Tyre Alternatives

[roy mawbey]

SJ,

It goes to show, we are really are all so different in our thoughts of what we consider to be correct for our Porsche 356 or 911.

I read the account by James Kraus and agreed with every point he raised. Cars in my opinion are spoiled directly they have these modifications, as so many have done to their cars. Sure in a straight line or round a race track they might well perform in a different way to a standard one but the car then, is not as factory built.

In the early 70's I drove my brothers 1966 911 and was so impressed with 2 litres of car. It made my 356 super feel very tame. By the time his experience extended to a Carrera with over 3 litres even he found it almost annoying he effectively could never really use its full potential.

Its not as though I don't like speed, my early days were spent on really fast British bikes, its just that I like to potter around in the 356 knowing its almost all original. I like the smell of the nearly 60 year old carpets, the smell of the air cooled engine, the fact everything is nearly manually operated and not controlled by electronics. I like the cars shape and that its still using the same sized tyres on original wheels.

It really all comes down to taste and what people want from their car. I suppose probably I am in the minority, in never wanting to alter anything away from the standard to which it was built.

Roy

[S.J.Szabo]

Mr.Mawbey:

All the evidence indicates that you are indeed in tune with the largest part of the Old Car crowd, and I don’t mean to imply that that’s a bad thing, even if it has gotten hard to tell the passive Appreciators from the uninvolved Investors.

Different strokes….

On the other hand, honesty compels me to further confess (as if I had not been rather obvious enough) a stubborn affinity to an approach that seemed to have been more common in a bygone day, and most particularly among those who were swept up in the Early Porsche participatory zeitgeist, even tho I was a relative latecomer to the Chant of the Wrench-Monkey Faithful.

Now, as a matter of personal taste, I don’t countenance gross alterations (tho it has crossed my mind that it might be neat to have a WRX engine in the tail for a while) to any vintage machine, particularly if they involve permanent changes. But it is the case that every car ever made was a compromise solution in one way or another, and it hardly seems a sin to tastefully “de-compromise” one to suit one’s taste if everything is reversible.

As a case in point, my own fairly original ’57 Normal has offered nearly 50yrs. of enhanced excitement as an SC-in-a-T1 body over 50yrs. and 125K mi., while providing all the sensual delight you describe to boot. And of course, all the original pieces will be available should the succeeding custodians be more… mainstream in their interests.

I also realize that I’ve been preaching the gospel of cheap thrills to a small-and-shrinking choir, but like most zealots, I reckon I am not above a little proselytizing about the possibilities for an enhanced experience in the “not-stock” car, in hopes of inciting some new converts to a more intense involvement with their ride. It’s not farfetched to speculate that if everyone back in the day had driven today’s classic performance cars like Chevy sedans going to church, there would have been little motivation for those makes to survive.

But of course, we both realize that one man’s passion is often another man’s poison, and adherence to either is usually equally single minded. So, for those who are very strict originality-ists, feel free to ignore my rantings from the Dark Side of personalization.

Still, I hope you will understand if I feel it’s a shame to purposely not get more of the performance from the rides that were conceived and built specifically to provide it.

[roy mawbey]

SJ,

Yes its just a case of individual opinion on what each person wants from his classic car. There is nothing wrong in changing parts on the older car to make it more up to date with far faster moderns either in the handling or performance areas if that pleases you.

But for me as soon as I get in and drive my BMW its seems a light year away in terms of technology to my old 356. The 356 though in original form, still holds in own in respect of keeping up in modern traffic on the roads of today. But the small water container for the window wash and the one speed wipers are a joke compared to current versions. Its lucky the 356 has reclining seats, so many 50's cars over here didn't and its here I make the comparison, I used to drive in the early 60's a Ford Anglia and recently had the chance to drive one again after 50 years. To say the 356 was far advanced to the Ford Anglia would be an understatement. They were as different as chalk and cheese. But of course so was the purchase price back then.

I cannot say I would be comfortable driving the 356 now as a daily driver as you manage to do. I have come to like the ease of clicking the remote to open and lock the car, the air conditioning rather than open windows, the heating of rear windows, the lighting compared to my 356 candles and the zink coated underside against the rubber underseal. I could go on and on. I would still probably be on my old Michelin X tyres though, I liked them.

Still, nice today, I will take the old car out now for a local run listening to my Motorola valve ( tube ) radio on medium wave with only a few stations I can pick up having no FM , no stereo or digital sound !! Next step it will be me wearing a flat cap and annoying all those behind me waiting to get past!

Sorry for drifting off the tyre thread must be getting old!

Roy

[Adrian3]

well, i think its great to modify classic cars, except of course those really rare museum pieces....part of the fun of ownership is the technical challenge of improving a car...and, if nothing else, modifying these cars keeps the "uninvolved investors" away....keeping them stock means they're worth top dollar and too damn valuable to take out on our roads filled with thrusting white vans
anyway Mr Szabo, are you in the literary arena?....you have a marvellous way with our language

[S.J.Szabo]

Mr.Mawby:

Yeah, I get it. I have one of the new-fangled cars too... sorta. It's an NA Miata that does have actual working A/C. Power windows too, tho I frequently have to massage the cheapo switchgear to keep 'em working. I am fond of the fuel injection (something I would love on a hotrod VW engine) tho, but I do love the Webers for their own sake; my only complaint there is that once you get 'em spot on, the fiddling is over.

The 356 actually is quite civilized in daily use, despite the lack of A/C. Besides, when one travels, the indigenous air is positively atmospheric, even if it is 95deg. out. Of course, I have some biological advantage, as paving streets in Midwestern heat for tuition, teaches an enduring lesson to the genes about taking extremes in stride.

Fob locks? Who needs 'em; I learned long ago (parking an open TR 250 in downtown San Francisco at night) that one doesn't need locks if you have nothing to steal in the car. Of course, I have DIY anti-theft device: a discrete switch on the elect. fuel pump.

Heated rear windows? Well of course, the aftermarket versions are an easy job, but organic solution is to carry a fair-sized dog in the back.

I sympathize about the poor lighting; this is why I changed over to 12v. long, long ago. Now I can see them and they can see me... very symbiotic. This also provided a very neat solution to the funky cable-switched, clutch-banded 6v wipers on the T-1: a simple rheostat provides variable speed wipers w/a right quick hi speed capability. The proof came with the first use after the installation: at full speed, I threw a wiper arm across the adjoining lane of traffic.

I am rather fond of rubberized sealer: you can spray it everywhere it's needed and is easily renewed. Of course, it is not proof against irony, since being a Porsche, it is fond of trying to rust from the inside out.

Thus one might see that even with mechanical alterations, the foibles of '50s motoring still gives one an accurate "Factory" experience.


Mr.Rendle, you are too kind. In honesty, it is sometimes a struggle, as being an American, English is a second language for me. Its gratifying to think that someone gets some occasional entertainment out of my dubious ramblings and seditious viewpoints.

I thank you, Sir.

[Ashley James]

I'm enjoying this thread and I agree with so much of it even to the extent of using my 356 as a daily driver. I could but it doesn't have aircon, power steering, power brakes, auto wipers, auto zenon headlights, voice activated satnav, its noisy and not quite fast enough to pass ditherers and dawdlers, but it is wonderful to drive and I love it and I'm a newcomer to Porsches. In the day I had Astons and E Types etc.

I might buy LEDs for it once it has had a bare metal respray, but otherwise I think it's fine as it is. Even its £39 NanKang M&S tyres are good enough and then it'll get Vredestein T Tracs for about the same money.

In the main I prefer to accept old cars for what they are and knowing they're never going to compare with moderns, but that do suit improvement.

I had a MKVI Bentley for near twenty years, I've had a variety of R-R&B and not liked them at all, but the '46-'55 models are special and many now accept the best pre German cars, Silver Ghost excepted.

These benefit from a carefully built, late 4.9L Silver Cloud 1 engine, a 3 to 1 Continental axle, re-valved shocks and a Harvey Bailey handling kit. We have a friend who drives one all over Europe at considerable speed and often with the inside front wheel off the ground on corners. It's a wonderful car and better than an original which was already one of the best of its era. It does 112mph!

My Healey 3000 is different, a bigwig in the VSCC and the BOC said to me when I got it that they were as good as they could be and that any of the improvements popular with them made them appreciably worse and I think he's almost right. They're a pleasant touring car and one of the best lookers ever, but hotter cams spoil torque and highlight the awfulness of the gearbox, they're deafening without having the exhaust exiting under the door, they're already too low and hard enough sprung and so on, but accept them for what they are and that they're happy in the sixty to eighty region and most would love them and the gorgeous noise. A set of Konis wouldn't go amiss though, Armstrong lever dampers were always poor.

My son has pinched my Healey and I'm learning about 356s.

[S.J.Szabo]

Yeah, there’s no getting around the fact that these days, the lowliest econobox or the plumpest truckette can outdo most of the Great Olde Crocks we all know and love, in most any action involving motion. In most cases, most vehicles perform in ways we would have had to pay big bucks for back in The Day, and do so to limits that are well beyond the talents of most drivers to control it.

Ironic, isn’t it.

Fact is, all that stock, drama-free capability makes it that much harder for even a dedicated double-clutcher to have a giggle doing anything at prudent speeds. For some, all that stolid prowess, persistent unperturbablility, and computer-enhanced drivability, makes most every moderne car/truck/truckette/van a colossal bore that encourages casual inattention and thoughtless distraction. For my part, I thank the Holey Roller (crank) that one just can’t make a sow’s ear out of a silk purse. Flash is expensive (as the price of any new car/truckster makes clear), but class is priceless.

But of course, that’s not really the point. Most of time, one makes some old beauty work better, just to work better, not to keep up with Jones’. The satisfaction of a fiddle finely fettled makes the ride the sweetest, if not the fastest, and that’s the point. With old cars, the small thrills that keep one entertained and engaged, come cheap and accessible without endangering the populous or scaring the horses. And if one works at it, they make for a better driver to boot.

But again, different strokes…

Mr.James, ‘tis true that not all old cars suffer tweeking well, but even the little things can make a difference. The TR 250, like the Healey, didn’t leave a whole lot of room for improvement either. But drop a little nose (with maybe just a bit of an airdam) here, change out the carbs (the pre-smog Strombergs – a unit I always thought under-rated – off the 4 worked great) there, a small adjustment of the cam timing, and add an overdrive (you’ve got to love a Laycock), and the next thing you know, you’ve got zippy ride, street or hiway.

I might take a little issue with the lever shock thing, tho. I enjoyed their lifespan and the ability to change their rate at will. In the end, I had a very nice trailing-throttle oversteer dialed into that rascal.

On the other hand, I should think it would take a fairly imprudent cam to blunt the low-end torque of the Big Six. The one in the Triumph made short/skip shifting an easy luxury.

There is joy in simplicity and most "technology" is more curse than convenience, especially when it is crammed down your throat.

[Adrian3]

Ashley, you've made a bit of a leap in car culture , from the brute Healey to the refined 356....i, too , am late in appreciating the early Porsches, although nothing, i feel sure, will compare with that early Elan many years ago, but it was just too delicate.
I'm not sure about our hobby being cheap, Mr Szabo (a Christian name would be easier!).....i consistently get annoyed over the Porsche tax levied by all suppliers, it seems. And, whilst the simplicity of classic cars is an essential ingredient for me (and why i passed on my 944 quick), there does seem to be an awful lot of talk about carbs on these forums, so i think F.I. would be the one major change i would make.

[S.J.Szabo]

Mr.Rendle:

“Cheap”?

When I said cheap thrills, I was referring to inexpensive tires and DIY tweeks, a cost paradigm applicable to any old crock.

As to your slant, “yeah” there too. I’ve only had one 356, which I acquired in 1980 when they were still pretty reasonable. I bought it in the Bay Area while I resided in San Francisco in central Calif. A good Carma provided a subsequent period that would prove to be the zenith of the swap meet era in Calif., and I was able to find all manner of the stuff that dreams were made of, also very reasonable.

One could assemble the necessaries for a complete engine for a few hundred dollars. Spare carb sets, sodium-filled valves, alloy rocker stands, etc, et cetera. Porsche-wise, it was a magical time, full of surprises, and narrated by folks who constituted the First Wave of fans of the new German sports cars and funky little sedans.

My financial investment in the car and a small pile of spares, amortized over the approx. 125K mi. I’ve put on it, yields a ridiculously small number.

But your right of course, about current costs not being cheap, but name any interesting car for which they are these days. The aftermarket is what it is; be glad there are parts at all, when there are.


I too am fond of F.I.. Many folks are, which is why there are so many left-over Subaru engines in circulation; they bolt right up, you see. Then there is the late 914 as a parts donor. I think I would most like some mechanical set up that would have been available then. Mech. F.I. was not unheard of then.