Onslaught of Ricer competition escalates each year

[movin]

Every passing year the new ricer models just get more HP! 2005 is no exception, just look at the Honda CL Acura, 300HP! And I was thinking about selling the '87 to get a nice 993 with only 280HP, how humiliating that would be, to be blown off by a teenager in daddy's car. Continuing to own an older P car doesn't seem worth it anymore. They seem so crude and unrefined in comparison. Am I living a dream 20 years too late?

[7of911]

The wifey bugs me cuz her Volvo S40 makes the same hp as my 76 2.7L = 165hp. This outta a 1.9L turbo! Would you catch me driving it to work instead of the 911 in the summer? I don't think so. Too much in love with the look, the feel, the sound and that wonderful 'Porsche funk' of oil and gas stank!

If I have a hankering to drive an Acura RSX or something, I'll fire up Need For Speed: Underground.

--Ian

[89911]

If your looking for Redlight drags, Yes. If your looking to flog around a track all weekend and then drive it home, wash it and drive it the rest of week to work for years to come, No.

[nostatic]

If you have to ask, then yes, you should sell your p-car.

[1980 911 sc]

I agree there are a million cars out there with more horsepower than my 80 SC..... my power to weght ratio is what 15lbs/HP??? I have only had the car a year and it has always been a dream of mine (lol a <$15,000 dream isnt a big dream is it?) and I love every second of it...

yeah I dream of owning a late model with a 3.6 , then I realize its 300HP is in a 3300 LB car....and smile as I go back to polishing my Fuch wheels.

I will say this, our cars were special 25+ years ago because they were light. This allowed for great handling and speed, etc. as well as a hell of a thrill. Today all we have is that thrill. Lots of cars today are faster on the 1/4 mile and as the major producers start to figure out what we have seen for 25 years, these small cars will handle better too.

Even though I know little about hot rodding my P-car, and beleive me I will learn, but I will always have a spot in the parking lot for a rodder, even if it is a ricer.

Bottom line I have alot less respect for someone who buys a fast car than someone who pours thier soul into rodding thier car. Even though I jealously drool over their HP, I will prolly keep my car for the rest of my life, but I may sweeten the SC up a bit, after all someone has to show those lil punks!

[1982911sc]

I took a co-worker of mine for a ride today at lunch, he owns a late 90's Accord coupe with a 5 speed, lowered suspension, ricered out etc. Anyway, after I got the 911 warmed up we went out onto to the expressway and I opened her up. He could not believe it!!, he is a major car guy who used to work at Autoweek, he predicted that my car was easily into the 5 second 0-60's and was in awe the entire ride (I won't even tell you how fast we got going for sake of an onslaught of...save it for the track type responses), but he said his car wouldn't even hold a candle to my 911. He just said, this is what a real sports car is all about, the noise, the feeling, feeling connected....Just a thought...F the new rice cars...it is all about the experience, not many ever get to experience an older or vintage 911, and as these cars become more rare, less and less will!

[masraum]

They seem so crude and unrefined in comparison.

crude and unrefined, kind of, but not really, maybe "brutally refined", but that's 70% of their charm.

this is what a real sports car is all about, the noise, the feeling, feeling connected

Exactly. Besides, our cars still aren't that slow by even todays standards. Yes, there may be lots of cars out there that have more hp, but they also weigh 600-1200 lbs more than our cars, or even more in some cases. The 3.2L cars were tested at anywhere from 5.2 - 6.1 secs in 0-60 back when they were new in the magazines. They're probably honest mid to high 5 sec cars if you are willing to hammer them to get that. There aren't that many cars today that are actually cracking those times until you get above $50K. SC's aren't that much slower. I think the difference in application of power with our engines lulls many of the guys that grew up on Detroit iron into thinking that the cars are slow because they don't have that kick in the gut punch from 1000 rpm. These cars are fast, and with some work can be made faster, with some weight loss I think they can pretty easily be in the mid to low 5's and with an engine swap and/or serious weight loss they can be into the 4s. Not only that, but they have far superior traction to most cars today and much better grip.

I think Nostatic may be right.

[RoninLB]

Originally posted by 1982911sc
I..Just a thought...F the new rice cars...

their cam torque curve is for street driving.. their spoilers are bs..
and try personalizing a ricer. Actually the only other car I might consider is the no-luxury-bs Tuscon TVR.
PS: FWIW I grew up street racing big blocks.

[geof33]

Go drive an NSX then drive your P-car... Simply no comparison... Same goes for the new Z-car...

[nostatic]

taking the car on the track was the eye opener. Tyson hammered the snot out of my stock car, then I fumbled my way through a couple of sessions. Pretty much near redline for each 30 minute session, and slogging around corners as fast as I would dare. Never a hiccup. Then I drove the 1.5 hours home on the freeway. And the car seemed even happier.

There was a Focus SVT in our group, as well as a G35. They held their own, going as fast as me (that is more a function of me being slow), but dollars to donuts they would never be able to do it on a regular basis, and forget about trying to do it when the cars are 25 years old.

And when push comes to shove, the other cars are just cars...not time machines.

[Ed Bighi]

Good thing you mentioned NSX. Because, like 911s, they seem to do a lot without all the hp in the world. Besides, their engine is in the right part of the car. As for all the hp in the ricers, it's either at the cost of torque or they have boost. Boost yours or get a 930 and see what happens. I have a friend who grabbed a 930 and go ask him if he will ever again drive his souped up Supra. Ask my sister if she will ever sell her Carrera 3.2 to drive her previous car which was an RX7TT. Besides, those ricers need all their hp. I pass them all easily at the track. In fact, not much passes me without at least 400hp on tap. Unless it is, you guessed it, a 911. And if that 400 is in a sedan, forget it. Sure, I have bigger torsion bars and $40 carrera sway bars from a junkyard, along with a couple of hundred pounds of weight removal. But I have the same success even with fat guys riding in the car. I would only trade my car for something that can also last for ten years of track without a single rebuild. That would be another 911 of air cooled variety. Bottom line is that 200hp goes a long way in a 911. And the 400 in another friend's 993RSR 3.8, is good enough to embarass full race Vipers with 200 more. Efficient use of hp is the 911's essence. But if you aren't sure, I can't help you.

movin

Maybe it's time for a 993 285hp engine in the 87?

Unlike others I can understand you. I sometimes have problems with taxi's being fast off the line. So what if I can beat the taxi on a race track? On the street I get my ass whipped by a DIESEL Mercedes twice the weight of my 911

[Jack Olsen]

Originally posted by movin
They seem so crude and unrefined in comparison. Am I living a dream 20 years too late?

Not to brag, but...

Even 32 years "too late," they can still ruffle the feathers of performance cars with twice (or three times) their power.

[jgporsche]

I've never seen ricers flash their lights or wave at each other like most Porsche People. Heck, most Porsche people I've met are like distant family not strangers.

[K. Roman]

Originally posted by JackOlsen
Not to brag, but...

Even 32 years "too late," they can still ruffle the feathers of performance cars with twice (or three times) their power.



That brings a proud tear to mine eyes.

[Eric Mckenna]

" Continuing to own an older P car doesn't seem worth it anymore. They seem so crude and unrefined in comparison."


After hearing you say this.. I think you have lost the true meaning of what it MEANS to drive a true pure drivers car like a 911. Most of us don't own these cars because of a HP rating.. it's about what the car gives back to us when you are out driving it..
I find more pleasure in driving my 180hp 78SC more than any NEW car.... you have lost the true meaning my friend.. ..... HP is not always the answer..
but to each his own..



Eric

[Bob's Flat-Six]

I had a nice experience just this morning in my 25 year old fairly stock SC.
Theres a quiet mountain pass right near my house that I like to run. I make a pass down it to see if it's clear then flip around and race back up in 2nd gear.
Today as I was turning around a road bike ( not sure of the make) came up on me. You know the type, Big back tire, made for speed.The rider wearing full leathers laying it WAY over in the turns.
Well I let him go by because I didn't want to hold him up and then took off like I normally do

I was sure this bike would walk away from me. Well it DIDN'T.

I had to wonder what he was thinking when he couldn't shake off this old 911

[svandamme]

tell those ricers to turn of power braking, steering , abs, traction control and all the other driver aids... tell em to try to follow the leader in a nice and bendy road... ( don't forget to call the morgue, tell em there's incoming )

[david914]

Originally posted by movin
Continuing to own an older P car doesn't seem worth it anymore. They seem so crude and unrefined in comparison.

I suppose you don't believe in Santa Claus anymore either?

Seriously, what you need is to find a nice long twisty road and go for a spirited drive. Then go try the same thing in your "more refined" car of choice. That should bring you back to your senses!

[aigel]

You are comparing a supercar of 3 decades ago to a low priced modern sports car. Not a fair comparison.

You either have to compare the supercar of the past to the other supercars or sports cars of the past or you have to compare the new cheap sports car to what Porsche puts out these days. None of the cars you list could hold up with the GT3 or any of the more recent TT cars.

George