Parts Compatability

[ArcticOne]

Greetings

Now that I have the Porsche I am looking at aquiring various bits and pieces for it. I don't upgrade my cars as I prefer them to be mostly original. And generally I prefer the OEM or original parts as compared to reproduction items.

My question is in regard to compatability or interchanging parts between different models and years. As a simple example is the cigarette lighter from a 1980 911 the same as for the other Porsche models of the same era?

I have a 1980 911SC and was wondering if there is a website or manual or something that I could go to and find out. Also, is there a parts book or manual available for our cars?

I do like to peruse the ads, eBay and swap meets and pick up spares once in a while. Its nice to have various bits and pieces around the house for those 'just in case' moments in time and space.

I realize that I am in to a different breed of vehicle, but one reason that I love my vintage GT6 is that the old British cars shared a number of common parts and even used the same part number regardless of vehicle manufacturer.

Thanks in advance.

John B

[RWebb]

for the nitty gritty you'll need to get a copy of the PET parts catalog form Porsche's web site; download it and compare different years

in general, there is a large amt. of parts interchangeability, but if you want to keep the car "stock" then you cannot upgrade it with newer part no.s

[Por_sha911]

You can search for the part for your year car (new) with our host. The listing will show what years besides yours use the same part number.

[ArcticOne]

Thanks for the info - very much helpful.

Glad to see that Porsche does have a classics section of their website.

Now the fun begins as I get to look for parts instead of looking for cars.

jb

[Grady Clay]

John,
Welcome to The Forum.
You are now in ‘compatibility heaven’ with a 911.

One of the most fun ‘arts’ of owning a 911 is the incredible ability to ‘mix-‘n-match’ parts from various years (and sometimes models) of Porsche. You will find that a large part of this Forum is exactly about this.

Porsche designed and built your 911SC to the engineering standards of the day. There were also large influences of government regulations and the automobile sales ‘market’. That said, they built a great car that complied and sold in reasonable numbers.

Time marches on. Technology changes. With 20:20 hindsight, you can pick & choose among later components that are improvements. There are also many ‘back-dates’ that un-do some of the regulatory accommodations or simplify the car. There are even a few ‘stupid’ things that Porsche did that you can ‘fix’.

Best of all – you can make it your 911, exactly how you want it for your intended purpose. This Forum is very useful helping you find that situation – and not going ‘overboard’ in the wrong direction.

I recommend you get copies of all three editions of Bruce Anderson’s Porsche 911 Performance Handbook 1963-1998. The 3rd Ed. is available from our host. The first two are usually available used on Amazon. (The editor/publisher removed material to add more in each edition.)

Other are the two books by our host; ‘101’ and the 'engine book’.

If you were to buy the ‘one best source’ of Porsche information, get Ludvigsen, Karl E.; “Porsche: Excellence Was Expected: The Comprehensive History of the Company, its Cars and its Racing Heritage”; 3rd Ed. 2003, Bentley, Cambridge, MA.
Porsche New & Recent Titles Books or our host.

Best,
Grady

PS: I’m ‘just down the road’ from you in Denver.
I once drove my 911 Denver-to-Edmonton in 14 hours.
I recall the RCMP officer’s ‘saucer’ eyes as I passed opposite.
G.