What attracted you to 911's ?

[Bob's Flat-Six]

After a couple or recent threads, I had to ask myself what is my attraction to this Porsche 911.

I was in high school in the late 60's and there weren't to many 911's around that I can remember. It was all about American muscle cars in the San Fernando Valley. VW's were real popular, And I had a couple so I guess that was part of my attraction to a 911.
Of course after owning a couple of 911's the car itself become's the attraction with all the feedback it gives you. From the feel of the road, To the sounds it makes and of course the lines of it's shape.
I like the abundance of literature there is on the mark too.

A lot of members of this board though live in areas that I would just imagine are a lot less accepting to this automobile than out here in So. Cal.
And even out here there are still a lot of people that are less than enthusiastic about a 911 I don't really care but it is out there.

Anyway I thought it might be interesting to hear why your here, Especially the guys that are out in the middle of know were or in red neck territory.

[Adam]

I don't know when my interest in 911s was first piqued, perhaps it was the car's fine racing history, but I think repeated viewings of "No Man's Land" when I was still riding a pushbike, helped to cement it.

The simplicity, symmetrical design qualities and pedigree were all just a bonus.

[nostatic]

red neck territory? Like the west side?

learned to drive a dune buggy (based on a '65 vw pan), my first car was a '67 bug, and I lusted after the 911s and 914s that were within eyeshot (my waterpolo coach in HS had a silver teener). But even before that, in my 8th grade JHS annual I wrote on the front page:

"I will own either a Lamborghini Countach, Maserati Bora, or Porsche 911 Turbo."

well, I'm close...

[Bill Douglas]

I liked the looks of them, then I raced one when I was on a motorbike and I thought "Yea, them's mar sorda car".

[techweenie]

Car enthusiast magazines. I learned to drive on a Ford sedan. I figured that since this was my foundation of experience, I'd look for a fun, challenging car to drive by relying on folks who drove hundreds of cars a year. The consensus seemed to be "911".

[1973911s]

The rear end is what gets me everytime.

Just today, my wife said what is it about these cars that you like. I told her it was the rush I get when I drive it.

Wouldn't you rather have a new one, she says? This car is 20 years old.


Michael

[masraum]

I think it must have initially been the looks. I have a Tomica '78 930 (a Japanese Matchbox car) that I bought when I was 8. At that point the only reason that I probably bought it was that I thought it looked cool. I still have that car. When I was in high school I remember reading and rereading Road and track articles about 911's, 911 turbos, and 959's. Then about 4 years ago my income had improved and I was looking to get a new car (new to me, but used). I hadn't even considered a Porsche, I was thinking I'd get an old Chevelle from the late 60's early 70's in good shape, spend a few grand on big 4 wheel disc brakes, spend some more money on some modern suspension bits, and maybe even drop in a crate motor, but while waiting for a flight in LAX I bought a magazine called Excellence with it's yearly Market Report on mid year 911s. Wow, what an amazing find that was, to discover that I could buy a used 911 for somewhere around 15K that would still be in good shape and would probably last quite some time was the discovery of a lifetime. At that point I started reading and my appreciation grew from being based on looks and known performance from Road & Track to also including awe for the engineering and craftsmanship involved. At that point I was hooked, and it's an addiction that I don't think I'll ever break. Nor do I want to.

[TerryH]

Originally posted by 1973911s
The rear end is what gets me everytime.

Michael

Ok, enough about the guys at Chippendales!

Drag racing is all there really was talked about in my HS during the early '70's. It was all about 1/4 mile times and drag strips all over SoCal. Ten years later and all those little strips were gone.

Thirty years later, I'm still running the strip occasionally (not p-car), but now I'm interested in turning too. I hope to track my Porsche occasionally. Truth be told, I'm creepin up on 50 and can finally afford some luxuries. And it is the sexiest car out there!

[Pettybird]

i never liked porsches. dumb cars driven by jerks. playing test drive 2, i never took the 959: it was F40 or i didn't play. after all, i was raised on muscle cars, too.

then uncle bought an '85 like 8 years ago. grew to like 'em real fast. mom bought a 914 that i got to play with. fun, but s-l-o-w. and now broken. grr.

we got the SC a year and a half ago. i love it: it's differently cool than the superbirds. not better, but i may be biased...

seriously it took exposure to like them. i liked the supra/300zx sports cars in high school (class of '94) a lot more. i didn't even like mustangs because they weren't 'cool' like the old cars. now, i have a '93 GT as a daily- that was an exposure thing, too... a buddy let me drive one. of course, ruf cars were cool, but it's hard for a HP junkie to not like a 200mph car.

and i got over the porsches=jerks equation, too. i now realize that they drive vettes instead. wrong all those years... of course, i didn't like vettes then, either.

doug

[GrindingGears]

I was 7 or 8 and my pops put me in the back seat of a gold SC. I remember that fall morning so vividly. He test drove the car (used) and after a spirited drive asked me "Whadda think?", "GET IT, GET IT!" I said, which gave him a good laugh. We drove home in our Alfa Romeo (this was in Europe), no 911 that day.

My 911 obsession was revived when my pops bought a hot looking '72 T my freshman year in h.s. Red, black interior, so sweet. I got to drive it on the weekends (w/pops in the car) at first, then on dates, eventually my senior year I could grab the keys whenever and take it out for a spin. The experience with that car was ideal: I had a different daily driver, my pops was paying the 911 bills, and it was an absolute hoot to drive.

So my dad was the catalyst to the obsession. Every once in a while he'll say "I've created a monster". He's right, I'm a full blown addict.

I just reread you post Bob and to answer your question, it was that first ride in the backseat of a SC that got me. Right then and there.

[Victor]

Age: 8
Place: Autobahn A3 richtung Stuttgart (if memory serves)
Setting: Looking out the back of dad's VW Kombi travelling at 120KM/h

A silver dot appears behind us - grows increasingly larger and almost sucks side sliding door off it's hinges as it overtakes at warp speed. The sight and sound did it for me.

I think it must have been an early Turbo - probably redlining in top gear.

[movin]

The compact size, light weight, handling, style, and that incredible sound! A real pocket rocket. Used to be a good chick pickup car too. What more could you want?

[geof33]

When I was but a wee child, I saw pictures of the classic Martini 935 #1 car. My dad bought me Tamiya's R/C version of that car (also a serious collectable that I am currently restoring, more on that later)

Anyway, this is the image that I thought was "Porsche". As I got older the obsession grew, my dad was into muscle cars... any cars really, so that fed the need. I bought my first VW bug, a 69... Decided that wasn't "the one to have" and decided I needed a "long nose" bug and bought a beat up 62. Rebuilt the engine, did all the body work, slammed it... bla bla bla... The air cooled addiction was in full bloom. Fast forward a few years and I always knew a P-car was in my future. I got a great deal on the one I own now 7 years ago and haven't looked back since...

Now, this whole "back dating...long nose" thing begins again... This time for real!!!

In terms of the R/C car... Think of this, imagine buying your car and in twenty years it's value went up 1000%... These first two 934 and 935 cars from tamiya, in mint condition are fetching anywhere from 1000.00 to 2500.00 on the open market. There is a rare "black" 934 that can go for up to 5000.00. The kit prices of these cars 20 yrs ago averaged around 100.00... It's cool to see all versions of these great cars so desirable!!!

Gratuitous pic:

[Zeke]

My story would be almost like Bob's Flat Six. My first car was a '57 Corvette in '63, every teenager's dream. After some VWs and Corvettes alternately, the Porsche came into view. Their was a friend's 356 Speedster and another with a '67 911. But I didn't have one until 1980. Total now is five, 2 presently as my signature suggests.

Incidently, all the years since about 1966, I have never been w/o a Chevy pickup. There's not much to talk about there. I don't go to Chevy truck forums, the trucks just do their job. I have never driven a Porsche as a daily.

I did take a 911 Targa to AL for a year's stint. There is a decent contingent of Porschephiles in Birmingham and Atlanta, but in between, it's a riot listening to pepole's comments on the car. No question I had the only one in 3 counties.

[on-ramp]

out of all the cars parked at work, mine has the engine in the rear..

isn't it all about being unique?

[Texas Turbo]

I have been obsessed with the 930 since the 80s when my uncle opened my eyes to the wonderful world of Porsches. My father is not a car guy, so I had to look elsewhere for automotive inspiration. My uncle on the other hand could not be a bigger enthusiast if he tired. (he has owned Ferrari's, Lambos, and Porsches for as long as I can remember) One evening in the late eighties he took me down to his garage and showed me his two newest purchases.

I was expecting "another Ferrari 328" or something like that waiting for me to oogle over. When he opened the door I was totally blown away, sitting before me were TWO 930 slant nose Turbos. (one black cabrio and one Guards coupe) The story he tells me is that these were two of the first three slant noses in the country and Car & Driver had the other one for testing. (My uncle was a big talker so I still don't know whether or not to believe him but it makes for a good story so I never bothered to authenticate his claim.) I knew then and there that I was a 930 nut for life and had to have one someday.

[pwd72s]

"What attracted you to 911's ?"

They weren't SS396 Chevelles or GTO's...I'd been there, done that in goat land...then, at age 23 or so, I looked at "sports cars", and Porsche had the one with enough room to fit my 6'3" then skinny frame...the then Shelby small block Ford Cobra didn't...I'm talking REAL Cobra, not the Mustang version. It's pretty amazing, looking back, how "cheap" some pretty damned exotic iron was during the 1960's...I remember a guy who traded a 427 side oiler Cobra in on a then new 1976 Turbo. I mean, he PAID to get the Turbo 911! Knowing that helps me retain what's left of my sanity today...

[Randy Webb]

I moved froma Pontiac GTO to a BMW 2002 which was far superior. Then came a long line of Japanese sports cars. I thought I might as well try a 911 since I'd heard so much about them so I sold my RX-7 and got a '75 911 in super shape with Webers. It sounded great and nothing else has that handling feel. So now it's a light wt. hotrodded '73.... with afun Boxster S lease during the tech bubble.

[Gordo2]

I have always loved the unique style. I was a late '60s early 70's muscle car fanatic as a teen, but had a soft spot for the 911.

Later as I began to work on cars and respect them from an engineering stanpoint, early and mid year 911's again stood out as unique, well built sports cars. When I bought mine I was looking for a project, initially looking at early Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes and so forth. I thought a 911 would be out of my price range and too costly and complex to take on as a project. After lots of frustration of looking at either ragged out, or already rebuilt muscle cars, I turned my attention to 911s. Found this board, and turned my focus to finding my project. Its been a great vehicle with better support and collective group of fanatics, (thanks to this board) than any other car I could have hoped for.

Gordo

[stealthn]

I saw my first one when I was 12, it was bra less and I couldn't believe how much the headlights still lifted and separated.

I was hooked