What's considered an 'early model' 911?

[autobonrun]

At the store today, a gentlemen saw my SC and stated he was in the market for a 911 also. He saw an ad for an "early model" 911 without giving the year. He asked me what was considered to be an early model. Is that considered to be pre-74, pre-78 or something else? I should have known how to answer but had never thought about it. Which brings up another question. Are 90's up to the entry of the 996 considered late model, with the 996 described as new? If so, does that mean 78 up to like 89 is middle aged? Looking for something of a consensus here on how the various model years are described?

[pjv911]

65-73 are early models

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69`lightweight
RS carrerra clone

[Saffs]

'74 to '77 are "middle year" models.

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'75 911S Targa
'81 BMW Alpina C1 2.3

[emcon5]

I am certainly no expert, but I call them:

up to 73: early
74-77: 2.7
78-83: SC
84-89: Carerra
964: 964
993: 993
996: 996

So far, everyone (911 people anyway) seems to know what I am talking about.

Tom


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82 911SC Coupe

[Kurt B]

I am certainly no expert, but I call them:

up to 73: early, when Porsche was kicking @ss
74-77: 2.7 Still kicking @ss.
78-83: SC Totally opening a can of whoop @ss
84-89: Carrera Can open, the world eats it
964: 964 Um..tapering off
993: 993 Race. We don't need no stinking racing right?
996: 996 okay, let's cut the program and make ice cream.

[pwd72s]

pre-'74..early. No 'bout a doubt it!

[Rufblackbird]

Hahaha Kurt, that's some funny *****!

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Jeff
1976 911S Coupe

[autobonrun]

Originally posted by emcon5:
I am certainly no expert, but I call them:

up to 73: early
74-77: 2.7
78-83: SC
84-89: Carerra
964: 964
993: 993
996: 996

So far, everyone (911 people anyway) seems to know what I am talking about.

Tom

I agree with your groupings. I think my trying to categorize 911's into 3-4 groups is too difficult and serves no useful purpose. As you stated, 911 owners know them by the model numbers. I was trying to think of what years changes that would be considered major step-changes in the 911's evolution from the early 911's occurred. I had come up with 1) introduction of the SC 2) introduction of the Carrera and 3) introduction of the 993. Thanks for the feedback.

[Jack Olsen]

Wait, did they make any more after 1973?

                                          Jack Olsen
My Rennlist home page My Pelican Gallery page My Porsche Owners Gallery page

[autobonrun]

Originally posted by Kurt B:
I am certainly no expert, but I call them:

up to 73: early, when Porsche was kicking @ss
74-77: 2.7 Still kicking @ss.
78-83: SC Totally opening a can of whoop @ss
84-89: Carrera Can open, the world eats it
964: 964 Um..tapering off
993: 993 Race. We don't need no stinking racing right?
996: 996 okay, let's cut the program and make ice cream.

How right you are. Back in the early 80's, I owned a bright Orange 72 Opel GT, freshly painted with a new engine; not much power but handled great. A 911 pulled up next to me on the freeway in Houston at about 70mph. For some reason, my attention was diverted just momentarily but when I looked up, the Porsche was a quarter to half mile ahead of me taking an exit. To this day, I can't believe he accelerated that quickly (or that I was diverted that long). I think he opened up one of those cans of whoop @zz on me. Anyway, that incident was what made me decide to buy a Porsche. Unfortunately, within a month of that, a drunk driver rear ended me at a stop light totaling my Opel. It was another three years before I could save up enough to buy my 911, but it was worth the wait.

[Jim T]

I agree with all of the above. But in my mind, it goes like this:

65-68 Short wheel base cars: Fun, but antiques these days.

69-71: They were gettin' there.

72/73: Probably the pinnacle of the 911 line, in many ways. Race victories all over the map. The T, E and S, all of which were awesome in their own ways. The last of the "cost no object" manufacturing approach at Porsche. Don't even need to talk about the RS.

74-77: The smog and safety (bumper years), the learning years.

78-89: SC/Carrera. Porsche finally gets it right again, great starting in 78 and getting a little better all the time until 89.

964: A short term "interim" car. Not much personal interest, so little knowledge.

993: A really cool car, the last of the 911.

996: Probably a great car, but not really a 911 in my mind. Esp. the 2002 model, seen the pics in Excellence, yuck!

[KTL]

Originally posted by JackOlsen:
Wait, did they make any more after 1973?

Now, now Jack. Let's not discount that lowly 964 3.6 which makes your car go like a bat out of hell (not to mention the 86 930 brakes that haul it down alot quicker). Ha! I will have to agree that the early models have the most character of all 911's (IMHO).




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Kevin
87 Carrera coupe