W.T.F. Was I Driving??

[dave egan]

Hey Guys' a little humor there! Question ? I awoke this morning with the Same Question on My mind , I've had for over 20 years , and it occured to me , what Better Place to get an Educated Hypothesis than here! OK, it was 1987 in San Fransisco , CA. I was working in a automotive shop , that we did much Dealership "Smog and Safety'' inspections for. A Porsche 911 narrow-body in Beautiful "Green", that I have never seen that color again to this day came in for Safety check. We serviced the car and I did front brakes on Her.I did not know much about them at that time.It was probably a 1979 - 1984 car, I remember that.I drove the car back to the Dealership about 10 miles up Hyw. 101 up a steep grade.I hammered this thing , and IT BLEW MY MIND! I was a V-8 Muscle car guy and MX bike racer at the time. This car was NOT turbocharged. It ''Came on" all of a Sudden atlike6K RPM they were standing still ! People were starring and their expressions were ''stunned"! This Porsche had a "Power-Band" like an Explosive Racing Two-Stroke!!!!!! , When I got to the Dealership , the used car manager said, qoute., " It had a Racing engine , or "Racing Tune" etc, He said one of the two?? It was a street car and completely quiet and power down low, and full quiet exhaust etc. So , I have 930's and am familiar with their Awesome power with much mods. I have always wondered what State of tune , or motor , could this seemingly "Stock appearing" little 911 have been?? Experts , Please help solve my 24 year old quandry???! any advise or surmation as to the cams, or ''tune'' or ''engine" etc, and There were NO RUF plaques or anything to tip me off , as I would have surely ''caught on to that"!

[fastfredracing]

Scrs?

[Bob Kontak]

SCRS - I think I see turbo flares in this video (see at 1:38) making it a non narrow bodied car. Also, there is a lot of lope at idle. Don't know if they were street legal.

YouTube - PORSCHE 911 SC-RS(2)

Love to watch this.

Could it have been supercharged?

[Canada Kev]

It could also have just been 1987. If you drove a VW GTI of today back then, it would seem pretty hot, as well.

I don't doubt it could have been warmed over, though I suspect it wasn't exactly what you remember. I knew lots of people that had fast cars back in the day, and I mean FAST, but if driven in anger today, would cause the WRX kid next to you to point and laugh. I bet my '87 was pretty quick, then...

Or maybe I'm just nuts.

[WIL84911]

Maybe it had a V8..

[wwest]

Or maybe you were YOUNG and inexperienced....?

The first time I drove a '78 911 (1983?), stock (<3000lbs, 180HP..?), the surge of acceleration that came on at about 4,000 RPM amazed me. And being so very well "planted" in the twisties, up to a point, doesn't hurt.

[cgarr]

My 911 always feels much faster when I take it out in the spring for the first time! Then by fall its just another dog!

[MrNvgtr]

I have a similar memory of a 1991 Eagle Talon (all-wheel drive) Turbo. I was only 16 yet that car felt (to this day 17 years later) like the fastest car (0 - 60 mph) I've ever been in. The four tires wouldn't stay planted if you floored it. It felt amazing back then. Maybe it was just being inexperienced with normal acceleration forces though.

[yel911]

I was a V-8 Muscle car guy and MX bike racer at the time.

This is scary.... @ 17 years old, I would drive my bro's 71 Corvette with a 427 and thought nothing could come close. Till I got a ride in a 81 911SC in the rain!!! I thought we were dead. And god, I miss my Schwinn Sting....

[WIL84911]

I get it now....

Being accustomed to 40 hp beetles at the age of 19 I was amazed when I drove my friend's 1979 - 4 cylinder turbo Capri. I remember thinking 'bring em on'. lol

[petevb]

Did you get a look at the motor? Remember the redline?

Two suspects come to mind...

It could have had a supercharger fitted. Centrifugal superchargers deliver a big hit up top, so the car would have screamed around 6k, with 350 hp and 2600 lbs (or less) it would have been pretty easy numbers to hit, which is a pretty wild ride even today.

The second thought would be the obvious built motor- I'll bet Andial would have built something, maybe a 3.4, that would put out 300 hp+. With a big cam you'd have a hit at 6k, but I'd have thought it would idle funny and you'd notice a cam that big. If it was a built motor with a powerband starting at 6k redline would want to be 7.5k plus...

I'm in the bay area, but don't remember seeing a green car like you're describing at any of the local events. I know some guys to ask, though- if it's as hot as you describe they might remember it.

[Alan Lindquist]

People who ride in my car comment on how fast it is. It's a stock SC with a 225K mile motor with issues. It's not fast. But if you haven't been in an air cooled Porsche before and you're sitting down low and feeling the road and hearing the motor scream behind you - it feels fast.

Actually, I'm not exactly stock. I have a performance stainless steel muffler with a cat bypass pipe. So it's loud inside. Loud makes it seem faster than it is.

I took a rental a few weeks ago for a 900 mile trip. I looked down at the speedo of the Nissan Altima and was doing 85. It didn't seem fast because it's so smooth and quiet. But in my 911, 85mph sounds and feels like you're really up to something.

[Charles Freeborn]

Sounds sort of like a typical 2.7 powerband, adjusted for youth, and properly tuned. They behave more like a 2-stroke; i.e. they "come on the pipe" at around 5k rpm.
-C

[petevb]

Originally Posted by Charles Freeborn

Sounds sort of like a typical 2.7 powerband, adjusted for youth, and properly tuned. They behave more like a 2-stroke; i.e. they "come on the pipe" at around 5k rpm.
-C

I think the "delusions of grandeur" bit in your sig is sounding pretty apt.

[911Freak]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

SCRS - I think I see turbo flares in this video (see at 1:38) making it a non narrow bodied car. Also, there is a lot of lope at idle. Don't know if they were street legal.

YouTube - PORSCHE 911 SC-RS(2)

Love to watch this.

Could it have been supercharged?

YES! YES! YES!

That was impressive... loved the wide circles with the tail hanging out

Did the 911SCRS have standard 930 flares, or were they a custom profile form Porsche? Fiberglass too right?

[Charles Freeborn]

Originally Posted by petevb

I think the "delusions of grandeur" bit in your sig is sounding pretty apt.

Yeah, the older I get the faster I went....

[dave egan]

Hey , Guys , GLAD that there is Soo Much Interest in My little ''tale''! It seems it has ''stirred up'' some emmotions and fast rides from all our Youth , which is a good thing.! I like all the input! Yes as the one member exclaims "young and inexperienced" = I was! Although , Riding weekly MX 2-strokes (1985 YZ250) when new, was addicted to the "Hit", (eg) is why the P-car Impressed the Hell out of me. I remember one GT350Shelby Mustang with Boss 302 built by "whoever the biggy ford guys in eastbay were back then" with Inglessy webbers and 300hp NOS , The P-car almost hit like the Shelby at full throttle and deploying the NOS?? It was Not a V-8 conversion , I had changed the oil in a Porsche for the first time in my Life that Day , and after emptying the 2-3 qrts out of the crankcase, and thinking "uhh , thats Not much oil" , and then seeing the ''weird off brand Foreighn looking "Case of Oil" and filter that the dealership sent with the car for service , I realized ''that can't be right" , and ''found'' the oil tank , and overflowed the 5 qt. drain pan , and flooded the shop floor and ran for more drain pans! It could have had a aftermarket supercharger, As the motor looked so forein to me anyways and I thing the blower would have been on the front between the firwall , hidden , No? , But that Infamous F-6 Boxer SOUND , ! Quiet / tame , Until "6" Then RRRVVVVVVWWWWIIINNN""" the other passenger cars on that 101 grade could here it like a Messershmitt Fighter buzzing them ! There were some Porsche gurus in Bay Area back then , too Grey market retrofit shops too , when the US ban was on for the 930's etc, I think it was a Super Hot Street big-dollar Sleeper, Now with all the great input!! Thanks. daveegan

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by dave egan

... Porsche 911 ...

narrow-body ...

in Beautiful "Green"... I have never seen that color again

...NOT turbocharged.

It ''Came on" all of a Sudden at like 6K RPM ...

used car manager said " It had a Racing engine , or or something similar...

It was a street car and completely quiet [with] power down low, and full quiet exhaust etc.

[What] could this seemingly "Stock appearing" little 911 have been?? ...

this sounds like yet another Rgruppe car - an early example, no doubt

they're all like that

nothing special... time to move on folks... nothing to see here... clear the sidewalk please... thank you... go about your business...