First off - no, I am not giving up my 914. But I've always wanted an air-cooled 911. A local business with an excellent reputation for brokering "exotic" sports cars has a '79 SC for sale. I know many local PCA'ers who have bought cars from this place and all of them have been very satisfied.

This car has three previous owners. Originally sold in Oklahoma, moved to TX where it spent most of its life. Brought to Indy a few years ago where it has gotten a complete transmission rebuild and top end done on the motor, adding Carerra tensioners and pop-off valve. From 10 feet, the car looks great. Up close, you can see that TX sun took a beating on the paint, but the body is straight. A few little rust bubbles in the rear edge of the door frame, appears to be surface only though. Jack points are clean and solid. 133k miles.

I drove it for about 90 minutes this morning. A wisp of smoke on start up (car was cold) but nothing while driving or after it was warmed up. Now I am accustomed to being in my 914 with suspension set up for track use. Other 911s that I've ridden in were also track-prepped. The car today felt a little "soft". I suppose the shocks might need replacing, new tires were Falken Ziex (not at all what this car deserves), but my perception might also be that I'm used to a stiff 914 and not an ass-dragger in street stock trim. The ride is a little spongy, until I would get on the throttle and I could feel the car settle in and take off. The 915 shifting feels really vague (I'm used to 901 w/short shift). Is this normal?

I would use this car just for cruising, but maybe for DE on occasion. It isn't CW worthy, and I have no such intentions. I just want a solid car that is fun to drive. The price could be right for me, and i've been tracking values in Pano and Excellence.

Opinons of others who own (or have owned) an SC would be quite welcome! Thanks

I have an 80SC Targa...love it. The 3.0 litre engine is really stable and reliable (well sought out engine/model...the SC). If they already added the pop-off valve and the carrera tensioners then you are ahead of the game. Your 915 tranny shouldn't be vague so I'm guessing it could use new bushings in the shift tower etc.

Mine will give a puff of smoke on startup if I've let it sit for awhile. ON the ride...it will feel softer if your 914 has been stiffened up. My 914 was only lowered and it's alot stiffer ride then my SC (which has all stock suspension other then wider tires).

I bought mine with about 85k miles on it (5 years ago) and the only thing mechanically I've had to do was change the oil, plugs and a 30 dollar oil pressure switch....and mine doesn't just sit in the garage!

The 911 is different...and equally enjoyable in it's own way. You definitely can feel it hunker down when you are on it and hitting the corners. If you get it ENJOY!

Jim

I have a 1983 SC and love it. I have gone thru the suspension front and rear with 22/30mm torsion bars,Elephant Racing polybronze bushings, Bilstein sport rears and HD fronts,Carrera sway bars front and rear,46mm PMO carbs,SSI headers well you get the idea. She is quite fast and handles great. I am building a 914/6 from a 75 chassis and have purchased a 1978 3.0 SC engine for it. The 3.0 is a great engine with decent HP, good torque and longevity with decent maint. There can be harmony between a 911 + 914

After owning a few very low miles 911SCs I can say they are very nice cars. The factory put the electric windows, AC all in the standard package, as there move to a luxury high performance sport car. You just need a nice one. I had had a 78 sunroof, 79 Targa, 81. Targa. This was years ago This is besides my older tail draggers pre SCs and Carrera.

The biggest difference in the 911SC and the 914 is when you are going through turns. The 914 will forgive you for taking your foot off the gas. I am not the best track driver but in a 914 I can drive great in the mountains. Very forgiving. In a 911 you must be on the gas and be careful if you take your foot out of it as the back end or the car can come up and around. I am not sure if the is know as over steer to under steer but the 911 will do this. As long as you keep you foot on the gas you are great. I drive the mountains with the 911sc and it is great fun. I just would not want to race anyone there for fear of my abilities.

You just need to learn to drive the car for the mountains. Driving past you ability can be a problem. As I said the 914 is a more forgiving car.


One of each is very nice.

Bob

Thanks for all the feedback (and please keep it coming!)

I've nearly committed the buyer guide at Pelican to memory, but is there anything else that I should be aware of before I pull the trigger?

Lisa has an 82 SC. It's a pain to work on. (I'm partway through upgrading the AC at the moment.) The ergonomics are funky, too. It's obvious that they had a basic car design, and then fit in the newer stuff where they could. (I challenge you to adjust the valves on one without removing the AC compressor or dropping the motor!)

It's a heavy car, compared to the 914, and you can feel the weight. In good ways, too--it simply feels solid! The steering at low speeds in particular is much heavier than the 914. You can steer with your right foot, much more so than in our cars. It doesn't go into snap oversteer under anything approaching normal circumstances, but you can provoke the tail to slide out if you want to. Or if you're uncautious.

One thing about her particular car: It doesn't just tell you what's going on at the contact patches, it writes long detailed letters about what's going on at the contact patches! I've autoXed other 911s in various levels of trim (from stock, to moderately prepared, to full-tilt-boogie) and none of them have communicated as well as Lisa's car does on the street.

I find that her car's suspension feels a little softer than mine, but the car still feels very solid.

Damn nice car! I just wish it had a 3.2, because the Motronic EFI and the taller gearing give you an extra ~20% fuel economy...

--DD

Make sure that the head studs were replaced with the top end rebuild. They were a problem all the way up through mine which is an '84 Carrera.
Doesn't handle like or as well as a 914 but it is a great drive.
Has some odd ergonomics.

Rob

for the start of the week.

I'm looking into getting a PPI done. I already knew about head studs, and yes the ergonomics are a little funky. The car is a sunroof coupe. Any other mechanical/electrical/structural things that I should pay attention to?

I don't know about smog laws in IN, but for CA the '78/'79 had air injection which has some pita and $$$ parts and plumbing. Plus cat. Speaking of exhaust, the stock system is junk, but the only way you can run a cat. If you need to remove the exhast, remove it all as a unit. It's a bear getting all those flanges lined up.

If you do the front shocks and it has Bils, you can get the tubes re-bushed and not risk having to get back in there.

cis is sensitive to vac leaks, and has a lot of places to leak from. a minor leak will make it run like crap. the idle speed should easily adjust with the idle screw. If not, there is probably a leak and good luck.

on the plus side, the seats and suspension make for a luxurious ride. plus room in back for a cooler. this makes the 911 great for weekend drives. good power to get over those treacherous mtns out there in IN

stay air-cooled! now if you'll excuse me, my boxster just rudely made green pee pee all over my garage floor. $50k car. 25k miles. yay porsche.

I have an 81 SC coupe. I bought it with 98,000 miles on it back in 97 and now it has 138,000. I use it as a daily driver in the summer and winter until they salt the roads. AC is stock and can barely keep up with DC heat and humidity. At 108,000 miles the tranny blew up. Sent it to Gary Fairbanks and he fixed for a 2K. Apparently 2nd gear broke appart because he couldn't find it in the tranny. Gary said it was an unusual failure and the rebuilt tranny shifts great. Other than that no problems. Blows a little smoke when started if it hasn't been used for a couple of days. Uses a quart every 900 miles via a combination of leaks and buring. Other than the tranny no problems. Car is reliable as a hammer starts first time freezing cold or hot. I liked the motor so much I put a CIS 3.0 in my 914.

Every time a change back to driving the 911 from the 914 I keep think the 911 is soft compfortable quiet and doesn't like to turn. Its also a lot slower than a 914 with a 3.0.

Nick

I have not owned one but I thought I would relay something I remember from a Road & Track used car classic they did over 10 years ago on the SC. I remember them saying the engine is basically the Turbo motor without the turbo so it is over built and will easily reach 200k miles. I have looked at buying them twice, but I was too young and insurance would of been more than the car payment.

I have had my 81 targa for a bit over a year now.

It is comfortable than the 914 and feels really tight at speed, I would choose this to drive on a long trip rather than the 914.

It has lots of torque for the chassis wt. and deent power but not tons.

Not bad but...

If I had to make the choice I would kick the 911 out of the garage rather than the 914.

had to add a pic...

Have a 81SC and it just turned 132,000 - runs stong - puffs smoke on start up after sitting for a week-AC is poor,they all are-at this milage it is time to redo the suspension (hope to have it done by mid August).It is a lot more comfortable car for long drives (god I do not remember the 914 being so hard on my azz 35 years ago) Buy the 911 they are fun cars.

The AC can be upgraded. Takes a while, though, and ain't cheap. Google "griffiths porsche air condition" for some details.

I'm about 2/3 of the way through doing that install to Lisa's car right now.

--DD

I have seen the A/C upgrade kits and that would be a priority for me. Good to know it isn't an easy job so I can budget appropriately.

I called Monday to arrange for a PPI, but the seller said that another was on the verge of buying and to call Wed morning. I check back, and the car is sold

I will keep looking. There are a few on PCA classifieds that are possible contenders. I just have to trust a person in another state and a mechanic I can't meet in person that they are honest and forthcoming

I have contacted a few sellers from Craigslist, but all of those so far have been cars that one should run away from quickly.

Hey Geoff,

Its a shame someone snagged it before you pulled the trigger. Been there. If you're talking about the place I think you are, it looks like they have a white '78 targa now with less than 100k on it. Not real crazy about those seats though....

Right now (after still carrying two mortgage payments for the last 8 months) I'm in no place financially to add to my stable, but that is something I've hoped to do eventually. If you don't mind my asking, what were they asking for the '79? Just curious.

range is from 10-20k depending on shape..Buy the best one you can afford.. I have a '79 sc. Fuel injection can be a bear when out of tune. Kind of picky on fuel pressue. Once set not too bad. Good power without being stupid...After I finish my 14 I may have a very pretty one up for sale..Plenty of time on that one!!!

Yes, I'm a little disappointed, but that's life and there are other ones out there. The seats on that '78 didn't work for me either.

When did you move to Atlanta?? I had my eye on another SC near there. Can you suggest a local place that might do a PPI?

I sent you a PM as well.

I've got no experience personally with any shops down here yet (thank goodness...) but from what I've seen, there are two guys that get a lot of nods in this arena.

Jack Lewis
Jack Lewis Enterprises Ltd
60 Rakestraw St
Norcross, GA 30071
(770) 849-0302

Ryland Mills
Rylands
1155 S. Cobb Drive
Marietta, GA
(770) 514-1448 or
(770) 951-9305

Let me know if you need hands or eyes down here. I guess I could find it in my heart of hearts to get some seat time in some local Porsche's to help you out....hahaha.