PORSCHE 911 SC
Not many supercars can claim to be solidly built and easy to work on for the Diyer, but the 1980 Porsche 911 SC is one that arguably can. Report: Will Holman.
If it’s actually possible to own a sensible supercar, then the Porsche 911 must surely be that car. Since its inception in 1963 it has become the go-to for those who like their performance cars a little more Teutonically screwed together than our Latin friends sometimes manage.
The history of the Porsche brand begins in 1948, and the existence of the sports car manufacturer is the life’s work of Professor Ferdinand Porsche, which his son Ferry continued. Ferdinand was already designing groundbreaking innovations in car construction at the beginning of the last century. With the Lohner-porsche he built an electric vehicle with wheel hub drive in 1900 and, a little later, the world’s first all-wheeldrive passenger car on this basis. Also in the same year he provided a template for hybrid vehicles with the development of a gasoline-electric mixed drive. In 1931 Ferdinand Porsche founded his own engineering office in Stuttgart. With the Berlin-rome Car in 1939, he laid the foundation for the idea of a sports car with the name Porsche. However, World War 2 brought an abrupt end to his plans, and it was his son Ferry who realized that dream in 1948 with the Porsche 356.
The 356’s successor, the Porsche 911 was designed by Ferry Porsche’s son Ferdinand Alexander, and it was this car that put Porsche firmly on the map as a maker of fine performance cars. Since 1963 the 911 has become a legend. The original 911 was based on the Porsche 356 and would have been called the 901, were it not for the fact that Peugeot claimed the rights over that name. The new car maintained the 356’s fastback design, and had an air-cooled flat-six that produced 130bhp.
Porsche upped the displacement of the 911’s engine in 1970 to 2.2 litres, while at the same time the cars were lightened through the use of aluminium in the engine lids and bumpers. But by 1980, when the car we’re going to buy was built, the engine had made it all the way to 3-litres. The 1980 Porsche 911 SC 3.0 is peak 911 for many enthusiasts, particularly those with a penchant for hands-on maintenance and restoration. Its appeal stems from a combination of engineering excellence, driving dynamics and accessibility for DIY enthusiasts.
Sometimes engines get stretched beyond their limits, but the 3-litre flat-six is the best of the bunch. The robust air-cooled, horizontally opposed six-cylinder engine is renowned for its durability and responsiveness. Coupled with a proper manual gearbox – none of that flappy paddle nonsense here thank you very much – it delivers an engaging driving experience that rewards skilled drivers (which means take it easy in the wet and beware of lift-off oversteer). For the hands-on enthusiast, the simplicity of the air-cooled engine design allows enjoyable DIY maintenance and repair, or at least it does when compared with modern, electronically controlled engines.
The 911’s timeless silhouette, characterized by its distinctive sloping roofline and wide rear haunches, exudes an aura of poise and elegance that modern Porsches have completely lost with their overblown bulges and cartoonlike characterisations of this classic design. Porsche used to make the car it thought the people should have. It now builds the cars focus groups tell it the people want, thereby proving that good taste is a precious commodity. But for enthusiasts who appreciate automotive design heritage, a 911 SC offers the chance to own and preserve a piece of history.
Additionally, the availability of spare parts and aftermarket support only adds to the 911’s attraction as an option for hands-on enthusiasts, the enthusiast support network combining well with the relative simplicity of the 911 SC’S mechanical systems. And make no mistake, owning and maintaining a classic Porsche involves a hands-on approach that fosters a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of automotive engineering and design. For enthusiasts who relish the challenge of restoring and preserving classic cars, the 911 SC is in many ways the perfect Porsche.
In 1999 the liquid cooled Porsche 911 996 took over the 911 badge, and the 36 year reign of the mighty air-cooled 911 came to an end. Nowadays Porsches are bought by people who have huge diamond encrusted watches and plastic grass outside their garish stonebuilt houses. Take me back to 1980, please.