We lived through the ’80s and ’90s and spent a lot of time with the era’s greatest hits–drove them, raced them, even knew them when they still had that new car smell. We fondly remember shopping for Kamei air dams, Hella lamps and 14-inch tires.
But were the cars of those times really that rad?
We wondered that ourselves, so …
I know it's a sign of my age, but the "easy to get in and out of" becomes more of a draw every year.
In reply to CrustyRedXpress :
I hate to agree, but it does.
You guys are making me sad that I've done so little on my 911 project.... I can't wait.
In reply to ToManyProjects :
Pics?
I know it's the 911 I want but man the prices hae gotten crazy. The push the envelope of what I can buy so naturally I've already written them off.........sadly.
David S. Wallens said:In reply to ToManyProjects :
Pics?
Not very many good pics, and I haven't really done anything photo worthy since getting it, mostly just cleaning the shell up for paint since it came basically dissassembled from the last (crappy) paintjob. I've been buying parts, but unopened boxes aren't very photogenic.
The day after she arrived: (since then I've cleaned up some duct tape residue etc. but haven't done much else to the car)
Super bonus points for the RWL Cooper Cobras.
Looked at a 74 911 tin top today. Not sure what I am going to do.
It's easy to dismiss the 911 as a six cylinder Volkswagen. I did for years.
Then I drove one.
A car the spec sheet doesn't tell the story about. Very unique in many ways (why do the pedals pivot from the floor?!). Truly not easy to drive well at speed. But when you get it right, they will do things other cars can't do.
Unfortunately, the prices have left me behind.
I know that itch. Unfortunately this one is back living under a lean to, na'er to see sunlight again ....
In reply to ddavidv :
Floor pivot pedals are a major bonus. Biomechanically speaking it makes sense, if you are going to really force on the pedal you are going to set your foot higher on it, with a top pivot this reduces leverage, floor pivot will see leverage increase.
And you never have to worry about your shoes fouling on the lever. I can drive my RX-7 by hitting the levers, not the pedals, but it can be bad news if you do it accidentally.
Now, the ignition switch placement, on the other hand, seems to be different just for the sake of different.
An aircooled 911 has been my dream car since high school, but the rising prices mean it's a luxury purchase that would require the winning powerball numbers to justify.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:In reply to ddavidv :
Floor pivot pedals are a major bonus. Biomechanically speaking it makes sense, if you are going to really force on the pedal you are going to set your foot higher on it, with a top pivot this reduces leverage, floor pivot will see leverage increase.
And you never have to worry about your shoes fouling on the lever. I can drive my RX-7 by hitting the levers, not the pedals, but it can be bad news if you do it accidentally.
Now, the ignition switch placement, on the other hand, seems to be different just for the sake of different.
The legend of the ignition switch was that you could be starting the car with the left hand while the right hand is putting the car in gear for a LeMans start. True? Who knows.
I worked on cars early on. But that was because I was poor and had to. I wasn't a car guy, I was a guy who worked on my own cars. This lasted for a while. I had a couple of cars and trucks early on that weren't particularly special. This was likely to continue indefinitely. My dad was far less mechanically inclined than myself, and I didn't have any car guys in my family or social circle.
Then one day a friend of a friend tossed me the keys to a 1970 911T and told me to drive it until I'd rolled it over the 100K mark (meaning a couple hundred miles of driving) while he borrowed my pickup truck to get something from the lumberyard.
That was the day I went from being a guy who could work on cars if needed, to being a car guy. Within 6 months I'd bought a sports car and was well into the restoration. I've never been without a sports car of some type since then (though there have been long periods when the sports car might not have been driveable).
I know that building my 911 project won't let me relive that first drive and epiphanal experience, but I hope that it will remind me of it regularly.
914Driver said:I know that itch. Unfortunately this one is back living under a lean to, na'er to see sunlight again ....
Noo! Why?
dean1484 said:Looked at a 74 911 tin top today. Not sure what I am going to do.
Thinking about buying it? Good car?
This is an 85 Carrera that was always parked next door to Fastinal where I always shop for stainless bolts and threaded rod for work. I finally went next door and asked to speak to the owner. He turned out to be the classmate of my younger brother and said that my Volvo was the reason he got into sports cars and sought out this Porsche. I believe it puts out something like 250hp (correction, evidently only 207hp), so to keep up with him I'm going to need twin Mitsubishi TD03 turbos out of a diesel Kubota bolted up in my trunk. These photos where taken just 2 days ago and the red interior looks just as good as the outside.
No car does more with less than a naturally aspirated air-cooled 911. And they do enough to never have to be worried about being called boring by anyone who's ever seat behind the wheel. They're the definition of visceral, an overused and down right abused superlative when attempting to convey the way a vehicle drives, but an air-cooled 911 wears the crown without burden. And visually, they're just classic. They don't try too hard. They're not overly aggressive by any sense, they're friendly and engaging while still conveying a sense of purpose.
Captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:No car does more with less than a naturally aspirated air-cooled 911. And they do enough to never have to be worried about being called boring by anyone who's ever seat behind the wheel. They're the definition of visceral, an overused and down right abused superlative when attempting to convey the way a vehicle drives, but an air-cooled 911 wears the crown without burden. And visually, they're just classic. They don't try too hard. They're not overly aggressive by any sense, they're friendly and engaging while still conveying a sense of purpose.
Very well put.
All these years later, I’m still surprised/impressed by all of the positive accolades it receives.
I recently had a guy yell across a lane while we were stopped at a light. “Dude, I love it!”
In reply to David S. Wallens :
The reality of the situation with regards to air cooled 911 in this day and age is, that if I see someone driving one and it's not two or from an event where it's to be displayed or an event that's about P cars, I generally feel that they have a great appreciation for what they have and likely acknowledge of the platform. As they're driving it and enjoying it and it isn't sitting somewhere in a garage as a timepiece, accessory or investment. One of the saddest things about air cooled 911s is ones that are mothballed. I'm okay with an understand projects and restorations, But at the same time that anyone doing a restoration on one, Don't make it so nice that you're not comfortable just taking it out for a drive to enjoy it whenever you get the urge to.
If I owned one, I would have to slap on slant nose fenders.
In reply to VolvoHeretic :
funny looking RX-7 
Captdownshift (Forum Supporter) said:In reply to David S. Wallens :
The reality of the situation with regards to air cooled 911 in this day and age is, that if I see someone driving one and it's not two or from an event where it's to be displayed or an event that's about P cars, I generally feel that they have a great appreciation for what they have and likely acknowledge of the platform. As they're driving it and enjoying it and it isn't sitting somewhere in a garage as a timepiece, accessory or investment. One of the saddest things about air cooled 911s is ones that are mothballed. I'm okay with an understand projects and restorations, But at the same time that anyone doing a restoration on one, Don't make it so nice that you're not comfortable just taking it out for a drive to enjoy it whenever you get the urge to.
A little while back I was in Orlando during rush hour–Corrine Drive heading away from Mills. I heard something familiar. Wait, I know that sound: a dude in a black G-body 911 on my right.
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