RE: 968: The Perfect F/R Porsche?

[Alfa Male]

I'm still loving mine. Next to being a very nice drivers car (much attention to this in the article and responses already) it is indeed also a hugely practical car. With the big boot and the folding rear seat it has happened to me several times that I was transporting objects in it that I could not get to fit in my old E91 BMW estate!

gratuitous pic of the area concerned:

[Smike]

ClubJoker said:

A couple of errors I noticed:

- Not all 968s came with a driver's airbag. In fact, the Club Sports and Sports (and early Coupes) have a very nice three-spoke non-airbag wheel.

That 3-spoke is the Atiwe one isn't it? IMO one of the nicest steering wheels about

[Alfa Male]

This one:

[poprock]

Commonly known as the Club Sport wheel, for anyone wanting to do a quick eBay search. A lovely thing.

[shoestring7]

poprock said:

Commonly known as the Club Sport wheel, for anyone wanting to do a quick eBay search. A lovely thing.

Personally I found the rim too thick, and wanted the wheel closer. I replaced it with a suede rimmed Momo dished wheel that was perfect.

SS7
PS Gratuitous linky: http://www.flickr.com/photos/37571417@N05/38175530...

Edited by shoestring7 on Thursday 7th April 16:25

[Alfa Male]

I have it in mine and I would agree that the rim is slightly too thick. I prefer the feel of the 993 RS wheel but efforts to get the car attached to it in my garage have unfortunately been unsuccessful so far...

[probably chalk]

I see I'm a bit late to this party. The Gmund car looks nice but I don't think silver does the 968 any favours. Pleased to see the Gmund chap prefers the Sport though; clearly a man of quality.

Can't imagine ever selling mine. Perhaps they lack a bit of power but they make even an average driver feel like a Driving God. I couldn't agree more with the "swivelling around the backside" comment.

Gratuitious pic time; at the top of the Prescott hillclimb.

[Johnboy Mac]

I'm an aspiring 928S owner, which I've been putting on the long finger for various pratical reasons. After reading this thread the flame of desire for a 944/968 is burning stronger than ever, I even remember an artical in CAR by Gerore Bishop when I was a young lad on the original launch of the 944 and how I lusted for one then.

Great thread one & all, some lovely cars featured too, really enjoyed it even if it has thrown a spanner in the works for my future classic car ownership plans.

[shoestring7]

Johnboy Mac said:

I'm an aspiring 928S owner, which I've been putting on the long finger for various pratical reasons. After reading this thread the flame of desire for a 944/968 is burning stronger than ever, I even remember an artical in CAR by Gerore Bishop when I was a young lad on the original launch of the 944 and how I lusted for one then.

Great thread one & all, some lovely cars featured too, really enjoyed it even if it has thrown a spanner in the works for my future classic car ownership plans.

If its of any significance I notice journalists are starting to 'discover' 928's. The guy who edits PBMW and PVW (Elliot...?) and once of the Octane guys (Lillywhite?) are both trying to run old ones.

And disovering the pitfalls in the process!

At least a non-a/c 968 is a pretty simple old beast!

SS7

[Johnboy Mac]

shoestring7 said:

If its of any significance I notice journalists are starting to 'discover' 928's. The guy who edits PBMW and PVW (Elliot...?) and once of the Octane guys (Lillywhite?) are both trying to run old ones.

And disovering the pitfalls in the process!

At least a non-a/c 968 is a pretty simple old beast!

SS7

Yes SS7, you've made a very important point regarding running an 928 thus one of the reasons I've being holding off on making a purchase (very nearly did in '06 but got cold feet after doing several viewings), also the situation is not helped by the relative ease of running an old Merc. I have to admit this is one of the major attractions of the 944/968 over the 928 being honest.
I'll see in due course what I do, be it a 928, 944/968 or just blow the money on a semi rebuild of the Merc with a few choice mods. Gotta, admit the 944/968 seems to make a lot sense even if I think the 928 is really a very unique & special car plus I've been a fanboy since day one. Heart says 928, head says 944/968, my woman says 928 but I've kept her in the dark on 'few' minor and possible costly details!

Edited by Johnboy Mac on Friday 8th April 15:39

[pSyCoSiS]

Lovely motors.

A guy at work has a mint 968 in White with Blue Leather.

Completely standard - looks stunning.

[HAB]

shoestring7 said:

Personally I found the rim too thick, and wanted the wheel closer. I replaced it with a suede rimmed Momo dished wheel that was perfect.

This is pretty much exactly what I did on the 964 - went from a CS wheel to a dished OMP Corsica. The CS wheel looks lovely, but the rim is waaaaay too thick. And it obscures the speedo between 60-110!

As for 928's, seeing one on the road now,it looks almost dainty compared to a lot of modern bloaters. For me, they're the best looking of all the transaxle Porsches.

I drove a manual S2 when I had my first 944, and it was great, like a big(ger)944 but with a frankly epic V8. Even the dogleg box wasn't as recalcitrant as I'd been led to believe. Another slice of pork I plan to own one day, and one of the all-time great GT cars.

[NJH]

nick_j007 said:

NJH said:

If it wasn't for mrs NJH loving the tiptronic gearbox in ours (I can't stand it), I think I would probably settle for a minty 968 coupe with working aircon, M030 anti roll bars, CS lowering springs and 17" wheels. All the car you need.

Now that does sound sweet. Where would I find a car specced like that?

Nick

Well our one for a start has working aircon but isn't really minty or a manual. The other stuff one can easily just buy and fit over a weekend. M030 Anti roll bars are about 300 quid a set, I have a set on my 944 S2 race car, CS lowering springs as well could be picked up secondhand from someone upgrading to KW or like the ARB's bought from your local OPC, whilst in there I would make sure the castor blocks are fresh/refreshed. Wheels you can take your pick although original cup 1 17" wheels are crazy expensive now even secondhand.

[Smike]

Johnboy Mac said:

I even remember an artical in CAR by Gerore Bishop when I was a young lad on the original launch of the 944

Did it involve a drive to a restaurant or eatery?

Seriously, I'll have to look that out

[Johnboy Mac]

Smike said:

Did it involve a drive to a restaurant or eatery?

Seriously, I'll have to look that out

Oh, I'm sure food/wine in one way or another was mentioned don't you just know. I can't recall the complete artical other than there was no photos but it did state the 944 was really great i.e balance, steering etc, and that's about it but praise from George all the same. No doubt CAR did a more detailed road test in and around that time in '83/84. I do also remember CAR ran a competition looking for the best caption to sum up the 944, needless to say I didn't win!