Lunatic Porsche question...

OK, my cellmate here at work challenges me to post this, as I got nothing back on it at 6SpeedOnline...

He just bought a 1997 993 Targa, and I have a 1996.

Believe it or not, the Wikipedia Targa site claims that the special wheels (they have cap screws around the rim like a split rim wheel) were put there as a kind of "top to bottom" weight redistribution. The writer claims they were just enough heavier than regular 911 wheels to "offset" the higher center of gravity caused by the sliding glass roof.

I said this is complete nonsense...it had to have been a style issue. Can you imagine any car designer, let alone a Porsche engineer, deliberately ADDING unsprung weight??? Anyway, the weight & balance differences are quite small between the three body styles.

So, can somebody straighten me out on this?

 

There is your first problem with this...

Sounds very fishy. I have someone in the Porsche PR department but I don't know if that kind of fancy would be in their knowledge base

 

Yea, that seems pretty laughable. If an engineer really wanted to add weight they'd just add ballast to the car to balance it out. Given the rear weight balance of any 911 series I'd think they'd just add it at the lowest point possible somewhere in the front.

Reason number 1,867 to never trust Wikistupida.

 

try this http://mav.pca.org/

Look for Mayo Motorsports or Zim Motorsports those two really know their stuff... Or David Moore might see this thread and know but really....

 

And here I thought that anything you read on the internet just HAS to be true. OH, Well, then - another myth busted for me.

My guy also believed his Tiptronic has two first gears because he could feel the torque converter lockup.

I told him to quit reading the owner's manual etc. over and over for such detail and just start driving the car.

 

Let me guess...low miles, red/tan. I thought about that car real hard. Looked like a decent deal. The seller pulled it from ebay before the end of auction.

It looked in the pictures like the doors didn't fit right? what was that about?

 

It is his traction control over coming his lack of driving ability and making him think he can drive

tell'em it is not the torque converter lock up it is the flux capacitor charging

 

No, not that one. This was a Black/Tan 47K miles and it carfaxed with no damage history...when we got it into town we took it to RUF autocentre and the only problems they found were brake pads & two bent suspension arms in the back because some idiot had towed it by hooking up to the aluminum suspension arms. But perfect car with a great clean body and interior.

This is his first Porsche and he is just like a new mom & pop - worrying over every little minute detailia.