I have been wondering if anyone here has had the pleasure and privilege of driving a real RS and a stock 911SC side by side in order to compare their performance to each other. Well, last weekend I did. My 1982 911SC coupe with SSI Heat exchangers and Dansk exhaust weighs app 1190k and puts out around 205hp (this car is the 911SC that Wayne used for performing all of the 911 upgrades (including full rebuild) from his book "101 Projects for your Porsche 911"). In comparison, the original stock 911RS touring car puts out app 210hp and weighs appr 1075. On paper the RS has 255lbs of torque @ 5100, while the 3.0SC has 267lbs @ 4300. In everything else but torque, the RS has the edge.
In having driven both, my conclusion is that while the RS had a jump on the SC from a standing start, and the RS above 6200 was able to walk away from the SC (not run), in between 2500-6000 the SC held it's ground very well and stayed with the RS without keeping the car constantly at redline.
As regards handling, my SC was very good in the turns, (I would even say better that the RS). But because of its value, I did not push the RS hard - it isn't my car ;-) so the handling comparison may not be very fair. In addition, my SC also has been upgraded by Wayne per his 101 Projects book; it has Bilsteins sports al around, an aftermarket Weltmeister front stabilizer bar, and the car has been lowered and corner balanced. Bottom line though is that the SC was very capable of staying with the RS in the turns as well.
In summary, although there is no question that the original 12973 911RS is a brilliant car, and the apex of all early 911 cars, I would suggest that anyone who has always dreamed of owning a real RS, and has been priced out of the market, a much cheaper and almost equally rewarding option may be to buy yourself a nice 78-83SC, get Wayne's book and follow his upgrades, and you can have a pretty good sportscar in its own right - without spending 6 figures in the process.
Here are a few videos of the SC behind the RS (plse excuse the hand held camera). ;-(
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30059306@N06/10644606903/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30059306@N06/10641855746/
As numerous people have mentioned over the years, the 911SC has been referred to as "Zuffenhausen's secret weapon". And my response is, how much of a secret could it have been? Porsche sold over 78,000 911SC's !
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Originally Posted by super9064
