FGT in Middle TN


Howard

GT Owner
Mark IV Lifetime
Apr 26, 2007
1,135
Florida/North Jersey
I've been autocrossing this puppy since 1983.
 

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Sinovac

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Jul 18, 2006
5,832
Largo, Florida
That’s a great picture.
 

jyork965

GT Owner
Feb 3, 2018
26
Nice to see appreciation and knowledge for the early 911. Definitely old school without the driver's aids so prevalent in present cars. I appreciate the second generation turbo, '79 turbo with CIS, for it's simplicity, rawness and history. I was told that during production cars would be pulled off at random, customer cars and then those redirected to the RSR program. Interesting history to be sure. I've enjoyed the comments to this thread. Would appreciate anyone's perspective re. FordGT ownership, especially comparisons, if any to Porsche.
 

dr914

GT Owner
Feb 11, 2009
252
Marietta Georgia
Excellent car to own that is for sure, the 73.5 t cis was certainly the best of the breed back then for a smooth daily fun driver, and is now highly sought after (the S models of course selling for the most) Porsche really wound up ruining the car in 1974 with the case stud hot running 2.7 and the crash bumpers!


Maybe we should change the title of this thread to "old Porsches."

Speaking of which, I now have my 1973 911 running again. My brother was here a week and a half ago, and helped me get the engine cranking over by hand, and then put the engine/tranny back in the car. Last week I fired it up, and found that the old bad gas had pretty much gunked up the whole fuel system. The ethanol-contaminated fuel just doesn't last like the pure dead dinosaur juice. It absorbs water, breaks down, and leaves crud everywhere if you let it sit for very long.

So I drained the tank, blew out the lines, had to squirt carb cleaners into and tap on the fuel pump a bunch of times to get it freed up and put it back in the car. Then I had to take off the CIS fuel distributor and squirt it liberally and blow compressed air through it to free up the metering plunger, and the same with the injectors.

Then it was running on 4 or 5 cylinders, which turned out to be too high resistance in a couple of the spark plug wires, but it took me hours to trace that down. Yes, I ordered a new set of spark plug wires and will put them in tomorrow. After all that messing around, it is finally running smoothly.

Next project is to clean and rebuild the brakes if necessary. After that, I will install the oil-fed Carrera chain tensioners. Then I can start putting back on the bumpers and the glass and last, the interior. Lots of work, but it's a fun driver with a 3.0 SC engine and about 230 ponies in a 2300-lb car.
 

PeteK

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 18, 2014
2,268
Kalama, Free part of WA State
Excellent car to own that is for sure, the 73.5 t cis was certainly the best of the breed back then for a smooth daily fun driver, and is now highly sought after (the S models of course selling for the most) Porsche really wound up ruining the car in 1974 with the case stud hot running 2.7 and the crash bumpers!
It was the last model of the pre-safety-bumper 911's--that's why I bought it in 1992. A lot of people replace the CIS with carbs, but I actually like the CIS. I think it's pretty easy to troubleshoot and work on and it gives more even consistent performance and drivability, however, the carb setup greatly simplifies the engine compartment. Carbs also can make use of more aggressive cams and produce more power, whereas the CIS is sensitive to too much valve overlap.

Did I mention that I built a 3.0 SC Euro motor for it with SSI stainless headers and heater boxes? I put that in 20+ years ago, and then the project sat. With that engine (probably around 230 HP) in the light early body (around 2300 lbs), it scoots. Unfortunately, I traded the original engine in part for the SC engine, so I don't have that anymore. Too bad, because the original engine case# probably adds $20K to the value. Oh well, I don't intend to sell it, just drive the piss out of it!
 

dr914

GT Owner
Feb 11, 2009
252
Marietta Georgia
It is actually nice these days to have one you can drive. The cars are worth so much now that they are virtually museum pieces and with the fact that you can purchase a low mile 2000s 911 for a fraction, we all buy and drive the hell out of those and keep our through 73 models for display and car shows.

Much like what happened with our Ford GTs, I bought mine originally to drive every day and did in the beginning, then the prices went out of sight! So now the 2000s 911s are the "beaters"
 

PeteK

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 18, 2014
2,268
Kalama, Free part of WA State
It is actually nice these days to have one you can drive. The cars are worth so much now that they are virtually museum pieces and with the fact that you can purchase a low mile 2000s 911 for a fraction, we all buy and drive the hell out of those and keep our through 73 models for display and car shows.

Much like what happened with our Ford GTs, I bought mine originally to drive every day and did in the beginning, then the prices went out of sight! So now the 2000s 911s are the "beaters"
I assume from your handle that you have been a 914 connoisseur. I went through 3 of those and beat the snot out of them. Now even those are becoming collectible--probably because there are so few left in decent shape.

Someday over beers I'll tell you the story of the highly original 1971 914-6 that I didn't buy in 1990 for $3000 because it was "too expensive!"
 
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dr914

GT Owner
Feb 11, 2009
252
Marietta Georgia
yup that was then this is now. Our biggest part seller is now Cayenne, just because of the numbers. Yet we still love the 914 and have what Porsche calls the world's best 914 collection here, including the old R&T cover car, one of a kind for America Porsche 916. 911 parts sales are second to the cayenne, and then boxster
Back then, porscheaudi could not give away those 914-6 models! Because of that they wisely did not produce the 916 other than the 11 prototypes. One of them ,"brutus" we just finished restoring and is headed for Jay Leno garage next month

QUOTE=PeteK;465251]I assume from your handle that you have been a 914 connoisseur. I went through 3 of those and beat the snot out of them. Now even those are becoming collectible--probably because there are so few left in decent shape.

Someday over beers I'll tell you the story of the highly original 1971 914-6 that I didn't buy in 1990 for $3000 because it was "too expensive!"[/QUOTE]
 

dr914

GT Owner
Feb 11, 2009
252
Marietta Georgia
Here is why I bought my Ford. Could not fit into this car, but will still always love it:
 

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PeteK

GT Owner
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 18, 2014
2,268
Kalama, Free part of WA State
Very cool!
 

DanQ

GT Owner
Aug 18, 2005
336
Lake Zurich, IL
I'll try and answer the OP questions. The GT is easier and cheaper to maintain. It doesn't leak oil. It is much harder to park and see out of. It feels very wide compared to an old 911. The GT is harder to get in and out of. It doesn't have much luggage space. It has so much more torque it throws you back in the seat, so you can be lazy shifting it.

The 911 is a much more usable car, but it's not as much of an "event" to drive it. The 911 feels lighter and more nimble, and you can see everything. No torque so you must row the gears to go fast.

Both have good brakes.

I had a '95 993 C2 and currently have a '15 991.1 C2S with a manual
 
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jyork965

GT Owner
Feb 3, 2018
26
Thanks for the reply to my initial question. Appreciate your comments regarding the differences between the two. Was thinking the costs to maintain would be higher but apparently not so; care to elaborate? A friend who preps Porsches for the track but has experience with the GT indicated the Riccardo (sp?) transmission needed attention regularly. Also, who in the Nashville area services/has experience with these cars?