73T - First Drive in a year after refurb with 2.7RS power

Highfield · 11-16-2009, 10:16 AM

Well it finally happened, I picked the car up from Tuthills on Friday 13th November and drove it home in pouring rain :-(

However, even on this slow paced and dark night drive of just 25 miles, I can feel the car is just so much better than when I last drove it a year ago plus in September 2008.

I have replaced and upgraded most of the suspension and brakes, and had a 1975 2.7 Euro 210bhp Carrera engine and gearbox swapped in, so you would expect it to be different :-)

I did then get to give it a dry run on Sunday, but had my wife with me so nothing too fast. The suspension works a dream, and soaks up the bumps and potholes of UK minor roads a real treat - a total transformation.

The Carrera engine is much more torquey than I had imagined, with a good spread of power and torque across the revs in all gears - the overtaking torque in fourth gear from say 60mph is great. I am no expert, but the car is now a really tight and pleasent drive, with the only disappointing thing being the engine sounds just like my 2.4T on webers - I have a new standard Dansk exhaust so that probably expalins it.

Overall I am delighted, and whilst I still have lots of little things I would like to do to the car, as these things are never finished, I can almost feel the itch for a new project :-)

As an aside, I have also sold the 1975 Euro Carrera chassis (the engine is in my 73T) to someone that is going to restore it, so that is also good news.

I need to get out and bed in the brakes properly, and get to know the handling, so will look to do a track day in early 2010 - before then it will go to Bob Watson for a good MFI setup and dyno report run.

I really need an expert to drive the car to give constructive feedback, as I have never driven an RS or similar so cannot really compare the car to another, but I like it very much.

Ian

kilodawg · kilodawg's Garage

So let me get this straight. You took a complete '75 Euro Carrera and removed the engine from it to install into a '73T chassis and then sold the euro Carrera chassis?

I can't wait to read what people have to say about this.....

nameisbauer · nameisbauer's Garage

Everything there is Euro, he is in Europe.

kilodawg · kilodawg's Garage

He said Euro Carrera with the 911/83 motor (I assume). There is Euro and then there is Euro....

soren.911 · soren.911's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by kilodawg

So let me get this straight. You took a complete '75 Euro Carrera and removed the engine from it to install into a '73T chassis and then sold the euro Carrera chassis?

I can't wait to read what people have to say about this.....

Me too..

Walter_Middie · Walter_Middie's Garage

Quote:

I can't wait to read what people have to say about this.....

He bought a rusty targa and took the engine out. While we would all like to save cars like this, I know my budget doesn't allow me to purchase every sad car that deserves saving. He bought it, he owns it, he can do whatever he wants with it. I think he created a really well done hot rod. Kudos for not sticking a 3.0 in there like everyone else does.

Highfield · 11-16-2009, 12:59 PM

I should have pointed you at lots of posts on here and the DDK Forum under my username, where I have the full story.

As Rex says, a rusty 1975 Euro Carrera Targa with the sought after engine.

Car is just great, and someone is going to try to save the Targa body, but it was not econimically viable for me with trade labor rates.

Ian

kilodawg · kilodawg's Garage

Interesting I haven't seen the other posts. I'll check them out. I just don't think I could have let the body go. Sounds like the body would be worth more just to have along with the engine than you could have gotten for the body on it's own.

Highfield · 11-16-2009, 02:21 PM

Interestingly the posts and the debate were the basis for Keith Seume's Carte Blanche article in this month's 911 Porsche World magazine :-)

Ian

kilodawg · kilodawg's Garage

I went to DDK and read some of the thread in question. While I would have chosen a different route I can understand why you took the path you did.

Just out of curiosity, was the only place you sought counsel on your dilemma the internet forums or did you seek professional expert opinion as well. Not trying to imply that you would have gone a different route but I did read a lot of flippant responses from "experts" who seemed impressed with their own forum credentials....One of the hazards of the computer age as I see it....

Reading the thread I couldn't help thinking of the time I passed on a 289 AC Cobra for $15,000 or a '73 Carrera RS for $25,000. Tough decisions....

Enjoy your ride.....

Scott at Pelican Parts · Scott at Pelican Parts's Garage

Congratulations Ian for getting the car back on the road!

Rich Lambert · Rich Lambert's Garage

Alright Ian!

I remember the first drive in the '66 after working on it for 14 months (literally, the first time I drove it) and there's nothing like having a project you've spent so much time on come together.

Enjoy your ride!

I'm going to pick up the new 911 & Porsche World tomorrow...I need some reading material for the plane trip to Maui on Thursday.

Highfield · 11-16-2009, 11:15 PM

Kilodawg

I used the Forums but also had conversations with 'real people' so to speak - in the pub and at Tuthills workshops.

Tuthills were clear that for me to restore the car was uneconomic - not perhaps impossible for a skilled body worker, but their labour would have been free.

The car I have now is great, and whilst I would have liked to restore the Targa, it wasn't to be, and the story would have been very different if it was a Coupe.

Ian