This 1983 Porsche 911 SC is a European-market example that the seller describes as being a “lightweight.” Now, when you call a performance car a “lightweight,” it tends to signal to enthusiasts that the vehicle in question was commissioned by the factory as part of a small group of vehicles stripped down to the bare minimum. In the seller’s case, I believe he is referring to the fact that this particular example has very few options including a sunroof delete. The 911 SC is listed here on eBay with a healthy maintenance portfolio and bids to $45,000 with the reserve unmet.
The seller cites the lack of sunroof, crank windows, and no air conditioning as reasons for the lightweight designation. Of course, the European-spec cars are also lighter in general owing to not having as much in the form of safety equipment (crash bars in the doors are the usual deletion), so I get why the seller considers this car a lighter-than-normal 911. But you have to be careful calling it a “lightweight” as that has a very different meaning to people – for instance, long-hood collectors know the ’73 911 Carrera “Lightweight” is one of the most collectible air-cooled models ever made.
Take away the debate over whether to call this a lightweight or not and this is still a very choice specimen. The engine has been extensively serviced, with the seller highlighting new head studs, new syncros, and a valve adjustment as some of the recent maintenance highlights. The listing also notes that less than 500 miles have been racked up since “full servicing,” which may indicate more work has been performed than what’s listed here. The gray market designation likely means the engine makes a bit more power than a U.S. market car, assuming it has less restrictive emissions equipment.
The 911 wears staggered chrome Fuchs wheels and a whale-tail spoiler. The seller also mentions that it rides on Bilstein adjustable shocks and that the brakes have been refreshed. The earlier cars still had the charming fender-mounted antenna as this car does, and the lower front chin spoiler compliments the rear wing. Gray market sports cars are definitely on most collectors’ must-have lists, especially when found in stripped-down form like this one with strong maintenance history. Would you consider this 911 a lightweight?
It’s certainly a special 911 in my book. I love how clean and uncluttered the engine compartment looks without all the A/C pump and plumbing. It’s definitely a couple hundred pounds lighter than your average 911SC. I would think driving this would be a real pleasure. The turbo Fuchs are rare and expensive to source. The rear ones anyway. I put the same combination on my 84 to replace the gold basket weave BBS wheels that were on mine. I would make this car even more lightweight by removing the tail. Tails belong on turbos IMHO.
The ’74 Carrera “Duck Tail” would look good on this one. Nice car.
It had me with the opening picture. Pure German eye candy. Alphasud called it. Clean and uncluttered describes the entire car. IMHO
Shouldn’t it have some alum.body panels?? Most lightweights did I have read.And the rear spoiler is wrong…should be the duck tail I also read.No Porsche expert here…
@Mike – the “lightweight” bit referred to what the owners did AFTER it was built. No special body panels on this.
Spoiler is a turbo / turbo look unit. A bit flashy perhaps but they do work. My 1974 had one and when I rook it off to clean up the appearance of the car I immediately felt the difference and put a more understated one back on.
Convinced my customer that her car really needed the front chin spoiler to go with the Duck tail rear. Proved it to her on a 125 mph run where she said the steering was getting light. Put the chin spoiler on and pulled up to 142 mph and steady as a rock. It does take two to tango on this topic. This is her ’74 Carrera before chin spoiler.
Well, it´s an unusually sparse spec for a 911 as late as 1983 and that would reduce weight. Maybe it was specced that way for occasional competition use or maybe the first owner really wanted to save money. A/C wasn´t always a “must have” and electric windows can fail. I personally don´t like sunfoof, so it´s not too improbable.
But other than options delete, it´s not anything special. Ref the Carrera RS, the first 500 1973 Carrera RS were made from thinner steel, with thinner glass and less sound insulation. Some of these cars remained as “Lightweights” for competition use and the rest were fitted out with 911S interiors and insulation as “Touring” version. After #500, another 1000 cars +/- were produced, all “Touring” spec but with normal 911 shells and glass.
So there are 2 specs of “Touring”, the smaller first batch with lighter shells and glass but full interiors, and the second bigger barch with normal 911S metal, glass and interior.