what is up with slant noses?

[vash]

my friend likes the slant nose look. he is actually looking at a car to buy right now. what is the story with the slant nose? was it an option? (this one isnt factory, but steel) is it desirable? why dont we see many? i dont get it. but admittedly, i am only a porsche-er for a few months now, and i still have alot to learn, some of which is history.

cliff

p.s. i think they are kinda tacky looking (am i in for some flaming?)

[cowtown]

The factory turned out a few, but many have been converted in the aftermarket. I agree - tacky tacky tacky.

[Por_sha911]

As a Porsche salesmna back in 88-89: the slant nose was a very expensive option that was very limited in availability. The car was considered to be more desirable due to the exclusivity of the cost and availability. The factory claimed that the slant nose had better cooling characteristic and therefore made the 911 the pinacle of design for racing. On a personal note, I like the design but wouldn't have one unless its factory (too many hack jobs out there) and for the money, get a turbo and smile.

[masraum]

Here's the original slant nose



After the success of the factory group 5 cars (above) many people wanted the same look for their street car. Hence the slant nose. On the racecars it was for aerodynamic purposes, on the street cars it was primarily to look more like the race cars. I'm not a huge fan of the slant nose, but I have seen a couple of aftermarket cars that were pretty sharp. Personally I like the way the racecars put th headlights down in the front and really don't like the popup headlights like the street cars had.

One other note, there was what some people call a "slope nose" that was the turbo S in, I think, 94 that had headlights more like a 928/968, and I kinda like that look, like a more streamlined 993.

[masraum]

here's the 94

[moazam]

Originally posted by unfixed
p.s. i think they are kinda tacky looking (am i in for some flaming?)

Growing up in Miami, FL, the slantnose 911 was the epitome of 'drug dealer car'.

Then again, so was the 928....hmm...and just about any Porsche... :/

Anyways, I agree, slantnoses are fugly. Just an opinion.

[kepperly]

I
always veiwed the slant as the pinnicle of Porsche styling, and the Ultimate one to own. Yes I do have one, and love it even though it does harken back to the Don Johnson/ Miami vice days but thats what we old guys do, buy what we always wanted after raising you young brats and sending you through collage
and paying off the debt of doing that. Just look at the BJ auction
at least I bought a Porsche.

Keith Epperly 53 years young
87 slant nose turbo look cabriolet/ summer yellow-navy interior
17 fikse's

[Wil Ferch]

The aero package of the slant nose or flat nose was much superior over a standard 911.
Especially side winds or angled winds not directly head-on to the direction of travel. The "humps" of the headlight fairings of the normal fenders caused a lot of lift on side or cross winds.
---Wil Ferch

[CarreraS2]

Hey Keith, post a pic of your car!

Summer Yellow is my fave color, your car sounds really interesting.

[Eric Coffey]

I am not a fan of "pop-up" headlights in general, but I can certainly appreciate the slantnose. However, I must admit the first time I saw one, I (briefly) mistook it for a Mazda RX-7! IMO, the "best of both worlds" design is with the 993's fenders.

[vash]

what do i look for? i am going to try to meet my friend on his first visit to the car. any sure sign indications for a hack job? i dont want my buddy to make a bad purchase, although it would be nice to keep an eye on the 3.2L just in case

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally posted by unfixed
what do i look for? i am going to try to meet my friend on his first visit to the car. any sure sign indications for a hack job? i dont want my buddy to make a bad purchase, although it would be nice to keep an eye on the 3.2L just in case

Very clever, I like the way you think. He's not that good of a friend, is he?

[m325ix]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
Hey Keith, post a pic of your car!

yeah, I would love to see that 2!
I kind of like slant, especially if its done right, with wide rims (RUF), nice interior, etc...

[350HP930]

I didn't mind the slant nose look though I prefer the bug eye look but its those imitation testarossa vents on the side of a lot of the slope noses that really make me want to puke.

[5axis]

These float my boat. Someone had found a website dedicated to the flatnose cars. It had lots of good info and some nice pictures too

[masraum]

Yep, I VERY much prefer the '94 TS. Those lights are cool.

What I don't like about the factory slant noses are the slats in the rear vents, the old RSR style vents without the slats are much better, and the front bumpers that many of the factory slants had with the square headlights or driving lights or whatever are horrible. I'm not a big fan of the slant nose rockers either, but I have seen some aftermarket slants, and some of the factory slants that were cool (they were often quite different from car to car). I often don't care for the visuals, but then I'm all for form follows function, so if it is better because of the flat fenders with louvers and the rear vents then I would have to go along.

[ZAMIRZ]

Good info on the ultimate slantnose, the '94 Turbo S, can be found at flachbau.com. I love all the factory slantnose cars just as much as the pontoon fenders, they're really '80s looking and that makes them cool IMHO.

[RickM]

Cliff,

Here are a couple of threads to read if interested in a Flatnose. Also included is a list of items to be aware of....

Anybody know this SC to 930S conversion?

Slant Nose Real/Conversion Qs?

[juanbenae]

it screams 80's.

[Superman]

Here it itty bitty backwater Tenino Washington, there is a rare slantnose. At least I am told it is rare. I think it is an actual factory 930 slantnose. It looks like a Mazda RX-7 on steroids.