What I miss most about my old 911S

[pwd72s]

Canyon Carving...just a solo runs.

[KFC911]

Sooooo... YOU had a '72S?

By chance .... have you ever played pool?

Thank you Paul !

[oldE]

I hear you, Paul. Every now and then I see a video of an old long hood or see a picture that reminds me of the old E, I regret not having it. In reality though, I sometimes feel the same way about my '79 Honda Hawk and my '87 924S. I find I don't have the same urge to "get away" these days as when I was working.
Good memories though.
Not too impressed that he adjusted his seat twice in the first five minutes of video.

[GH85Carrera]

Paul, my 85 is a modern car in comparison, but we go to an event in Eureka Springs, AR every year. Some of if not the best roads on the planet. Beautiful smooth asphalt, and curves so tight in places I have a hard time turning the steering wheel fast enough. Beautiful scenery, and last year the leaves were at their peak. My wife gets a sore right arm and legs from bracing and holding on. The speed limit is 55 and most of the curves, only a race prepped 911 could take at 55.



And the occasional HPDE on a tack where I can push even harder is one main reason I own my 911. That and the great people in PCA, from all over the country.

We will be driving to Lake Placid, NY this year for Parade. Lots of history and interesting museums to visit on the week long trip up there.

[Steve Carlton]

Should this thread be made a sticky?

[speeder]

Now I know what to call my '73 RS/914 leather wrapped steering wheel.

That road and National Forest is up by Ojai, pretty nice but nowhere near as great as Malibu or even Angeles Crest. California is just filthy with mountains and canyons, plus ideal driving or MC riding weather. As for his car, it's a little stupid with the wipers and radio removed, I'm surprised that he left in the visors so that he didn't go blind and center-punch that Caltrans truck coming the other way.

Do you know what's a much better car than his? A bone-stock '72 911E in mint condition. They were absolute bullets and a lot more beautiful plus sounded better than this, IMO, of course. I'm not a "keep it stock" guy in all situations and most of my 911s had mods but in the case of a 1972 911E, it's pretty hard to improve it. If he wanted to make the car lighter, he would have removed those early sport seats that are made out of lead and put some super-light modern Recaro Pole Positions instead...instant ~150 lb. loss. He chose to remove the wipers.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Steve Carlton

Should this thread be made a sticky?

No.

[stevej37]

I feel the same way about my 78 911 Super Carrera

[KFC911]

LOL .... I don't feel the same way about my '88 Non-Super Carrera ...

'Cause I still have it

[Bill Douglas]

I regret selling a Triumph 650 Saint when I was a teenager.

So I'm NOT selling the 911SC.

[stevej37]

The minute I saw the SC badge...I knew the Super Carrera was for me.
It's gone...but I still have a regular Carrera.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by oldE

I hear you, Paul. Every now and then I see a video of an old long hood or see a picture that reminds me of the old E, I regret not having it. In reality though, I sometimes feel the same way about my '79 Honda Hawk and my '87 924S. I find I don't have the same urge to "get away" these days as when I was working.
Good memories though.
Not too impressed that he adjusted his seat twice in the first five minutes of video.

I'm with you on the seat adjustment thing. I'd never do it rolling. Ideally, done before you start....or look for a safe pull out.

Hey guys, at 82 and now handicapped, there are tons of things I miss while remembering fondly. I do put solo runs in the old 911S up near the top of the list...right alongside the wild monkey sex of youth.

[KFC911]

We do NOT want to hear about those sexcapades tho' !

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by KFC911

We do NOT want to hear about those sexcapades tho' !

Worry not...no videos were taken.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by speeder

No.

Agree and I don't miss them a bit.

We used to do a training exercise at the sprint kart track (.7 mi., 11 turns) where we would see how to do the best lap w/o touching the brakes. Teaches you a lot about cornering. Of course karts are different in that the second you pitch it speed drops off instantly. Cars roll through a turn much better due to the differential. Unless you've driven a locker, you don't know.

I wonder how much fun it is to do the same thing in a 911 in a canyon. Well, I don't really have to wonder much as I've done it. It's different for sure and you can get over your head which in a 911 means losing the read end. Still, if you half way know the road you can do it.

This is a bit like driving a slow car fast AFA thrills and skills go. In a neutral handling car this would be great training. Some roads have a downhill section into a corner where discretion is advised. On an uphill road this exercise is very doable.

It's kind of like doing a Waltz vs. the Watutsi.

[afterburn 549]

I miss mine too!
However, they have become so valuable that we have just become curators rather than sports car enthusiasts.
Long trips are just not doable, as leaving these out in a hotell / motel parking lot is not a great idea.

[Billiam 911 2.8]

Driving here in the Bay Area, HWY 9 and HWY 35 were and rarely still are my playground. I am not as brave as I used to be but muscle memory allows me to hang the tail out every now and again. Always watching for deer and motorcycles, especially at dawn. An MFI north of 6K is a symphony.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

I miss mine too!
However, they have become so valuable that we have just become curators rather than sports car enthusiasts.
Long trips are just not doable, as leaving these out in a hotell / motel parking lot is not a great idea.

I last did that in 2001, from Oregon to Cambria, for an R Gruppe meet. There was nighttime security in the parking lots..

[Jeff Higgins]

Originally Posted by afterburn 549

I miss mine too!
However, they have become so valuable that we have just become curators rather than sports car enthusiasts.
Long trips are just not doable, as leaving these out in a hotell / motel parking lot is not a great idea.

Bullschitt.

It's all about what we "value" about these cars. There are those of us that continue to drive them as God and Ferry Porsche intended, their monetary value be damned.

Our Pac West chapter of R Gruppe is a great example. We have driven to our annual Treffen, as a chapter, every year it has been held, regardless of where it has been held. I have personally not missed one since 2006. From the Seattle area to Monterey, the Palm Desert, St George Utah, Sante Fe New Mexico, and many locations in-between. We drive our cars on the racetrack when we get there, my car having been on Thunder Hill, Buttonwillow, Streets of Willow, Chuckwalla, Laguna Seca, and others. Driven there and driven back to Seattle. Every year.

In addition, we conduct our own Spring Tour and Fall Tour on a more "local" level. Several days on the road in the loneliest parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. We stay in motels and leave our cars parked in front. No security...

Here are a few shots from our last Fall Tour, last September over to Missoula. Somewhere in central Oregon, at some fleabag motel:



Leaving Lewiston, ID before we dropped down onto the highway over Lolo Pass. Yes, that's a gravel road. About fifty miles of it:



And we drive on the last Sunday of every month, come hell or high water, regardless of weather. Every Friday after Thanksgiving is our Turkey Hangover Run, every New Years Day is our Resolution Run. Here was this year's New Years Day gathering:



So, yeah, I get that view out my windshield any time I want. Like this, at over 10,000 ft elevation, on our way to Sante Fe:



I've owned the car for 26 years and have put an honest quarter million miles on it. There is literally not a single part on it that I have not held separately in my own two hands during that time. I've built and subsequently rebuilt my twin plugged 3.0 MFI motor three times to get me here. Over 100 days on race tracks (mostly our own Pacific Raceways and Ridge Motorsports Park) at DE events.

It's all about attitude, and what we "value".

[Por_sha911]

pwd72s:
Thank you for helping me to remember why I don't want to sell my `87. Even though it is a 'modern marvel' in comparison to your `72, it is a dinosaur in comparison to the modern stuff pumped out of the factory today.