Any Tractor Guys Into Sports Cars Too?

[RoyJackson]

Then I had a 1980 Porsche 911 Targa...that was a dream...I figured once that the tires..Pirelleis cost 5 cents a mile...the most I ever got out of a set of tires was 15K miles..and they were expensive...I needed to have valves adjusted two or three times a year and that was not cheap..but I did not care..it was a great car and I sold it after about 5 yrs...

Now I am happy with my Jeep Grand Cherokee and Tractors....to hard to get into those sports cars now at my level of maturity....

I'm surprised you had to have your valves adjusted that often...although I adjusted mine every oil change (had the tool..in fact, might even still have the **** thing!).
With your 1980, you had the 3.0L and CSI fuel injection...biggest pain about the job was getting everything out of the way to access the valve covers. Air Conditioning made it worse!
My 911 had a modified engine with Weber carbs, no AC. Access was pretty easy. I'd rather have had the aluminum crankcase of the 3.0L engines, but I had a spare 2.4L case (magnesium) opened up to accept 2.7 cylinders.
As far as your tires...yeah, those sticky soft compound tires didn't last long!

I have a Subaru Outback and an F-150 now. I can't say I have much desire for another sportscar...but I do get a twinge when I see a nice Porsche.

[beppington]

I had a 1990 Honda CRX Si. It was a pretty light 2-seater hatchback & was pretty fast. I put a free-flowing exhaust system on it (what catalytic converter??) & a bigger cam & that made a big difference. (I'm no great mechanic, but was surprised at how easy it was to install a new cam since it's located right on top of the engine & easily accessible)

I lowered it, too, like the one in the pic, & got aftermarket wheels/ tires, & it handled very well. Although I never got into autocross, I think these were pretty common at those events.

Maybe a little bit silly looking now that I see it again, but at the time I loved it. Typical very well-built Honda quality ... & great gas mileage!

[brin]

I'm surprised you had to have your valves adjusted that often...although I adjusted mine every oil change (had the tool..in fact, might even still have the **** thing!).
With your 1980, you had the 3.0L and CSI fuel injection...biggest pain about the job was getting everything out of the way to access the valve covers. Air Conditioning made it worse!
My 911 had a modified engine with Weber carbs, no AC. Access was pretty easy. I'd rather have had the aluminum crankcase of the 3.0L engines, but I had a spare 2.4L case (magnesium) opened up to accept 2.7 cylinders.
As far as your tires...yeah, those sticky soft compound tires didn't last long!

I have a Subaru Outback and an F-150 now. I can't say I have much desire for another sportscar...but I do get a twinge when I see a nice Porsche.

Roy....I did have a/c on mine...you did not miss anything..the air was pitiful...it barely came out...I had it checked out and rechecked and they said..that is just the way it is...I was too busy back then..flying all over and business to do much with the Porsche but drive it when I had time...and I was intimidated by the engine and did not have the metric tools at the time...I sure did love it though...had lots of fun drives with the Mrs. in that car..we enjoyed trips to the mountains with the targa top off..I had the whale tail on the back too...It was white with a black targa top and whale tail..got a lot of looks...Those were the days...we thought they would never end...geeez, I think they wrote a song like that...

[toppop52]

Tigers could be ordered with a choice of 5 rearend ratios. The long legged default 2.88:1 moved it on down the road economically but it sure hurt acceleration off the line, as you pointed out without fully understanding why. Properly prepared and running the 4.56 gears with Willys J series limited slip it would turn 108 in 13 flat as J stock class. (Cheater slicks and alternator in place of generator that sometimes disassembled itself at high revs.)

Pat

How tall were the tires? With 26" tires which were stretching it for the wheel openings, and 4.56 gears, at the 5000 rpm redline top speed would be about 90 mph.

[sandman2234]

The Jag was a great car, the fastest I ever had it up to was on the interstate one early AM around daybreak in Florida of all places...I took it up to just over 140 MPH and backed off real fast...FHP would not have been happy and now that the statute of limitations has run...I can admit it...LOL

Now I am happy with my Jeep Grand Cherokee and Tractors....to hard to get into those sports cars now at my level of maturity....

Well, I can tell you what FHP used to do to sailors when they caught them doing 141 in a 45mph zone, on a 1974 900 Kawasaki. Ain't pretty, but I got lucky! Another thing, anybody ever tell you 900 Kaw brakes don't fade, doesn't know what they are talking about!
Yes, I was young, dumb and indestructable once upon a time...
David from jax
Roommate and I joined the Miracle Strip Corvette Club, and at the first rally in conjunction with the local SCCA, we had an autocross. Roommate's vette was signed up, but he got called into work, so he told me to take his 66 vette and enter it. Picked up second place overall, not bad for a rookie(19 years old at the time) That car still resides in my garage.

Not a sports car, but gotta give credit where credit is due... the wife's two liter Hyundai Sonata has some impressive get up and go. I test drove a couple of the regular 2.4 cars when she was looking at them, and when I saw a 2.0t, I asked the salesman what the difference in horsepower was. He told me(in error) that they were about the same. Another salesman gave me the correct answer, which was "I don't know, but I will find out". When he handed me the brochure, I saw a significant hp increase (200 to 274) so told the wife to test drive one of those. After she got back, there were no more "non turbo" cars considered. My wife drives like a little ole lady, but does like to be able to get around a car she needs to pass, (seldom) or get going on a short entrance ramp to the interstate. The first time I drove the car was a week after buying it, on a trip 300 miles after leaviing the house(remember this is the WIFES NEW CAR). I had a blast with it, but watched the "average fuel milage go from 43 to 29 in the short time i was behind the wheel. If you drive it with a lead foot, you are going to ruin your fuel economy, another aspect it has that is positive.
David from jax

[onetrackmind]

Don't know if you would call it a 'Sports Car'...

OneTrackMind

[RoyJackson]

Don't know if you would call it a 'Sports Car'...

OneTrackMind

Normally referred to as a "Sports Sedan"...at least by Car and Driver as well as Road&Track.

[ultrarunner]

I've always considered the Nash Healey a Sports Car... along with Pantera, Viper, Corvette, early Thunderbird, etc...

Nash Healey Roadstar 1952 Front three quarter view - View Picture - Motorbase

[sandman2234]

I've always considered the Nash Healey a Sports Car... along with Pantera, Viper, Corvette, early Thunderbird, etc...

Nash Healey Roadstar 1952 Front three quarter view - View Picture - Motorbase

Pantera was the first car I ever went over 200mph in. We had one in the shop waiting on parts and I took it to a closed section of a local interstate one afternoon. Second was a Fiat Dino, V-6 with 3 duece Webers.
Now those were interesting cars, but the job I had STUNK... So I left the cars for a better job.
David from jax

[Lloyd_E]

Great thread. I have only done a few stupid things in my life so far... OK maybe more. But one of them was selling my two bmw 2002's. One was a 1972 2002 and the other 1975 2002ti if i remember correctly. For the little money I got for both I should have stored them in a barn for future restoration. I am still kicking my self 25 years later!! Oh well...


_BMW-2002-tii-4