Sold it
03-21-2010, 10:01 AM
#33
Rennlist Member
Fantastic Ed! Sorry to see you move from the 96 but still another fantastic car. so where are you going to hang? And when does the garage sale start? Damn vultures...
as promised - sorry I took the pics as I pulled her into the garage for the first time... I put about 200 miles on it today - My son was checking out the wax job (which he said "sucked") I know what he can do 
anyhow - it is what it is
86' C2 coupe with olive grey inside - took me 20 minutes to figure out how to turn the radio off (down) its something fancy... everything else is stock. Great service history, clean record, not a 996 and sure as hell not MY 996 (which btw was an awesome car)
first time I drove it was after I bought it - wasnt worried, knew it would be differant.
SO - the deal is the old owner of my car was driving this we agreed on a trade... he (his wife) wanted the old car back... then after he saw it he wanted it back, and i wanted this car which he bought in january but his wife didnt like - the PO was a client at my indy and I have sevice record back to 1990 - super clean (for a 24 y/o car) instant love affair - and its not a Honda
sorry Tim
anyhow - it is what it is
86' C2 coupe with olive grey inside - took me 20 minutes to figure out how to turn the radio off (down) its something fancy... everything else is stock. Great service history, clean record, not a 996 and sure as hell not MY 996 (which btw was an awesome car)
first time I drove it was after I bought it - wasnt worried, knew it would be differant.
SO - the deal is the old owner of my car was driving this we agreed on a trade... he (his wife) wanted the old car back... then after he saw it he wanted it back, and i wanted this car which he bought in january but his wife didnt like - the PO was a client at my indy and I have sevice record back to 1990 - super clean (for a 24 y/o car) instant love affair - and its not a Honda
sorry Tim
03-21-2010, 10:52 AM
#37
Race Director
03-21-2010, 11:00 AM
#38
Parts Specialist
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
yea, here is the original... nothing special. I was just playing with photoshop and accidently made it....
Thanks Steve!
Jasper - WOW, great info! My wallet feels lighter already! MODS? I never thought of it !!
great discussion guys and as stated "intersting move" - The 996 (well my 996) was really dialed in. Super smooth, quick as all get up, turn on a dime, great feedback, AND comfortable, new looking, very stylish.
That said, I had it for sale for and when Mike said he was interested I already felt a bit of a loss - he was the one to suggest (based on my responses as to "why I was selling it") that we make a trade. Based on many factors and many many phone calls, we agreed - I have to admit, it is tough to go backwards in time/technology ect.... but its a great car and something as stated above about "paying your dues" - I have just got to owm one, and now I do - Time will tell, things are not the same but this is no slug either -
thanks all ! (the pic is the original one I used for my sig)
Thanks Steve!
Jasper - WOW, great info! My wallet feels lighter already! MODS? I never thought of it !!
great discussion guys and as stated "intersting move" - The 996 (well my 996) was really dialed in. Super smooth, quick as all get up, turn on a dime, great feedback, AND comfortable, new looking, very stylish.
That said, I had it for sale for and when Mike said he was interested I already felt a bit of a loss - he was the one to suggest (based on my responses as to "why I was selling it") that we make a trade. Based on many factors and many many phone calls, we agreed - I have to admit, it is tough to go backwards in time/technology ect.... but its a great car and something as stated above about "paying your dues" - I have just got to owm one, and now I do - Time will tell, things are not the same but this is no slug either -
thanks all ! (the pic is the original one I used for my sig)
Last edited by ivangene; 11-07-2010 at 11:48 AM.
03-21-2010, 11:10 AM
#39
I drove straight home after our switch, so I didn't get to drive much. I did have some time to wash her. The paint job is, indeed, better than when I first sold to you. The exhaust is perfect with a good balance of quiet at even throttle and growl when pushed. Gearshift is even more precise and positive compared to stock. Handling-wise, initial turn-in is much improved from stock. Based on the I-405 undulations, I would probably like the dampers (shocks) to be more underdamped relative to the spring rate. I didn't push the car enough to understand understeer/oversteer transition balance. I'll drive it some more when I get back from Germany and see how I feel...
03-21-2010, 11:16 AM
#42
Parts Specialist
Rennlist Member
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Thread Starter
03-21-2010, 12:04 PM
#43
Air versus H2O
Holy cow - this is huge news.
I was an air head for about 11 years before I switched to the 996. Two things are for certain:
1) I won't go back to air.
2) I will absolutely have another air cooled car one day.
The 3.2 litre 911 is a really really good car, but like your 996, it will need some mods to be a really really great car.
As you have noticed, there is a significant performance gap between what I assume is a stock 3.2 Carrera and your old modified 996.
If (when) I get another 911 these are the things I will do immediately:
1) remove the AC system (all of it) and the rear seat backs. These are heavy and of not much use. Keep this stuff in boxes for the next guy.
2) Replace stock torsion bars with 22/28 (F/R) bars. You can go as big as 24/30 even. Maybe some bigger sway bars, but the Torsion bars are key.
3) Install Bilstien heavy duty shocks.
4) Find some wider Fuchs. The stock 6/7 setup is bare minumim. 7/8 is good, 8/9 is great, but rare and expensive.
5) Make sure the throttle opens all the way when the pedal is to the floor. Judging by the photos of the PO garage, I wouldn't think this will be a problem, but I do know my buddy imported a Clubsport from Europe and the throttle mechanism on that car was stopping early because it was hitting a hose clamp.
6) Lose the stock exhaust with cats, and install SSI heat exchangers and an appropriate muffler. Don't worry, it will pass the smog test.
7) Replace the plastic cup at the bottom of your shift lever.
8) Check to make sure the PO installed Turbo tie rods, and if not then do so.
Doing the above bits will wake your 911 up. It may even start to feel fast, but you'll have to keep your foot planted in it deep and long to get close to the feeling you had with your 996.
If you want to call yourself a real Porsche man, then you have to pay your air cooled dues. Good on you Ed, I'm jealous.You'll be looking down your nose at us in no time!
Oh yeah....the Pelican 911 board really is excellent.v
I was an air head for about 11 years before I switched to the 996. Two things are for certain:
1) I won't go back to air.
2) I will absolutely have another air cooled car one day.
The 3.2 litre 911 is a really really good car, but like your 996, it will need some mods to be a really really great car.
As you have noticed, there is a significant performance gap between what I assume is a stock 3.2 Carrera and your old modified 996.
If (when) I get another 911 these are the things I will do immediately:
1) remove the AC system (all of it) and the rear seat backs. These are heavy and of not much use. Keep this stuff in boxes for the next guy.
2) Replace stock torsion bars with 22/28 (F/R) bars. You can go as big as 24/30 even. Maybe some bigger sway bars, but the Torsion bars are key.
3) Install Bilstien heavy duty shocks.
4) Find some wider Fuchs. The stock 6/7 setup is bare minumim. 7/8 is good, 8/9 is great, but rare and expensive.
5) Make sure the throttle opens all the way when the pedal is to the floor. Judging by the photos of the PO garage, I wouldn't think this will be a problem, but I do know my buddy imported a Clubsport from Europe and the throttle mechanism on that car was stopping early because it was hitting a hose clamp.
6) Lose the stock exhaust with cats, and install SSI heat exchangers and an appropriate muffler. Don't worry, it will pass the smog test.
7) Replace the plastic cup at the bottom of your shift lever.
8) Check to make sure the PO installed Turbo tie rods, and if not then do so.
Doing the above bits will wake your 911 up. It may even start to feel fast, but you'll have to keep your foot planted in it deep and long to get close to the feeling you had with your 996.
If you want to call yourself a real Porsche man, then you have to pay your air cooled dues. Good on you Ed, I'm jealous.You'll be looking down your nose at us in no time!
Oh yeah....the Pelican 911 board really is excellent.v
+1 Jasper.
Over a couple a decades, I have been fortunate enough to have owned over a dozen or so Porsches. A majority of them were air-cooled cars - early 911S, 911T, SC, 80's Carrera, 930, 914 2.0s, etc. I would have stayed with the 86 Carrera, if I didn't feel the need for a more modern, comfortable car for daily driving duties. Besides, I have other "fun" cars to feed my driving desire for a more raw and direct driving feel. Although I have to say, Ed has started the 996 towards a more raw feel.
Having had a Cayenne S, a 996, a Boxster (wife's) in recent years, I thought I was done with air-cooled Porsches. Yet, I was drawn back-in. I originally bought the 86 Carrera as a transition car between my Cayenne S and the hopefully upcoming (now delayed even longer) Cayenne Diesel. In my first test drive of the 86, I didn't like it and questioned myself why I got into these cars in the first place. A week later, I did another test drive just for good measure. The second drive did it for me as the car became more and more endearing and engaging as the miles clicked away. I'm afraid to say this in this forum, but the air-cooled Porsches (at least the ones I have owned) have a "soul" that I feel is not comparable to the water-cooled cars. So far, the 04 GT3 is the closest (I have not driven a Carrera GT).
My point is that I think Ed is well on his way to a more complete Porsche enthusiast experience. For me, what the 86 has done is rekindle my fondness of the air-cooled 911s. Because of this, I'm now planning to search for a 67 911S vintage race car when I'm ready to sell the 944 Rothmans Challenge car. I hope Ed has a positive experience with the 86 as well!!!
03-21-2010, 12:27 PM
#45
Parts Specialist
Rennlist Member
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Thread Starter
as you can tell, Mike is very knowledgable in P-cars. That is something I have yet to gain. It comes from experience and changing to this car will surely increase that for me - well stated Jasper and Mike