Today's post comes courtesy of Tom Williams. Tom is a freelance auto journalist from Milford, CT who has written for the Suburban Express serving the Mainline area of Philadelphia, PA, and The Westport News in CT. Tom first joined PCA as a member of the Central Pennsylvania Region in 1994 when he bought a 1987 924S. He rejoined PCA, this time with the Connecticut Valley Region in 2004 after he purchased his 1976 911S Targa.
While there is little doubt that the Porsche 911 is one of the greatest and respected sports cars of all time, it may come as a surprise to some that not all 911's are universally loved.
The mid-1970's were dark times for auto enthusiasts, but in those dark times, Porsche was a beacon of hope. This was a transition period for the 911, but I would be reluctant to say (as others have) that these were the 911's "awkward" years.
This generation still retained the simple, clean lines of the earlier 911's. The engine was modernized with the introduction of Bosch fuel injection. Porsche 911 bodies were now galvanized steel, drastically reducing concerns about rust. Forced to cope with US Federal bumper safety laws, no other automaker made the new impact bumpers look as good as Porsche did with its 911.
From a driver’s standpoint, the engine has the raw, visceral bark we all know and love of air-cooled 911's. Even better, the 2.7 911s cater to the driver that wants to feel their ride; no power steering or brakes. The car literally talks to you-allowing you to feel, hear and sense everything that is happening.
Yet, these cars remained overlooked. Why?
1974 to 1977 Porsche 911s can still be had at bargain pricing
In particular, the 2.7 liter 911's, sold in the U.S. from 1974 to 1977 are often overlooked due to the potential for large-scale mechanical issues. Specifically, these cars are known for having “pulled” cylinder head studs. With the 2.7 liter motor, Porsche introduced new metal alloys (Alusil and Nikasil) into the construction of cylinder heads as well as the cylinders themselves. However, they continued to use common stainless steel for the cylinder head studs. As the new metal alloys heated up and expanded, this placed significant strain on the studs, causing them to “pull” and damage the magnesium casing. While this problem didn’t affect every car, its stigma was enough to mark this generation of 911s.
As the owner of a 1976 Porsche 911S Targa, I feel as if I am enjoying the best of both worlds. The smaller, narrower, lighter body is appealing to me. I enjoy the classic features of the chrome ringed headlights, Fuchs rims and other chrome accents. In an age where stainless steel is all the rage again, the brushed stainless steel Targa bar looks more modern than the matte black treatment SC and Carrera Targa’s received.
As a weekend, fair weather cruiser, I like the simplicity of the roll up windows and no A/C. On the modern end, I love the Bosch fuel injection. The car is easy to drive and easy to live with. The galvanized body keeps my rust worries at bay. And, the big bumpers looked so great they remained part of the 911 design for a decade and a half.
A look at any Porsche classifieds will show these cars are a remarkable bargain. Some owners have been tempted to "update" these cars with later style bumpers, rims, and trim, but in my opinion, love your 911 for what it is, and celebrate its era by staying true to it.
Whether you are an aspiring 911 owner, or someone who owns a 997 and wonders about the older 911's, the ’74 to ‘76 2.7 liter generation of this iconic sports car is worth a look. If the stigma of pulled head studs still bothers you, simply upgrade to a fan with more blades (for better cooling) or find one that has already had the studs replaced (at this point, most have.) With coupe and Targa versions, base, S, and Carrera trim levels Porsche had something for every 911 fan. The mid 1970's were dark times for the auto industry, but not if you were a Porsche fan.
As a reminder, I'm always interested in anyone looking to contribute. This post asking for Porsche fans as guest bloggers and this one on "How to Win a Porsche Related Book" provide more details. Lastly, if you haven't done so already, don't forget to participate in the current poll "What Type(s) of Porsche(s) do you own?"
Hello Porsche fans! I agree completely about the value of mid-year 911s.
I also own a mid-year 911 – mine is a ’74 coupe that I bought in 1999. I didn’t get many records with my 911 so I have been hoping the major problems have been repaired. So far, all of my head and case studs have remained secure so I assume a previous owner had them repaired along with any of the other problems normally associated with the 74-79 2.7s.
A PO had removed and replaced the CIS with Webers but I could never get them to run properly I studied the options and the cost/benefits for refitting and repairing a CIS System, installing more used Webers or having mine repaired (Weber stopped making carbs ~20 years ago to concentrate on their fuel injection business) or my final choice, an EFI system which allows me to tune the FI using my laptop. I went with the EFI as it provides the most modern equipment for around the same price as the other options. I used an EFI kit created by BitzRacing and my only regret is being unable to buy the individual throttle bodies available from PMO.& other companies.
I also repainted my 911 and while doing so I replaced all of the weatherstripping and body gaskets. It also got a new set of carpeting, tires and brakes,. Two calipers were replaced and the other 2 were repaired with “kits”. I also replaced the master cylinder. I know all of this may seem extreme but without a history, I like to make sure I know how the safety systems will perform.
Now I just enjoy driving it as often as possible – rain or shine, it loves it all! It really seems like the more it is driven the better is feels. If I let it sleep for a week or two it always seems like it is sluggish until I get some miles on it over a few days. I know some people leave their Porsches in the garage when it rains or snows but I always remember the advertisements Porsche used to put on TV showing Porsches being used in all kind of weather and begging for more! I do draw the line at the kind of weather where chemicals like Salt are used to melt snow an/or to provide traction. While some mid year 911s have completely galvanized body panels, the ’74 was the first to receive galvanized panels and unfortunately only some of the panels are galvanized leaving many other areas susceptible to rust damage.
Larry,
Your Porsche sounds fantastic. Even more so the fact that you use it rain or shine. Post a picture of it over on our facebook page so we can see what it looks like. Thanks for reading and thanks for taking the time to comment!