Facts and Fictions Sportomatic

[Fishcop]

I changed out my sporto and 2.0t for a manual and 2.7RS spec 5 years ago and have no regrets...

I persevered for 5 years keeping the sporto running well - and it was very sweet! The problem is the sheer lack of parts for the vacuum, the diaphragm specifically. I remade nearly every hose, replaced the micro switch and serviced the servos faithfully. I even managed to rebuild my diaphragm using some truck brake parts. Eventually the ring gear on the torque converter failed and I was offered a sweet deal on a manual including the pedals and other ancillaries.

I keep the correct engine and sporto safely stored for my chassis should it ever become appropriate to return them... but for my T spec car, I can't see it happening whilst in my custody

[Kilgore Trout]

Hello all. When I first layed eyes on the 911 I aquired, first thing I muttered was "Oh it's a sportomatic, cool!" Not sure why, I think it does add some interest.
Mine seems to work fine. Hardly an automatic, just no clutch pedal. Please, get your hand OFF the shifter for cry'n out loud!

It must be fate, (my justification) but I picked up another 69 sportomatic fairly soon after the first. Rust bucket, but how could I pass it up, also an E. While stripping the rusty hulk, I kept wondering about the horn in the back, and also the little switch under the lid. Finally, ah, it's an alarm. Oh man, it's screwed to the sporto tank with sheet metal screws! I would think that may have, at least partly been why it was parked and left to die.

So now I have spare parts! I haven't searched yet, but there must be some threads about adjusting the sportomatic? Smoother clutch engagement, I think I recall?

Great topic by the way.
Rust bucket pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/dant58/69911ESmall#

[MountainRoads]

I wonder have many sportos are converted by people who don't also have a manual? I think it is a far easier decision to leave the sporto in place if you also have manual to jump into when desired..

Great thread guys! As I mentioned in related thread, I've always preferred the experience and functional control that a manual provides. My SIGO and I both drive manuals (Subarus) by choice for daily transpo. (Her first car purchase was a '72 Super Beetle.) I did the sporto -> 5 spd conversion in part because I prefer the manual experience, but also because Sportos were not quite my cup of tea and the engine was in a box. In other words rebalancing everything was prudent, anyway.

Raj makes a good point about preserving running examples. I hope he buys as many as possible to keep the species alive That said, I would still not feel too bad abut doing another conversion under similar circumstances. Only this time I would keep *ALL* the old parts for the next custodian to reinstall if they wanted to. I think the folks that will want to do that are fewer than the folks that won't. My .02.

- MR

[WM711]

I had a euro 73 S sporto coupe. The engine was rebuilt to 2.7RS, as was the FI pump...the car was fast. S sportos have a unique torque convertor with a higher stall speed than non S sportos, 300 RPM higher I think. TE part number started with 905 and S part number was 925. I took the car to road atlanta for a DE...ive never had as much fun. You need to watch oil temp when running hard, as the oil serves as the fluid for the torque convertor. The thing held something like 15 quarts...my memory again fails me on the exact quantity. Sportos are an acquired taste...not for everyone, but I have NEVER spoken with anyone who has experience, real experience, with a sporto that didnt really enjoy the car. I sold it to a friend in Oregon, who took the car to a show in LA a few years back. Mr. Ruf was at the event, and he sought out my friend to inquire about this car, he too is a sporto fan. I have owned many, many cars, this is the one I wish I had never sold. I think the car now lives in Belgium.

Be prepared and have a thick skin when driving a Sporto. Most will look at you funny, and ask you why in the world... I would love to have another, and am always looking.

[72targa]

For reference...

[edmayo]

Hello all. When I first layed eyes on the 911 I aquired, first thing I muttered was "Oh it's a sportomatic, cool!" Not sure why, I think it does add some interest.
Mine seems to work fine. Hardly an automatic, just no clutch pedal. Please, get your hand OFF the shifter for cry'n out loud!

It must be fate, (my justification) but I picked up another 69 sportomatic fairly soon after the first. Rust bucket, but how could I pass it up, also an E. While stripping the rusty hulk, I kept wondering about the horn in the back, and also the little switch under the lid. Finally, ah, it's an alarm. Oh man, it's screwed to the sporto tank with sheet metal screws! I would think that may have, at least partly been why it was parked and left to die.

So now I have spare parts! I haven't searched yet, but there must be some threads about adjusting the sportomatic? Smoother clutch engagement, I think I recall?

Great topic by the way.
Rust bucket pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/dant58/69911ESmall#

Ahhh, another successful 1 hour alarm installation!!! Those guys can do more damage to a car in 5 minutes than you can possibly imagine!
What you need are the insrtuctional pages from the shop manual, if you don't have one let me know, I can help.
Ed Mayo cdih@att.net

[ST Man]

Hi Bullethead
My problems was all vacuum related. The diafram broke and couldnt find a replacement. I heard there are some truck spares that you can use but never found an answer.

Leon

[raspy2point2]

I think until we have a reproduction source for needed parts, the Sporto will continue to decline. I will try to get mine running as a sporto but I don't want to get stranded either with a broken sporto. Sorry guys. I will keep the original parts as this is a matching numbers car-68 911L Sunroof Coupe. If there were parts available--fine the sporto sounds like fun. This car is rare in that it is a one owner, Euro Spec( no smog pump and no side marker lights ) small bumper trim and a Black plate original San Diego, California car and will stay in California as I am going to restore and keep it. I will never find another 911L like this. Chris

[kp.sfo]

Hi folks,

this thread comes in very handy for me at his point. I've been on the hunt for an original 73.5T Targa for over a year and have recently come across a very nice one which is potentially up for sale - a sporto... I never considered them before, but since the car appears to be a perfect ten for me I have given it a second thought - and started to make my homework and read a lot about it.

What makes me wonder are the following snippets from Randy Leffingwell's "Porsche 911 Buyer's Guide":

(picture of 905 sporto tranny shown) This is the ideal way to encounter Porsche's Typ 905 Sportomatic transmission: after a complete rebuild, sitting on a work bench, on display, not intended for use. It was not a bad transmission, but now parts and especially seals spectacularly expensive.

NOTE: I strongly advise anyone considering acquiring a car with the Sportomatic transmission to reconsider. Spare parts are difficult to find and costly if you can. Seals can dry out long before they are ever installed and so the cost of the rebuild is wasted when the freshly rebuilt transmission leaks within days. Many owners give up in despair and install manual gearboxes. This conversion can be less costly than a Sporto rebuild.

My question to you: Is it really that bad, or is the author just not into Sportos? According to him it sounds like a definitive no-go to buy one.

Converting it to a manual 915 tranny is not really an option for me because I'd like to stay away from tinkering with originality.

[Fishcop]

The diaphragm in the servo is the main culprit for failure.

I'm the guy that successfuly converted a truck brake diaphragm about 10 years ago... The gearbox and that converted servo are still under my workbench and worked perfectly before the starter ring on the torque converter broke. I ended up with a 915 a few years ago and that is now in the car.

Others have tried to locate the same PBR part I used without success - I think I may have got the part number wrong off the invoice (long since gone). I've promised to dissasemble the servo and document/photograph what I did (no digital cameras back then), but l've been tardy and tied up in other things. If there's still enough demand, I can make it a priority?