When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
This is an interesting article taken from the May 1970 Motor Trend. We forget about how the cars compared back in the day.
The really interesting thing is how much the cars are worth today. The early 911s are in a bubble right now. $30,000 will get you a car that needs a bunch of work. It takes almost $100,000 to guy a nice 911S. The 911S would be comparable to a '70 LT1.
I was a big pre-74 Porsche fan until I bought my first C3. In my opinion the C3 is a better car. C3s have better performance and the handling is surprising similar. The build quality is also nearly identical. The C3 cost less and is easier to find restoration parts. The only things I like better about my early Porsches are the gas mileage and better driver visibility. I still have three early Porsches but if I could only have once classic car it would be my C3.
The 911S has the performance of a base engine C3. If you are looking for an early Porsche that has the performance of an LT-1 you would need to get a Carrera RS. You could buy 5 or more LT-1s for the price of one Carrera RS.
Interesting article. The two cars still compete against each other in the American Le Mans (just merged with Grand Am). And current day articles still read nearly the same---the Corvette being rough around the edges, but a better performer and the Porsche being a smoother more forgiving ride.
I was a big pre-74 Porsche fan until I bought my first C3. In my opinion the C3 is a better car. C3s have better performance and the handling is surprising similar. The build quality is also nearly identical. The C3 cost less and is easier to find restoration parts. The only things I like better about my early Porsches are the gas mileage and better driver visibility. I still have three early Porsches but if I could only have once classic car it would be my C3.
The 911S has the performance of a base engine C3. If you are looking for an early Porsche that has the performance of an LT-1 you would need to get a Carrera RS. You could buy 5 or more LT-1s for the price of one Carrera RS.
And how many Porsche 911s have you owned? I owned, and drove regularly, a '70 and a '71 Porsche. '57 Covvette started me down the trail, now have a '76 stroker. I can not believe that you would compare, essentially a hand built German car from the '70s, and they were, with stuff that was coming out of St. Louis. The Porsche was the finest built car that I ever owned. Granted, maintaining one could be very expensive even if you did your own work, I had sticker shock about the $4.00 spark plugs back in 1970.
I remember cruising the Indiana Turnpike, with another like minded individual in his 911, for at least a half an hour, at speeds between 120 and 125. It was a wonder that we were not caught and jailed. The best 1/2 hour drive of my life. I am apprehensive if I take my C3 stroker over 100.
Why don't I have another Porsche? I was priced out of the market, and since I liked to wrench, I figured a modified 'vette was the was to go.
I've got 2 Porsches and 2 Corvettes. Plus, I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express once. Instant expert here.
I'm not sure build quality is an issue after 40 years. Every car I own has a tendency to come apart and get rebuilt. Right now I'm the one responsible for any build quality issues.
I track both my '73 911 and my '85 Corvette. The 911 is a lot of fun but I really love torque. Torque is a wonderful thing. The engines in both cars were built with torque being the goal. You just can't beat the small block Chevy for torque though.