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Thanks Wayne, but I forgot to mention I already volunteered you :-)
Oh, I forgot to mention. The other big question is if I should do a “Carrera CS” sidestripe or get a “Carrera 3.2” sidestripe. I love the CS look but don’t want to be too douchey, particularly after getting **** for my yellow side markers from Pete :-) I felt the air cooled tribute cars seem more in favor these days.
Considering you bring this up about every 6-8 months, clearly, there's an itch that needs scratching there to appease the "what if" or "I wish". Groovzilla did the same and was back within a few months.
I say go for it as you can find another 997 if you decide to return to the water cooled fold and since you really want an S (with clear side markers) when you come back, you can get the 997 you'd rather have at that time and your current car with the service work you've done will make a new owner very happy and be a great introduction to the 997 for them.
I can tell you, the new one won't be as comfortable (HVAC wise), it won't be as reliable where you can just jump in and go without thinking about packing some spares, but it will be really cool ,a lot of fun and a different experience, both from driving and maintenance. Like you said, it's more involving and the fun factor can be had at much lower speeds than in the more capably 997. Make sure your wife likes the smell of exhaust and oil smoke as that will become your new cologne.
You are also certainly going to get a feel for tail out oversteer with a pre-993 car, so once you get it, go to a wet parking lot and start playing with the back end so you can train yourself to step on the gas when the rear starts to slide, and not let up on it as you dance the car through the slide. I say wet because you can create the scenario at much lower speed with less wear on the car.
I get it as I get my analog, old-school fix with the 914 and the 928, but if I could only keep one of my cars, it would be the 997 - no ifs, ands, or buts.
It sounds like you're ready for a new challenge and want something you can customize and have fun with, so I say go for it.
Obviously the 997 is faster in every way and has modern conveniences - A/C that's cold, better infotainment, etc., - but the 3.2 definitely has a different type of fun factor, and I always enjoy driving mine.
Having said that, I think you'll quickly miss the 997 - especially if you drive them a lot.
I used to think the 997 would be the first one to go if I had to sell one. Now I'm kinda leaning the other way.
You're free to do as you wish, so long as you continue to provide wrenching tips and advice here on the 997 forum
If you do end up selling your 997, please PM me. I know of a very serious buyer who splits his time between CA and CO. I'd be happy to broker an introduction.
I recently drove a 1982 911SC, has only 63k miles with a 5sp manual. My first impression was this car is fun to drive but cannot be used as a weekend get away trip with the family. The working AC does not blow any cold air and that's just how it is, cold AC is a must especially where I live. Has a really tight steering and surprisingly the no power steering wasn't that bad. My conclusion was I would only buy this kind of vintage as a 3rd car to putter around locally on the weekend.
Ah ****...I'm back at it. Need some help from the RL community to see if I've gone off the deep end. My wife is being supportive, as she always is, with her normal half amused, half patronizing "thats sounds like fun...". So, I need some "unbiased" opinions from the interweb on this one...
I put an offer on a 1989 G50 coupe this week. The owner is well respected in the local P-car community. He is selling 1 of his 3 air cooled 911s at the behest of his wife. He listed it for $47, I offered $40 and we are now at $42 depending on how the PPI turns out.
The car is in great condition mechanically and cosmetically for 110k miles. The interior is mint and has black leather Sport seats. Just a tear on the sunroof headliner than can be replaced and the armrest lid needs to be replaced. Its got a new clutch, RMS and starter. The Koni struts on 17" Starke Fuch replicas give it a perfect stance. Its Grand Prix White and been resprayed at some point. The paint is 90% very good with just some cosmetic issues on the front valence, side mirrors, bumper trim, and rock chips on the bumper. Those all can be fixed.
After my first 993 experience I drove it fully expecting to not like it. I figured I would check it out and had a 10% chance of moving forward. However it was a lot of fun to drive. Its no 997, not even by a long shot, but the ride is smoother than my 997 and the suspension is tight. We were doing 100 and I didnt even realize it. It doesnt have the immediate torque of the 997 but when its above 4k its fun. As others have said, its a very involved experience. You can have the same fun at 40 mph you get in a 997 at 80mph. I didnt get a chance to take it on any serious twisties. Thats the part that gives me some concern. I have 100% confidence the 997 will handle anything I throw at it. My 993 buddy told me the 997 is like driving a video game.
The car is currently murdered out with black rims and a tail delete. Unfortunately he sold the tail. He has another but its an early turbo tail thats pretty rare and not willing to sell it. Its not my look but but I saw a white 1989 G50 Club Sport with red rims and I'm smitten.
The plan is to do a Club Sport tribute: strip and powder coat the wheels red, add a tail, add the red side stripe, and fix any of the cosmetic bits. Its got a cat delete pipe thats not currently on it, I think some minor exhaust mods, and an open airbox to give it some more noise, but its pretty stock besides that. The plan would be to maybe due an exhaust and headers with a Steve Wong chip down the road.
The cosmetic transformation would be pretty easy. The wheels and side stripe are easy and cheap. The tail will be a little more of a PITA to source and paint match. My auto body guy quoted $700 for the valence, tail and bumper if I did the installation. He did have concerns about the newer paints reacting with the older paints, but since this was resprayed hopefully thats not as much of an issue. The fitment on the bumper trim and rubber accordions isn't aligned in places. Stuff like that drives me crazy but looks relatively easy to fix.
The real issue with this whole plan is I would have to sell my 997. I dont have garage space for both and I'm not going to leave one on the street. That really, really would bum me out because my 997 is perfect, too perfect. It doesnt break enough and i'm bored again and looking for something I can enjoy and build value in. I like the fixing part as much as the driving part.
I am feeling a similar craze where my 997.1 C2S is THE PERFECT daily driver, funtimes, all arounder car. I think the only thing I do not like about it is the key fob, lol. The 18 way seats are the most perfect seats I have had in 12 cars since 1992. I made it sound right, I put GT3 coilovers and wheels on it with Eibach droplinks and swaybars... At this point, all I might do is DSC and some minor stuff like IPD plenum/GT3 TB/tune and etc. but I am sooooo 100% happy with the car. ...but, BUT, my friend is about to let go a 997.2 GT3 with PCCB, LWB, GMG center, RSS rollbar, and Fresh Cup2s and a fresh lip and... Worst daily ever, so that means getting a daily. Last time I had 2 cars, I never heard the end of complaining from my wife about moving the cars around... When I had a daily and a funtimes only car, I had to force myself to drive the funtimes car when I would be busy. C2S gets driven every day and is so fun and perfect. Also, last time I had a Civic and an EVO. Civic was the best most boring car. EVO was basically like having a car version of a sportbike. Ugh. hmmmm. is this a disease? haha. maybe. Laying at night justifying all of it mentally, I wonder if this is what other addicts do. "All I would need to do is change x, y, and z. Then, that's it. I won't touch it except to drive it, and that is the car I will have forever. FOREVER! I promise." 1 year later, 2 years later...repeat.
I am feeling a similar craze where my 997.1 C2S is THE PERFECT daily driver, funtimes, all arounder car. I think the only thing I do not like about it is the key fob, lol. The 18 way seats are the most perfect seats I have had in 12 cars since 1992. I made it sound right, I put GT3 coilovers and wheels on it with Eibach droplinks and swaybars... At this point, all I might do is DSC and some minor stuff like IPD plenum/GT3 TB/tune and etc. but I am sooooo 100% happy with the car. ...but, BUT, my friend is about to let go a 997.2 GT3 with PCCB, LWB, GMG center, RSS rollbar, and Fresh Cup2s and a fresh lip and... Worst daily ever, so that means getting a daily. Last time I had 2 cars, I never heard the end of complaining from my wife about moving the cars around... When I had a daily and a funtimes only car, I had to force myself to drive the funtimes car when I would be busy. C2S gets driven every day and is so fun and perfect. Also, last time I had a Civic and an EVO. Civic was the best most boring car. EVO was basically like having a car version of a sportbike. Ugh. hmmmm. is this a disease? haha. maybe. Laying at night justifying all of it mentally, I wonder if this is what other addicts do. "All I would need to do is change x, y, and z. Then, that's it. I won't touch it except to drive it, and that is the car I will have forever. FOREVER! I promise." 1 year later, 2 years later...repeat.
If you don't need the back seats for kids and are OK doubling your investment in a 997, get the GT3 and use the DSC to soften the suspension a little. There's no reason you can't drive that car just like you do your current one, and if you thought your Evo was a car version of a sportbike wait until you drive the Porsche version, especially with that high revving motor.
Unfortunately, I have driven it. It is glorious. I am a tortured soul. I don't know if I could afford it psychologically, especially parking at my work.
If you don't need the back seats for kids and are OK doubling your investment in a 997, get the GT3 and use the DSC to soften the suspension a little. There's no reason you can't drive that car just like you do your current one, and if you thought your Evo was a car version of a sportbike wait until you drive the Porsche version, especially with that high revving motor.
Hey guys - sorry for the lack of update on this. Work been crazy and the owner of the G50 asked me not to post until he sold the car. Long story short, I decided to pass on it. The owner is an awesome dude and the car was a great driver but my indy didn't feel I would get my money out of it. They know me well and said I would need to spend too much to get it where they knew I would want it to be. Their advice was either start with a car thats got great paint and needs engine work, or vice versa. This car needed a bit of both.
Also after driving it for two days I realized I could not daily an air cooled. My wife and kids thought it was cool, but smelling like oil and having air conditioning that works marginally is fun for a weekend, but not everyday. The biggest issue was the sport bucket seats. I must be getting too fat as it felt like I got a kidney punch in those. I had a wicked ache in my side.
The best part was after getting back in my car it felt like I got an extra 50HP. It also made me appreciate just how good the 997 is. I decided im a 997 guy and will always have one in the garage. I may pickup a C2S if a good one pops up. Unfortunately prices are up and selection is down. I put a bid on one last week on BaT but missed it. I'll get an air cooled to tinker with on the side whenever I get a bigger garage.
I have owned many 30 - 60 year old cars. They are always fun to drive for awhile. But, as a regular or long distance drive, they kind of suck.
I have to agree - When I was younger (pre-40 yrs old) I always enjoyed driving my 356's or 911's from Seattle to LA roundtrip.
When I recently purchased my 911sc I thought I;d be in heaven but driving it sort of sucked.
The 997 has spoiled me and just can't go backwards.
Hey guys - sorry for the lack of update on this. Work been crazy and the owner of the G50 asked me not to post until he sold the car. Long story short, I decided to pass on it. The owner is an awesome dude and the car was a great driver but my indy didn't feel I would get my money out of it. They know me well and said I would need to spend too much to get it where they knew I would want it to be. Their advice was either start with a car thats got great paint and needs engine work, or vice versa. This car needed a bit of both.
Also after driving it for two days I realized I could not daily an air cooled. My wife and kids thought it was cool, but smelling like oil and having air conditioning that works marginally is fun for a weekend, but not everyday. The biggest issue was the sport bucket seats. I must be getting too fat as it felt like I got a kidney punch in those. I had a wicked ache in my side.
The best part was after getting back in my car it felt like I got an extra 50HP. It also made me appreciate just how good the 997 is. I decided im a 997 guy and will always have one in the garage. I may pickup a C2S if a good one pops up. Unfortunately prices are up and selection is down. I put a bid on one last week on BaT but missed it. I'll get an air cooled to tinker with on the side whenever I get a bigger garage.
08-29-2019, 01:39 PM
