Classic 911 as a daily driver / what to look for?

Gilbert '71 T · Post by **Gilbert '71 T** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:41 pm

I'm with Bootsy, I reckon an SC or 3.2 would make a great daily, saying that i use my early 911 as much as possible and it's fine, get a decent stereo though as sometimes in traffic you can forget you're in an early 911 (apart from the leg ache and all the people gawping at you

) heck i'd even use it to go to the supermarket if i can't be bothered to walk the half a mile or wherever the nearest parking space i could find for my old E36 from my flat was.

btw I'm around the 6" mark

hot66 · Post by **hot66** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:20 pm

if you check out soem of the classic car mags .... 'market value' for early 911's is less than actual real world value. As mentioned, a bit of creative accounting etc ...

personally, I'd use the Jenson as the daily & buy a real nice early 911 as the toy

Shed · Post by **Shed** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:19 am

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all the responses - looks like I won't have a problem with the height then!

I think I need to get out and see / try a few before going any further with the idea. I've seen a few reasonable RHD 911 for around the 20k mark. However my budget and the IR rules are 15k max. The BIK tax would be calculated on the original purchase price of 5-6k (?) if I was to get a more modern version (say late 80's) using these rules - the orginal purchase price would push the tax liability way beyond affordability!

By the way, the Jensen as a daily driver would soon bancrupt me; 10mpg around town is no fun

Cheers,

Steve.

baggy_aggy · Post by **baggy_aggy** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:24 am

Ok i'm feeling short at 5'10'', but just to add that I use my 911T (Conrads old car) back and forth from Gatwick to Andover most days. Lots of traffic on the M25 so the clutch has a good work out (that is only only think that has let me down since the engine rebuild). Oddly enough the more I use it the better in runs, I'm thinking Stephen kings Christine here. I'm getting around 28/30 mpg but i do sit at 65/70 mph.
Does use a lot of oil though but from the threads I've read that is quite normal.

BS · Post by BS » Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:08 pm

Hi

I am 1m 94 and you should buy my 911...

look under cars for sale---

cheers

Ian Donkin · Post by **Ian Donkin** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 5:20 pm

Hi

My name is Ian, I'm 6'3, slim to average build and I'm looking to meet....

.

There's stacks of room in an early car for the taller of us (I'm actually a tad taller than that and if Philip's 6'2 then...

) and the older seats plus often lack of sunroof mean headroom is never a problem.

The late (73.5) 2.4T's with CIS are really driveable with bags of low down torque and will happily pootle at 30mph in 5th gear, whereas the MFI equipped E & S cars don't like that sort of behaviour.

MDR (a swb model himself?) drives his SWB car every day and Gary71 is another that uses his early 911 lots - I'm sure everyone will have their own view on this but I'm not sure it'd be the best idea up here in the North.

Just get one bought and enjoy it - if you can't hack it everyday, at least you will have something in the garage to enjoy come the weekend!

Good luck.

FMAN · Post by **FMAN** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 6:27 pm

Hi,

I glad to hear everyone fits OK. I am 6'3" and a bit fat and have sat in a few cars and my head is pushed hard against the headlining in some but not others! I suspect it is all about how long your body is, how upright you like to sit and which seats are in the car.
The best thing is to try it yourself.

Regards

Neil

Derek · Post by **Derek** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:55 pm

I'm a midget at 5'10"

and a fat git

. I fit into my 911 comfortably

.

I'd get rid of the dead weight (Jenson) and buy a proper car

.

PAUL CALDERBANK · Post by **PAUL CALDERBANK** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 10:58 pm

Guess what, i'm also 6' 3"! (I don't remember the average ddker being 6' 3" at clm!)

I have found that most early 911s are fine size wise unless it's a sunroof coupe (slightly lower head room because of the sunroof mech)with recaro seats. My car was fine for headroom until I replaced the standard seats with recaros and now no matter what angle i tilt the backs, my head is always on the roof. But the support was so good that I couldn't bring myself to put the standard seats back in. I just drive everywhere with the sunroof open. Just something to think about if you do go ahead and look for an early 911.

Bertroex · Post by **Bertroex** » Thu Jul 27, 2006 11:22 pm

PAUL CALDERBANK wrote: I just drive everywhere with the sunroof open.

Dedication!

Besides, that another thing with old 911's: warm feet, cool head. In summer because of the sunroof, in winter because you will always have the window sliiiiiiiiiightly open for better ventilation.

Bert

duka · Post by **duka** » Fri Aug 04, 2006 2:04 pm

Steve - I'd check the less than 15k rule a bit more as if it's less than 15k I'm pretty sure you can't apply the IR 'classic' car status.

what is the killer will be the fuel benefit which will be 35% of £14,440 if I remember correctly - I looked at this option also and found it more commerically viable to go down owning the car and claiming the fuel allowance back @40p/mile.

good luck whatever route you go!

sladey · Post by **sladey** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:24 pm

Get a 3.2 and backdate it - best of both worlds. Might be probs with budget though

Glenn75S · Post by **Glenn75S** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:07 pm

I am 6'4" and have no problems fitting in classic 911s. I have found later tombstones give a bit more room due to slightly more runner adjustment, however standard recaros still give enough room. Gary (Gary71) did have an unusual option of seating in his 71T which had a higher base seated recaro style seating, which was the only time I have found things a bit cramped.