What do you make of backdated Porsches?

[964RS]

Early original cars are early original cars.

Backdates are backdates.

Hot rods are hot rods.

They are all different.

Some will love. Some will loathe.

It matters not what others think, it matters only what you think and how it makes you feel.

Can’t take $hit with you, can’t be concerned with others opinions of what they don’t own.

Enjoy.

[MikeB]

As someone with a Backdated car, I suppose I'm somewhat biased, to my mind there are Backdates and there are Restomods. From what I am lead to believe mine was one of the first Backdates, it was based on a trusty SC, but is backdated with reasonably correct panels, please excuse the SC rear wings, including the proper bonnet & shut panel but replacing the EFI with carbs, the brake servo was dismissed to the corner of the garage, and it doesn't have the tombstone seats, that often seem to frequent other similarly named examples.

The Restomods, retain the modern induction, uprated brakes, usually with 16 inch "Fuchs" and Lux interiors that equate to 50% of the value of my car, and in general perform nothing like the car they are representing.

But like all things, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so there are good and bad, much the same as there are great varieties in various period ST & RSR Recreation / Homage/ Replica..........


Oh and PS.... Jason is absolutely right !!!.... Well said.

[964RS]

The problem is restomod, backdate, hot rod, homage, etc etc etc all have different meanings now to different people.

It’s original or it’s not.

You like it or you don’t.

If you do and you own it just drive the nuts off it and don’t worry. Life’s too short for opinions lol

[RobFrost]

I agree the 3.2 is a bit squishy and flat compared to an MFi car but you get better brakes, more refinement, more power, more torque, better economy and much better round-town manners so there’s plenty to be said for a backdate when you’re doing normal driving or a long trip. It also remains much easier and cheaper to find a good 80s car, £70k would get you into a cracking backdate but a below par MFi car.

I love the fact the Porsche world embraces modified cars. I’d like to modify an 80s or 90s Ferrari but it’d be financially disastrous to do so, not the same with Porsche.

Did yours have minilites originally? If so I’ve driven it a bit and always liked the low ride height and R style, made it look much racier and much more its own thing rather than a copy of an early car.

Yes, I believe this is the car that originally had minilites. Now has the Fuchs. Man it is LOW - and every road around my house has speed bumps. It is definitely fun to drive. Believe it or not, it is considerably less harsh and less rattly over bumpy roads than my 996 Turbo.

[RobFrost]

.

I don't have any problem with 'back-dated'/modified cars - but I don't agree with this statement:

".. early models combined with superior later mechanicals"

From a driving point of view I rate the earlier, higher-revving, smaller capacity engines equipped with mfi or carbs as far superior ...

.

I thought I'd throw that in to offend everybody but you all didn't rise to it.

[RobFrost]

You passed me on Monday night in Lichfield, thought that car looked really nice. Bit low, but looked good coming towards me.

Definitely looks the part

Thanks Mark. You local?

[RobFrost]

Backdating is an important source of revenue for Porsche specialists, forward-dating having become deeply unfashionable

Ironically my 1970T has been forward dated with a whale tail, large rear reflector and recaro bucket seats. It wears them surprisingly well! I could just take bits off one car and put them on the other!

[sladey]

Walter Rohl apparently rated the (boring) 3.2 engine as his favourite 911 engine.

Just sayin’

And yes they can be livened up quite a bit.

Also that G50 box is rather nice - mine is on 320k miles and still sweet.

I think one of the reasons people are so accepting about backdates is that they are still Porsches through and through

[RobFrost]

It can all be undone and made a nice 3.2 again, costs but the bits that come off are worth some money too.

The 3.2 must be one of the most boring of the flat 6 engine, no cam effect and no pops and farts, but, turbine smooth and constant pull in tall gears, will run on anything and dare I say 30 mpg.
I've had mine in my 73T for 25 years.
However, the engine before was a self built 2.4 on mech inj, E cams and S Pistons and it was a wonderful engine, all the crackles you could ask for, 18 mpg if lucky, awkward starting, but fabulous. Sold it for 1000 to a ddk guy in 94/95.
The 2.2T on Weber before the 2.4 was nice too, lovely feeling engine, just lacking in power.

Pity going back to that 2.4 is far too expensive today, so a time passed me by, but the 3.2 will do.

Tempted much? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265257312182

[210bhp]

That engine has been discussed previously on this forum and pronounced a mixed bag of parts from different engines. It has been for sale for quite a while.

Regards
Mike

[BILLY BEAN]

The problem is restomod, backdate, hot rod, homage, etc etc etc all have different meanings now to different people.



If you do and you own it just drive the nuts off it and don’t worry. Life’s too short for opinions lol

Was the above an opinion?

[911hillclimber]

Ha!
just what I thought too, but I feel Jason is right.
I for one worry about my bitza far too much and how it comes across, esp on these pages, but other's opinions are of interest, but should be only take as such, just comments (unless someone spots a danger or fraud).
Of course, everything we comment is an opinion as is this post!

It would be a nice project to do a 2.4 on mech injection, but it would not b as usable to me as the lardy 3.2 I have in the tail of my 73T, just an opinion.

Only 1 other has driven my 911T/3.2, a mad journalist, and loved it after tearing round a test track for a magazine shoot, and a fellow DDK'r who's opinion I would pay particular attention to who endured being a passenger in it down to the PCGB Club House.