Where Did The 911s Go?

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by speeder

GH, is your A/C modified or stock?

It is the Griffith's Dual Kehel system. It has 4 total condensers, new evaporator, all new hoses, and his improved bigger evaporator blower, and the variable speed fan speed controller. So I can go from low, to high and and there are no set speeds. That also includes a LED that lets me know if the the compressor is running.

So much improved. In August in Savannah, GA we went to lunch and my wife said she was cold and wanted me to turn the temp UP. One day the heat index was 135. The trip back home from Savannah was a lot of afternoon driving looking right into the sun, and it was 100+ degrees outside all the way. The sun was shining right on my chest and the dashboard was too hot to hold my hand on. We stayed cool and did not sweat, even when we stopped for lunch and left the car in the full sun for 45 minutes as we ate.

Without hesitation it is the BEST improvement or upgrade I ever did to the car. I can drve the car all summer and my wife will ride with me.

[ramonesfreak]

I recently was out doing some errands in my 911 and saw about 30 PCA members driving off to Watkins glen for an event, there was 1 g body a 944 and the rest all modern Porsche’s which is why I never bothered to join the club

I’m only 47 but I remember growing up as a kid, on my street alone there was a friends father who had a new 928 (we snuck it out and drove it when I was 13), another friends father had a new 944 turbo and another had an orange 914.

Now all I see are Porsche SUVs

When I’m in my car, I can’t go anywhere without someone yelling hey what year is your Porsche. Gets old but that’s ok so long as they don’t mug me

[ramonesfreak]

Strangely enough, I see a ton of new Lamborghini’s around here. I don’t think there’s a Lamborghini dealer within 400 miles of here. Apparently that’s what people with money to burn on cars want. They do sound nice !

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

I recently was out doing some errands in my 911 and saw about 30 PCA members driving off to Watkins glen for an event, there was 1 g body a 944 and the rest all modern Porsche’s which is why I never bothered to join the club

I’m only 47 but I remember growing up as a kid, on my street alone there was a friends father who had a new 928 (we snuck it out and drove it when I was 13), another friends father had a new 944 turbo and another had an orange 914.

Now all I see are Porsche SUVs

When I’m in my car, I can’t go anywhere without someone yelling hey what year is your Porsche. Gets old but that’s ok so long as they don’t mug me

Our local region is fairly small, and the typical "core group" that attend the events are about 30 couples. Besides myself we have a handful of 356s, one maybe 5 air cooled 911s. The rest are the much more modern cars. The national club's motto is something like "it is not about the cars, it is about the people" and that is true. The cars are what brings in the people, but we have guys with a 924 to one member with a new 911 GT2RS Weissach edition. All are treated with total respect. The 924 drivers is a member of the board of directors for the club.

Don't judge people by the car they drive. We have some super nice folks I can call my friends that are far from wealthy. Some members have astonishing cars. One is THE very first Porsche ever sold new in the USA. A 1952 356.

[ramonesfreak]

No I’m not judging them because they drive modern cars. I’m just not a people person and Im not comfortable in clubs or groups. The only reason I would join is so I could discuss and learn more about air cooled cars not so I had a social activity. I’m a grump who would rather sit in the garage otherwise :-)

It would be really great if there were more older 911 guys (older cars not guys necessarily) in the club that I could learn from

I get so envious when I see you guys say here, get a bunch of pelicans to come over and have beer and pizza and help you with installing your suspension bushings.

I have no pelicans around here :-(. I’m all alone haha

[Aurel]

My SC would probably be what you are looking for...1978, 130k miles, interior a little rough, wrapped in vinyl exterior, and I happen to be driving it to work daily these days, because my Cayenne is out of commission at the moment since I made the dumb decision of working on it myself and things are taking longer than expected...anyways I still love the simplicity of my little SC, and these cars are meant to be driven!

[ramonesfreak]

I googled this and couldn’t locate it.

I ripped out my center console and have no plans to put it back in. Are your AC controls on your center console or somewhere else? Curious how it looks

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

It is the Griffith's Dual Kehel system. It has 4 total condensers, new evaporator, all new hoses, and his improved bigger evaporator blower, and the variable speed fan speed controller. So I can go from low, to high and and there are no set speeds. That also includes a LED that lets me know if the the compressor is running.

So much improved. In August in Savannah, GA we went to lunch and my wife said she was cold and wanted me to turn the temp UP. One day the heat index was 135. The trip back home from Savannah was a lot of afternoon driving looking right into the sun, and it was 100+ degrees outside all the way. The sun was shining right on my chest and the dashboard was too hot to hold my hand on. We stayed cool and did not sweat, even when we stopped for lunch and left the car in the full sun for 45 minutes as we ate.

Without hesitation it is the BEST improvement or upgrade I ever did to the car. I can drve the car all summer and my wife will ride with me.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

I googled this and couldn’t locate it.

https://griffiths.com/porsche/air-conditioning/911-930/

[ramonesfreak]

Thanks

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

One concern I have and it’s probably why I don’t see a lot of vintage sports cars anymore is the lack of shops that can work on them.

We have 1 shop. They are amazing but if they were to close up, I would be screwed if I needed major engine work.

I see almost no vintage Ferrari’s. We used to have a very good Ferrari mechanic in town. He must have closed up at least 25 years ago

Hell even if I wanted a new Ducati or new Ferrari, i would have to drive hours to get a valve adjustment. Theres no dealers in my town and I don’t live in the middle of nowhere. Can’t imagine If I did.

Work often takes me to beautiful rural villages and farming communities around New York State and i often ask myself could I manage maintaining my 911 if I lived out here when the only shop in town is billy bobs muffler and lawnmower repair

I occasionally go to car shows and I’ll see a lot of MG’s, triumphs maybe 1 e type a 308 parked next an f430 and a crap load of old corvettes and a VW fastback and a long row of miatas

This ain’t Southern California

For me the simplicity is the appeal. There's not a single thing on a classic 911 that I can't fix.

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

It is the Griffith's Dual Kehel system. It has 4 total condensers, new evaporator, all new hoses, and his improved bigger evaporator blower, and the variable speed fan speed controller. So I can go from low, to high and and there are no set speeds. That also includes a LED that lets me know if the the compressor is running.

So much improved. In August in Savannah, GA we went to lunch and my wife said she was cold and wanted me to turn the temp UP. One day the heat index was 135. The trip back home from Savannah was a lot of afternoon driving looking right into the sun, and it was 100+ degrees outside all the way. The sun was shining right on my chest and the dashboard was too hot to hold my hand on. We stayed cool and did not sweat, even when we stopped for lunch and left the car in the full sun for 45 minutes as we ate.

Without hesitation it is the BEST improvement or upgrade I ever did to the car. I can drve the car all summer and my wife will ride with me.

My SC had an upgraded compressor, a few new hoses, and I think that was it. It was comfortable in the KS summer despite being a cab that didn't seal up very well. It was totally livable.

[RSBob]

Where did my 911 go? To the Philippians to sit with a bunch of other expensive classics in a climate controlled environment. What a shame since that car kicked @$$ at WOT.

[996AE]

Daily Driver. 1988 Grand Prix White over Marina Blue. 156k miles. Fresh rebuild bottom up engine at 155k. Suspension refresh along with lots of little things on a 30 year old 150k plus car.

Drives great. One of my favorite drivers. Top up or down. Only thing left to do is tackle AC. Not sure I ever will though.

You just dont see many on the roads anymore even in Sunny SoCal.

[Robert Adams]

I'm a little late to the conversation, but I to have been thinking to myself, where are all the early 911s or 914s or even a 9xx whatever we used to see fairly often. I never see any on the roads, at all. I attend a fair number of C&Cs, PCA events and some others that just sort of crop up. Some recent PCA events there could be 100 p-cars and maybe 2 are long hoods, maybe another 5 are SC or Carreras and another one or two 933 or 964s, the rest are above the year 2000. Even at Hershey there were maybe 25-30 cars under the age of '97 and I could be way generous.
I guess times are a changing, but still where the heck are they? They all can't be going to Germany. I know my 73 sat in shed in the hills of PA for 15 years evolving into a steady decline and then I took it home. Its now been in my garage for the last 9 years while I try to undo the ravages of time, Hoping this summer it will be the second long hood at any particular crowd of p-cars. Fingers crossed. Maybe if a few more older cars start showing up regularly others may follow.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Robert Adams

I'm a little late to the conversation, but I to have been thinking to myself, where are all the early 911s or 914s or even a 9xx whatever we used to see fairly often. I never see any on the roads, at all. I attend a fair number of C&Cs, PCA events and some others that just sort of crop up. Some recent PCA events there could be 100 p-cars and maybe 2 are long hoods, maybe another 5 are SC or Carreras and another one or two 933 or 964s, the rest are above the year 2000. Even at Hershey there were maybe 25-30 cars under the age of '97 and I could be way generous.
I guess times are a changing, but still where the heck are they? They all can't be going to Germany. I know my 73 sat in shed in the hills of PA for 15 years evolving into a steady decline and then I took it home. Its now been in my garage for the last 9 years while I try to undo the ravages of time, Hoping this summer it will be the second long hood at any particular crowd of p-cars. Fingers crossed. Maybe if a few more older cars start showing up regularly others may follow.

They must be all in socal? There are still a bunch of them here and I see em' once every so often driving around the city. Now they are just a 40 year car/toy. There are so many choices for a sports car daily driver. My air cool cars doesn't see much daylight anymore unless I am going to a meet or something. I rarely go to those anymore. When we go on a canyon run to breakfast, I seem to grab the keys to the Cayman S instead of the others.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by 996AE

Daily Driver. 1988 Grand Prix White over Marina Blue. 156k miles. Fresh rebuild bottom up engine at 155k. Suspension refresh along with lots of little things on a 30 year old 150k plus car.

Drives great. One of my favorite drivers. Top up or down. Only thing left to do is tackle AC. Not sure I ever will though.

You just dont see many on the roads anymore even in Sunny SoCal.

Where are you in socal?

There's a group of old farts (hopefully they wouldn't see this )that meet every month at the northern part of LA near the entrance to Angeles Crest Hwy. Good bunch of guys and it has always been the core group with air cool cars. I attend that twice a year just to kick their tires and laugh a bit with them. In the past couple of years, there are newer faces with wasser-pum-pars showing up at our party. Its all good, they are pretty good people too from what I see. If you are up here, show up. Free bagel kept warm by the flat 6's engine heat of a 914. Owner is a stand up guy.

[KFC911]

A few of y'all may remember me from the tech side....years ago . My baby has been collecting dust for several years....many reasons. She's a beaut...worth at least a trillion Denis....she deserves to be driven. I'll make sure the next buyer does....and when I do let her go....$ won't be the reason.

I'll never replace her....can't...and don't want any regrets ...on down the line.

So she sits....and that just ain't right either ?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by KC911

A few of y'all may remember me from the tech side....years ago . My baby has been collecting dust for several years....many reasons. She's a beaut...worth at least a trillion Denis....she deserves to be driven. I'll make sure the next buyer does....and when I do let her go....$ won't be the reason.

I'll never replace her....can't...and don't want any regrets ...on down the line.

So she sits....and that just ain't right either ?

Just so you don't buy a Mustang and post about it constantly.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

I googled this and couldn’t locate it.

I ripped out my center console and have no plans to put it back in. Are your AC controls on your center console or somewhere else? Curious how it looks

He calls the blower the Hurricane blower. This is the link to the fan speed controller.

https://griffiths.com/porsche/air-conditioning/911-930/porsche-911-930-climate-controls/

Mine is a standard 1985 911 AC control and the only difference in appearance is the addition of a little LED next to the knob. And yes, it is on the center console. It is WAY more than just a different switch. The factory fan speeds are controlled by three coiled wire resistors packs, much like millions of other cars on the road. That has to be replaced with his circuit board. And you have to add a diode he provides to the AC compressor to prevent power surges from causing issues with the LED.

I work super slow, and it took me most of a weekend for the fan upgrade and the fan switch upgrade. I always find some other item "while I am in there" to change or make sure it is right so I get distracted.

The LED is neat, and now I want to try to figure our how to wire an LED indicator for my El Camino.

[KFC911]

My 911 doesn't have A/C....I don't use it...haven't since I lived in Jax decades ago anyways....

It's a "dry heat" here in NORTH C....and I'm southern

[GG Allin]

BAT seems to have 5 or so decent looking air cooled 911's at any given time.