labor), even more should the performance feel lacking, and absolutely obliterate resale value, not to mention you will likely never re-coup even half of what you've put into the car. How much you really "want" this kind of car will determine whether you should proceed.

Edward

porsche fever

I owned a 93 964 for a couple years before buying my 993 and the most striking difference was the ride as the rear suspension was a little too stiff and you felt everything. Also something is up with oil leaks and I did everything to try to solve to no avail. Also the air for the heater is drawn from outside with the 993 where the 964 sucks it from the engine compartment which with an unsolvable oil leak is a little smelly. The power of both is great.

zicoramone

964 are the best buy Porsche's hands down, but be careful with 89-91 models. I agree: the wide body rear is amazing. However if I were you I would buy a turbo or a factory turbo-look. You are going to dive in dark waters with the targa wide body. You are going to spend the money of a genuine turbo and I'm afraid that in the end you will have a car of a 1/3 of the turbo value and very hard to sell. Anyway, good luck

jago

thanks adrienne! oh now you're gettin' to me with that v-ram thing now..

ZombiePorsche44

The only 964 I would consider owning is the RS America and even though I just said that, I bought a 993 for all the reasons stated above.

ZP44

hddude

Ah, yes, I remember my 964. Drip, drip, drip. My garage floor looked like the Exxon Valdez had been parked in it.

leosayer

I owned a 964 targa c2 for 4 years before moving onto the 993. I loved it but had no regrets about selling it.

The main thing I miss about the 964 is the engine and exhaust sound, which sound much better than the 993 even with RSRs.

The 964 was a lot more adjustable on the throttle, which made for a very involving drive but was ultimately quite a bit slower on the road and track.

The extra power and gear in the 993 only really show themselves above 100mph, where the 993 really flies in comparison.

I wouldn't buy another targa, too much hassle taking it off and putting it back on, too many leaks, too much wind noise and too much scuttle shake over bad roads.

A 964 Coupe especially an RS is a thing of beauty!