To some Porsche fans, the Carrera 3.2 is considered the pinnacle of Porsche aircooled, as it still used essentially the same chassis Porsche developed in the 1960s, but it had the power and creature comforts you needed for the car to cut the mustard in regular daily use. Later 964s turned off some traditionalists because that chassis dumped the longstanding torsion bar springs for a more standard issue coil spring/McPherson-style suspension. Later Porsches received the much-lauded G50 gearbox, as well, ditching the old clunky cable-clutch 915 ‘box. The 3.2 is a great all-around performer that you can easily drive across the country and back if you wanted. Chances are, when someone says they’ve always wanted an air-cooled Porsche, this is usually the one they’re thinking about.
So, what do you need to know about in order to buy one?
In this video from the YouTube channel Number 27, you’ll hear all about the car and what to look for in the selection process, from renowned Porsche brain, Mr. Philip Raby. Phil, a long-time friend of FLATSIXES.com, owns a vintage Porsche sales and restoration shop in England, and was once the editor in chief of UK-based magazine Total 911. If you need a trustworthy hand to hold through your Porsche buying experience, you’d be hard pressed to find a more knowledgeable one than Raby’s.
The video includes model variations, bodywork (and where to look for rust on a test drive), and then some of the Porsche’s mechanical faults that need to be checked over before you buy. Chances are, if you’ve been out looking for a Carrera 3.2 for a while, you’ll know most of this information. Obviously, being in the UK, the example 911 they use in the video is right hand drive and has some bits you won’t see on a USA-spec car, but everything they talk about can be extended to any and all Carrera 3.2s, so it’s a good place to begin. For a lot more information, you could always pick-up one of these downloadable buyer’s guides, complete with checklist*.
*If you purchase a buyer’s guide using a link in this post or on our site, we get a small commission that helps offset our costs of creating and producing FLATSIXES.com. It doesn’t cost you a penny more and really helps us out!