BlackSnake99

I've been lurking here for a bit and I thought I would finally get around to coming out of the closet.... so to speak.


I won't bore you with all the details, but I recently traded my supercharged '99 Viper GTS (roughly 670whp/6something wtq) that I had built, blown up (not my fault) and rebuilt with blood, sweat and money. It was well gone and I was happy with it. Then one day I remembered that I always wanted an air-cooled 911. Damn it.


My first Porsche was an '83 944 that I custom ordered before the car was even released. Kept it for for 10 years and sold it when my wife, pregnant with our first kid, lost the timing belt in the middle of the Key Bridge in DC. In rush hour. In the rain. That apparently made her very angry for some reason. Goodbye 944. Hello Volvo 740 wagon. I did manage to get a Turbo. I wound up loving that car, too.


But, as a 944 owner, I really, really wanted a 911.


So, I started looking at SCs because those were the 911 of my youth. Love the look, but they felt disappointingly slow. Then finally had to admit to myself that I just couldn't get past the 964's bumpers (no offense to anyone here). Then I started looking at 993s. Some love it and some tasteless individuals may hate it, but I love it. Love it.


Anyway, I found a '96 C2 NB at a local dealer who occasionally gets nice cars, but you have to be careful. I went back and forth about giving up the Viper, but in the end, I thought this car was worth it. It is admittedly a low option car, but black on black ages very well, and is just classic IMHO. The car has obviously been well loved and never outside. I think I'm officially the 5th owner, which ain't great, but it has CLEARLY been coddled. It smells just like an old Porsche should. It actually drives like a modern sportscar, yet it's still a 911. It's missing it's airbox (K&N) so I'm browsing for a new one (anybody? Help the n00b). The Turbo Twists aren't factory but I love them more than life itself. It has Bilstein HDs and M030 springs and sits just where I want it. Last owner put a Fister stage 2 and... that sound. 30mph on a windy road sounds like LeMans in the 60s. I picked it up in September. At times I think 'I should have kept that damn Viper', and then I go drive the 911 and I know I made the right move. It finally dawned on me tonight (while I was out staring at it) the reason why. It is simply a better machine than the Viper was. In every way. Not as fast or as in-your-face, but still better.

Sorry I said I wasn't going to bore you with details and then proceeded to do just that. I promise to always use the search feature and to keep the stupid been-asked-a-million-times n00b questions to a minimum. I have been involved in modifying till broken across several makes both on and off road, so I have basic mechanical logic on stuff so hopefully I can contribute back some of the time. Oh, and not that it matters, but I would already be a paid member but I couldn't get the credit card thing to work last night. I'll try again when the frustration fades.

Here are a couple pics. Hopefully I can figure out how to embed here.

Those hips...








As we all know, low mileage garage queens have their own set of problems. I was reminded of that as it promptly shat (can I say that here?) it's 20 year year old factory fresh alternator belt on the garage floor. Luckily it was just idling in my garage pre-oil check when it let go. No damage done.



The ballerina or the tattooed stripper?



With my DD. Clearly I have a thing for black cars. Every time I swear I am never buying another black car..... I do.



Here's the one that started it all. I just found out that a relative of mine bought it from me and stuck it in his garage and left it. I have no idea what it's current condition is, but I'm buying it back regardless.





Again, sorry to be long winded. It rained all weekend here and I got bored.

golfnutintib

congrats and enjoy

yes black on black ages well, but black paint needs alot of care and feeding to look its best

this board contains practically all the info one would need to understand, take care of, and enhance a 993... the forum members can often be opinionated, cranky old men but there is much knowledge here - the search is your friend on any particular issue

when i got back into air cooled cars big time couple years back the 993 charmed me all over again ... but over time i have come to feel they can be a little too smooth and refined in stock form, and have done some mods/enhancements to get them feel even more visceral and connected, which to me is what makes these cars so special in this day and age... recently getting a 964 demonstrated this in spades... the 993 is a much smoothed over (if more powerful) 964... much like a 991's today are much grown up and smoothed-over versions on the 997 etc etc

BlackSnake99

I feel at home already.

Unfortunately my NVH meter is way skewed by a cammed Viper. A hand granade feels smoothed over.


As of now my plan is to keep the 993 original. I even paid $1.45 apiece for 993 door plugs when my Porsche guy pointed out they were missing. I'll have to turn my mod obsession elsewhere. Then again I always say that.

user 723923490

Lovely car, congrats. Just ignore the old farts. Oops, I'm an old fart.

I am the Walrus

Nice car ;-) and good post, fun to read
Enjoy

masti99

Congrats, enjoy in good health!

GTA6T7

Hi and welcome. I liked your Viper vs. 911 story. I too am new to 911 having purchased mine in October. The car is currently under a cover at home while I'm enjoying the SW Florida weather. Let us know how it goes with the 944. It would be great to have that car back.

Sword_of_the_Spirit

Welcome.

The Air Coolers are the best. You're about to embark on a path that's far more rewarding than possibly any other make can offer (especially with the air cooled variety). Each variant has its own personality that uniquely appeals.

As for your small niggles, easy Peasy. The engine and body will reward you with many a laugh. Add some lightness without going "racecar," and you'll be a happy camper.

AOW162435

Welcome to the fold. I like your intro as well as the 944 pic. I'd love a low-mileage one-owner example some day....




Andreas

F18drvr

Drive the crap out of it...you will not be sorry. Many guys get the front wrapped clear to avoid the Porsche rash...mine is Polar Silver so it doesn't show as much as it would on Black.

BlackSnake99

Yeah, black is such a two edged sword. Hard to maintain, but looks so good when clean.


I haven't decided what I'm going to do with the paint. I had done a $3k paint correction on the Viper, but I was way too concerned about it. The 993 is really in phenomenal condition, but not so perfect that I am worried about every bug strike. It has.... patina.

user 723923490

I am starting to think "patina" is the natural state of the 993. They are just too much fun to drive.

BlackSnake99

I thought this was an interesting pic. I came out of a restaurant to find this. I had no idea the Panamera was so...... enormous.

Mark in Baltimore

Welcome! Nice stable.


Made an adjustment to your post.

+1

Rick-A-Shay

So true! When you have had air cooled for ten years, the 991 series 911 also can look enormous IMHO...... I stopped at 997 and will proceed no further.

Enjoy your new ride and don't look back!!