"Are you gonna keep that car when you die?" compare the 911 to the VW......?"

[H.G.P.]

So I went to the auto parts store today for BP Blaster. Complements of the 911 from the parts personnel, but when I walked out got in the Porsche, the first thing a father and his son pull up and park beside next to me.

Right off the boy comes running out says to his dad "look at that car!" Excited he runs up to my passenger window...."ARE YOU GONNA KEEP THAT CAR WHEN YOU DIE?" Well the daddy couldn't live it down (I think due to what he was driving) Quick comes to the window tries to drown his son’s enthusiasm...."Is that one made in Wolfsburg?" I proudly stated it's originality and the production number. He couldn't live that down he immediately replies..."that’s like the German VW". So his son could hear. I replied "in principle, however, this is twin driveshafts, And so on along what the Haynes Manual states of its differences from it’s predecessor (Type 356)".

So next he replies "They sure could put those into VW German police cars" My reply "I’m not sure they could fit"…as I promptly started the engine……he scurried into the store with his son.

Anyone experience this also? Not that I mind too much, but how would you reply? 911 compared to the VW?

[k9handler]

hmmmm....I like VW's as well, so it's not a bad thing. I would simply start up my car and leave...the car speaks for itself!

[H.G.P.]

Well this is the second time it's happened to me. I've owned a Karman Ghia, and have dropped and installed two VW engines in an MG replicar, which according to one of my previous mechanics was, at that time, the biggest engine VW ever produced Type 1, .

Besides what the Haynes manual states, I feel the 911 parts are "heavier" "stronger" "durable" "bigger". And of course flat six.

[Typical Fish]

The similarities are hard to ignore, considering they came from the same hand and the engineering and layout are so similar.

I've always thought they even kind of looked alike...

[rob justice]

Yep - I have a 69 bug and an 85 911 - I have owned the bug for 12 years, fully restored it including splitting body and floorpan - it was a perfect apprenticeship to 911 ownership

[nostatic]

a good part of my formative years were spent in my '67 Bug. Rear engine, horizontally opposed engine, air cooled. That sounds familiar...

[H.G.P.]

Originally posted by Typical Fish
The similarities are hard to ignore, considering they came from the same hand and the engineering and layout are so similar.

I've always thought they even kind of looked alike...

I understand that, however, if your driving a Dodge Ram who's going to compare it with the size/engine type to a Toyota Pickup ?

The similarities of air cooled designed to myself are in the pioneering work of Charles Kettering.

[LeeH]

If you check out this thread:
How Many of Us Owned Beetles in Our Youth?
you'll see a lot of us have or have had VWs. I've always felt my 911s were much like a Karmann Ghia that handled and accelerated well.

When I was in high school I had a beautiful '69 Ghia convertible. The kids at school always told me it looked like a Porsche!

[H.G.P.]

Originally posted by LeeH
If you check out this thread:
How Many of Us Owned Beetles in Our Youth?
you'll see a lot of us have or have had VWs. I've always felt my 911s were much like a Karmann Ghia that handled and accelerated well.

When I was in high school I had a beautiful '69 Ghia convertible. The kids at school always told me it looked like a Porsche!

My Ghia was also a 1969, which is one of the reasons I wanted a 69 911. However as I stated above:

"I understand that, however, if your driving a Dodge Ram who's going to compare it with the size/engine type to a Toyota Pickup ?" (Or any other front engine 4 or 6 water cooled pickup etc., the general idea here) I own a 911 not a VW (anymore).

The similarities of air cooled designed to myself are in the pioneering work of Charles Kettering.

[LeeH]

IMO it's a natural comparison for those who aren't very familiar with cars. After all, both the Dodge Ram and Toyota are pickup trucks. My three year old would make that categorization. It only makes sense that someone lacking detailed knowledge would group small, rear engined cars with buggy headlights together.

In fact, I just did a little experiment to confirm that. My 3 year old daughter just wondered through and I showed her the photo of my old Ghia. I asked her what kind of car it was. She looked... hesitated, then said "Daddy, what kind of car IS that?" When I pressed her for an answer she said, "It looks a lot like a Porsche." If I show her a REAL Porsche there would have been no hesitation.

[Typical Fish]

Originally posted by LeeH
IMO it's a natural comparison for those who aren't very familiar with cars. After all, both the Dodge Ram and Toyota are pickup trucks. My three year old would make that categorization. It only makes sense that someone lacking detailed knowledge would group small, rear engined cars with buggy headlights together.

In fact, I am QUITE familiar with cars; 2 911's, a 930, a few Mustangs, 2 Beetles, and (groan) a Vette. That doesn't count the various and sundry grocery getters and trucks (Nice choice with the Trooper, by the way; mine was my all-time favorite truck). All of which I wrench(ed) myself. Additionally; I am a devout research junkie and gearhead; fascinated by everything from Hummers to "rice burners". And bikes.

There are any number of pickup trucks on the market, all sharing the same basic characteristics. Most of which, in fact, are shared with the majority of passenger cars. There just aren't that many "small, rear-engined, cars with buggy headlights". And you forgot air-cooled. Penned by the same designer. From (effectively) the same factory. Same basic engine layout. With the same control principles. Same unique suspension types. Same carpeting. The flippin' HEATING CONTROLS are even the same. And, I say it again, FROM THE SAME DESIGNER.

To deny the heritage of the car, just because it's "cousin" was a lower priced "people's car" without the same "look at me" cache, just seems ridiculous.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Victor]

Does that make a Dodge Ram a Viper? Or a '71 Chev Impala a Corvette? (Only the brakes probably work on the Impala.)

I think a polite smile is the only answer to all situations where you are up against someone who is both uninformed and opinionated at the same time.

[Typical Fish]

Originally posted by Victor
Does that make a Dodge Ram a Viper? Or a '71 Chev Impala a Corvette? (Only the brakes probably work on the Impala.)

I think a polite smile is the only answer to all situations where you are up against someone who is both uninformed and opinionated at the same time.

Victor, I am confused by your reply. Are you saying that I am uninformed and opinionated?

Or are 911's just not as unique as I thought?

(By the way, the brakes were never the problem on my Corvette; it was the flippin' headlight actuators)

[Victor]

Matt,

Of course not. I'm talking about the average Joe who insists on calling all 911 VW beetles.

[Dantilla]

Them: "That's just a glorified Volkswagen".

Us: "Yeah, but it's a lot more fun than an unglorified one"

[Mike Kast]

I'm getting a kick out of this thread. There is nobody on the planet earth who doesn't know Porsche. Well on the parts of the earth were there are roads... OK how about semi civilized world... And I heard from the time I was a kid that a porsche was just a sooped up bug. When I learned recently how much truth there was in that statement I was really surprised.
whenever someone approaches me and asks questions that are coming from the american hotrod perspective I always get humble about it.
How much horse power? how fast does it go? I say this car is pretty slow. But Its the handling... And come on! It is so damn cool looking!

[fogcity]

I'll admit; I'm ignorant. Could some one give me a one or two line history lesson on what Porsche's relationship is to VW, then and now? What's the relationship to Audi?
Thanks.

(rest assured, when these questions where presented to me at the local grocery store I just kept my mouth shut)

[Mike Kast]

ferdinand porsche worked for mercedes first. but didn't like that they were so exclusive and only selling cars for the rich. He quit and went to VW with his design for the bug. Hitler happened to love the cheap efficient bug design and helped out. Porsche also designed the Tiger tank motors... After the war he was put in a french prison for war crimes. his son got him out by designing a race car for the french. It was all the same basic engine design that ferdinand porsche created. His son got into race cars and ferdinand didn't live very long after he got out of the french prison... Thats a poor ruff overview. It is a great history. I'm not sure if my off the top of my head post is entirely accurate or does it any justice...

[Sonic dB]

The Biography channel had a bio on Ferdinan Porsche, his son and grandson a while back. It was excellent. I hope they show it again soon.


A while back, I was waxing my 911 in the shade at the park. Two kids walked by and started talking to me. One kid says "Is that a Porsche 911?"

People know...even out here in So Cal where there are quite a few of these Kraut Wagons cruising around.

I was kidding around with the kids...., when they asked how much it cost....I said "$150,000".... they were like "WOW really!"

[autobonrun]

Most of the general public are unaware of the position Ferdinand Porsche held with VW before he started his own company. As I asked my son earlier this week when the same subject came up,
"If you were chief engineer for a company and left to form your own company, would you forget everything you learned in the previous 10+ years and start from scratch, or would you use what you know, including your past experiences in your new company". It should not be surprising that the designs and engineering concepts are similar and that many VWs, like Porsches also still on the road after 40 years. A solid design concept is just that; regardless of the logo on the car and they both have Ferdinand's fingerprint all over them.