All these posts and not one word that says “purists” would only own a manual. I’m soooo disappointed lol.

 

i have only purchased three cars in my life:
1982 911 SC Targa 5MT
1995 911 Carrera 6MT
2012 911 Carrera S (991) 7MT

i still have the 993 and the 991 and my only "purist" requirements for a porsche are that the engine is behind you, it's a 6 cylinder horizontal engine and connected to a manual transmission.

whatever changes/mods you make from there are fine by me. keep in mind, mods do cost money and they limit the buyer pool when selling.

the seriously crazy purists are in the 356 world. fr.

 

agree... up to the point where the engineers are overruled by the bureaucrats, then feel free to mod away to pull out the bad decisions. lol.

 

Well put...

 

A Porsche is a unique car with its quirks and idiosyncrasies. Change it and you get something different, not necessarily better. To mod a car to stand out in the crowd is a thing for some, but not for those who respect the original design. Call me a purist then.

It's funny to watch the slammers and suspension changers driving around a 'coffee and donuts' boulevard cruiser with poor handling and crashing suspension on the poor roads all around. Just one example of modding... because those know more than PAG.

 

I like how RUF does it. Take an aircooled, slap a big HP modern watercooled in it. If money allowed me, I have a warehouse full of RUF/Singer/Gunthers.
To me a purist is a boring life. To just buy something and just leave it be.

 

Apples and oranges... Singer, RUF, etc. are not your average resto-mods. Those companies stand behind their products and maintenance procedures exist. RUF is actually above them all as they really fabricate a different car and make sure all systems work and are reliable.

When an individual takes a perfectly good factory 997 to a local shop and monkeys around with the car things break. CAN buses become buggy, suspensions unsettle the car and so on, all in the altar of being different and 'looking good'. Looking good in their own eyes, because a slammed car on the street does not look good and after-market audio heads look tacky and out of place when compared with the original Blaupunkt or Becker part.

 

Sounds like we all have our own definition of “Purist”…

1. Bone stock is only acceptable
2. Can be modded as long as it is OEM
3. Can be modded but must maintain original functionality or better
4. Just love Porsche and appreciate the engineering/design and performance (not a status symbol)

 

The common irony when it comes to acquiring and owning 911's:

As the Shopper / Buyer: "I only want a 100% original, unmolested car - not one that some idiot has defiled..."

then

As the New Owner: "I've got a list of twenty mods that I can't wait to do on my 911!"

then

As the Seller of the Car: "Yes, I know, but I really made it a whole lot BETTER!"...

 

I don't like stock. Stock was built by a corporate budget that had to have mass appeal. Many companies make much higher quality parts than Porsche specs from their OEM suppliers - some move the car toward sportier and less comfortable and some do the opposite and some just have longer service life. I don't like driving cars that look like anyone else's and don't really care what the resale value ramifications are since I never sell them...I'll let my son worry about my custom car choices.

 

Purist? Who cares? Been driving Porsches since my first in 1974. I have only had five Porsche in that time. A ‘73 914-4, a ‘77 911S (the worst year for a Porsche 911 engine), a ‘81 911SC heavily modded with a turbo (because you couldn’t get one in the states at that time), ‘06 PTS 911S hardtop cab, and a ‘64 one owner 356C coupe. You want purists? We call the modifiers “outlaws” in the 356 world. I just count myself lucky to be able to have discovered Porsches as early as I did. I had always wanted a Rolls-Royce but at that time had no idea they were British and thus would engineering nightmares. I would up getting a Rolls, as well. What I truly need is more garage space! it’s a sickness

 

Speaking of Purists... This video looks at exactly that. Stock vs Modified. Although a 964 example, it hits a lot of the points we have been discussing in this forum.

 

Live and let live. Me personally I want it stock or mostly stock. I wouldn't consider a modded car unless I could verify the work and even then would expect a huge discount. Having said that, I would love to own/build a hot rodded 964 or G. Me a purist, hell no. I love all cars.

 

I'm with you 100%. But do you plan on keeping your car forever? I'm asking since as I've posted numerous times, I had my GTS up for sale some time ago. I have close to $20K in high quality mods on it including OEM GT2 bucket seats and a set of Forgeline wheels. Most common question from those interested was if I had the stock seats and the stock wheels which I don't and that was the end of those discussions.

So by all means, make it your own but keep the stock parts in case you decide to sell in the future, A lot of buyers want bone stock and/or they want to choose their own upgrades.

 

For me, a true "purist" is someone that is adamant about keeping the car exactly how it rolled off the factory line. Every jot and tittle.

That simple and... pure - hence the word.