911SC - My 1st 6-Months of Ownership

[ikarcuaso]

Like many here, I've always loved air-cooled 911s, and I finally decided to pull the trigger on my dream car earlier this year. I bought my 1982 911SC Targa back in February. This was taken on day one - the day I brought it home. My co-pilot was particularly excited.



Look at those wheel gaps! I think the PO used to go off-roading with that thing! I couldn't handle that look. I immediately washed it, and dropped it.



Well, the look was much better, but after driving it for awhile, something wasn't quite right. Although I lurked here for awhile prior to diving in, and I did do some pre-buy homework, I made a somewhat impulsive buy, without a PPI. And yes, I paid for it. I won't go into details. Lets just say, five broken head studs and worn 1st and 3rd gear syncros (to name a few things).

After getting over that punch-in-the-gut, I decided to go ahead and sort the car out, enjoy it, and learn from my indiscretion (i.e. stupidity). I still have no regrets about buying a 911. When I'm behind the wheel, it's not the $$$ I think about. Of course, the thought of what I could have purchased for the car with that money stings a bit. But no doubt, I'll be buying that stuff anyway. It will just take a little longer.

Another thing - because these Targa tops are not very durable long-term, are very noisy on the highway, and maybe not as clean looking overall as a coupe, I did experience some coupe-envy in my first couple months after my purchase. But man, that all changed once the Bay Area rains stopped and the sun came out for good (or at least the next six or seven months straight). I absolutely love driving around w/o the top on a warm, sunny day!





I've been thinking a lot lately about suspension upgrades. Maybe a winter project. But for now, I've spent enough for my first six months, and I'm just enjoying the car. I did lose the turbo tail, upgrade to a Carrera oil cooler, get turbo tie rods, and get H4 lights, but I swear, that's it for this year!!!

Did I mention I put some 1" adapters from our host in the rear (man, coulda been 9s back there, if only I had...).



For their expertise and efforts in getting my car sorted, a special thanks to:
- Jimmy Deering
- Tom Amon
- Brandon Kraus

Anyway, that's my humble story. I'll be sure to be better prepared when I buy my 993 in a few years, and Cayman a few years after that. Thanks for looking.

[WPOZZZ]

WOW! That paint looks alot better now.

[MichiganMat]

Welcome dude, nice ride. Save up some cash and put a duck-tail on it and it'll clean up real nice.

[lechefxxx]

Great job and welcome to the family.I bought my 77 911s on my 29th b-day.A goal I had since I was a teenager.The process of dialing in to my taste has been much like your own.A little painful($$$)but.worth it in my eyes..although my wife does not agree.So far I have done;the motor,tranny,suspension,seats,oil cooler+too many upgrades too list.I'm just about to finish it with fresh paint.It will be sweet satisfaction when it's done for sure!I enjoyed the pics Chef

[livi]

Havn´t you posted that first pic once before ? I seem to remember it since I have this sick preference for the Paris-Dakar style. I am probably all alone on this 39k members forum with a taste for some space under the wheel arches. To me it looks so much more authentic and classic with an vintage Porsche.

If that means I will get banned - I´ll deny it..

[ikarcuaso]

Thanks for the feedback.

Originally posted by livi
Havn't you posted that first pic once before ? I seem to remember it since I have this sick preference for the Paris-Dakar style...

LOL, yes, in this thread. Sorry to disappoint with the lowering, but I took your advice and didn't tint.

[livi]

Hey! What do you know! I don´t have such bad memory after all. I am so pleased!

Actually, I do think the lower stance looks better on your car.

[Zef]

Nice job on the paint...Just put back a Carrera whale tail...A real classic...Congrats.

[azasadny]

Very nice car! Welcome aboard and congratulations!

[nesslar]

Nice!
What am I seeing in the passenger window? Is it real? Is it a dog? An orangutan?
Seriously, it isn't just a vision, is it?
Have fun, and let us know of your continued "non-spending."

Thought I had better edit my post...
I see your kid in the first picture, but am I just seeing something that doesn't really exist in the last picture? I really am not being anything but curious, I assure you. You see what I'm seeing?

[kach22i]

Did you get a full engine and tranny rebuild?

Did you do it yourself?

Looks great, the look on your kids face is priceless.

[JP911]

Time to get together will your fellow Bay Area Pelicans for a drive, AX, track day, group repair, beer, etc. Next time you need help with repairs/mods look us up!

[ikarcuaso]

Thanks again for the kind words.

nesslar, I haven't spent anything on the car since the original post. Regarding the last pic, not sure what you mean. Can you help me out?

kach22i, I had a top-end rebuild w/new head studs and a tranny rebuild. Unfortunately, lack of time prevented me from tackling these myself. I would have loved to.

JP911, I'd love to hook up. I've posted on the BAP site a few times. Suspension is next, and I can definitely use some local input. That Oyster Run still happening?

[nesslar]

ikarcuaso!
Thanks for the spending update!
If you look at the middle of the passenger side window in the last picture of your car you'll see a "face" of some kind. Very odd. You don't see it?

[look 171]

No face, but I see it blowing out a bunch of white smoke by the water.

[vash]

hey, i know that pacifica location.

love that car! it looks fantastic. you gotta make sure to join our next "oyster" run. sometime in sept, i think.

[brett25]

ikarcuaso. Beautiful car. hey everybody gets something along the way. In my case it was a tranny rebuild after 2 months of purchase. but my car has been reliable ever since (2 years now) every repair is a great time to UPGRADE! and basically make the car even better. your car will be around for a while so forget any regrets and ENJOY! you have a 911!

[kwm]

Nice story and car. It reminds me much of my impulse no PPI purchase of my black on black 83SC. I did fair far better than you on the needed repairs, so far anyway. I did a no PPI purchase for a few rather unfounded reasons. 1) I was sick of getting beat to the punch by other buyers. I lost out on 1 SC and 1 Carerra that actually still have left a bad taste in my mouth to this day. 2) I felt like I knew enough from reading the books and being on here (dont let my signature sign on date fool you I lurked on here for almost 2 years first). In a way I got lucky in my no luck except a little luck within bad luck life. My purchase caught on fire on the way home from work on my 4th day of ownership and 1st day of daily driving. It was saved from being a burnt out shell and the insurance paid for all the needed electrical repairs and fire damage. So 2 months after I got it back from the shop and spiffy new looking and deatailed a few other needed things where to follow; rebulit brake calipers, pads, short shift kit, vavle adj., and a MSD ignition system and she is doing pretty good. I too really need suspension work so please post a thread once you get started on your suspension project.

[ikarcuaso]

nesslar, kind of a Shroud of Turin thing, huh? Maybe, it's Ferry himself looking over me.

look 171, LOL! I never noticed that. Looks like a cold start before the rebuild!

vash, yep, Rockaway Beach. Taken during that brutal heatwave we had a few weeks back (it was beautiful over there that day). Oyster Run sounds fun! I'll check the BAP site for details.

brett25 and kwm, thanks for the complements and for sharing. When I first realized I screwed up, I was kind of embarassed and didn't want to post about it here. Now, it's like "whatever, it happened, just learn from it, and enjoy the $%#@! car!!!" And I am!

[kwm]

I am right there with you ikarcuaso. I mean hell I could have bought a 986 but that would have given me nothing to work on and I would not have a big band aid on my finger right now from screwing around with the car this weekend. Obviously to us a car is more than transport form A to B so logic really kind of flys out the window anyway. I don't want to bite off of what you have done here but I may want to post a little first 8 months of ownership thing too.