by "Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
Published 02/23/2017 at 20:19
by "Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
Published 02/23/2017 at 20:19
No Tags
STARS: 29
Update: it arrived!
Tomorrow morning a truck will hopefully navigate it’s way through some narrow neighborhood streets to drop off an engineless Porsche 911 in front of my home. Not just any Porsche 911, but from one Oppo to another. And once I figure out how to lift a 911's ass in the air, slide an engine in, and hook up all the necessary components in to get it running; I will consider him even more fondly.
This past Monday, a kind, gracious, but apparently bad lucked Opponaut by the name of Flynorcal posted his, now engineless, Porsche 911 for free to anyone who could get it fairly quickly.
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At some point on Tuesday, I had put a deposit down on the transportation costs as various interested people found themselves deterred by the project and logistics of getting the darn thing. Eventually, I would have to get a new transport company to arrange shipping, with a little premium to stay on track for pickup but I will save that tale for another day. I was pretty damn happy when I heard someone say, the truck will pick it up on Friday.
I have always wanted a Porsche 911. The only cool car I can remember in my suburban lower class Minnesota neighborhood was a friend of my neighbor who would drive his Boxster by our house in the summer. That’s it. But as I grew older and saw the familiar 911 shape, I fell in love.
I settled for owning the lowly, but much underrated 944 last summer. I eventually came to terms with the fact that it is just a touch slow and unrefined for what I want from my fun car. I turned my eyes to the 996. I posted about my desire to start saving my pennies for a 996. I’ve got a good but slightly low paying job, with a kid and student loans, so it was a long term goal.
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When Flynorcal posted that he was willing to get rid of his car, for free, I first thought someone would surely secure it before me. And so I consider myself lucky to have gotten ahold of a 996 roller for shipping costs and for it to be a 4 model. Eventually though, luck won’t matter, and I’m in for a load of work, time, effort; and money. I’m not bad with a wrench but I am going to be hitting up friends and co-workers who are into cars for help.
To anyone hoping to see an LS swap, sorry, it’s unlikely. As of right now, I’m casting my eyes on a lowlier, easier, less entertaining and less expensive swap. As has been proven by Boxster owners the world over, a 2.7, 3.2 and 3.4 engine are all virtually interchangeable. My inkling right now is to get a running 2.7 for cheap, swap in a new IMS bearing from pelican, check the seals, and then get it in; hopefully all fairly quickly. And then start saving for a proper 3.4 or a blower/sucker.
But I’d stretch my budget to get a 3.2 and be done with it. And to those of you saying, “but, but, but, it’ll be slower.” It’ll still be fast enough, but best of all, it will be my 911.
"gmporschenut also a fan of hondas" (gmporschenut)
02/25/2017 at 18:00, STARS: 3
"smobgirl" (smobgirl)
02/25/2017 at 18:02, STARS: 2
I’m excited to watch your progress. So cool that you were able to snag it!
"daender" (daender)
02/25/2017 at 18:04, STARS: 0
Wow, a 911 cabrio with a hardtop, nice score of a project!
"XJDano" (xjdano)
02/25/2017 at 18:07, STARS: 0
Awesome. I was thinking about how I could have done something with this and options and funds both came up short. Good luck on your journey.
"interstate366, now In The Industry" (interstate366)
02/25/2017 at 18:09, STARS: 0
Congrats. Wish I could have snagged it myself.
"Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap" (ddadragon)
02/25/2017 at 18:09, STARS: 0
Glad it didn’t go to scrap.
"DFW's cars, Ferrari Dave’s thoughts on cars." (dfwscars)
02/25/2017 at 18:10, STARS: 0
very cool, can’t wait to see the process, please do YouTube videos of it.
"LongbowMkII" (longbowmkii)
02/25/2017 at 18:16, STARS: 1
2.7?
so like modern 912? I approve!
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 18:19, STARS: 1
I’ve never done a video, I will give it a shot though. I do want to track the progress pretty closely.
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 18:19, STARS: 0
Thanks, I consider myself lucky.
"EngineerWithTools" (engineerwithtools)
02/25/2017 at 18:19, STARS: 3
This is awesome in just about every way I can imagine. When I saw the give - away post I hoped it would go to a worthy home, and it clearly has.
I too have longed for a 911. Someday. While I have the tools and mechanical ability to do what you have planned, I’m not sure I have the patience (mine or my wife’s) to pull it off.
Please give us regular updates. Best of luck!
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 18:20, STARS: 1
Yeah, the cabrio and hardtop isn’t quite as sleek as the coupe and it’s a little heavier but it’ll be fun to hav the top down some days, and the roof is a little higher I think.
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
02/25/2017 at 18:22, STARS: 2
Ah, so it was YOU.
"TysMagic" (twjeffery)
02/25/2017 at 18:23, STARS: 0
late to the party here - this has made my saturday! I’m excited for progress posts
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 18:23, STARS: 0
Yeah, except even with a 2.7, it’ll still get to 60 in about 6.5 seconds. I will be honest, I’m already thinking, “I gotta at least do the 3.2".
"DFW's cars, Ferrari Dave’s thoughts on cars." (dfwscars)
02/25/2017 at 18:23, STARS: 0
ya the nice thing about the videos I am finding through YouTubing is you also have the experience documented for your own sake too.
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 18:25, STARS: 1
Genius! That’s a great point!
"interstate366, now In The Industry" (interstate366)
02/25/2017 at 18:26, STARS: 0
When I was looking for engine donors for this car I found another 996 cab with a hardtop at a salvage place not terribly far from me. It’s very savable, just needs some front end parts. If I had the cash it would be in my driveway now.
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 18:26, STARS: 2
Yes, I am the lucky recipient. The 3-4 days between the post and it actually getting on the truck were stressful.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
02/25/2017 at 18:27, STARS: 1
That is supremely awesome! Congratulations and good luck. Be sure to keep us posted on the progress.
"TysMagic" (twjeffery)
02/25/2017 at 18:29, STARS: 0
follow up to this and a little bit of ebay quick shopping:
I support your 3.2 dreams! The money isn’t that much different than the 2.7. I know little of Porsche motors but dang the 3.4 jumps way up in price
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
02/25/2017 at 18:33, STARS: 0
I was first in line to get it, but I decided it wouldn’t be worth it to drive 1600 miles round trip for an engineless Porsche.
"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike)
02/25/2017 at 18:40, STARS: 0
Very cool! Opponauts are the best people...
"interstate366, now In The Industry" (interstate366)
02/25/2017 at 18:45, STARS: 0
I was the first response, I just didn’t have the money to ship an engineless car 3000 miles :P
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
02/25/2017 at 18:55, STARS: 2
This is one of the coolest stories ever posted to OPPO. Im so happy you got it.
Go for the bigger motor, my Milan does 0-60 in 6.9.
"Schaefft" (Schaefft)
02/25/2017 at 19:03, STARS: 0
This is so cool! As I mentioned many many time before, I don’t see a reason why people hate on the 996 so much. Even in convertible form, you own a real 911, one of the best sports cars in the world. I want one badly.
"Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief" (flynorcal)
02/25/2017 at 19:06, STARS: 1
And there we go! Glad it’s in no worse condition than it was when I saw it last. I’m stoked. Cheers!
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/25/2017 at 19:21, STARS: 1
I love everything about this story.
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
02/25/2017 at 19:40, STARS: 0
Except that one guy, am I right?
"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike)
02/25/2017 at 20:20, STARS: 0
Yeah, that dude be a jerk!
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 20:57, STARS: 0
Thanks, I agree that the 3.2 is the good long term bet.
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 20:57, STARS: 0
Opponauts are great!
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 21:00, STARS: 1
Yeah, the 3.2 is under 1/2 the price of the 3.4 on average.It’s because the 3.4 is a 911 engine, but with some breathing work the 3.2 gets close; Porsche kind of hamstrung it to keep the Boxster “in its place” so to speak.
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 21:11, STARS: 1
No, the trucker was really good that I ended up with. Pushing it off the platform with him though I was thinking of some of those videos with the dumb accidents. Im stoked too. I pulled the oil filter and there were metal shards exhaust manifold was milkshake filled; and the other manifold had coolant.
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 21:13, STARS: 0
Yeah, they are good cars, and when it came out people loved it. It’s more a credit to how good the 997 is that people are hard on the 996; and how curmudgeonly car enthusiasts can be.
"Neil drives a beetle and a fancy beetle" (1500sand535)
02/25/2017 at 21:41, STARS: 1
Me too!
"MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner" (montegoman562)
02/26/2017 at 00:49, STARS: 0
You’ll be happier with it, and I’ve learned its better to just do it right the first time...even if it requires more patience.
Congrats man
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
03/01/2017 at 18:21, STARS: 0
You owe me an Oppo decal, Mate. Maybe get this guy to peel it off and send it back to me.
"Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief" (flynorcal)
03/01/2017 at 19:12, STARS: 0
If only the engine blew while you were hooning the crap out of the car. I’d guilt you for your next few lifetimes :)
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
03/01/2017 at 19:24, STARS: 0
I am already an emotionless husk, so guilt would largely be lost on me.
"Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief" (flynorcal)
03/01/2017 at 22:51, STARS: 0
I’m jealous. I’d give anything to get there.
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
03/02/2017 at 13:09, STARS: 0
I do not recommend it. At least not along the path I’m being forced to take.