Could your latest classic actually come from the computer age?

Photography Credit: Chris Tropea

The Porsche 911 is an icon of the highest order. Deep motorsports pedigree. Celebrity ownership. A unique, fulfilling driving experience.

Ready to bring home a classic model so you can make your own memories, channeling storied drives at places like Daytona, Sebring and Riverside?

Now what?

Back in olden times, a classic 911 meant something with a long hood and chrome bumpers. Today, though, the category includes a wide range of years, body styles and price points.

The most important advice here, stresses Porsche parts supplier Charles L. Navarro, co-founder of LN Engineering, is to enjoy the experience: “The point of owning these cars is to drive them.”

Choose Your Experience

“What’s the desired ownership experience?” asks Per Schroeder of longtime Porsche parts house Stoddard. Do you want a 911 to restore, clean up or regularly drive?

A first-time Porsche owner likely isn’t going to dive into a full nut-and-bolt restoration on an early, long-hood model–although, Schroeder notes, just about everything is now available to build one from scratch, including the necessary sheet metal.

For those considering a project–from easy repairs to a full redo–he points toward a 1974-’89 car. These are commonly called G-bodies in 911 parlance and are easily identified by their shorter hoods and larger bumpers. They feature galvanized, rust-resistant bodies as well as reliable, fuel-injected engines.

As Schroeder notes, these models currently occupy a sweet spot in the classic car scene: terrific parts support, healthy inventory, strong performance and relatively simple fixes. “Restoring a G-body is a fairly painless operation,” he says.

The glass can easily come out for a full respray, while the interiors are simple to revamp. Both Porsche and the aftermarket offer loads of restoration parts: dashboards and trim pieces, fenders and patch panels.

Even smaller, unique items can be easily sourced. If you need the plastic surround for the door lock knob, for example, it’s available ($10.19 from Stoddard).

You can do a lot with an air-cooled 911. Ours has gone on rallies, been in shows, and even made laps around Daytona. Photography Credits: David S. Wallens

The follow-up air-cooled cars, the 964- and then 993-chassis 911, offer more performance and rock-solid reliability, but there’s a catch: They can be trickier to restore, he notes. As with nearly all Porsches, the maintenance parts are available from various sources. Those are easy.

It’s the restoration parts that can be a bit challenging, Schroeder explains. Factory 993 Turbo headlights are available, for example, but list at $2973.70 each. “There’s no real reproduction parts for a 993,” he adds, while some 964 molding pieces are also simply NLA at the moment.

The air-cooled 911 might be the legend, but make sure that dream matches your current reality. “Before you buy an air-cooled car, drive one,” stresses Manny Alban, technical director for the Porsche Club of America.

He says he wouldn’t think twice about taking his own 165,000-mile 964 on a long road trip–the car is as reliable as a Toyota, he tells us–but admits it’s not for everyone. Alban will take the later Porsche; it’s just more comfortable.

Water Over Air?

For those who want a 911 experience that delivers analog vibes yet hangs less on the restoration and maintenance of an older vehicle, perhaps there’s a newer option: What about a water-cooled car?

Porsche started production of its then-revolutionary 996-chassis 911 in summer of 1997, and U.S. imports began with the 1999 model year. In round numbers, the water-cooled 911 has now been with us for a quarter of a century. The follow-up model, the 997, ran from 2005 through 2012.

“There’s a lot to be said about a 996 or 997,” Alban notes, especially regarding creature comforts like heated seats, cold a/c and Bluetooth connectivity. The newer cars don’t give up any performance, either: Base Carrera versus base Carrera, the first water-cooled cars weigh less than their predecessors while making more power–nearly 300 horses.

“You know how hard it is to get 300 horsepower out of an air-cooled?” he asks. “It’s hard to beat technology.”

Our 997-chassis Porsche 911 Carrera has proved to be equally versatile, taking on hot laps and laid-back tours–all with cold a/c, too. Photography Credits: Chris Tropea

But with an early, water-cooled car comes some baggage: potential issues with bore scoring and the IMS bearing. Porsche used an intermediate shaft bearing–usually shortened to IMS bearing–to drive the camshafts. In the air-cooled cars, this IMS bearing receives a constant supply of engine oil.

In the water-cooled cars, it’s sealed for life–and the life of that bearing might be shorter than the life of the car. When the bearing goes, its debris can wipe out the rest of the engine.

Porsche changed the design of this bearing over the years while also replacing damaged engines under warranty. Today, LN Engineering offers IMS bearing solutions, with different setups depending on the year the engine was manufactured. In round numbers, the upgrades range from $900 to $1900.

The other issue is bore scoring, with a possible culprit being fueling issues washing away the oil film from the cylinder walls. An updated engine released for 2009 seems to have cured both weak points.

“First and foremost, spend the money on a PPI,” stresses Navarro, adding that the pre-purchase inspection should be the invasive type. Scope the bores, measure the compression and check the leakdown. Send out oil for an analysis, too. A proper PPI that costs $2500 could prevent a $25,000 engine rebuild, he notes.

A shop experienced with water-cooled Porsches should be able to read the ECU–DME in Porsche-speak–to look for any problems regarding overrevs or fuel trims, the latter of which could help identify an injector issue that leads to bore scoring. “It could show a problem that hasn’t yet tripped a check-engine light,” Navarro adds.

“You just can’t fall in love with the first car that you find,” he continues. “It’s very alluring to hop on Bring a Trailer and see something.” Stop and perform your due diligence, he insists.

More advice from Navarro: “Don’t make an assumption that a car with low mileage is worth more money. I’ve seen more failures with cars that are low-mileage.”

Cars that sit, he explains, can develop issues–and those issues can include IMS failures and bore scoring. Plus, sitting can be bad for any Porsche or, really, any car in general.

“I usually tell people when they’re buying a 996: Have $7500 to $8500 for preventative maintenance,” he says. “You need to put money aside.”

But don’t let the cost of ownership scare you away, he continues: “How much would you have to spend on a new Porsche to get the same level of enjoyment?” (Answer: A base Carrera now starts at $106,100.)

He also notes that these 996 and 997 cars are the last 911s to be DIY-friendly. “It’s something that you can do a bit of the work yourself,” he states. “Once you get to the newer cars, you can’t.”

And the market has noticed. Prices–especially for the 997 cars–have been moving up to match those of the air-cooled cars. “It doesn’t matter what the car is worth. Value what you get out of the enjoyment of the vehicle,” Navarro says. “Don’t look at purchasing a classic 911 as a 401K investment–and that goes with any car.”

Drive it, he stresses, and enjoy the experience.

Pick Your Porsche

G-body: 1974-'89

Photography Credit: Courtesy Porsche

These are the big-bumper cars that followed the original, long-hood models. The 1974-’77 cars received 2.7-liter engines that developed a bad reputation for head stud issues. By now, notes Manny Alban, technical director for the Porsche Club of America, most of the cars out there have been fixed: “So those cars are no longer the ‘stay away’ cars.”

The 911 SC followed–production ran from 1978 through 1983–with power coming from a new, 3.0-liter engine. Displacement opened up to 3.2 liters for the 1984-’89 911 Carrera. “Once they got to SC, it became bulletproof,” Alban continues. He does note one issue to watch for these days: aging rubber, especially the vacuum lines.

Porsche initially offered the G-body cars as coupes or Targas, with a Cabriolet joining the lineup for 1983. A later 2.7-liter car is likely the least expensive way to get into a G-body 911 these days, and Hagerty estimates that one in good condition starts right around $40,000.

996: 1999-2005

Photography Credit: Courtesy Porsche

After giving us the mid-engine Boxster for 1997, Porsche unveiled a related 911 just before the new millennium. Power was up, and a modern medium cooled the engine: water.

A few cautions regarding these cars that go beyond the often mentioned bore scoring and IMS bearing failures. While maintenance parts are readily available, some restoration parts are not–although the list of available ones is growing.

In the Porsche Classic catalog, for example, you’ll find bespoke items like switches and shift boots, wheel well liners and window regulators. Then there are trim pieces, door skins and even owner’s manuals. Porsche Classic also offers a factory-approved method for adapting Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto connectivity to the 996.

Another warning from Stoddard’s Per Schroeder: The ECU is located on the floor, so a leak can turn into a nightmare. A company called Specialized ECU Repair offers a waterproof case for $150.

In addition to the standard Carrera–eventually offered in all three body styles–Porsche also offered all-wheel-drive variants. Then add in the faster GT3 and Turbo models. An early 996 Carrera might be the least expensive way to get into a 911, though, as Hagerty shows No. 3 prices at $25,000.

997: 2005-'12

Photography Credit: Courtesy Porsche

“A lot of people are calling the 997 the rebirth of a 993,” says Manny Alban. The 993 was the last air-cooled 911, with the 997 being the last smaller one. As a result, prices have been going up.

Since just the spring of 2021, for example, Hagerty shows No. 3 prices for a 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera accelerating from $28,000 to $46,000. Act now, folks.

Like the 996, though, the early 997 cars can suffer from IMS bearing failures and bore scoring. If you’re going to lose sleep over those items, Manny Alban suggests a post-2009 car–called a 997.2 in Porsche circles.

Major engine repairs can get expensive, and Porsche Classic hasn’t yet added this model to its lineup. “The money move there is to buy the nicest one that you can afford,” Per Schroeder advises.

“To me,” Alban explains, “it’s more about how the car was maintained and the shape it’s in. You’ll see them all the time with over 100,000 miles and there’s nothing to be scared of.”

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