My first Porsche was a '71 2.2T, previous owner had rebuilt the motor to S specs so it had great, torquey power and was very light. It had deep-6 Fuchs, a 901 5speed (old H-pattern with 1st in and down). That gearbox took time to get the feel for, and was in need of a rebuild. Things I remember were that the brakes were unassisted, but phenomenally balanced and linear. Steering was outstanding. It still had Zeniths which would flood when you turned in hard and make the engine stumble at mid-turn tip-in. It gave the car character. I spun that car three times in traditional 911 lift-off. I STILL miss that car's sound, feel and rawness.
My second was an '89 Carrera coupe; bone stock and wonderful. The last unassisted steering, and with the coveted G50 box and 6/8x16 Fuchs. Definitely a heavier car (2900lbs wet). The 3.2 mill could rev, but you had to in order to get torque. This car was MUCH more composed and I never spun it.
Present car ('92 965) is only a little heavier than the 3.2, but being a turbo it has more rubber, more brakes, more suspension. This car is more planted and comparatively impervious to the older cars' lift-off vulnerability. I sometimes miss the unassisted steering, but with the quick rack and fantastic feedback dispite the hydraulics, I don't miss it enough to "de-power" it. The A/C works (keeps wife happy), the heat works dispite removing the secondary blowers, and it still has the great mechanical sounds and smells of a true 911.
All three cars have served as daily commuters in good and bad weather, and I just came from Home Depot with new blinds stuffed in the Turbo.
Having driven many 930s, they drive a lot like my 3.2 did, but given that I miss tighter gearing in my G50 I would certainly miss having more gears to work with in a 4speed 915 box.
If I had a 930 I'd seriously consider a G50 conversion or upgrades to the shifter and ratios on a 915. Then I'd get the first K27-7200 I could find, and a good exhaust. The turbo and exhaust alleviate the "wait-for-it" turbo lag that can dampen the daily-driver appeal of a 930. Around town you don't get to enjoy much of a Turbo's power, but letting it run through 2nd and 3rd gear is an entirely different experience than in a normally-aspirated car.
Pic taken 10mins ago, car freshly relieved of April pollen coating.
