a/c has saved me many a time from foggy windows, it is not just about summer driving. It's about cloudy, rainy, humid day driving as well. I sometimes mix a/c with a little heat to be comfortable and dry up the cabin. SmileWavy

Bill

give it 2 shots - if you are used to 'modern' trannies the G-50 will feel superior initially

the G50 system adds substantial wt. to the car

the 965 looks like a blob-mobile to me but does have superior comfort

any car will need lots of long term maintenance - search those terms to see what to look thru the service history for

BTW - what is your intent with the car? Will you keep it mostly stock or turn it into a hot rod or what?

you must also get a PPI from a Porsche expert mechanic - not just an expert on all cars

Going to keep it mostly stock but open to RoW and typical upgrades such as SSIs or hi comp pistons if a full rebuild were ever required. The car is meant to be a driver. There are cheaper drivers out there that are probably a whole lot more practical (E36 M3...) but I'm interested in these cars because they are:
-beautiful
-practical to some extent
-a package that holds together and rewards careful driving, don't require 10/10ths to enjoy and make every drive an occasion.
-a reasonable store of value. not planning on retiring off Carrera or SC appreciation, am planning on a few thousand bucks a year in maintenance but also don't see the sale price of these cars going down any time soon if ever. I suppose I should have phrased that "a reasonable indulgence".

Was the Carrera script a factory option on SCs? Is this typically painted on?
I'm guessing all ducktails on SCs were aftermarket?

Is it wrong to like this look: http://media.photobucket.com/image/recent/jannekii/SC2007/1.jpg

nothing wrong with that look IMO

A lot of folks, including myself, like to replicate the look of the '74 Carrera's with our SC's

http://i906.photobucket.com/albums/a...er/desert1.jpg

either one; early 3.2 favored due to fewer Et-OH issues and ability to do cheap upgrades + more power

No.

No, it's a decal.

Correct. The rear spoiler on an SC was one of three different types, all of which are considered "whale tails', depending upon the year and market. Ducktails were used in 1973 and 1974.

JR

Ducks are more than eye candy...they work, and start working at normal driving speeds...you need to have the front rubber lip spoiler too tho for balance.
DT's are a favorite on early and up to 89 cars. Whales only look correct on Turbo's to me altho the factory put them on non T's too.

Good to know. Is there more than one mfgr of carbon ducks? Do they typically paint well? I do love the look but honestly can't stand the look of the whale tail and find it to be a physically unsatisfying object of its own right.

It's all good news for us!

http://photos.classicandperformancec..._552850_13.jpg

Most are fiberglass (the originals were fiberglass on a metal frame)...lots out there, do a search here....very wide cost spread too depending upon your choice.
Fiberglass paints well if you let it 'cure'. I have a new duck on my 911SC now painted rattle can flat black until it cures for awhile...you don't want resins bleeding thru or shrinking in places while they surface.[IMG]http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/c...psb785f632.jpg[/IMG]

SC 3.0 here and very happy with it. A important upgrade for me was throwing the trombone cooler to the side and installing a quality oil cooler in its place.

Saying that if heat can be a problem where you are and where you may drive to, look for one with a cooler already installed SmileWavy

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1357185126.jpg


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1357185158.jpg

What is the cost of removing a whale tail?

Replace the entire decklid or repaint as req?

Can one typically recoup costs by selling the tail?

EDIT: should have searched. Here's a good summary for anyone else wondering: http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/468203-possible-remove-whale-tail.html

Did you like the second Carrera you drove?

By the way, that whale tail contributed a huge amount toward canceling the prodigious lift created by the shape of the 911, while also reducing total drag - interestingly enough. Porsche created the spoilers in the early 70's in response to racers complaining about the very marginal high speed behaviour at and above 100 mph. The tails were not created for aesthetic reasons. The tail HAD to be used in concert with the front lip spoiler, however.

It was put off til the weekend... I'll report back. May be driving another SC this weekend as well.

Interesting you said 964s seemed too pricey. I just bought an 89 Carrera after a few months of research. The 964s definitely seemed to be less expensive than the G50 cars and maybe priced about the same as similar condition SCs I found. I know I have read here and there some Porsche people saying a 964 may be the best bang for your Porsche buck right now.

Maybe prices vary quite a bot on these in different parts of the country.

That is not incorrect but the problem is that it seems ALL 964s have either had or need a top end rebuild, along with a few other common fixes. In addition a number of them seem to need hydraulic parts (C4s) and a/c parts over the years. So to get a car that I'm comfortable with, I'm seeing prices in the 22k range minimum up to 26k. I sometimes see 964s that have made it to ~100k miles w/o a rebuild and those can be affordable but I don't see any prudent way to approach this except to presume they will need significant work during my ownership. I say significant because I understand that all older performance cars need something every year. I could be wrong but it seems the earlier cars are a safer bet at my budget and there is very little I can't or won't want to fix myself if I get severe sticker shock from estimated labor bills @ $120/h.

After owning a 964, it would be tough (for me) to go back.
Did you test a C2?
The nice ones have already hit the bottom of the depreciation curve. They are on the way upward. Quickly, I predict. It is already happening (quickly) in Europe.
ppi is your best friend, regardless of model.