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Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watrose!tohaapanen
From: tohaapanen@watrose.UUCP (Tom Haapanen)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: best car, worst car
Message-ID: <7752@watrose.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13-Jan-86 17:08:54 EST
Article-I.D.: watrose.7752
Posted: Mon Jan 13 17:08:54 1986
Date-Received: Tue, 14-Jan-86 04:45:16 EST
References: <2800005@faust.UUCP> <2107@phri.UUCP> <421@gcc-milo.ARPA> <423@gcc-milo.ARPA> <384@cisden.UUCP>
Reply-To: tohaapanen@watrose.UUCP (Tom Haapanen)
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 41

In article <384@cisden.UUCP> gmack@cisden.UUCP (Gregg Mackenzie) writes:

>>>>Worst Sports/GT: Is there a worst sports/GT? :-)
>>>Sure!! Ever heard of the Porche 911?  What an incredible piece of junk!
>>Sorry, guys.  I meant to say Porche 914.

>You were close, though, with the 911.  The 912 (the four-cylinder version
>of the 911, really just a fast-back Volkswagen) was just as bad as the 914.

Brilliant ignorance, I must say!  A fast-back Volkswagen?  The 912 was
introduced (in 1965 I think) shortly after the 911's 1963 introduction.
It was effectively a 911, which is (I think even Gregg will admit) a
pure Porsche.  The 912 was designed as an entry model, with lower trim
level, narrower rims & tires, and a four-cylinder engine.  AHA! you
say, Volkswagen!  BUT NO!  The four-cylinder was the 1600 SC engine
from the 356 series Porsches.  The 356's did not use a VW engine after
about mid-1949 or so.  The 356 four-banger has definite VW heritage,
but has no interchangeable components (well, I've taken one apart and
the only one I found is the distributor...).

The only one you could be talking about is the 912E.  The 912 was made
until 1970; the 912E was re-introduced in 1976 for North America only
as a stop-gap measure (1975 was the last year for the 914, and 1977
the first for the 924).  This one in fact *did* have a VW Type
IV-based engine, similar to the 914.  It wasn't a bad car though, with
decent power, disc brakes all around, good rubber and 911 suspension
components.

In any case, I wouldn't put down ALL 914's. The 914/6 (and especially
the 914/6 GT) was a great car; if I could only get my hands on one I'd
start blowing those Fieros and MR2's into the weeds!  Of course, to go
one step better, I could try to find one of the 18 or so 916's that
were manufactured...


				   \tom haapanen
				   watmath!watdcsu!haapanen
I'm all lost in the Supermarket
I can no longer shop happily
I came in here for that special offer
Guaranteed personality				 (c) The Clash, 1979