2.7 RS - Page 3 - Porsche General - PistonHeads UK

Had the good fortune to be able to drive a 2.7 RS this morning. It was recently subjected to a full restoration, although oddly the (former) owner had had it restored as a mish-mash of half touring and half light-weight spec (originally a touring). The first 911 I ever drove was a 2.7 RS (18 years ago) and unfortunately I wasn't experienced enough with cars or 911s to make the most of it then. No such problems today of course! What a fabulous car the 2.7RS is to drive. Does it deserve its near-mythical status? And the eye-watering prices being asked for them? I don't know. I do know that the feedback it gives you is wonderful. The unassisted steering is surprisingly light and you can feel the lack of weight: I used to own a 3.2 and that was nice but it tighter corners it needed muscling around. Not so with the RS. I was a bit concerned before the drive as broke my arm only six weeks ago and I was worried I might have difficulty with an unassisted steering but no problems at all. At low speed the sound of the RS was nothing special but under full acceleration, and as the revs rose, the tone changed, got harder and angrier and was simply wonderful to hear. This RS had a short shift fitted and it was very good, although not perfect. Overall the car would benefit from a bit f bedding in and tweaking (had only done 160 km since the restauration). What surprises me is how quick the RS felt, given that is a 40-year old car and only as 210 bhp (hardly warm hatch by today's standards). It also had a surprising and very pleasant amount of low down power - I got to drive up a mountain road and it was immensely satisfying to drive hard into the corners, step on the brakes, quick blip of the throttle, whilst slipping it into second, before swinging the RS into the bend and getting on the gas to fire it out the other side. I could have carried on all day. Unfortunately the owner (not a good passenger), was not enjoying it quite so much! The top two cars on my want list are the 2.7 RS and the F40. They share some commonalities: both quite basic, no electronic help and unassisted steering. However from there they diverge massively. As much as I want an F40 I can't imagine owning one and being able to keep my licence. I also wonder how it would cope with the set of back roads I prefer to drive on. On the other hand I could easily see myself buzzing around the Swiss countryside in an RS. Problem is that when I think of getting an RS the thought occurs that I could have an RS tribute car built to my own spec for about a third of the price, or for similar money one can buy a perfect 2.7 Carrera ( which probably gives 85% of the RS experience for a fraction of the outlay). Or a mildly tweaked 2.4S would offer much of the enjoyment. Anyway, outcome of today's drive is that I want to own an early 911! Just need to decide which one and when....

Nice write up. I haven't driven one for over 10yrs now, would love to have another go. I went the 2.4s route, nearly all the same thrills but a third of the price.

Another vote for a 911s - but I went 2.2 (last of the pre-emission high compression engines and a real screamer). Subtler without ducktail too. Still want a 2.7 RS though!

Great write up. I believe the pre 964 cars are the real deal. Back to having fun at sensible speed. A 2.7RS with its MFI sounds glorious.

Sounds fantastic. I haven't yet had the pleasure of an early 911. Someday soon I hope. Thanks for sharing.

drmark said: I went 2.2 last of the......

there's a very good article in this months '911 & Porsche World' comparing a 2.7 RS lightweight with my 2.7 RS Touring - Adam Towler sums up the driving experience nicely.

seawise said: there's a very good article in this months '911 & Porsche World' comparing a 2.7 RS lightweight with my 2.7 RS Touring - Adam Towler sums up the driving experience nicely. Is that Junes issue Oliver ?

Robbo66 said: Is that Junes issue Oliver ? July's i assume Rob - the cover has a 2.7 RS and 2.8 RS on it.

seawise said: July's i assume Rob - the cover has a 2.7 RS and 2.8 RS on it. I'll nab it later. Porsche GB want mine for an Exhibition on Sunday along with a CGT and a 356. Good shot by the way....looks superb in yellow.

Nice! Love driving the early cars.....

seawise said: there's a very good article in this months '911 & Porsche World' comparing a 2.7 RS lightweight with my 2.7 RS Touring - Adam Towler sums up the driving experience nicely. This: 'The greatest joy of the RS is that it can entertain you in every 10mph increment from 0-80mph, not simply over the latter figure-and that includes at a standstill even. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that compared with the overwhelming majority of modern performance cars, thr RS has more excitement in it's spindly indicator stalk than they can muster flat out'. Good article.

I was offered a freshly-restored touring a couple of months ago, 210k asking

Robbo66 said: This: 'The greatest joy of the RS is that it can entertain you in every 10mph increment from 0-80mph, not simply over the latter figure-and that includes at a standstill even. I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that compared with the overwhelming majority of modern performance cars, thr RS has more excitement in it's spindly indicator stalk than they can muster flat out'. Good article. yes, Adam is a thoroughly nice chap too, was very respectful with the car but still drove it hard enough to get a proper feel. hopefully if i get a spare hour this weekend i might be able to take it for a drive too !

That is an accurate assessment of the RS. The 'short shift' doesn't really help the 915 box. Some prefer less gate, but it's usually best not hurried. Always found the change better in the lhd rather than rhd RSs. Most RSs that have had an engine rebuild and MFI overhaul by a respected specialist will show 220 bhp or more on the dyno. The 'feel' of these cars is all to do with the power:weight advantage. At first they can feel a bit dated, but within a few miles and as confidence grows, it's like little else, wonderful cars.

[Image-only or quote-only post; no author-written text.] http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj345/TOFF/Carrera_RS-5701.jpg http://i552.photobucket.com/albums/jj345/TOFF/Carrera_RS-631.jpg

My old man had a 2.7 RS for about 15 years and I was lucky enough to drive it on many of the tracks up and down the UK. Its drives in many ways not to disimilar to my 993 but the one thing that you really can tell is the weight. Its so much more alive on the move. I found the car tended to understeer more as well which was probably due to the lack of weight over the front compared to the 993. If I had the money I'd jump at the chance to buy it back. Its currently up for sale at Paul Stephens and I can only assume he wants quite a lot for it seeing as its still not sold after 2 months.

Bought mine about 8 years ago one of the 7/8 rhd lightweights I think there were only 7 !! Bought mine as a bit or of a wreck drove it for a year then had it restored by Porsche (£86k later) massive mistake !! Fantastic job but I ended up with a perfect car that I would never use Was chased by several buyers, 2 for over 3 years whilst the restoration took place. In the end sold it as it was finished never drove it again. Very heart breaking but the profit will probably pay for my motoring for the next 15-20 years Phib

seawise said: Looking good Oliver - hope you're enjoying the RS - wish I'd kept it ! Steve

seawise said: Looking good Oliver - hope you're enjoying the RS - wish I'd kept it ! Steve

seawise said: Looking good Oliver - hope you're enjoying the RS - wish I'd kept it ! Steve

That's an amazing pic. The summary of the RS is great. Makes me really want one!

couldnt agree more with all of this. the "home brew" 911 is what I did... 2.8 RSR homage ...bit more trackspec than a normal RS but thats just personal taste, the end result over the last 2 years has massively surpassed expectations and I dont bother with expensive modern cars any more. it just hits the spot: road / track / sprints / sunny sundays / even commuted to work in it Driving it NEVER fails to put a smile on my face even if its going up a sodden M40 to take it back to Tuthills. the reaction from everyone who has ever been in it or seen it is very positive which I dont think youd get driving an orange GT3 for instance i couldnt recommend going down this route highly enough (although dont get me wrong a real RS would be great) there is a very nice RS rep for sale at Canford Classics at the moment which looks v good value to me OR if anyone is going to do their own project ( a lot of fun... like being a boy in a sweet shop) I can recommend Tuthills and (honestly not the point of the post but seems daft not to mention it) I will shortly have for sale a refreshed 2.7RS spec 911/83 mfi engine that came out of a 75 Carrera but is as you may know, exactly the same as a 72/3 RS engine... finally get onto DDK Online for a deep-dive into the world of classic 911s... cheers

phib said: Bought mine about 8 years ago one of the 7/8 rhd lightweights I think there were only 7 !! Bought mine as a bit or of a wreck drove it for a year then had it restored by Porsche (£86k later) massive mistake !! Fantastic job but I ended up with a perfect car that I would never use Was chased by several buyers, 2 for over 3 years whilst the restoration took place. In the end sold it as it was finished never drove it again. Very heart breaking but the profit will probably pay for my motoring for the next 15-20 years Phib Interesting. My 911s had a 100 point restoration but I use it 2-3 times a week. It cost about the same as a new RS in the end (indeed I sold a GT3 to partially fund it) but I reckon it is more fun to drive (on the road anyway) and other drivers seem to love it. It is as close to a new car as you can get - and a lot better protected than it was originally - so should easily outlast me. And hopefully, in 30 years or so, will make a great legacy for my kids. For those of you who haven't seen this before - here is living proof that no car is beyond restoration with a willing owner, the right resources and magicians like Alan Drayson, Mike Bainbridge, Barry Carter and Bob Watson. http://www.canfordclassics.co.uk/gallery/1970-911-...

That is truly astonishing. I went a slightly different route. I have a selection of the RS'y cars and am really enjoying my Cayman R as a daily driver. In addition to these I bought a very very good original 1974 2.7 --- the very basic 2.7 911. It is very narrow, 195 tyres on 6j cookie cutters, and the simplicity f it's lines with the US spec Impact bumpers is simply glorious. Although not very fast in comparative terms, it's fit 915 slush box is an authentic drive and it feels lovely. It also left me £100k + in the bank (if I had had it )

drmark said: phib said: Bought mine about 8 years ago one of the 7/8 rhd lightweights I think there were only 7 !! Bought mine as a bit or of a wreck drove it for a year then had it restored by Porsche (£86k later) massive mistake !! Fantastic job but I ended up with a perfect car that I would never use Was chased by several buyers, 2 for over 3 years whilst the restoration took place. In the end sold it as it was finished never drove it again. Very heart breaking but the profit will probably pay for my motoring for the next 15-20 years Phib Interesting. My 911s had a 100 point restoration but I use it 2-3 times a week. It cost about the same as a new RS in the end (indeed I sold a GT3 to partially fund it) but I reckon it is more fun to drive (on the road anyway) and other drivers seem to love it. It is as close to a new car as you can get - and a lot better protected than it was originally - so should easily outlast me. And hopefully, in 30 years or so, will make a great legacy for my kids. For those of you who haven't seen this before - here is living proof that no car is beyond restoration with a willing owner, the right resources and magicians like Alan Drayson, Mike Bainbridge, Barry Carter and Bob Watson. http://www.canfordclassics.co.uk/gallery/1970-911-... I remember seeing that car for sale - I had no idea it was in such a terrible state to start off with - Congratulations on buying it though - It must be a real pleasure to know it's had such extensive work done by pure craftsmen. I have to say it looks absolutely stunning! (I'm a little jealous!)

Great car and most of the" long hood" car experience at a fraction of the cost. If I had my time again, and knowing what I do know, i would have gone for mid seventies IB 2.7 and backdated it. In blood orange!

drmark said: Great car and most of the" long hood" car experience at a fraction of the cost. If I had my time again, and knowing what I do know, i would have gone for mid seventies IB 2.7 and backdated it. In blood orange! I don't know - your car is stunning. I'd be afraid to drive it if it was mine, it just looks sooo beautiful!

J-P said: I don't know - your car is stunning. I'd be afraid to drive it if it was mine, it just looks sooo beautiful! Thanks - on holiday at the moment and missing it (need to get out more). Still love a 2.7 RS though if anyone wants to let one go to a good home at a fraction of its worth

drmark said: J-P said: I don't know - your car is stunning. I'd be afraid to drive it if it was mine, it just looks sooo beautiful! Thanks - on holiday at the moment and missing it (need to get out more). Still love a 2.7 RS though if anyone wants to let one go to a good home at a fraction of its worth Yes 3.0RSR would be my choice but it really would have to be for a tiny fraction of its true worth!

Previous owner.....using as intended...

Robbo66 said: Previous owner.....using as intended... Gorgeous - just had a look at the car they have at Paul Stephens! It's the same age as me! If only I had the wedge!

drmark said: Great car and most of the" long hood" car experience at a fraction of the cost. If I had my time again, and knowing what I do know, i would have gone for mid seventies IB 2.7 and backdated it. In blood orange! Hi. I was interested in your comment about going for a back date .... do you not think it would be better starting with a pre 73 car? What do you think the pros anc cons of building a hot rod from the two different base cars is? Thanks

there are only 2 advantages to a backdate imho...the base car is cheaper and there is less likely to be rust. rectifying rust is the expense on these, pretty much everything mechanical is available trouble is when its done, a backdate is not really one thing or another? clearly Paul Stephens do them very well but a properly good pre IB ie pre 74 car i think is intrinsically worth more and will rise in value more. there are lots of bolt on mods that can easily be taken off at a future stage such as dampers, brakes, high comp. pistons, modern but retro look seats etc. that give you a hotrod but dont change the car irreversibly. mine was Dec 72 build same as me and started life as a sepia brown 911 T...previous owner did a slight hotrod job (2.7 carrera engine from a rusty 74 targa) and I went from there if 911 hotrods is your thing, google Magnus Walker

blackmamba said: Hi. I was interested in your comment about going for a back date .... do you not think it would be better starting with a pre 73 car? What do you think the pros anc cons of building a hot rod from the two different base cars is? Thanks Pros - your spec / colour. Later, more powerful engine / better suspension / brakes. Cost. Cons - value / resale.

ChrisW. said: That is truly astonishing. I went a slightly different route. I have a selection of the RS'y cars and am really enjoying my Cayman R as a daily driver. In addition to these I bought a very very good original 1974 2.7 --- the very basic 2.7 911. It is very narrow, 195 tyres on 6j cookie cutters, and the simplicity f it's lines with the US spec Impact bumpers is simply glorious. Although not very fast in comparative terms, it's fit 915 slush box is an authentic drive and it feels lovely. It also left me £100k + in the bank (if I had had it ) Just give me a ball park figure of the cost of these??

squirdan said: there is a very nice RS rep for sale at Canford Classics at the moment which looks v good value to me OR if anyone is going to do their own project ( a lot of fun... like being a boy in a sweet shop) I can recommend Tuthills and (honestly not the point of the post but seems daft not to mention it) I will shortly have for sale a refreshed 2.7RS spec 911/83 mfi engine that came out of a 75 Carrera but is as you may know, exactly the same as a 72/3 cheers if you are referring to the viper green RS rep I know the car. It was originally built for a very good friend. He pulled out before it was finished and I tried to buy the car (as had been following the build and discussing the spec with my friend). However, I checked with the Swiss equivalent of th DVLA, Porsche and a specialist and the conclusion was that I wouldn't be able to get it registered for use in Switzerland (rules are very restrictive).

The green RS rep does look good in the pictures but I am sure that it said it was sold not long ago? Is there a story behind it? Also, the price seems to be creeping up from memory ..... that must be the very top end for an RS rep or is that the going rate these days? Impact bumper back dates seem to be much less but I am guessing some of the old feel is lost.

ChrisW. said: That is truly astonishing. I went a slightly different route. I have a selection of the RS'y cars and am really enjoying my Cayman R as a daily driver. In addition to these I bought a very very good original 1974 2.7 --- the very basic 2.7 911. It is very narrow, 195 tyres on 6j cookie cutters, and the simplicity f it's lines with the US spec Impact bumpers is simply glorious. Although not very fast in comparative terms, it's fit 915 slush box is an authentic drive and it feels lovely. It also left me £100k + in the bank (if I had had it ) Lovely looking thing. Is that Aubergine, or Royal Purple? Looks great. Joel

i am lucky enough to own a RS. two owner italian carm restored by clark and carter / bob watson . i own a few hot 911s, but just done 3 days around north wales and i have to say its a real pleasure to own

blackmamba said: The green RS rep does look good in the pictures but I am sure that it said it was sold not long ago? Is there a story behind it? Also, the price seems to be creeping up from memory ..... that must be the very top end for an RS rep or is that the going rate these days? Impact bumper back dates seem to be much less but I am guessing some of the old feel is lost. I am not sure what is going on. When my friend pulled out it was advertised for (£60'000), quite a bit more than he was going to pay and it sold within a few weeks. However it was still not finished and some months later it reappeared for sale (more complete but more expensive). It is now for sale at £70'000. Not sure if that is a good price. Nice spec but chassis, motor and gearbox all from different 911s so no originality. Still, would love to know how it drives. And it looks stunning. Must admit I was pushing my friend to be brave and go for viper green, rather than playing safe with white.

Joel, the colour is 025 Aubergine with Cinamon leatherette (Porsche vinyl) seats and "basket weave" centres. It is almost comical, but lovely. The car had thicker arb's, the five speed box and a sunroof as standard, the engine is still the low compression 8:1 non-s but with S upgrades and all the preventative improvements which (after 25 years) they had got sorted ! I was in slow traffic yesterday playing the game of how slow would she go in each gear --- tickover in third with no snatch or other drama --- sweet. Prices at the mo' seem to be all over the place. Take look at the Pistonheads selection from the USA etc. I bought mine very recenty and with n'th degree tidying, it stands me in at close to £26k. Expensive ? Yes. But the body has no welding and so far as we can tell, no evidence of rust anywhere --- not even in the course of a full re-spray (I know the bodyshop). I would rather have an original sound metal car than one that has had a fortune spent on rebuilding it . So maybe it wasn't so expensive ... There you have it. Edited by ChrisW. on Monday 18th June 22:09

Schnellmann said: I am not sure what is going on. When my friend pulled out it was advertised for (£60'000), quite a bit more than he was going to pay and it sold within a few weeks. However it was still not finished and some months later it reappeared for sale (more complete but more expensive). It is now for sale at £70'000. Not sure if that is a good price. Nice spec but chassis, motor and gearbox all from different 911s so no originality. Still, would love to know how it drives. And it looks stunning. Must admit I was pushing my friend to be brave and go for viper green, rather than playing safe with white. i've been taken for a drive in said car by Alan and it felt very firm but nice and tight from the passenger seat. it wasn't quite finished two weeks ago, still awaiting registration papers so of course i couldn't drive it. it really is beautifully built and hard to find fault with. it looks outstanding in viper green, much more exciting that my light yellow car. i know 70k sounds a lot but it's built to a pretty demanding spec and that carries a premium, i don't think Alan stands to make a huge profit on this build. comes down to what you want, but if u want the best rep out there, this one is it in my opinion. i thought long and hard about buying this car, but ultimately decided to just use my original RS a bit more and try and forget the silly valuations. it's just a car i guess !

sng45 said: Looking good Oliver - hope you're enjoying the RS - wish I'd kept it ! Steve cheers Steve, yes it's running sweet. you could always dip back in, you were properly immersed in the RS cult at one point. at least it's safe to go cycling in Yorkshire now that a certain 'mentalist' is serving time at her majesties pleasure....all the best chap.

rathur said: i am lucky enough to own a RS. two owner italian carm restored by clark and carter / bob watson . i own a few hot 911s, but just done 3 days around north wales and i have to say its a real pleasure to own proper car that, lovely. hope you really enjoying the RS, in spite of having so many other wonderful cars to choose from !

Yes that Viper green one looked lovely!

rathur said: i am lucky enough to own a RS. two owner italian carm restored by clark and carter / bob watson . i own a few hot 911s, but just done 3 days around north wales and i have to say its a real pleasure to own Drove same car in france last year. Very very sweet. Would not buy one for 200k though. Would get say scud + 993rs.

Lovely cars, but mental prices today. I've had the pleasure of driving an original 2.7 RS and owned a lovely original 2.4S for a good few years and still miss it during the summer months. The original 911 look and feel is special, but some of the later cars are still astonishingly good value for money. I went down the 3.0 SC route in the end as it still feels like a proper old school 911 for a fraction of the price and I don't feel nervous about driving it. My pockets are simply not deep enough to justify a £200K spend on a car I would probably drive for less than 1K miles per year.

The only Orange RHD in existence https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20754307

Jones the cat said: The only Orange RHD in existence They are claiming the only RHD ‘Gulf’ orange 2.7RST in existence. There are others in Blood Orange (Tangerine) and I thought there was a very low mileage RHD Gulf Orange RST for sale in Australia some years ago that I enquired about (IIRC).

What a wonderful looking car Very DK sales description…long on waffle and short on detail. “This example is confirmed to retain its buildsheet matching engine number and type, matching gearbox, and chassis stamping” Doesn’t actually say that’s it’s the original matching numbers engine and that the chassis stamping is original No mention of whether it’s had a restoration either…very unlikely that a UK car hasn’t had work.

Jones the cat said: The only Orange RHD in existence https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20754307 Sold. That didn’t last long !