Right and Wrong

[RWebb]

[GH85Carrera]

Try to fit a normal human man in the 904. It is so pretty and wonderful, but no normal 6 foot man can fit in one.

The safety is vastly different from the giant car on the right.

If I had Jay Leno money I would have a 904.

[RWebb]

As a Moderate, I am fine with making a modernized 904 a bit larger. But not as large as the green thing.

[wdfifteen]

If I had a 904 it would be a track car. A really fun track car. I'd love to take my Speedster to DEs, but I'm afraid they would insist I keep the top up. It can't take 100 mph. Blows right off.

[LEAKYSEALS951]

Growing up in Virginia, we often went on field trips to places like Jamestown, where doors and hallways were much smaller. The guides would remind us "people were shorter in the 1600-1700's, hence the smaller spaces."

Tonight, as we view a 904, we must remember, people were smaller in the 1960's.

[GH85Carrera]

One of my friends owned one. A 4 cam model. He just had it pickled and preserved in his garage and he called it his 401K. Only a few mechanics on the planet can work on a 4 cam engine, and honelst know how to do it right. He said starting it was a major gamble every time, so he just preserved the engine and put the car on jack stands. He finally did sell it, and he never said and I did not ask how much he got for it, it was none of my business.

I did sit in one back in the 1970s when I was young and skinny. I almost got a ride, but a very pretty blond chick got the ride. I could not blame the owner, I would have given her a ride any time anywhere.

If you are built like a F1 driver, and have really really deep pockets, they would be great. The Beck 904 is at least attainable for dedicated normal people.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

Tonight, as we view a 904, we must remember, people were smaller in the 1960's.

I have a 1957 Unimog 411 Frogeye, and it's unbelievably cramped inside - I feel like I'm trying to fit inside a kids toy car. However, when you look up vintage pictures of them, people look "normal" in them.

[masraum]

I'd be very happy with either one.

[masraum]

I'm just shy of 6'2" these days with long legs (pretty sure I've shrunk a bit) and managed to very comfortably live with a first gen miata and a couple of second gen miatas. I suspect I'd be able to figure out a 904. I'd definitely give it the ol' college try!

[HardDrive]

I would take the modern car all day long.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

I would take the modern car all day long.

Yea, me too. The 904 is very a pretty car, but it is essentially a race car of the mid 1960s. It is the very definition of uncomfortable. In the day they were fast, but any SUV of today could like beat it in every performance test.

My 1985 911 is about the oldest vehicle I would want as a driver. I would love a 904 as a pure toy, and something to take to car shows. It will never happen.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

any SUV of today could like beat it in every performance test.

I get what you're saying, but you're wrong, very wrong on this front unless that's meant to be hyperbole. Even your old SC isn't that slow, unless by "any SUV of today" you are talking about Dodge SRT items and the like.

he 904's fibreglass body was made by spraying chopped fibreglass into a mold, the amount sprayed often varied in thickness over the shape of the car and as a result the weight of the various cars was somewhat inconsistent. Race-prepared four-cylinder 904s weighed in at approximately 1,443 pounds (655 kg) and the low weight gave the 904 the ability to accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) from a standstill in less than six seconds (using the standard rear gear, which was typical at Sebring)[4] and to reach a top speed of 160 mph (260 km/h) (with the 3.362 ratio).[3] Frontal area was only 14 sq ft (1.3 m2).[3]

And I think those numbers are for the 904/4, not the 904/6 or /8.

I'm pretty sure that most SUVs aren't <6 sec cars to 60, and few will do 160.

[masraum]

I don't think anyone said anything about having to pick one as a daily driver.

[Jim Bremner]

First time that I saw a real 917 in person I thought it was a 7/8ths scale replica

[Mike Andrew]

A few times, I have had the opportunity to park my SC next to a newer 911(996, 997,etc) and step away. Looking back, my car is completely eclipsed.
Not a good or bad thing, just the evolution of the 911.
I would find a way to squeeze my 6'1" frame into that 904 some way given the opportunity.

[Geronimo]

An Alfa Romeo Stelveo can hit 60 in under 6 seconds toping out at 144, and that's the standard engine.

My SC could barley out run my Wrangler, let alone my 15 year old mini. It really is a pathetically slow car, which I seek to remedy.

[stealthn]

I don't know the difference


Yeah let's see that Cayman R next to a new 911...

[aschen]

Elise basically splits the difference between the two and can be had for less than either, less than the cost of a headlight on the 904 im sure.

904 is lovely however.

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by LEAKYSEALS951

Growing up in Virginia, we often went on field trips to places like Jamestown, where doors and hallways were much smaller. The guides would remind us "people were shorter in the 1600-1700's, hence the smaller spaces."

Tonight, as we view a 904, we must remember, people were smaller in the 1960's.

I was shopping for a Toyota pickup, circa 1990. I'm 6'2". I squeeze into the bench seat, barely getting my legs under the steering wheel. The salesman (at a Toyota dealer...) says "We're in the Southwest (Arizona), people who buy Toyota trucks are shorter here."

He wasn't joking. In the 90s.

I since learned that you need to buy a Toyota truck with bucket seats, extended cab and a tilt steering wheel to fit if you're over 6 feet tall, and I drove them like that for 10 years.

[Nostril Cheese]

Ive sat in both. Got to drive the Cayman R.

Ill take the Cayman R