What do you love most about driving your classic Porsche?

[Geronimo]

I watched a neat video from Petrolicious, and it got me to thinking about the question.

What makes driving your classic Porsche special, or any Porsche for that matter?

Mine is in the shop, and our relationship has been a bit temperamental. I am hoping to fall back in love with it soon.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp6opr78BWc for ref.

[Tobra]

How connected you feel to the road, direct, no power assist steering. It is like you can tell when you run over a pebble. I like the sound of an air cooled, horizontally opposed motor, 4 is not as good as 6, but both have a distinctive sound.

The smell too, oil, fuel and old carpet

[scotricker]

Mine fits me, just like it was custom made just for my exact position and reach.
The sound, the zippyness, It's just not like every other box car out there.
It's just the best. Every time I get it out, I smile and feel all better. better yet when the Led Zeppelin (period correct music) is blastin too. ( just for a few mins tho)

[masraum]

My boxster is great, but it's nothing like my old '88 911.

The 911 seemed super communicative and told you everything that was going on at both ends of the car, with the brakes, steering wheel, seat, etc.... It was like having a constant conversation. It was also lively without feeling dangerous until you pushed it, then it would chastise you. The sound of the motor and the eagerness to rev was also fantastic. Even just opening and closing the door or glove box was satisfying.

I loved the bottom hinged pedals and wish my boxster had them. The 911 was very small but had tons of space (a targa has a bit more headroom than a coupe).

It was also beautiful.

My boxster is far more capable, but not quite as communicative.

My first miata was too soft, so I upgraded the shocks and springs and that made it better, similar but without the refinement of the Porsche. My second miata was much better than the first right out of the box, but still neither miata was near the 911 as far as being communicative.

The Boxster is better than the miatas, but a little more numb than the 911.

[wdfifteen]

I like the way my Speedster looks. Just looking at it makes me smile, but the best part is the sound of the engine - no, maybe it’s the kick in the seat when I floor it in 1st gear. I think out of the hole it’s quicker than my 911. But that engine revs so freely, and with a 50 year old Bursch extractor that seems to be missing some of its insides, the sound of that engine gives me chills every time.
I like the way the 911 looks also, and it’s fun at DEs. It doesn’t seem as fragile as the Speedster, which at 1600 pounds is basically a grown up go kart.
I like the way my ‘56 coupe looks. I have a lot of memories with that car, two full laps around the lower 48 and lots and lots of road trips. It’s slow and not all that comfortable for me any more, but feels solid in a way the other two don’t.
They all seem to communicate more with the road than any else I’ve ever driven (except a go kart). I like the feeling of not being insulated from the road.
And they are all beautiful.
Porsche used to make some pretty cars.

[cabmandone]

It's one of the few cars where someone in a more expensive car will drive by and give you the thumbs up as they pass. It always makes me laugh when I'm gawking at a car coming up in my mirror thinking "man that's nice" and seeing the driver give me the thumbs up as they go by. I also love it when I see a "snake in the road" sign.

[Geronimo]

WD.... that is a seriously nice collection! I love 356 Coupes... I would kill for a car with leather hood straps LOL!

[David]

Another pelican convinced me to take my 930 to the Texas hill country rally a few years ago. It was an eye opening experience. These older Porsche’s are so much fun blasting down back roads at slightly over legal speeds that I got a new appreciation for my old car. Sure the new ones are better in almost every way but they’re so good that you’re going way too fast on public roads if you’re making the driving challenging. Not to mention the sounds and smells of an aircooled.

[Rawknees'Turbo]

Of course, Geronimo, it is the insane forward thrust of my modded Turbo (modded, but downright wimpy compared to some you have seen in the 930 forum) - it is really amazing to accelerate so quickly in such a dinosaur tech, ancient machine (people comment about either that, or my ballz freezing a/c more than anything else ).

Maybe one of these days in the distant future, after your gigolo side gig starts to pay out, you too will get to experience the turbo powooaaahhhhhh, Bro?!?!

[ramonesfreak]

There’s really no scenario while driving that I don’t love except being in traffic fearing I’ll get rear ended or someone in a truck won’t see me and turn into my lane

My favorite type of driving is on a twisty 35-45mph road in 2nd gear with the revs high...when I first got it, it was like a revelation and the reason why I never bought a modern sports car. I just don’t care about 0-60 speed and horsepower and all that and why I still love the 246 Dino, gt4 and 308 gtb....relatively slow cars that are fun to rev and feel connected to the road and give feedback


I even love cruising the highway doing 75 in 5th gear. The car seems so smooth and comfortable to me

Of course there’s the smell, the look, the view down the hood, the sound, the dream of a kid that later became real......all those benefits you get with a vintage machine that you lusted over and now own

I must have watched that petrolicious video 50 times

The Miuria video they did and the owner’s garage should also be watched. Amazing photography. The way this guy admires his Miura (I would to) is how I admire my 911

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pXHXlI9yU0w

[ramonesfreak]

Oh, and I love how my 915 shifts..honestly. It’s very satisfying to me

[ckissick]

What I love most about driving the 550 Spyder... The feeling of exhilaration. I get that feeling just looking at it in the garage. When driving, the exhilaration comes from the acceleration, the cornering, the wind enveloping me, and the sound! I love getting it up to high RPMs inside a tunnel.

When I drive friends in it, they scream like they're in a roller coaster. What other car does that?

[ckissick]

Originally Posted by ramonesfreak

Oh, and I love how my 915 shifts..honestly. It’s very satisfying to me

That too. I recently put a cable shifter in the Spyder and it shifts great now.

[ramonesfreak]

Geronimo, I hope the car gives you what your looking for once it’s sorted. It’s a real bummer to spend so much to buy it and the have to go through this

When I eventually have to do head studs or a rebuild or any of the expensive stuff that really hurts (I’m not a rich guy) at least I know I love the car already which will make the struggle to come up with the cash a little less painful

[Por_sha911]

I love the sensory distinctives about the air cooled car. It has a special sound (especially with the B&B exhaust). It has that certain smell of gas and oil. It is immediately recognizable and totally different from everything else on the road.
I also love how everything is laid out and the feel of actually driving a sports car rather than riding in a computerized cabin.

[Geronimo]

LOL Rawks you tormenting turbo obsessed bastard... I luv dat guy!

The gigolo gig is looking good and should replace most if not all of the trans damage.

[Tobra]

This is what I love about it

[LWJ]

Wrapping it up to the redline

rev match to next gear

My perfect 915 shift sensation

Windows down breeze and sound

Smell of leather and oil

A good heel / toe downshift

It's audaciously 1970's colored: cashmere beige metallic.

[Rawknees'Turbo]

Originally Posted by Geronimo

LOL Rawks you tormenting turbo obsessed bastard... I luv dat guy!

The gigolo gig is looking good and should replace most if not all of the trans damage.

Ha ha - yer tempting me to repost-repost that male(?) ballet dancer-to-Lawler, turbo transformation visual aid!

[Geronimo]

LOL, that was a solid post, Lawler is a pretty accurate depiction of a turbo 911.