Highett’s hardest working Porsche mechanic is taking a short break over the September school holidays… As a result we’ll be closed from Monday 26th September, and will be back on Tuesday the 4th of October.
Stuart & Max
UNIQUE CARS Magazine Article on our GT3 Conversion
In this months UNIQUE CARS magazine the GT3 that we converted from left hand drive to right hand drive gets a 6 page spread… Stuart even gets a pic and an interview! Dino the owner of this 2007 997 GT3 teed up the article as he was passionate about sharing his journey.
Due to a change in circumstances Dino is selling his beloved car, and is looking for $170K, which is 35-40K cheaper than a local car. If you are interested, please call Stuart on 03 9090 7522 or Tim on 0432 199 834. We can show you the car and put you in contact with Dino.
1977 Carrera 3.0 Rejuvenation Project
Like so many others, my passion for Porsches started at a young age. Mine started at 15, when Len my elder brother was kind enough to take me along to the 1976 Dutch F1 Grand Prix at Zandvoort. We were living in Holland at the time, he was 25 and I was 10 years younger. That day, I can remember how proud I was to be invited into the cool car world that my big brother seemed to inhabit.
We arrived early at the circuit and were immediately mesmerised by a brand new, ice-green over black (MY ‘77) Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0, prominently parked in the car park. For me, this was the first time I realized just how stunning 911s were. For Len, this was just confirmation of what he already knew… he’d had an eye for 911s for many years. In fact, we were both so distracted by the 911 that we missed the start of the F1 race. Looking back now, I can’t even remember who won the race, but I still have vivid memories of that beautiful car!
Fast-forward 40 years, now living in Victoria, Len and I have 993’s which we both love. However, for the past year, we’ve both experienced a need for a project… a car to rejuvenate & renew. So, early 2016, the search for a Carrera 3.0 began. We first became aware of an opportunity to buy one, when I got a call from Rob Raymer at RSR Garage in Richmond. He’d posted a blog entry, on his RSR website on August 15th, as follows:
1977 3-Litre Carrera
Australian delivered beauty – needing a little paint… will be worth big $$$$ when done. Call Rob Raymer for details.
I quickly called Len and we arranged to get to Rob’s that afternoon. Both Len and I were immediately taken with how good the car looked for its age and kilometers. We decided there and then to figure out a way to own and rejuvenate this lovely car. Given that we had been talking about the desire to restore a car for so long, it took only a brief conversation to convince our better halves of the obvious benefits of our mad plan. We reached agreement on the price with Rob and the 911 was ours. We were now on our way!
Just so you’re not thinking Len and I are impetuous, we have always checked the history of our 911’s before making a purchase. If you’re considering an Australian delivered 911, and you want some certainty, the quickest and easiest way to get the required confirmation, is by calling the Technical Competence Centre – Porsche Cars Australia and quoting the chassis, VIN and engine numbers. As it turned out, Rob had already contacted them and they confirmed that our car is an Australian delivered, matching numbers 911551 type, 911 Carrera 3.0 Coupe Sportomatic.
The car was delivered new on Tuesday September 6th, 1977 through John Newell Porsche in Sydney, as follows:
• Paint: ‘Platindiamant’ (Platinum Diamond) – colour code 944,
• Interior: ‘Kork’ Leatherette,
With the following options:
• C23: Australian Specification,
• 009: 3-Speed Sportomatic Transmission
• 058: Impact Absorbing Bumpers,
• 261: Passenger Side Mirror,
• 399: Air-conditioning,
• 401: 15” Light-metal wheels (Fuchs),
• 590: Centre Console,
• 650: Electric Sunroof,
For the record, here are the production numbers of the Carrera 3.0.
| Year | RHD Coupe | LHD Coupe | RHD Targa | LHD Targa | Total |
| 1976 | 487 | 606 | 181 | 298 | 1,572 |
| 1977 | 577 | 896 | 281 | 365 | 2,119 |
| Total: | 1,064 | 1,502 | 462 | 663 | 3,691 |
We don’t know numbers of Carrera 3.0s that Hamiltons imported into Australia, but they would have been quite small, making an Australian delivered Carrera 3.0 quite a rare car. As a comparison, the total world-wide build numbers of the subsequent models are:
911 SC (1978 – 1983): 58,914 cars
911 Carrera 3.2 (1984 – 1988): 76,473 cars
Stay tuned for the next post, as we take the car to the team at NINEAUTO to begin the restoration process…
By Peter Bosland
911 SC – What’s on the menu?
We had such a great response from our first ‘What’s on the menu?’ post… we had to write another! If you have a model Porsche you’d like us to focus on next time, feel free to let us know.
The 911 SC was available from 1978 to 1983 and has a 3.0 litre engine. In 1984 the 911 Carrera 3.2 was released with a 3.2 engine, with the addition of oil fed cam chain tensioners.
So here’s Stuart’s upgrade options with approximate costings, these options are relevant for both the 911 SC, and the later model 911 Carrera 3.2 up until 1986.
Wevo Shifter
A great way to give your 915 gearbox the feel of a G50.
Cost including fitting $1,800 inc. GST
SSI Exhaust
For an awesome sound and increased power.
Cost including fitting $4,900 inc. GST
Sports Suspension
Delivers superb handling with easy height and corner weight adjustment.
Cost including fitting $4,000 inc. GST
Braided Brake Lines
For improved brake response and pedal feel.
Cost including brake fluid and fitting $650 inc. GST
Pop Off Valve
The addition of a Pop Off Valve prevents cracking in the airbox if the engine backfires.
Cost including fitting $200 inc. GST
Refurb Brake Calipers
Your brake calipers maybe old and sticking from limited use, this can be remedied with a refurb.
Refurb cost including fitting $650 inc. GST
Road trippin’!
I love a good road trip.
Recently I decided to take my 1984 Carrera 3.2 for a couple of thousand cross country kilometres , simply because I could. Business took me to Mount Gambier, and rather than take the daily driver on a ‘there and back’, I added days to the itinerary and decided on a route home via Mildura.
Before any road trip in a classic car, experience tells me that you need to do a few things. First up – make sure that you’re in the RACV! You just never know when you might need their services or those of their interstate partners.
Next up, make sure that the car is good. Having recently converted my car back to a road car from track day car, Nineauto had replaced all brakes, rebuilt the front shockers, aligned the wheels and serviced the car. Driving it for the first time after that the car felt like new!
Finally, I put new road tyres on my 16” track wheels – simply because they look great!
Without boring you with a mile by mile, I can tell you that driving a classic car on a road trip is wonderful. The car felt like it could do this forever – overtaking was a breeze, and the lovely engine noise was a brilliant accompaniment – certainly better than local AM radio – it is an old car!
The drive from Mount Gambier north to Mildura via Bordertown is six hours of great fun. Lonely, good roads with enough lumps and bumps and bends to avoid boredom as the geology changes every 25km. Let’s just say that the drive wasn’t slow.
There is one big reason to road trip your classic, other than the drive itself – it is the people that you meet. It seems everyone wants to ask about the car. They’re curious and happy to hear the story.
Drop a classic Porsche in the main street of Sealake (an hour or so south of Mildura) on a Saturday morning coffee and cake stop, and the car becomes a celebrity. Photographed and ogled by so many people, and questions asked in the most lovely way.
Throughout the 5 day trip, the truckies waved, the cockies raised a finger from their steering wheel, schoolkids stopped and looked, and in general people just smiled and enjoyed the sight of a classic car out in it’s natural environment.
So, don’t hesitate. If you have a classic, let it breathe and have a loosening up run, and do a couple of thousand k’s in it, pretty much just for the heck of it!
By David James
997 GT3 – For Sale
At NINEAUTO we get some fun challenges… None more fun than converting Dino’s 2007 997 GT3 that he drove while living in Abu Dhabi. When Dino returned to Australia, he loved his comfort spec GT3 so much that he decided to bring it back with him, and asked Stuart last year to convert it to right hand drive. We believe this conversion may be a world first!
When undertaking the conversion we were surprised how universal Porsche make their cars, so the task wasn’t as daunting as we anticipated. All RHD panel work was new and welded to replicate Porsche factory. Last month the car passed all the required certification and is now registered for the road.
Due to the tricky economy, Dino tells us he must invest more time in his Abu Dhabi business. So his beloved GT3 must go! He is looking to sell it for $170k which is $35-40k cheaper than a local car. Stuart and I have had the fun of driving this car (testing purposes only Dino… we promise!) and at $170k it’s a bargain.
If you are interested, please call Stuart on 03 9090 7522 or Tim on 0432 199 834. We can show you the car and put you in contact with Dino.
Winter Special – Free NINEAUTO Vest with Porsche Service
These NINEAUTO Vests which keep you toasty warm without restricting your movement were such a hit in the workshop, that we ordered in some extras…
As a Winter Special, Stuart is offering the first 6 customers that book in to have their Porsche serviced in August a free NINEAUTO Reversible Vest. All you need to do is mention this offer when you book your car in for a service, and undertake the service by the 9th September 2016.
If your car isn’t due for service again for a bit, but you still fancy a NINEAUTO Vest they are available for $50 each. Vests come in the following sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL*, 3XL*, 4XL* (*indicates that we don’t have stock of these sizes, and these sizes will need to be specially ordered).
996 – What’s on the menu?
This post is the direct result of a customer request for a menu of upgrade options relevant to his 996, with ballpark costings. I’ve since spoken to a number of customers who’d like this info for their model Porsche… so this could be the first of many ‘What’s on the menu?’ posts.
The 996 Series 911 was available from 1999 to 2004 and is easily identifiable by its “fried egg” shaped headlights. There is really only one mechanical watch out with this car – the IMS Bearings, this issue is also relevant to the Boxster 986.
So here’s Stuart’s upgrade options menu for the 996, with approximate costings.
Headlight Polish
Given these cars are over 10 years old, their headlights can become dull and yellow with age. A much cheaper alternative to replacing the headlights is having them polished. (The pics below shows the comparison when we had just one of the headlights of our Boxster courtesy car polished.)
Cost for polishing both headlight $500 inc. GST
Cold Air Intake System
A great way to gain some extra power.
Cost including fitting $1,150 inc. GST
Exhaust Modification
The addition of a free flowing exhaust without the drone. This modification works even better when combined with a Cold Air Intake System.
Cost including fitting $2,300 inc. GST
Adjustable Suspension
For a ride that’s comfortable on the road, and can be easily adjusted for the track.
Cost including fitting $4,300 inc. GST
IMS Bearing Replacement
For peace of mind it’s worth replacing the IMS bearing on this model. There are two recommended alternatives, the Double Row IMS Bearing or the ultimate solution an IMS Oil Feed Bearing.
Double Row Replacement
MANUAL Cost including fitting $2,900 inc. GST
AUTO Cost including fitting $3,550 inc. GST
Oil Feed Replacement
MANUAL Cost including fitting $4,300 inc. GST
AUTO Cost including fitting $4,950 inc. GST
All suspension kits are not created equal…
This extract is taken from an article on suspension written by Peter Starr from Starr Technology, a Melbourne based automotive product development company. Peter is a suspension expert who manufactures and wholesales sports suspension packages for a wide range of sports and race cars. We’ve recently fitted Starr Technology suspension to one of our customer’s track cars, and he loves it! The suspension kit we fitted offers substantial set up and adjustment flexibility at a much cheaper price than the usual brands. If you fancy a suspension upgrade it’s definitely worth considering… To give you an idea of cost, the suspension kit below was $3,300 plus the cost of fitting.
All suspension kits are not created equal…
When it’s time to replace suspension components, it’s always worth looking around at the various aftermarket options. Tailor made suspension packages are available that can “improve” or “personalise” a vehicle’s handling, performance and ride quality to match an owner’s requirements.
When it comes to performance suspension, some aftermarket suspension suppliers may simply stiffen up the suspension while still using the factory travel specifications. This may seem OK at the factory ride height, but many owners may lower their ride height to improve the centre of gravity and look. Unfortunately, this will reduce the suspension travel, often ending up with the suspension almost sitting on its bump stops. People often confuse this with stiffness stating that their car handles like it’s “on rails” when in truth it’s actually out of travel. Oh and by the way, both ADR and insurance requirements state that the vehicle must retain at least 2/3rds of its original suspension travel. Which is pretty hard to achieve if it only had 40mm to begin with and you lowered your car 30mm!!!
In order to achieve the best combination of ride and control without the harshness of some other suspension packages, Starr Technology engineer bespoke suspension packages. These tailored made suspension designs take into account your vehicle’s weight, purpose of use, working range, load rates, shock design, suspension travel, spring rates, gas pressure, etc.
Starr packages are designed using the highest quality parts, tolerances, finish and are a mono tube high pressure gas shock incorporating a 24-point adjustment from full hard to soft valving, cold wound oil tempered coils. To set up your Porsche simply use the locking spring seats to pre load the coils while desired ride height adjustment is achieved by simply winding up or down the lower foot mount on the shock’s all threaded tube. This has the added advantage of retaining the same (maximum) suspension travel at any ride height. So what does this all mean? In layman’s terms it simply means that our suspension packages are specifically designed with the correct spring rate for the weight and purpose of the vehicle, the shock absorber is valved accordingly to control both bump and re-bound movement and utilize all the available travel up in the wheel well to soak up the big impacts, whether they be pot holes in a corner on a back road or ripple strips on the race track. This not only ensured maximum grip but gives the driver the confidence to drive or push the car harder without the uncontrollable harsh bouncing or skipping. The result… a faster smoother more controlled car that will be a pleasure to drive!
1984 original owner – that’s special
We often unconsciously form a special bond with the cars we own… They may remind us of a treasured time of life, a milestone achieved or can be an enduring companion through life. Greville, the owner of this Australian delivered 1984 911 3.2 Lt Carrera has a very special relationship with his car, sharing many stories and memories throughout the years they’ve been together. More than 30 years on, Greville is still passionate about his gorgeous pewter metallic 911 which he has owned since new.
In 1984, Greville purchased his first and only Porsche from Hamilton’s in Chapel St for $67,000 (a significant sum back then!). When ordering this 1980’s icon, Greville decided not to hold back and splashed out on the following options: Factory Sports Seats, Sunroof, Factory Air Conditioning, Sports Suspension, Limited Slip Differential and Front and Rear Spoilers. At the time, sales specialist Austin King from Hamilton’s commented that it as one of the most ‘optioned up’ 911’s he’d ever sold!
Today, Greville’s treasured 911 remains original without any modification, including the original pewter paintwork. Being a one owner car, and one of the last of the leaded 911 models, it’s truly a rare gem. Greville still delights in regularly taking his pride and joy out cruising with other enthusiasts, and remains a long standing member of the Porsche Car Club. Early in the car’s life, Greville did compete in club track events with some success, and always found his 911 very competitive on the track.
Within Greville’s family, his unique 911 isn’t the only classic car owned since new. In 1966, Greville’s dad purchased new, a now very rare ‘4 on the floor’ Mercedes 250 S that still remains in the family today. Who knows if any of Greville’s three kids will carry on the ‘one owner’ tradition for another generation… it would be great to think so.
