I hadn’t driven my GT for a few weeks and have driven a 65 911 almost every day for the same amount of time. I took out the GT today and OMG it was like I’d never driven it before. The gearbox in 65 is so damn quirky I couldn’t operate the CGT box (which is like butter after it warms up), brakes felt stone hard, throttle-don’t get me started and visibility! Halfway on my drive I stopped for coffee and contemplated selling the thing. I am really gravitating towards the slow old car fast thing. The 65 is full of personality at every speed, rpm and road. It’s a white knuckle experience often. It almost made the GT feel “tame”?!

Anyway, after coffee, somehow muscle memory kicked back in. 5-4 felt normal again (which was giving me hell because the equivalent 4-3 is so damn quirky on my 65 dogleg); brakes felt right; throttle was epic as ever. It reminded me of something: I wasn’t crazy for the CGT until I’d spent enough time in it to really start feeling comfortable in it. On ride back home it felt like that familiar old pair of shoes and probably keeps me from letting it go, for now at least. I’m not 100% convinced it’s not the beginning of the end, but we’ll see; I’m in no hurry. We’ll see if this antique love affair is fleeting or if it sticks.

The more you drive this thing, the more comfortable you get with it, the more amazing it gets. When uncomfortable, it is a quirky, difficult, anxious experience. So, drive them a lot!

 

u just need more coffee

 

Well said OP. You have me curious on a 65 911... Oldest 911 I've driven was mooty's 964 around a downtown SF block. Still remember the steering feel felt better than any GT3 road car I've driven.

Looking at all low mileage CGTs out there, I wonder how many ppl got past initial anxiety to gain enough familiarity with CGT to get comfortable to really drive and experience the car.

Once you get there, there the rewards are immense. I cannot imagine the frustration of ppl trying to minimize mileage, preserve value and try to enjoy the car. Just get out and enjoy the damn car! You're going to pay for engine out service if you own it long enough anyway.

 

Drove to dinner - leaving got in started up friend texted me he was there. Shut it down come back wouldn't start - valet luckily had jumpers. Drove home grabbed Healey and no groove for 20 minutes then it came back.
Muscle memory vs brain damage - if you aren't mentally enjoying a car ... which I was not last night but it's temporary

 

^. good memoeries
once I cant re-start at gas station.
it had slightly incline then out to the street
I pushed the damn car down the slope
jumped in
2nd gear pop clutch
off I went,
I am pretty sure I'm the only CGT owner who did that....

 

That is some Batman sh*t - nice play!

 

I've had cars that 2nd gear rolling start was a normal occurrence. I have not had to try it on the GT yet though! So far I have been crazy lucky with no gremlins or repairs at all to speak of. I try to convince myself it's due to it being driven regularly its entire life. That and luck and matter-of-time before that luck runs out. CGT or other, the amount of gremlins I've experienced have been fairly well correlated to how often the car just sits. The things I've owned that have sat around a lot have been the gremlin magnets. The stuff I've driven a lot has been somewhat hassle free.

 

I have done exactly the same with my CGT - push until it starts rolling, jump in, 2nd gear, pop clutch and vroom to life!
Funniest dead battery experience was when a buddy used a vintage 50yr old BMW to jump my CGT. That was hilarious!

 

^ hahah, looks like you are as crazy as I.
after that incident, I had battery and alternative replaced.