Sometimes they just follow you home.

[Matt Monson]

Just brought home an '85 Carrera. It's a bit rough, but it's got a known history and is mechanically very sound. Gonna refurbish a bit and give it to my father to enjoy in his retirement.

[1982911SCTarga]

Awesome gesture on your part. The car looks great!

Brian

[RWebb]

plans for the trans.?

[chaw704352]

Luke. I am your father.

You are a good son.

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by RWebb

plans for the trans.?

Maybe throw in an LSD, but otherwise nothing. The car got the gearbox rebuilt a couple of years ago when I worked at Carquip. It's had less than 10K mi put on it since they did the work.

As for the gesture? Dad's been good to me. In addition to the gift of this wonderful thing we call life, he put me through school and bought me my first car. The least I can do is give a little bit back.

[springerman55]

Matt, that is awesome! I wish my dad was still around to do something like that. He has been gone for almost 23 years now. As an alternative, I am hoping to keep my '83 911SC and '66 Chevy II Nova long enough to pass one of them along to my daughter and the pass the other along to my son. I always thought that it would be waaay cool to have a car that your father owned, drove and was so fond of. The hard part will be deciding which one gets which car.

[mikeferg75]

If you were really a good son, you would give him yours JK, way to go Jr.

[group911@aol.co]

Matt
Did you pick it up from Phil?

[Targa Me]

You're a good kid.

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by group911@aol.co

Matt
Did you pick it up from Phil?

Nope. Got it from a friend up here who was in a financial pinch.

Originally Posted by mikeferg75

If you were really a good son, you would give him yours JK, way to go Jr.

The thought actually crossed my mind. Rough suits me better than it does him. I could rat rod and track out this red one pretty easily. The problem is the yellow of the '86 has really gotten under my skin. It's such an awesome color (thanks Bob) and unique enough that I've gotten very attached in a very short period of time.

[jaybird840]

Trans-generational cars are very special. My grandfather left me a '68 vette with 32k on the clock. It's pristine, but means as much to me because it meant so much to him. I plan to leave my 914/6 to my daughter when I depart.....

[Matt Monson]

Guys,
I need a little help here, if you can. I've been told the seats in this car are factory sport seats from a '98 993. Can annoy confirm that or tell me what they really are? They are both power, with fabric centers. I've got to get rid of them because they are too tall and both myself and my father hit our head up this high. Any idea of what they are worth?

[group911@aol.co]

Look like RS America seats but I can't remember if they would have been power. Nice but I'm not sure most other ones are going to lower it much.
Give me a call. I have some black with red piping sport seats I might want to trade.

[Roby466]

I was reading on another thread that the mechanical sports seats are lower than the electrical ones. A guy wanted to go from mechanical to electrical and the advice was to make sure that a higher seat did not matter to him as the electrical one was higher. I haven't verified this statement though.
Very nice car and nice gesture!!

[Grady Clay]

Matt,

I can tell you first hand that your dad will probably like stock seats with leather bolsters and fabric centers. You can ‘tie down’ the seat springs to lower the center of the seat. This gains headroom and makes the seat somewhat ‘firmer’ while enhancing the bolsters slightly (somewhat like a Sport Seat).

The leather bolster lets you slide in and out easier while the cloth ‘breathes’.


I built my dad a new(er) Porsche in 1976.
He had a Factory Delivered ’66 912 sunroof coupe.
After a decade of KY moisture, rust had taken its toll.
Chuck Stodd*rd found me a ’67 912 soft-window Targa with 1500 miles (literal barn find with damaged right door and latch post). I think it was $2500.
I rebuilt it as a 4-cylinder ‘67S.
Velour, leather, late seat belts, 6x15 Fuchs, XWX, gas heater, 100W H1s, LWB front suspension, mild sway & torsion bars, transmission updates, 1750cc with European heaters and a large VW alternator.
It survived more than a decade and we gave it to Chuck when my dad quit regular driving.
Dad was 97 last week and is in good health and mind.
We still scheme up fun Porsches.


Best,
Grady

[QldChef]

You are a great son, i'm sure your dad will appreciate the gift greatly. I always wanted to have my car before my Dad passed so that we could share it together. Unfortunately I never got the chance Cherish your time together

[500_19B]

You are a great son!

The 1985's had uniquely-high seats. It was the first year of new seat generation. In 1986 the seat mounts were lowered. I have an '85 and that is one "mistake" I made buying the car. I thought all 911s would have the same headroom issue. As it is, I've had to fiddle with things (like adding a smaller-diameter deep-dish steering wheel) to get myself to fit!

[Matt Monson]

Thanks to everyone for the guidance. Bob, I'll see if I can find the time to get in touch this weekend. I've got a month or so until I need to "deliver" the car, and have a yard full of leaves that must get raked before it snows.

I personally own an '86 and that extra 30mm lower is enough for me. I bang a bit with a helmet, but that's the cost of safety. I am sure that factory manual seats from an SC or Carrera are lower than the power ones. Just based on feel, I think these later seats are even higher again than other Carreras I've driven with factory power seats from the period.

The plan was to get an aftermarket "sport" seat that mounts lower. But maybe Bob's black with red piping will drop it enough...

[Canada Kev]

I wish I could do that for my dad. (Un?)fortunately he wouldn't know what to do with a 911 and would much prefer an old Landcruiser. Nothing wrong with that, though. My mom's the 911 nut...

Yeah, the RSA seats are powered. I was under the impression that all the seats from (the later) Carreras were the same as the 964 - structurally, that is, not whether it's the sport or comfort variety.

[hbkramer]

I use the same RS 993 sport seats in a 79 Sc .i am 6"1 with no head banging (in the car).I dont recall if they were higher than the stock seats.
But(t)These really do keep you planted in the corners,unlike std. Sc or carrera buckets.
In any event ,if these are in good repair, they will easily bring $1K for buying what ever you prefer.
I bought my dad a 125 cc enduro for playing in the desert after he retired, and took him fishing down in the Keys (something he always talked about)before he died.Do these things for your folks when you can ,and while they can enjoy em..It's the right thing to do.