Porsche 911 997 GT3 models with centre lock wheels built between February 2009 and April 2010 were recently recalled for an issue with the rear wheel hubs and bearings. Transport authority notices note that “in rare circumstances, the wheel hubs and wheel bearings on the rear axle may break. If the rear wheel hubs and bearings break, the driver may lose control of the vehicle and create a hazard to the driver and other road users.”
Porsche representatives have allegedly told other mags that hubs and bearings “don’t break” and are being replaced “to standardise the revision intervals”. But owners discussing this in a Rennlist thread note that Porsche Cars NA has been telling owners not to drive their cars until the replacement has been carried out.
A number of owners on GT3 forums have shared how their hubs did break, causing their cars to go out of control. Something else to check if you’re in the GT3 market and another big reason to buy from a Porsche 911 GT3 specialist. This video below shows what happened when one owner’s hub gave out at speed on the Nurburgring. Much harder treatment than the majority of owners will ever give their hubs, but still pretty scary when you know what is coming!
On my travels to Autofarm last week, Josh and I got talking about a 3.2 Carrera Club Sport that was sitting in the corner of a barn. I didn’t recognise the registration, but it looked a smart car: totally standard in very good nick.
“See if you can spot what’s wrong with it,” invited Josh. Having served my time as a buyer for retail car supermarkets and also for a major UK fleet company, I’ve bought more cars than most other folk I know so I was sure this wouldn’t take long. After two minutes looking around the outside, I couldn’t find much to whinge about.
“The driver’s door gap looks too good,” I offered. Turned out this was right: there was nothing wrong with it. The Club Sport is owned by Porsche author, Gordon Wingrove, and was famously featured in one of the mags as an accident repair on one side a few years back. Can’t remember who did the repair, but it’s flawless: as you would expect from a man who wrote a 3.2 technical book.
With just 27,000 miles on the clock, this is a special Club Sport. The model has its detractors, who love to point out it’s a basic Carrera 3.2 with a lighter interior and a blueprinted engine, but those who have driven one know there’s something else. Josh has heard all the Club Sport knockers but, as he asks: “What else is there from the 1980s? This is it.” I reminded him of the 5-speed 930, but essentially agree on the affordable/available 911 road car side. There’s plenty of front-engined Porsche stuff from that era I’m keen on, but they’re not rare-bird 911s and the SC RS and 959 hardly count.
Coincidentally, two days later I was asked to do an agreed insurance valuation on another 3.2 Club Sport, one I’ve seen a few times. I had talked money with Josh and he thought Gordon’s would be into the seventies. Not sure I would go that strong for January but I referenced his and a few more for mine.
What’s the forecast for Club Sport values? I think pretty steady, trending very slightly upwards to match the base model. There were circa 50 RHD ‘Clubbies’ made and standard Carreras in the very best condition are £30k+ now. So a factory hot rod in tip top notch has to be where Josh is pitching it. Try replacing a Club Sport after total loss: that’s not going to be pleasant.
Here’s one to watch for if you’re looking at Porsche 996s for sale: rust around the door latch mounting points.
This is a common problem on earlier cars, but I didn’t think was that bad on later cars with arch liners. But while older cars rust from the back of the latch to the front, starting inside the wheel well, these cars are rusting from front to the rear. It’s pretty common on the 996 and does tend to come from the front. Early 996s get it worst: on models pre-2000, prob 30% of them have this and some pretty badly.”
You could rub this particular case down and paint it, but if Porsche rust repairs are not done properly, they will always come back. The big question is where else is rusting? If it’s happening here, the rest is at risk, too. Put it on your checklist.
The second pic shows ongoing body repairs on a Porsche 964 bought by a customer as accident damaged, with new front wings replacing rusty ones and good quality second hand parts used in a few other places. Looks a bit patchwork at present, but is heading off to paint later on.
I had a good chat with Mads Jensen in Denmark last week: driver and team manager for the Scandinavian team, State of Art racing.
You’ll know State of Art from the videos I post every year, following the Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix: always exciting and usually featuring Björn or Stig winning in a Porsche. This year, Mads is putting a Porsche-only race together at the Jyllandsringen GP on August 24-25th: I’m delighted to help publicise the event. Mads says:
“When Jyllandsringen is organising its annual Grand Prix Denmark 24th-25th August 2013, one of the main attractions will be a 40-minute race exclusively for historic Porsche 911 race cars. We expect 40 registered cars from across Scandinavia and possibly the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, which will compete in 3 categories divided by age groups: Up to 1965, 1966-1971 and 1972-1976.
This event started with one single idea: To create a race with only classic 911’s. I race a 911 myself and know almost all 911 drivers/race car owners here. I contacted the organisers of Grand Prix Denmark and suggested to gather all 911’s. There are about 30 of these cars here in Denmark and 21 of them have signed up so far.
There is a max of 45 cars on the track, so we decided to invite people we are connected to from abroad. In addition to the race, we are organising a Porsche gathering to celebrate the 50 years anniversary. I am an active member of the Porsche Clubs and online communities and they are all onboard for this, as is the Danish importer.
We are expecting 300 club members to exhibit their cars in the dedicated 911 paddock. Everyone gets a few laps on the track in the lunchbreak and we host a party in the hospitality area. Finally, if we can get funding, we are planning to invite former Porsche works drivers.”
Sounds cool. So is the poster for the event, created by 911 fan and online friend Paul Wilson in Copenhagen. Rather optimistically seems to show an ST in front of a RSR, like Twinspark Racing’s Viper Green Hulk 911 Porsche RSR. If that’s Waldegard with Stolk coming up behind him, I am seriously impressed!
I’m planning to be there, and fingers crossed a few of you will attend also. The website is Danish only at the minute, but it’s in the process of being translated. Check it out at www.porscheclassiccup.dk.
Few classic Porsche cars sum up Ferdinand’s driving, not posing policy more than those built at WEVO in San Carlos, CA. One of my favourite cars from this stable is a 1967 Porsche 912, known in the family as Primrose, which I first enjoyed driving two years ago. This is me: pic by Jamie.
The ’67 is Aga Blue. It’s a genuine barn find, with only 36,000 miles on the clock when first uncovered. Hayden Burvill regards the 912 as “the essential-to-understand engineering link between the 356 and the 911. Put into dry storage in 1972, we recovered it in 2007, the 35-year hibernation leaving the interior beautifully preserved and the exterior degraded in a manner that is difficult to describe.
“The patina is insanely genuine, at times disturbing, yet any effort to control or preserve it would look ridiculously contrived. The 912 is heavily waxed, waxed over every blemish and that seems like the appropriate treatment for the time being.”
When I first drove this classic Porsche, it had a simple engine build and almost standard suspension, albeit rebuilt with new bushes. Since then, Hayden has further upgraded the running gear: most noticeably with a 1900cc engine that was run in on the 2012 California Melee.
“The 1900cc motor has been faultless so far. Initially it required a little tuning and synchronization of the carbs but otherwise all good and much nicer than the old motor. Went on a diet and took another 16lbs off during the build, so the car is now about 2000 lbs with a full tank and 110hp: about BMW 2002 territory.
“Old engine to new engine: we kept the crank and flywheel and the cam, but not much else. Entering it on the Melee was an incentive to get it working. The 912 turned out to be the perfect car for the event, rewarding care with momentum – and the big grin that comes from sliding about on dry pavement at legal speeds on 165/80-15 tires.
“The nimble 912 can tackle the unexpected with such finesse, it makes me very happy to have left the 911 at home for another day. That said, after an unbroken run of 140 miles, my shoulders did feel like a massage would have helped. Drivers in the heavier cars would have enjoyed a great upper body workout.”
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