Lot 232: 1983 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.2-Litre Coupé

Porsche revived the Carrera name - previously used for the competition orientated versions of the preceding 356 model - for its luxuriously equipped, top-of-the-range 911 in 1973, applying the evocative title to all 911 variants, co-incidentally with the introduction of the 3.2-litre engine, from the start of the 1984 model year. Although it remained an air-cooled ‘flat six’, the ‘3.2’ motor was 80% new and incorporated an effective cam chain tensioner and associated lubrication system that at last addressed a perennial 911 shortcoming.

This enlarged and extensively revised new engine produced 231bhp, 27 horsepower up on its predecessor, endowing the Carrera with a level of performance approaching that of the original 911 Turbo of 1974, the bald statistics being a 0-60mph time of 5.3 seconds and a top speed of 152mph, with 100mph reachable in a breathtaking 13.6 seconds.
A quarter-century on, Carrera 3.2s are now highly sort after and for
very good reason, though finding one is not that easy.

First registered on 1st September 1983, this right-hand drive example exemplifies the original 911 concept in its final form, the subsequent Carrera 2/Carrera 4 models being almost entirely new. The car has enjoyed eight owners, the current for the past five years, and comes with extensive service history comprising a service booklet stamped from new up to 1993 and invoices dating from 1990 to the present day.
A full body restoration was carried out in April 2007 when the new inner (middle to be precise) and outer sills, ‘kidney bowls’ to both sides, ‘B’ posts, wings, etc were replaced, and the car repainted, of course. We are advised that compression and leak down tests have been completed and that all readings are good, while a full, half-leather interior from a later Porsche 911 and a MoMo steering wheel are the only notified deviations from factory specification.

An early example, this car has the classic Porsche Type 915 five-speed gearbox, which rewards skilful drivers and is lighter than the successor Getrag G50 ’box. This one is reported to change gear fine, while the engine is said to run sweetly and everything works on the car. Fully serviced, ‘A837 FRA’ is presented in generally excellent condition and offered with the aforementioned service history, all tools, tyre pump, original instruction manuals, Swansea V5 registration document and 16 MoT certificates, the current valid until July 2009.