Porsche 911 SC Targa: PH Carpool
A lifelong 911 fan finally gets the chance to realise his dream
Car: 1979 Porsche 911 SC Targa
Owned since: March 2015
Previously owned: Honda Civic Coupe, Rover 214 SEI, MINI Cooper, many and various BMWs, Fiat Stilo Abarth, Abarth 595, Caterham Supersport, Caterham Super Graduate race car, Audi A1, SEAT Leon estate, Mercedes E-Class x2, Jaguar XF x lots (company cars), probably some other stuff I have forgotten about!
When the man maths comes good!
"I guess it all started in about 1988 when I lived in Germany as a child; on the way to kindergarten a Guards Red 911 Turbo came past our family Passat estate at about 150mph. From then on I was a Porsche fan. With values of air-cooled stuff on the rise I thought it was now or never so did the obvious thing: researched loads, found this car at the excellent Phil Raby in Chichester (via PH) and then... bought a Caterham race car. Of course.
"Around three months later I realised the car was still for sale and, using some outstanding man maths, decided I would buy it as well. Financially this was not a great move in the short term, but I absolutely love it. Which makes it OK. I hope!"
What I wish I'd known:
"I researched the car well and paid the lovely Peter Morgan to do a full report on it that offered an incredible level of detail into what I was buying. I got a full history, loads of pictures and info on everything down to missing fuses. What I wasn't quite prepared for was the frequency classic cars require maintenance and the hourly rates of some specialists!"
Things I love:
"I just love the way it makes me feel when I drive it - every journey is a real experience and it is a car you really have to drive. The weight distribution in 911s is something I have always loved because it is so dominant in the process of getting from one corner to the next. Get it right and there is just a sublime feeling of connectedness with what is going on. I also quite enjoy the feeling of being 'in the club' with other classic car owners and have stopped to help others out when they have broken down, which I'm ashamed to say isn't something I would normally do in a modern car. I guess I'm pre-empting my need to perhaps have the favour returned in future!"
Driving experience has won Chris over
"Nothing major - to be honest the main thing is that almost everyone's first comment on the car is about how it has gone up in value rather than saying anything about the car itself. I probably should have expected this though, as my car was featured in a GT Porsche magazine article about what a great investment they are!
"Although I have to say I have been surprised how positive everyone is about the it. I even had a van pull up beside me on the M5 a little while ago and I really wasn't expected the bloke hanging out the window to shout 'nice car!'. I'm also not a fan of the amount of oil it leaves on my garage floor, but I'm assured that unless you have recently dropped £10K on a engine rebuild that 'they all do that sir...'"
Costs:
"The costs for everything to do with classic Porsches is reassuringly expensive, but you can also do a surprising amount of basic maintenance yourself, which is actually quite fun and rewarding. Mine is such a nice example I feel duty bound to spend the money on keeping it nice, and I have to thank Mikey and the guys at Autofarm for the great work they have done on it."
Will it go? Will it stay?
"No major road trips yet and Mrs C_Seven isn't the biggest fan of no air-con and 'that old car smell', so use is mainly confined to regular trips to Shelsley Walsh and other car events. One journey I have enjoyed is a classic navigational rally with the Midland Automobile Club, which took in some incredible roads and is something I can see me doing a few more of, as I like a bit of competition and the relaxed nature of these suits the car well."
What next?
"I'm in two minds to be honest - part of me thinks it is a keeper and I should spend a few (more) quid getting it 100 per cent perfect. However, with values high for now, I could be tempted to take the money out of it and 'invest' in two automotive itches I still have to scratch - a motorbike and a vintage or pre-war hillclimber/racer of some description. Time will tell, but right now I'm looking forward to another great summer of driving."
Want to share your car with PHers on Carpool? Email us at carpool@pistonheads.com!
I couldnt get insured on one at 17 (who would have thought?) and was waiting untill i was 25 to try and buy.
I'm 24 now and the prices are just silly!
I do hope that the value doesnt put you off driving it hard in the future.
Thanks for the pointers in where to buy. I'm now spending the afternoon seeing if i can get in one with a 20k budget!(man maths might make some things work)
As far as Targa vs Coupe goes I really don't think they are comparable. I'm sure it might be worth a second or two on track, but with 35 year old cars there are so many variables that it's best to consider what type of car you want and get the best you can afford of that model. 10 years ago I could afford a much better example of the Targa than coupe so I bought a Targa. I really enjoyed the roof-free experience and I kinda miss it. It gives you a real sense of speed you don't get in a tin top. I certainly don't remember feeling like it was a compromise at the time, however, if I could drive it back-to-back with my current car I would probably feel that it was a let down. There was no scuttle shake, but I can believe people who say it's not as rigid even if I don't remember it being that way.
Targas are lovely things despite what the armchair purists say. Buy whatever suits you and you won't go wrong as long as it's not a shed.
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