Will the 997 be given a bare-metal rotisserie restoration 50 years from now?

[TargaFlorio]

As I was looking at my 41-year-old 911 in my garage I thought about this: Will people restore 997s forty years from now? Could anyone even do it? What kind of tools would one need in order to rebuilt a 997 S engine in one's garage half a decade from now? What about the computer software for the engine electronics? The other day I tried to install a 2-year-old software program: The experience was similar to trying to calibrate a sundial at night. What kind of tools would be required? What about parts availability? Could anyone replicate work by hand that was originally manufactured by robots? How would one go about installing a new interior in a 997? 997 Targa roof?

People restore cars for a variety of reasons: Sentimental, financial or just for pleasure. It makes little financial sense to completely restore a 911SC: The finished product would be worth far less than the cost required to restore the car.
10 years ago a 911RS wasn't even worth restoring, people would just move one and look for a better car. Now 911Ts are given complete restorations.

So, do you think anyone will restore that barn-find 997 fifty years from now? Perhaps only if it's the GT3 RS model? Will it be common to see a 911SC given a bare-metal rotisserie restoration? Will the 993 be the last 911 to be completely restored?

What do you guys think?

n.
_
http://nicolashunziker.com

[DYB]

Interesting question. When considering this my immediate reaction is ... do you think that there will be aqequate gas reserves left then and will they be affordable ??

[Danny_Ocean]

We are living among the last generation of the gasoline-powered automobile. 50 yrs? No.

[TargaFlorio]

Not to get off track but I believe there will always be some kind of 'fuel' available for combustion engine cars. Perhaps fossil-fuels will be obsolete; in Sweden 80% of Ford Focus models now run on alcohol-based fuels and Sweden has pledged to be fossil-fuel free by 2020.


n.
http://nicolashunziker.com

[spuggy]

Ignoring gas issues, the wrench who rebuilt my 930 motor felt that car had already lasted longer than any of the modern electronic-laden cars were likely to be on the road, and with proper care could still be on the road when they were pretty rare.

He said there was some crazy number of stand-alone electronic gizmos in the Cayenne, for example (he was converting the headlights on one as we were talking), and that they'd just get so expensive to maintain as they got older/flakey and the value dropped that they'd become the new 944's...

[450knotOffice]

Yes. Considering state of the art in 50 years, these cars (997's) will be a simple piece of cake. Do not underestimate car enthusiasts - even those 50 years into the future. In 50 years, a 2008 997 Carrera S will be an old classic. Most will be long gone, and those that survive will be cherished and in better than new condition.

[GH85Carrera]

I don't think so. Virtually every car made now days will be a disposable car. My wife's new car has more gizmos, bells and whistles than we know how to use. Where will anyone get a replacement traction control computer after 50 years. Will anyone even remember what bluetooth connectivity is. How about an I-Pod connector? How about the GPS navagitation computer. Right now the guys that bought a 911 with navigation that is based on CDs are out of luck. Porsche does not support that system so they can't upgrade the map after just a few years.

Parts are getting hard to find for my 23 year old Carrera. The fact that no one makes an aftermarket ABS conversion for non ABS cars is part of the complexity of more modern cars. How will any garage mechanic figure out the launch control system of a 2008 GT2? Look at the price of a replacement cruise control computer for a Carrera. That is a pretty simple box compared to the climate control system of a 997 GT2.

[sand_man]

It is an interesting question and I've wondered myself. Perhaps forty or fifty years from now, "back-dating" 996'ers and 7s to long hood specs will be all the rage...

[rvanderpyl]

I would say no, there are going to be to many electronic pieces which will need to be replaced. And they are not compatible between model years, let alone models.

I think one of the reasons you can still restore a 911 is because so many critical components were common for so long that it is worth while for the aftermarket to produce copys, as pointed out, how worthwhile is it going to be to produce a ABS unit that may have been used for one or two years?

[richde]

Originally Posted by rvanderpyl

I would say no, there are going to be to many electronic pieces which will need to be replaced. And they are not compatible between model years, let alone models.

I think one of the reasons you can still restore a 911 is because so many critical components were common for so long that it is worth while for the aftermarket to produce copys, as pointed out, how worthwhile is it going to be to produce a ABS unit that may have been used for one or two years?

Have to agree, the reason people restore the older cars is because it's relatively easy. Those days have been over for a while.

[1982911SCTarga]

Does Porsche build and sell more of the 997s each year than was the case for the '65-'89 911s?

Brian

[Elombard]

I dont think they release the numbers that they build?

[flatsixnut]

A better question would be...why would you?
Even if you could restore one cheaply (dream on), whats to motivate you to want to?
Classic lines?....lmao.

[Neilk]

In 50 years they will probably have some box where you can plug in a functioning "brain" and it will be able to read the code and recreate the brain using software emulation. So you will have all these large Bosch boxes that will be completely empty save for a small computer the size of a matchbox. However, that will be a massive pain, so I envision a lot of 997s converted to Cup style race cars where the electronics are ditched.

[450knotOffice]

Good points about the computers. My guess is some of these systems will simply be disabled. As for why do it? Well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Look at how many old cars out there that many of us consider ugly ducklings are being restored. Plain old common sedans from the 60's that were considered mass transit are now being restored to much better than new condition. To each his own.

[evilfij]

Many porsches sit in a garage and are driven less than 5000 miles a year. There will still be plently of nice 997s on the road many years from now. Whether one is more like a 1969 912 today (nice, but not economically viable to restore) or like a 1972 911S will depend on what the cars that come after it are like. If the 997 is replaced with better (and better looking models) there probably will not be much demand. If regulation kills performance cars, they may well be classics. Certainly anything with a "GT" in the name will be worth saving (compare a 1974 euro carrera to a standard model).

996 I don't think will ever have much of a following. Same with the boxter or the cayman or the cayenne. All great cars, but, like the 944 or 928, no real mass high-end interest.

As far as restoring them, plenty of used parts will be available. Sure, maybe the power seat control computer (or whatever) is NLA, but used ones will be around and there are always work arounds or just omit the unnecessary electronics.

[teenerted1]

will people be restoring them in 40-50 years? YES, todays electronics will seem simple compared to what will be on the roads in the future. we were suposed to be all in aero-cars by now...look how that turned out.

ask your kids what they think is the car they wish they could buy now. project that into the furture.
that is who is buying up all the muscle cars now.

[jwetering]

Many of the current crop of 996/997 owners have kids, and those kids will grow up with fond memories of riding around in dad's "sports" car. 30 years later, a 997 will turn up cheap, they'll have some cash and some spare time (and a a solid understanding of early 21st century engine management systems) and away they'll go. Air cooled 911 will be like Model-T's by then...and as much as I like the tin Lizzy, I wouldn't want one.

This struck me a couple years ago when I moved into a new neighbourhood. My new neighbour, a 40 year old gearhead like me dug my rat rod 911. His ten year old kid was unimpressed. He preferred the newer models. Even a 27 year old co-worker remarked once that the 911 wasn't a "real" Porsche. I tried to explain otherwise (the guy isn't an idiot) but he gave me a look like I was out of touch with the modern world.

Hate to break it to you guys....time moves on, we get old, and eventually we become men stuck in the past while the rest of the world moves on. That isn't abad thing..it's just *quirky*

Of course they'll restore 997 in the future..what else are they going to do?

by the way - check my sig and you'll see I've been to the dark (wet) side...and I can tell you it's not bad...

[Garen]

You may also see people keep the original "classic" 996/997 bodywork, and retrofit whatever the powerplant/engine of the day is. Much like the current trend in updating classic Chevy's etc. with modern running gear.

[Jack Olsen]

Absolutely yes.

All around you, boys and young men are falling in love with a select group of this generation's new cars. When they get old enough, many of them will try to recapture the magic of those early-21st-century 997s (and Vipers and Vettes and BMWs and Mustangs and Minis) in not-so-cost-effective restorations.