Reader Submissions: Porsche 964 Allows For Fast Escape

Porsche 964 Allows For Fast Escape

By Petrolicious
January 27, 2014

Owner: Frank Pereire

Location: London, England

Year, Make, and Model: 1990 Porsche 911 (964)

Photographer: John Rampton

Mr. Frank Pereire bought his first 911 with a debit card literally duct-taped together from a dealer who flashed an odd look and knowing smile while accepting Frank’s card. He understood the zeal and the motivation; perhaps he also knew that the Neunelfer he was selling was a lemon not long for this world.

According to Frank, “The engine was shot and leaked oil like a sieve, the interior was more wrinkled than a prune and the paint duller than a brick wall. I didn’t care. I was finally in a 911!” At the time he couldn’t afford any better and knew he had to have one because of the memories and connection he had to his dad’s 3.2L Carrera. In fact, his happiest recollections were made sitting in the passenger seat as they swallowed up miles with the targa-top off on hot summer evenings. When his father finally sold it after eight years of ownership, Frank kissed the 911’s door handle goodbye. Eventually, Frank’s 911 wasn’t financially worth repairing any longer but with more disposable income than before, he sold and went on the hunt again. He found another 964, this 1990 Porsche 911 and so began his four-year blood, sweat, and tears adventure to make her Frank’s personal dream car.

Today it sports an increased displacement, aircooled flat-six (3.8L), with individual throttle bodies, producing about 380hp. Additionally, it has lightweight wheels and a full track suspension, yet it retains air-conditioning for some around-town comfort. In particular, Frank loves “the clunk of the door, the smell of rich leather mixed with oil, the induction sound emanating from the individual throttle bodies and the sound of that air-cooled flat six howling through tunnels.

And even though the car is “obnoxiously loud and not always practical” he drives it everywhere, refusing to believe the Porsche can’t do everything. Yes, Frank will run errands but what he loves is “driving her through the deserted city at night, through alpine passes in Europe, local b roads and of course, on track.”

Most of all Frank loves the visceral feel of the 964. The car requires him to focus, making all his other day-to-day thoughts disappear, and is thus so rewarding to drive. It’s like an escape, just grab the keys and go anywhere, anytime—fast!

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Mark Hall
Mark Hall
6 years ago

Lovely 964, Frank. Great in every way. Love it and don’t ever let it go….

James
James
7 years ago

What I do think would be interesting with articles like these would be a build cost. The cost of creating something like this is never mentioned in Petrolicious’s articles and I for one think it would be very insightful.

JJ
JJ
9 years ago

All that effort and it’s a bleedin’ C4!

You have to laugh.

Incognito
Incognito
7 years ago
Reply to  JJ

Actually C4s are very good track cars once set up correctly. Their understeering tendencies are built in from factory in order to protect them from lawsuits. A car had to understeer to be safe and so they made it understeer. A better geometry, inversed sway bars and wider wheels at the front make them just as fast as C2s. You can even make them oversteer if you set them up this way. Please educate yourself before commenting. Would save some polar bears.

Ahmed Shaffi
Ahmed Shaffi
10 years ago

Sweet ride chief! Love all of the intricate details. What kind of black paint is your car? Metallic?

Brompty
Brompty
10 years ago

Only one negative comment about the stickers, so overall judged cool by the ‘Drive Tastefully’ fanbase. This is an excellent example of what can be done to actually improve a car with tasteful modifications: I think it’s great.

JanMichael Franklin
JanMichael Franklin
10 years ago

I really like this 911! Personalized but still clean. The stickers are fine in my book too. There aren’t too many of them, and he does actually track the car. If he didn’t track it I’d say get rid of them. They actually represent the track usage of the car in this case.

Paul Taylor
Paul Taylor
10 years ago

Nice work Frank, BB looks the absoulute DB!

Best regards,
Paul

Jimmy Arata
Jimmy Arata
10 years ago

I love my 1987 Carrera, but this one is just that much better. Nice job Frank, and thanks for sharing the pictures and story.
IMO, keep the dang stickers, they match everything else. Nice to see the car personalized.

curtisaa
curtisaa
10 years ago

Nice job Frankie !! It all works for me including the stickers. The only thing that makes me sqirm is the RED fan blade. Here in SoCal it was a trademark of Motormeister…..and that’s just a huge “can of worms”.

Louis Emelina
Louis Emelina
10 years ago

For those of you who might want to know more about this wonderful Porsche 911, I think this chap has a Youtube channel. I’m not sure, but the initials in the username match Frank Pereire, and the 911 is too identical to be a coincidence. Here is the link, enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOgN8O8lj8-9S5C6staAW4Q

Alexander Bermudez
10 years ago

I like the red accents too and the stickers don’t bother me one bit… Admittedly I am a bit of a boy racer! Regardless this is one sweet ride, but then again, I would say that wouldn’t I!

Ae Neuman
Ae Neuman
10 years ago

a great looking 964c4.
the 964 is close to becoming my favourite 911.
there’s still plenty around and they are still affordable.

Jack Olsen
Jack Olsen
10 years ago

What a gorgeous car! Lots of great decisions at work, there. And it’s another illustration of how well the 964 design is aging. In another 10 years, no one will ever believe it had a kind of ugly-duckling stigma to it. In black, especially, that thing really looks great.

Tyrus3
Tyrus3
10 years ago
Reply to  Jack Olsen

Hey, get back in your garage, or at Willows! j/j

In all seriousness, a great looking car. I’d have to agree with the anti-sticker comments. That said, I drive an STi swapped Subaru RS so I would get endless “rice” comments. In the end, do what makes you happy. The world would be pretty boring if we all liked the same things.

Dustin Rittle
Dustin Rittle
10 years ago

Im personally really digging this car from the menacing looking black paint to the black interior with the nice red accents to the very clean and pretty looking motor:). I wouldnt mind hauling some ass through a nice twistie back road with this one

Ryan Weaver
Ryan Weaver
10 years ago

Stickers notwithstanding, that is one FINE piece of Porsche.

Also, please assume I’m frowing at the Photoshop lens flare.

John Mayer
John Mayer
10 years ago

Wow! What a stellar 911. Only thing killing it are the boy racer stickers! Come on Frank, the rest of the car is super classy and a true gentleman’s ride. Ditch the stickers and make it perfect!

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