Noobie question
 

Though not a newbie to the Internet, I am a newbie to Porsches and this forum. I've always dreamed of owning a Porsche and am finally in a position to accomplish that dream. I want to bone up first, though and I find that there are a lot of names and numbers that I don't understand like, what;'s the difference between a Carrera and a Targa and a Cabriolet and what are all the 9xx numbers for the 911? Is there a beginners FAQ somewhere that will explain all this?

Traveler-
Welcome to the board! I would recomend some reading materials. "Original Porsche 911" by Peter Morgan is a great, comprehensive guide with good color photography. It would answer all of your questions, show you what the cars are suposed to look like, and is relatively affordable. After you have digested that, pick up "Porsche 911 Story" by Paul Frere. Frere is an able writer with tons of experience (including having driven in formula 1), and tells the story of the evolution of the 911 clearly and authoritatively. Happy reading!
-Scott

Traveler,

You can use the internet to research the evolution of both Porsche and the 911. There are also many books with great pics to help you along as well..... http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/autocat/load_page.cgi?page_number=1&bookmark=2&model=BOOK& currsection=bkpcof.
Of cource you can ask questions here along the way.

BTW,
A Cabriolet is a convertible. The Targa (Porsche trademark) is a removable roof.

The Carrera was made at different points of the 911 history. Carrera was the name of a famous race....Carrera Panamericana. Here's an interesting overview http://www.derporsche.net/links/carrera.htm.
Last rendition was in the 1984 - 1989 cars....well kind of.

Here's another good Porsche history link... http://autopedia.com/stuttgart-west/StuttHistory.html

Have fun learning.

Welcome to the board.
SmileWavy

Here's a 911 FAQ.

I don't where you're located in the MidWest, but when you get around to buying a Porsche, my 1981 911SC is for sale. If you hang around this board enough, you'll figure out that SCs are the best Porsches to own, especially for "noobies".

Shoot me an e-mail at stevew@creighton.edu if you're interested.

That is an intersting game, but creating a character takes way too long...

SCs introduced the Porsche to Galvenized bodies and the 3.0 is widely considered "bullet proof." We all have our favourites and each type of 911 has it's own quirks. I like Targas because of the removable roof panel. The wind comes into the car, but it is not as bad as the Cabriolet. And remember, we are all noobies once on everything we ever try!

Keep an eye on the boards and read the tech articles. I would also have a PrePurchase Inspection (PPI) done by a qualified technician prior to laying out any funds. When you find a vehicle get on the board or RennList or your local PCA to get a list of mechanics who are trusted for PPIs. Unfortunately for us and good for you is the falling prices associated with buying our favourite toys! A very nice SC has gone way down in price. Keep us informed!

Come on Jack, you should post the link to articles in our section before Rennlist.

The FAQ and buyer's guide on Pelican:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/911/technical_specs/911_guthrie_faq.htm

-Wayne

Now there's a walk down memory lane!

Hey, I didn't know that was there, Wayne. :)

Hey, I posted a link to the Pelican book section.....Do I get brownie points?

LOL Have a great weekend.

I recommend Zimmerman's "The Used 911 Story" - quick read, points out the differences and plusses/minuses of all the years. For me, a must have book for the 911 buyer.

Wow, thanks for all the replies. Obviously this is a very busy forum. I've got plenty of reading to do now but most of it will have to wait till I get back home (I'm in New York visiting the kids right now.) :D

Thanks for all the leads. I'll be back with lots of questions, I'm sure! I'll even find out what an SC is! :)