How useable is a 3.2 carrera (circa 84 year)?
Discussion
Orangecurry said:
...just to be pedantic, and this is PH after all, but the teatray provides no downforce.
It's a spoiler - it spoils the airflow over the teardrop shape and prevents lift.
Mr Spanner - why else is that lovely white car not for the purists? Looks great by the way.
Indeed. And from memory the lift at the rear is significant: around 100kg and 100mph, almost all negated by the rear spoiler. Front one reduces lift too.It's a spoiler - it spoils the airflow over the teardrop shape and prevents lift.
Mr Spanner - why else is that lovely white car not for the purists? Looks great by the way.
Discombobulate said:
Indeed. And from memory the lift at the rear is significant: around 100kg and 100mph, almost all negated by the rear spoiler. Front one reduces lift too.
That's a lot - is that true?Glad I've got one on mine then. Always seemed a bit more stable in cross winds than my old 993 with the standard lift spoiler
Orangecurry said:
...just to be pedantic, and this is PH after all, but the teatray provides no downforce.
It's a spoiler - it spoils the airflow over the teardrop shape and prevents lift.
Mr Spanner - why else is that lovely white car not for the purists? Looks great by the way.
Being pedantic yes it prevents lift (not downforce), but the point is 3.2's are noticeably more planted with a tea tray than running a flat lid. It's a spoiler - it spoils the airflow over the teardrop shape and prevents lift.
Mr Spanner - why else is that lovely white car not for the purists? Looks great by the way.
They also run better on 6&7 Fuchs than 7&9's.
browngt3 said:
That's a lot - is that true?
Glad I've got one on mine then. Always seemed a bit more stable in cross winds than my old 993 with the standard lift spoiler
Can't find a reference, but interesting thread here.Glad I've got one on mine then. Always seemed a bit more stable in cross winds than my old 993 with the standard lift spoiler
https://rennlist.com/forums/911-forum/159766-how-m...
Orangecurry said:
...just to be pedantic, and this is PH after all, but the teatray provides no downforce.
It's a spoiler - it spoils the airflow over the teardrop shape and prevents lift.
Mr Spanner - why else is that lovely white car not for the purists? Looks great by the way.
Thanks Mr Curry! I'm pleased with it, I must say it looks better in the photos.. That's not to say it's a heap, it certainly isn't but it's probably had a hard life, it's got the odd visible repair, highish mileage, no history whatsoever ('lost' apparently..), the interior has been totally retrimmed in dogpoo brown leather, been laid up for a significant amount of years.It's a spoiler - it spoils the airflow over the teardrop shape and prevents lift.
Mr Spanner - why else is that lovely white car not for the purists? Looks great by the way.
On the plus side it's had a fair amount of replacement parts to get it MOT worthy, I can't see any rust worth worrying about, engine sounds good and goes well, gearbox hmm we'll see about that...
All in all a fairly honest, reasonable car that I can fiddle with and just use
stinkyspanner said:
I bought one.. It's everything a serious enthusiast would run a mile from, but fits my requirements perfectly, and it was priced accordingly. The seller had a ramp, I spent an hour or so looking over it and couldn't find any significant rust. It's far from concourse, it's definitely not one for the purists but it's a good usable example that I won't need to worry about the odd stonechip, or adding miles to 
From this distance it looks a beaut! Keep us all updated I honestly think you are better off with a non perfect example, assuming it’s not rusty.
These cars car around 37 years old now, so why would you expect perfection.
If it’s not perfect you can just get on and enjoy it and not worry about anything. So few of these actually get used any more.
I a, toying with get my paint refreshed, but whilst it’s stone chipped I don’t worry. Who cares if it doesn’t look 100%. It won’t be long before it gets more.
As long as you have a good base to start from.
Enjoy.
These cars car around 37 years old now, so why would you expect perfection.
If it’s not perfect you can just get on and enjoy it and not worry about anything. So few of these actually get used any more.
I a, toying with get my paint refreshed, but whilst it’s stone chipped I don’t worry. Who cares if it doesn’t look 100%. It won’t be long before it gets more.
As long as you have a good base to start from.
Enjoy.
BertBert said:
g7jhp said:
Being pedantic yes it prevents lift (not downforce), but the point is 3.2's are noticeably more planted with a tea tray than running a flat lid.
They also run better on 6&7 Fuchs than 7&9's.
You presumably mean 6&8?They also run better on 6&7 Fuchs than 7&9's.
It was 6s&7s x16 on most 3.2s until 1989 when the rears became 8s - to improve handling.
Not sure how true this is, but I was told that the use of the same size tyre stiffened the sidewalls, which made the back end more responsive.
Some people have fitted 7s & 9s with bigger tyres, but this combo only benefits aesthetics - it saps power.
A 911 should never be ‘over-tyred’.
Apparently, fitting 7s&8s x15 can be quite effective, especially for track use, lowering the car (if lower profile tyres are fitted), changing the gearing and reducing the unsprung weight.
Not sure how true this is, but I was told that the use of the same size tyre stiffened the sidewalls, which made the back end more responsive.
Some people have fitted 7s & 9s with bigger tyres, but this combo only benefits aesthetics - it saps power.
A 911 should never be ‘over-tyred’.
Apparently, fitting 7s&8s x15 can be quite effective, especially for track use, lowering the car (if lower profile tyres are fitted), changing the gearing and reducing the unsprung weight.
BertBert said:
g7jhp said:
No 6&7 x 16 Fuchs were on earlier 3.2 Carrera's and I believe they swapped from 7 to 8's on the back circa 1988.
Well every day is a school day. My 2.7RS looky-likey had 6s and 8s a while ago when I owned it
Think it was exported to Australia.
I have a LHD '86 3.2 Carrera with 915 gearbox, factory air con and 320,000km on the clock. I use it for continental touring as well as trips around the UK or nipping to the local shops. It has never let me down and I do 10-15,000km a year in it.
The original question was whether an older, air-cooled, 911 is a viable proposition as a daily (or at least regular) driver. I would say, very much, yes.
Points to consider:
1) Ventilation. It is fairly poor for both hot and cold air. The factory air-con works but nothing like a modern system. You just learn to live with it.
2) Misting in winter. Linked with the ventilation. Have a dry rag handy in cold wet weather or buy a heated windscreen.
3) No power steering. Only really an issue at parking speed and you get used to it pretty quickly.
4) 915 or G50 gearbox. The latter is more reliable but a well set up 915 is absolutely fine.
5) 3.0 SC or 3.2 Carrera - I like the extra torque of the 3.2 for a more relaxed drive.
As others have said, it's also worth considering a 996 or 997. I also have a 997.1 Turbo Cab daily driver, which is a lovely car and offers a lot more modern driving experience than the 3.2 Carrera. Previously I had a 996 Carrera 2. A nice one can be had for half the price of an air-cooled car and is a great drive.
The original question was whether an older, air-cooled, 911 is a viable proposition as a daily (or at least regular) driver. I would say, very much, yes.
Points to consider:
1) Ventilation. It is fairly poor for both hot and cold air. The factory air-con works but nothing like a modern system. You just learn to live with it.
2) Misting in winter. Linked with the ventilation. Have a dry rag handy in cold wet weather or buy a heated windscreen.
3) No power steering. Only really an issue at parking speed and you get used to it pretty quickly.
4) 915 or G50 gearbox. The latter is more reliable but a well set up 915 is absolutely fine.
5) 3.0 SC or 3.2 Carrera - I like the extra torque of the 3.2 for a more relaxed drive.
As others have said, it's also worth considering a 996 or 997. I also have a 997.1 Turbo Cab daily driver, which is a lovely car and offers a lot more modern driving experience than the 3.2 Carrera. Previously I had a 996 Carrera 2. A nice one can be had for half the price of an air-cooled car and is a great drive.
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