It's amazing to me how many people want an old 911...

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Ha! Don't worry, they'll go in the 73 or 76.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

According to the interwebs, Porsche built in the neighborhood of 65,000 964s.

https://www.supercars.net/blog/porsche-964-sales-production-numbers/

Over the life of the Porsche 911 (type 964) it was considered a sales success. While Porsche was struggling at the time thanks to its own issues as well as a big recession globally, the 964 nonetheless sold enough to keep the company going and to show enthusiasts that Porsche knew how to improve on the 911 formula with this new 964 generation.

Over the five year production life of the 964, a total of 66,571 units were made. Compared to the previous five year period that was basically as slight increase in sales volumes. Impressive given macro issues at the time.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Thanks Paul, I saw several numbers grouped around 65,000 so I took the average. Different websites had different numbers, and it was for global production not just USA.

Oddly enough the 964 is the only air cooled LWB 911 I’ve never driven. I’ve owned a long hood, SC, two Carreras, and have driven a 993 and multiple mid-year cars. I’ve always liked the more classic look compared to the 993, which felt far too refined for my taste.

[greglepore]

IDK. Where do you draw the line? Is a coilover suspension a "restomod" on a 911? How about on a 964? I'm all for modern EFI on an otherwise period motor (other than mech injected cars but nobody does that). I have a turbo on my 3.2, in ways its a more rounded car than a 930 (not as explosive but more tractable). Is that acceptable?
Yeah, LS swaps are out. Singers are not, they're just highly evolved 911s, still have the essence.

I do get Jeff's point. But folks from later generations grew up with STI's and Focus RS's and Evo's etc that blow the doors off of a "normal" aircoolded car, so I can get how they don't find the [I]performance[I] impressive. The entire experience is what the cars are about and that is a more nuanced thing.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

While at times quite heavily modified, our cars are very much in keeping with the original "flavor" of the Sports Purpose 911. Our "Bible", originally published in 1968:

While I think it’s a fun theme for a car club, Porsche didn’t remain stuck in 1968. They have been about incorporating advanced technology and continually evolving their cars since inception. I think many of the storied names from Porsche’s history would appreciate how modern technology has pushed their “obsolete” air cooled platforms far beyond what was once thought possible.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by porsche tech

All it takes to ruin a nice car is money.

Yessir. And we've all seen it played out, over and over.
Until then, free will endures.

[GH85Carrera]

No one thinks our antique air cooled cars are "better" than any modern car of today in pretty much any performance test. However, my totally analog 85 911 is a blast for me to drive, and not the computer drive the car.

I did the two day Porsche Driving experience at Barber motorsports. Mostly we drove a 911 GTS on the track. It is an astonishing car. They started them in the morning, and they just sat and idled as we got a final safety check, hopped in, and drove for 25 minutes for our session. Ice cold AC, and great sound. We got out and went to a different venue and different car, and another group got in, and drove the track in the same car. All day long, they ran hard, and the only issue was some need more gas.

Driving the 911 Turbo S on track was just mind bending how it accelerated. Same with the Tycan Turbos S. I kept expecting to see the lights flash past like when Hans Solo went to light speed.

The 911 GTS PDK is astonishing. We all asked the same question of the multiple instructors. Not one can beat the time with manual shifting. Just put in in drive, and sport plus, and it does everything. I went into one corner a bit hard, and I could feel the rear tires and stability management getting me through the corner with no drama. The computers driving the car are just simply amazing.

My wife suggested I sell my antique and get a new 911. No effing way. I prefer to be the driver. I got to drive the same track in my antique, and I was slug slow compared to the GTS. In the GTS I was hitting 125 easily as I came to the corners, and way deep then nail the brakes and feel the ABS do it's thing. In my antique I was just at the top of 3rd gear, and 92 MPH and I braked way earlier with a safety margin for no lockup. My shifts can be measured by a stop watch, and are nothing like the 2 millisecond shifts of the PDK, while the gas pedal is flat to the floor. Still, I had more fun in my old slow car on track.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Fast doesn’t always equal fun, especially in a street car. Glen, I’d rather have your old slow car too.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Fast doesn’t always equal fun, especially in a street car. Glen, I’d rather have your old slow car too.

For sure. I keep hoping that he'll get dementia and adopt me so I can "inherit" the Elky and 911.

[pavulon]

This seems to violate a few standards but is still fantastic.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Thanks Paul, I saw several numbers grouped around 65,000 so I took the average. Different websites had different numbers, and it was for global production not just USA.

Oddly enough the 964 is the only air cooled LWB 911 I’ve never driven. I’ve owned a long hood, SC, two Carreras, and have driven a 993 and multiple mid-year cars. I’ve always liked the more classic look compared to the 993, which felt far too refined for my taste.

All of the air cooled are great. I'd love to have any of them. But I'm with you, I prefer the more traditional looks of the pre-993 versions. My vision of a 911 growing up was the bellows bumpers cars, so that's what my mind always goes to. I love the long hoods, and the 964 looks like a bellows bumper car with a bumper and wheel upgrade.

Although the 993 GT2 looks hot.

[wdfifteen]

I like the experience of driving older cars, so I tend not to modify them. That wasn’t always the case. When my Speedster was “just a car,” I modified it for auto crossing. I built a 912 engine, put on a Z-bar, big front anti-roll bar, 5.5” wheels, etc. I had a lot of fun with it. I don’t regret it, but it would be worth $100k more now if I’d left it stock.
Ironically, I did keep my old truck stock, but the market wants an SBC, auto trans, and a tilt wheel in every old ‘Merican car, so I took a hit on it when I sold it.

[CurtEgerer]

'Restomods' are so incredibly awful. I was watching Mecum Monterey and a 67 Pontiac GTO restomod went for $650,000+ while an all original very nice 67 GTO went for around $70,000 The first giveaways are always the Dub-size wheels and ultra low-profile tires and the gigantic bolstered 16-way power seats. To each his own but .....

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by masraum

For sure. I keep hoping that he'll get dementia and adopt me so I can "inherit" the Elky and 911.

Damn, you too?! We could be twins, split custody!

[Bill Douglas]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

Fast doesn’t always equal fun, especially in a street car. Glen, I’d rather have your old slow car too.

I often think of that saying "It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow."

[masraum]

Originally Posted by CurtEgerer

'Restomods' are so incredibly awful. I was watching Mecum Monterey and a 67 Pontiac GTO restomod went for $650,000+ while an all original very nice 67 GTO went for around $70,000 The first giveaways are always the Dub-size wheels and ultra low-profile tires and the gigantic bolstered 16-way power seats. To each his own but .....

Yeah, that sounds like you got a sneak peak at what going to hell would be like. And it's that sort of result that likely has a bunch of hacks paying top dollar for cool old cars so they can hack them up even worse.

I have no doubt that a bunch of great mustangs bit the dust after the new Gone in 60 Seconds came out and made everyone want an "Eleanor". It was a cool car in the movie, but I would NOT want a clone of that car.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

I often think of that saying "It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow."

I had a ton of fun in my miatas. But then I also had a ton of fun in my old '88 targa. I may have had more fun in those than in my current Boxster (but it is fun).

[Billiam 911 2.8]

My 1970 911S was modified in 1998-2000 after a 5 mph rear end accident. I am now adding back a little bit of civility with a charcoal grey square weave carpet set and restoring the stock radio. I completely agree with Jeff on the type of mods that are acceptable to me, yet to each their own. At the monthly R Gruppe gathering here there are a few over the top cars. I think shoving a 3.6-4.2 liter engine in an F body is crazy. I do give more leeway to cars that are largely home built as opposed to a checkbook build.

[ted]

When I got my first 911 25 years ago 911 parts were cheap and so were the cars.
Glad I experienced 911s before they became too valuable a platform to modify.

Had one restored to factory stock the other one modified for track, best of both worlds.
Enjoyed 20 years of 911 fun and then it was time to try something else.

[pwd72s]

One thing to keep in mind is that back in the 70's, the longnoses were plentiful and relatively cheap. Back then, we were just guys playing with cars...so if you wanted to modify, nobody criticized. Heck, at the '71 Parade, there were plenty of modified from stock cars in the concours. Modified in both appearance and performance ways. It was really more of a clean your car contest over correct bolt stampings...not neatly the originality extent of today.

We also didn't have a clue that the longnose 911 would be considered the desired collector car it is today.