Impact Bumper vs 964

[Nick Triesch]

Interesting how no one has said that the nose and tail of the 964 is just plain heavy and ugly looking.

[Kansas]

Originally Posted by Nick Triesch

Interesting how no one has said that the nose and tail of the 964 is just plain heavy and ugly looking.

I say it all the time. Even the person responsible for the styling of the 964 hated it. He thought the car looked heavy and slow. It’s funny, though, how the impact bumpers of the gbodies have actually aged well. They look very classic now.

[manbridge 74]

Too heavy. It’d be like four or five 200lb guys getting into my 74 and convincing ourselves that it was a fantastic drive...

[Matt Monson]

Seems cheap.

https://www.racecarsdirect.com/Advert/Details/121327/porsche-964-cup-12-max-moritz-from-1991?Published_by_Mike_Walters&fbclid=IwAR0GhbJH96 q9unrmuqStchobBsdZP_7CK6cU90WKvRkPdX3vcJfXTWEYDBA

[Nick Triesch]

The g body cars are what kids had on their walls in the 80’s .

[Macroni]

Quintessential 964. Big bumpers and all

[911heaven]

Originally Posted by manbridge 74

Too heavy. It’d be like four or five 200lb guys getting into my 74 and convincing ourselves that it was a fantastic drive...

I've done my 964 experience nearly 20 years ago. Black on black, sunroof, 30K km or 20K miles. It was newer, late model and low K's I always felt it was a pig and I've said that before. However, it was just a stock ROW 964. I do respect what Cobalt continues to allude to. As a race car it is superior to a g-body car for all the reasons he has stated. Unlike Cobalt however, I have never been near a race track and most likely will never be. I have always just wanted a fast and quick street car to enjoy. Nonetheless, I admire his experience and his feelings about the 964. Cosmetically I still like the g-body cars best and prefer the more classic look, even though my Ruf BTR III has a 964 body configuration.

[Kansas]

Same here. Owned a 964 for about 6 years. Like you, never been near a track. Just wanted a street car. The car was just never an inspiring car to look at or drive. And unlike Cobalt’s experience, it was a very complex car to maintain. Far more complicated than the gbodies. My mechanic spent 2 months chasing and sorting an electric issue. Cost thousands. The only thing I regret about selling it, is the crazy $$$$ I could have gotten for it today if I had kept it a few more years.

[911heaven]

Originally Posted by Kansas

Same here. Owned a 964 for about 6 years. Like you, never been near a track. Just wanted a street car. The car was just never an inspiring car to look at or drive. And unlike Cobalt’s experience, it was a very complex car to maintain. Far more complicated than the gbodies. My mechanic spent 2 months chasing and sorting an electric issue. Cost thousands. The only thing I regret about selling it, is the crazy $$$$ I could have gotten for it today if I had kept it a few more years.

Ah well, we all have these stories which are quite true. I wish I hadn't sold an RS 73 many years ago. At the time I was getting married and wanted to buy a house for the first time in my life. No one, and I mean No one knew what would become on prices then (early 2000s) I think most would concur with me on this point. It doesn't matter so much now. I bought that house (rather made the down payment) and I'm still happy with the woman I married. Money ain't gonna buy you love, or even make you happy. This is a fact. Life is short my friend, yet my take is, if you are still alive, happy, and most of all still have some sort of 911, you might still have something to be grateful for. Just my take!

bernie

[Ralph3.]

I guess it depends upon what you like.

[Matt Monson]

Originally Posted by Ralph3.

I guess it depends upon what you like.

That just makes way too much sense.

[ShopCat]

964 RS is a big goal of mine. Been trying to get my dad to go in 50/50 with me recently.... but last week he bought a gated 360 instead... maybe next time.

[911heaven]

Originally Posted by ShopCat

964 RS is a big goal of mine. Been trying to get my dad to go in 50/50 with me recently.... but last week he bought a gated 360 instead... maybe next time.

I got an original 964 RS alloy hood 20 years ago from a coach builder here who bought a new car years before and built a race car out of. $800 then. It's on my 89' -- one of the things I like!

[Nick Triesch]

That white 964 up above looks like a Snow plow.

[Macroni]

[drauz]

ahhh, yes... the infamous Hapsburg Bumper raises its jaw.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/distinctive-habsburg-jaw-was-likely-result-royal-familys-inbreeding-180973688/

[911heaven]

Originally Posted by drauz

ahhh, yes... the infamous Hapsburg Bumper raises its jaw.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/distinctive-habsburg-jaw-was-likely-result-royal-familys-inbreeding-180973688/

OUCH! Feeling better now to have Real RUF BTR genes in my car all components (still need to get a muffler). The 964 body configuration (front/rear bumper etc.) are wide body just like the 964 turbo. Do folks think a 964 turbo looks snowplowish? I don't know, but a wide body most likely takes the snowplow or Hapsburg stigma out of the equation I'm thinking. Any thoughts?

[Cobalt]

Originally Posted by creaturecat

respectfully - the 964 being easier to work on? certainly hasn't been my experience - even something as simple as an oil change is a miserable experience, comparatively speaking. : )

Originally Posted by Nick Triesch

Interesting how no one has said that the nose and tail of the 964 is just plain heavy and ugly looking.

Originally Posted by Nick Triesch

The g body cars are what kids had on their walls in the 80’s .

I just tagged a few of these but the reposes are so subjective!! Ugly/pretty is all a personal preference yet the comments are thrown around as fact which might be your fact but not everyones. I never liked the accordion bumpers but leaned to live with them. I had a Countach poster on my wall but you couldn't get me to buy one.

I purchased my first 911 in 1977 a 911 E later sold it for a very nice 79 SC which proved to be very disappointing ride compared to the 911E. The E was faster and more fun all around and made some wonderful noises but had you watching your tail far more often. After that a 3.0RS WB clone. It solved my hatred for the bellows bumpers with the factory IROC bits (more similar to the 964 bumpers) and had everything over any G body I have driven up to that time with a Max Moritz built engine and RS suspension. I regretfully sold that car after 19 years of ownership but still had little over a well setup 964 IMO. I never liked the afterthought bumpers as I stated they used on the G-body cars. Looks are subjective and as many love the 993 over the 964 I find the 964 to be the most attractive of them all so we can stop using that as an argument.

From a mechanical perspective IMO the G-body cars IMO were poorly designed and built. Porsche sat on its behind for years as they made minor improvements but fixed very few of the inherent problems for well over a decade of the Gbody and some things going back to the initial 901 design. I work on Porsche's of all vintage all day everyday 5 days or more a week. Helping out at Apex Autowerks or RSR restoration working on all sorts of 911's from mechanicals to full bodywork. I do it for fun keeps me out of trouble in my retirement years and every time I tare down an SC or 3.2 I always shake my head and struggle with the mess they sold to the public for far too long. General shade tree mechanics is less complicated by design on a Gbody but once you get past that it is not as straight forward as a 964 which simplified many things.

Porsche IMO has messed up more good cars over the years. Every model has its issues and it seems when they finally get something right as I see it they go ahead and change 100% of the design causing a new set of headaches.

If you don't like the looks of the 964 buy another 911 or a prius for all I care but when the argument is about looks and limited mechanical knowledge regarding these cars not much one can say to get someone to see the light.

Funny my friend Pino at RSR Restorations restores some of the finest Air-cooled 911's. Many featured in Excellence and 000 magazine and his personal favorite to work on and favorite all around 911 is the 964. He and I both see eye to eye on this and this is from someone who has at least 10 911's being worked on in his shop at any given time.

Yo don't have to like this but to my eye the 3.8RSR is one of the best looking cars of all time and I put that up there with some great classics. I would take this over any Gbody or long nose in his shop. Although I built this car from the ground up so I am a bit biased.

[911heaven]

Originally Posted by Cobalt

I just tagged a few of these but the reposes are so subjective!! Ugly/pretty is all a personal preference yet the comments are thrown around as fact which might be your fact but not everyones. I never liked the accordion bumpers but leaned to live with them. I had a Countach poster on my wall but you couldn't get me to buy one.

I purchased my first 911 in 1977 a 911 E later sold it for a very nice 79 SC which proved to be very disappointing ride compared to the 911E. The E was faster and more fun all around and made some wonderful noises but had you watching your tail far more often. After that a 3.0RS WB clone. It solved my hatred for the bellows bumpers with the factory IROC bits (more similar to the 964 bumpers) and had everything over any G body I have driven up to that time with a Max Moritz built engine and RS suspension. I regretfully sold that car after 19 years of ownership but still had little over a well setup 964 IMO. I never liked the afterthought bumpers as I stated they used on the G-body cars. Looks are subjective and as many love the 993 over the 964 I find the 964 to be the most attractive of them all so we can stop using that as an argument.

From a mechanical perspective IMO the G-body cars IMO were poorly designed and built. Porsche sat on its behind for years as they made minor improvements but fixed very few of the inherent problems for well over a decade of the Gbody and some things going back to the initial 901 design. I work on Porsche's of all vintage all day everyday 5 days or more a week. Helping out at Apex Autowerks or RSR restoration working on all sorts of 911's from mechanicals to full bodywork. I do it for fun keeps me out of trouble in my retirement years and every time I tare down an SC or 3.2 I always shake my head and struggle with the mess they sold to the public for far too long. General shade tree mechanics is less complicated by design on a Gbody but once you get past that it is not as straight forward as a 964 which simplified many things.

Porsche IMO has messed up more good cars over the years. Every model has its issues and it seems when they finally get something right as I see it they go ahead and change 100% of the design causing a new set of headaches.

If you don't like the looks of the 964 buy another 911 or a prius for all I care but when the argument is about looks and limited mechanical knowledge regarding these cars not much one can say to get someone to see the light.

Funny my friend Pino at RSR Restorations restores some of the finest Air-cooled 911's. Many featured in Excellence and 000 magazine and his personal favorite to work on and favorite all around 911 is the 964. He and I both see eye to eye on this and this is from someone who has at least 10 911's being worked on in his shop at any given time.

Yo don't have to like this but to my eye the 3.8RSR is one of the best looking cars of all time and I put that up there with some great classics. I would take this over any Gbody or long nose in his shop. Although I built this car from the ground up so I am a bit biased.

Very beautiful Cobalt and quite intriguing! Personally, I'd be interested in some more of this car, especially front and rear bumper angles or any other pics you would share. Also, one day I may need help to decipher what wing went on my car originally. I want too keep it original. No hurry on that however. Thank you for your insights and sharing your experience!

bernie

[Nick Triesch]

That blue 964 looks like it’s about to tip back with its nose pointing in the air from that giant huge rear bumper pulling it down.