CLASSIC CAR REVIEWS - PORSCHE 911 930 SC

The 911 is a serious sports car, and it’s hard to believe the model has just celebrated its half century. With this sort of history, driving one is just the special experience you might imagine, one dominated by that air-cooled engine slung out back. 
It makes a terrific noise under hard acceleration that encourages you to push harder, something that’s easy to do with the power on offer. And if 180bhp doesn’t sound like much in this day and age, it is still enough to shove the coupé to 60mph in around 6.5secs – later 204bhp cars would crack 6sec. 
But it’s not just about speed of course as there is also the famed 911 handling to master, and learning to get the best out of one of these cars is all part of the experience. The reputation isn’t great and a downhill corner taken at speed – especially in the wet – could well result in a tricky moment, but plenty of owners reckon that reputation is unfair. 
Taking a ‘slow in/fast out’ approach to cornering works best, but in the dry the traction endowed on the 911 by that rear-engine layout is undeniably impressive. So too is the steering, which feels alive in your hands as you thread the compact SC down the road, and with no power assistance to corrupt the feel it’s a very responsive set-up. 
The suspension works well too, the nose gently bobbing up and down courtesy of those torsion bar springs, and the brakes are powerful. The cabin of the SC is classic 911 too, the driver faced by a five-dial instrument pack, rev-counter directly ahead. Okay so there is a somewhat scattergun approach to the minor controls but it’s easy to get used to, and in any case there is plenty else to concentrate on including the quirky floor-hinged pedals. The spindly gear lever looks a touch awkward but actually proves fine to use. With a good driving position and excellent visibility the 911 could just be the perfect everyday sports car.
 

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

1 Despite the galvanized body, 911s of this vintage are susceptible to corrosion and eradicating it can cost a fortune. Careful checking is needed – preferably by a specialist – concentrating on areas such as the front wings (particularly around the headlamp bowls), the sills, and the ‘kidney bowls’ that sit at the rear of the sill behind each door opening. Look closely for any signs of bubbling beneath window rubbers, especially the front and rear screens, and pay particular attention to the B-pillars – a mixture of steel and aluminium means they corrode around the door catches and can be costly to fix. 

2 Check the bumpers are firmly affixed as the mountings rot. You need to check the floor pan thoroughly including within the front luggage compartment as water ingress might have allowed rot to take hold. Only ‘Sport’ models had a rear spoiler fitted as standard, so ensure aftermarket additions are fitted properly.

3 The characterful flat-six engine is tough, but only if it’s been maintained correctly. Neglect will play havoc with reliability (and with your bank account) so check carefully for excessive exhaust smoke, signs of low oil pressure, or major oil leaks – minor weeps are common and usually nothing to worry about. Timing chain tensioners are a weak spot and failure will destroy the interference engine, so ask when they were last changed, and what quality of parts were used. Cylinder heads can suffer from broken studs which aren’t always obvious so check around the join between head and cylinder barrel for signs of air or oil leakage. Poor running could be down to issues with the Bosch injection
system, which may need specialist attention to sort. A loose fuel pump relay in the front luggage compartment can cause sporadic cutting out. Various revisions saw the 180bhp output of early cars raised to 204bhp by the end of production.

4 The SC was fitted with the ‘915’ gearbox, a source of much debate among 911 drivers and enthusiasts. Don’t ignore one with issues as it won’t be cheap to fix, but the recalcitrant gearchange that many complain of can differ between cars and some adjustment is possible – slow and deliberate ‘changes seem to be key to extracting the best from it. It is worth checking for signs of a tired clutch, as replacement is labour-intensive. Listed as a special option by Porsche, the three-speed ‘Sportomatic’ auto ‘box isn’t especially well-regarded and was dropped after 1979.

5 Suspension is a combination of MacPherson-style struts at the front and semi-trailing arms at the rear, with torsion bar springs at both ends. Worn bushes aside, it’s a sound arrangement that rarely gives trouble. A check of the mountings for corrosion is recommended while brakes and steering should be similarly trouble-free and any car that’s been maintained properly should fine here. Wheels were either ‘cookie-cutter’ ATS rims or the familiar Fuchs items, and both can be refurbished at reasonable cost. Upgrades and modifications to brakes/suspension are fairly common, so ensure you’re happy with the standard of work.

6 It’s worth ensuring the heating system works okay – rotten heat exchangers are the bugbear here – and likewise the optional air-conditioning if fitted (repair costs may have deterred previous owners).

7 The SC was the first full convertible 911, so needless to say you’ll need to check the condition of the hood and its frame. Also popular was the ‘Targa’ model – a name trademarked by Porsche – with its lift-out roof panel. Check the condition of the roof seals on both models and ensure water leaks haven’t damaged trim or begun to cause corrosio

Forget any thoughts that the SC is a poor-man’s 3.2 Carrera. Values are rising rapidly, and being one of the lighter and purer of the breed is proving popular with owners and specialists alike. They are certainly being appreciated more and if prices are yet to overtake the 3.2, then they aren’t far behind. Restoration costs can be eye-watering so buying a good one to begin with is advisable. Most have been rebuilt by now, but factor this in if this isn’t the case.
 

VITAL STATISTICS

Engine 2994cc/6-cyl/SOHC
Power 180bhp@5500rpm
Torque 188lb ft @4200
Top Speed 141mph
0-60mph 6.5sec  
Economy 21mpg
GEARBO 5-spd man/3-spd auto

Weights & measures
Height 1320mm (52in)
Width 1626mm (64.1in)
Length 4291mm (169.1in) 
Wheelbase 2272mm (89.5in) 
KERB WEIGHT 1160kg (2557lb)

OUR VERDICT 

Buy a 911 and you’ll own one of the world’s finest sports cars. The SC is a great example of the breed with all the classic design cues and strong performance, but caution is needed. A bad one will be a money pit – a good one however will be an absolute joy.

BITTER SC REVIEW

It’s stylish, exclusive, reliable and well built – and fast too. In fact the Bitter SC makes a superb long-distance cruiser, but they’re none too plentiful.
 

The Germans have a reputation for fabulous engineering but combined with dowdy looks. So wouldn’t it be great if you could combine Teutonic running gear with a svelte suit? Well wouldn’t you know it – that’s exactly what Erich Bitter did when he came up with the SC (Senator Coupé) in 1979.

Blending stylish lines with Opel engineering, the Bitter SC came and went before most UK buyers even realised it existed, ensuring few were sold. The survival rate is high however, so while SCs are uncommon, they are around.

The SC coupé debuted in 1979, right-hand drive cars arriving in the UK in 1982. When the SC died in 1989, just 26 RHD cars had been sold, all two-door coupe and two of them with four-wheel drive.

Most of the 450 SCs built were coupés, but there were also five four-door saloons and 25 convertibles. None of these are in the UK though and they were all left-hand drive, so if you’re after an SC, the chances are you’ll have to settle for an LHD coupé brought over from mainland Europe.

VITAL STATISTICS

Engine 2969cc 6-cylinder SOHC
Power 178bhp@5800rpm
Torque 179lb ft@5800rpm
Top Speed 134mph
0-60mph 8.8sec
Gearbox 5-speed manual

WHAT TO LOOK FOR

BODYWORK

The first 50 SCs, all LHD and built between late-1980 and early-1983, are the most rust-prone as they were made of recycled steel – most have now rotted away. Later cars were better-built; best of the lot are post-1983 cars, which were dipped for more thorough rustproofing. You’d be unlucky to find a rotten car, but there are quite a few trouble spots on an SC’s bodyshell.

Start with the top of each front suspension turret; proper repairs require the removal of the outer wing, and the suspension will collapse if it’s ignored. The front and rear screen surrounds also corrode, as their sealant dries out and cracks, allowing water in; the screens have to be removed altogether in some cases.

The rear wheelarches also rust, as does the lower edge of the bootlid, which rots from the inside out. The frames of the rear side windows often rust, as do the trailing edge of the front wings, the bottom edges of the doors and the leading as well as the trailing edges of the sills, all of which rust from the inside out. Finish off by checking the headlamp wells from behind by lifting the bonnet; they rot once their drain holes have blocked up.

Replacement panels are unavailable aside from the odd used item through the club; it’s the same for the exterior brightwork and rubbing strips, which are unique to the model. Windscreens are available but the rest of the SC’s glass is pretty much extinct, although the odd second-hand piece can be sourced occasionally.

ENGINE

All SCs have an Opel-sourced straight-six, displacing either 3.0- or 3.9-litres; the smaller engine is rare as the larger unit was offered from 1984, and most buyers specified it. Bitter used German tuning outfit Mantzel to create a 3.9-litre engine from a 3.0 unit; the cylinder head, pistons and crankshaft were all modified, but Mantzel is still in business and everything is still available if needed – but costly.

The straight-six is strong, but it tends to run hot, leading to the manifold gasket blowing – the manifold faces have also been known to warp. The heat given off by the engine can also lead to the fuel injection wiring melting, so make sure the engine runs smoothly.

TRANSMISSION

The transmission was taken from the Senator/Monza, so it’s tough. Most SCs have a three-speed automatic gearbox, although a few have a manual one. Of the manuals, most have the five-speed Getrag 265 ‘box of the later Senator/Monza, but a few feature the earlier four-speed unit. Early boxes can be swapped for later ones, although some jiggery pokery is required.

Propshafts, driveshafts and differentials are strong, with wear almost unknown. Incidentally, all SCs have a limited-slip diff, which should be filled with the correct LSD-friendly oil, even though the Bitter handbook states that standard EP80 lubricant can be used.

SUSPENSION AND BRAKES

The SC’s suspension is also taken from the pre-1983 Monza/Senator, but it’s lowered and stiffened, with Bilstein gas dampers. Everything is available, so if you bounce each corner to see if it’s tired, and find it is, all is not lost.

Until August 1983 there were fixed callipers at the front, but later cars used a floating design. Both types are reliable though, and everything is available, although it’s getting ever harder to find.

INTERIOR

Most of the SC’s interior surfaces are covered in fine calf skin, which can split or tear, or crack if it’s been allowed to dry out – repairs are costly. The same goes for the woodwork, which can delaminate.

If the air-con system has its original R12 refrigerant, which is now illegal, it’ll cost £1000 plus to convert it to a modern refrigerant; if the system isn’t working at all, expect a similar-size bill to get it operational. Also ensure the heater works properly, as the matrix can fail and replacements are hard to find. Even worse, the dash has to come out to fit a new matrix, which is why the whole system is sometimes bypassed. Check there’s a pipe running from the front of the engine through the bulkhead – if it runs down to the back of the engine instead, the matrix has been bypassed.

ELECTRICS

The electrics are generally reliable, although the loom can fracture where it goes into the doors, for the windows, central locking and mirrors. The instruments and switchgear are all taken from the 1978-1981 Senator, aside from the electric mirror switch; that came from the 1983 Senator. Nothing is available new, although used bits crop up occasionally. The instruments carry the Bitter logo though, so you’ll need professional help to swap the faces over if you need to replace anything.

All lighting is available; early cars feature Fiat 126 sidelights and indicators (mounted in the bumpers) while the Ferrari Mondial supplied the later ones; they’re harder to find and much more costly. The rear lights are taken from the Lancia Monte Carlo, and they’re available but expensive.

VERDICT

Yes – if you can find one. The SC is utterly usable as it’s well screwed together and uses relatively modern engineering. However, while purchase costs are low and maintenance is straightforward, fuel costs can be high; in general use you can expect just 20mpg or so. Still, when you’ve got as much style as the SC can muster, you’ll be too busy soaking up the admiring glances to worry about the fuel bills.