308 GTBi vs 911T

How's your maintenance budget?

How do you plan on using it? Daily driver or weekend warrior?

Have you driven both? What did you feel then?

 

So...did you ask the same question in an all-Porsche forum?

I'm reading through a special edition from "classiccars" magazine titled "TOP 50 CARS OF THE 1960s". Page 62, in the article "1967-1977 Three of a different kind", the author compares a Triumph TR5, Porsche 911, and an Alfa GTV. Second column, fourth paragraph, first sentence:

The author hit the nail on the head. You're the only one who can answer your question.

 

Weekend car? Drive to the mall on Saturday and see how many Porsches are in the parking lot, then count the Ferraris in the same lot! Take them both the a cruise in, park them at opposit ends and see which one gets the most attention? I'd take the GTB.

I like being a little different but I really don't care for the seats in that 308. Just my 2 cents.

 

The seats in that 911 have to go, too.

Fairview

 

I gotta say that 911 looks really nice.

 

If you are truly looking at either of these cars without a strong feeling as to which one you actually WANT more - Porsche or Ferrari, buy whichever one is faster. As a friend wrote in my high school yearbook MANY years ago; "Always drive a fast car and you can't go wrong!"

 

Actually those appear to be accurate reproduction versions, or perhaps even the real thing, of the old Carrear RS race seats from that vintage. A very desirable, pricey, and just generally awesome upgrade for that era 911. Much more authentic and period correct that those atrocities in the 308.

 

buy a 308. you can get a beater 911 for around $10k. the car ads are full of them. sealing the deal on a slopenose this weekend.

 

I hate to say it... but I would go for the 911. That is gorgeous! that 308 is a little too... too... too... ricey... BUT thats just my opinion. Don't like the wheels, seats, mats, pedals, "sheilds" etc... that porsche is very very nice. If it were a carb'd 308... id be all over it!

 

I would go for the 911 as well, its not pimped out like the 308. I like original looking cars and the lines of the 911 are pretty cool too.

 

+1

 

+1 on the Porsche if its a good price.

 

Have you driven the 911T? It was the base model and was not really performance oriented (read : "slow"). It should be extremely reliable and (relatively) inexpensive to maintain though.

Bill

 

Perhaps slow, but it would probably beat on that 308 quite handily.

Go with that nice looking 911T.

 

I don't know diddly about Porsches in general though I owned a 99 911 daily driver (60 miles a day) from 99-2006 on Long Island. But I was reading some data on the 911T - made from '68-73. Is the car in the pic a 911T from that era? If so the HP figures were really anemic - 140HP for the final version. If that's the case, that 308 would walk all over the 911T in every way with nearly 100 more HP.

 

The 308 has more HP, however, it also carries and extra 700 lbs or more than that vintage 911.

 

Absolutely. My man mike, its not just numbers that win a race, its power-to-weight, agility & engineering. To that Porsche has the advantage. Plus I don't believe the 308GTi had 240HP... It was more like 200.

Its best to just own both anyhow.

 

Go for the 911. Those early cars are really sought after and in short supply so assuming it's unmolested and got some history I'd go for the pcar. 308 looks nice too if you can lose those seats! It's a GTB so that much rarer I guess. Both look good potentially but as others say it also depends what you're looking for - they are very different drives...... Just my 2cents....

Good luck!

Mark

 

Never go by Porsche published performance figures. They are notorious for low-balling these figures. I remember the 930 that I used to have. I believe the factory quoted 280hp in US trim. BS. One of the fastest cars I have ever owned, and driven...and that is before I decided to throw some money at it to make it even faster.

Also just by looking at some of the 'mods' made to that 308 I would say that there is a good chance for some deferred maintenance. Why change the belts when with that amount of money you could buy some awesome seats, floor mats, and pedals ;-). That, plus the money to put it back right if this were the route you wanted to go, and you could be into that 308 significantly more than the 911.

 

Of course you are right re power to weight. I ASSUMED the cars weighed around the same; I didn't realize that the Porsche only weighs around 2300lbs pretty darned light so it outa' toss around pretty well though the power to weight would still favor the 308. Using the manufacturer's specs the Ferrari, at 3150 lbs would be around 13lbs/HP while the Porsche would be around 16.5. If, as you say, the Ferrari figures are more like 205 HP, than the Porsche would have a better power/weight.

However, from the 1/4 mile times/trap speeds that I have found quoted on the 3x8 Ferrari's, it looks to me like the quoted FLYWHEEL HP figures are quite accurate since the ET/trap speeds produced are essentially just what those HP figures should produce for the weight of the cars.

 

You didn't say years, but the 308 shows an 'i' on the glovebox, making it the lowest hp model, so call it 205hp by Italian measurements. (Recalling the TopGear show where they put 3 diff elder Italian 'entry level' exotics on the dyno and got between 86 and 185 hp). Massive grain of salt required.

The 911T appears to be a 1971? 73? (It's not a 72 since the oil filler isn't on the rear flank. It's not a 73.5 CIS 'T' car since no full rubber over-riders) So that makes it a 2.2 or early 2.4, RATED at 125-140hp with the mechanical injection pump (if still using those).

No matter, in a drag race, I'm putting my money on the 911 , screw the hp numbers. It is a very capable car, regardless of year comparo.

The 308 will outhandle it at low speeds, it'll be a draw at higher speeds. The early 911 'bump steer' will yank the steering wheel from your hands, but that can be minimized. Live with it.

The 911 has no factory ac, unlike the 308, but don't let that stop you since the 308 ac is slightly LESS effective than an asthmatic gerbil panting through the vents.

The radio is dead wrong in the 911, but many period Becker units are available. Far as the seats, who cares? Use as you like, but they're big time wrong for the car.

The 308 looks to have lots of boy racer crap on it, but that's a personal call. I'd sell all of it on ebay before the car was cool in my garage, but since you asked for 'which car', it'd never make it to my garage.

I'd be owning that classic silver 911, goofy seats and all.

 

Another 911 vote. Those are the best years for the 911, and it probably is 2300 lbs or less. Plus, if you do want more power, it's easy to rebuild the engine to E or S spec. And, they actually sound great in pre-smog, air cooled form.

Also, as others have said, the aftermarket 'stuff' on the 308 really drags it down a notch, IMHO. I like 308s, but wouldn't be tempted by this one.