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pistons and heads. When the various components expanded and contracted at different rates under the heat of the thermal reactors, problems ensued.
As a result, U.S.-spec 1975–77 2.7-liter engines were essentially hand gre- nades with pins that inevitably fell out at the 70,000-or-so-mile mark. At least the galvanized bodies ensured that these cars would live on with engine rebuilds or swaps from later cars. It wasn’t all bad news, though. For the 1976 model year, Porsche introduced quite possibly the most influential and exciting car of the decade in the sen- sationally fast 911 Turbo Carrera, oth- erwise known as the 930. At the other end of the spectrum, the four-cylinder 912 (now the 912E) was back for one year as the entry-level Porsche.
All was put right for 1978 with the introduction of the 172-hp 3.0-liter 911SC, which adopted the wider rear fender flares of the 2.7-liter Carrera RS and a host of other improvements. Most importantly, it introduced the concept of extreme long life to the 911 equa- tion. To go with the heavily rust-resistant galvanized bodies introduced in 1976, carefully maintained engines were capable of covering up to 300,000 miles between rebuilds. In 1983, Porsche added a truly open 911 — the Cabriolet — for the first time. The following year, the 911 received a new engine manage- ment system, a larger 3.2-liter engine, another 20-plus horsepower and the Carrera name. Previously applied only to special versions of the 356 and 911, pur-
1973
MSRP: $11,500 Very collectible, the 2.7-liter RS was one of the lightest and fastest 911s to date.
1973 CARRERA RS
VALUE RANGE: $248,000–$507,000 36
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ists howled at its use on the standard car. Major visual cues for the new car were few, with fog lights faired into the front valance and a new engine lid script.
The 3.2 Carrera may have been the high- water mark for the classic air-cooled 911 in terms of simplicity, ease of mainte- nance and longevity. Subsequent cars like the 1989–94 Carrera 2 and Carrera 4 (known to enthusiasts as the 964) took inspiration from the fabulous 959 super- car and became far more complex, finally ditching the torsion bars and gaining power steering and all-wheel drive in the Carrera 4. The final air-cooled 911 was the 993 of 1994–98. It may well go down as one of the prettiest 911s ever. The rather bulbous front fascia of the 964 was replaced by an all-new front with flatter headlights and front fenders reminiscent of the 959. A new rear suspension forever banished what was left of the 911’s infa- mous tail-wagging tendencies.
BEST OF THE BREED There is really no such thing as an unde- sirable 911, but some stand out from oth- ers. The earliest cars from late 1964 are rare and valuable as historic objects. The 911S of 1967–73 is sought after because it sat at the top of the regular 911 lineup in price and performance. The 1973 2.7-liter Carrera RS, with its wild graphics and the first rear spoiler on a produc- tion Porsche, stands out as perhaps the ultimate race-inspired 911 variant, while the Turbo Carrera from 1976 may be the most undervalued presently. For a driver, most experts recommend the 3.0-liter 911SC and the 3.2-liter Carrera. They’re
1976
1976 930 TURBO MSRP: $32,500 With a top speed of 155 mph and 0–60 mph in five sec- onds, the 930 was a rocket ship.
VALUE RANGE: $20,800–$61,800
essentially unkillable, easy to maintain and tremendously rewarding to drive.
To those who get it, the appeal of the 911 has never been difficult to fathom. It’s one of the closest things to a race car that you can drive on the street. The unassisted steering is highly commu- nicative, the brakes on nearly any year inspire confidence, the flat-six howl is addictive, and 911s and their pure racing variants like the Carrera RSR, 934 and 935 look enough like the street cars for ordinary 911 pilots to imagine themselves as Hurley Haywood.
With its competition legacy and its co- starring role with Steve McQueen at the beginning of the movie Le Mans, there was an undeniably romantic side to the 911. But the car also had a dan- gerous side with an ever-present threat of terminal oversteer waiting to punish the ham-fisted or the careless.
But the real legacy of the classic air- cooled 911s is their longevity, both in model history and survival rate. Many thousands were built, and particularly the 1978–89 models are heirloom-quality cars with nearly unlimited life spans. Car- roll Shelby summed it up best: “Thank God there’s no 48-hour race anywhere in the world, because chances are nobody could beat Porsche…” Indeed, legend- ary factory racer Vic Elford later proved the point and then some at the Nürbur- gring in 1967, when he piloted a 911 to victory in the 84-hour Le Marathon de la Route. It’s a fitting testament to such an enduring and durable legend.
1984 1984 CARRERA 3.2
MSRP: $33,500 The Carrera 3.2 offered great performance and reliability, as well as a “Turbo Look” package.
VALUE RANGE: $10,600–$48,300
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