My 911 Story

"RallyWrench" (rndlitebmw) 02/07/2019 at 19:25 • Filed to: Story Time, Porsche 911, 911Sc

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Last October, one week after Rennsport Reunion VI, I fulfilled a childhood dream and got a 911. I had kissed the dream goodbye, given their insane acceleration in value in recent years, so I wasn’t looking for one or “in the market.” But then it’s not just any 911: one humble, scruffy, high mile 1982 911SC has always been my favorite of all I’ve had the privilege to work on and drive, the one I most wanted to take home. This is that car.

Its history is a little unusual, as it started life as the street car of a German gentleman racing driver, Siggi Brunn. You may recognize the name of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , which still services top European historic racers. Note the 911's Heidelberg front plate, its original German registration. Siggi owned 908s, a 917, and other significant race cars. Around 1984 or 1985 he sold it to his friend Jim , a California shop owner, Porsche mechanic and crew chief for the 1980 Trans-Am series winning 911RSR of John Bauer and the Wynn’s Dick Barbour 935 among others, who had come to know Brunn through various racing endeavors. It was then brought to California and Federalized as a gray-market import, common business at the time, and Jim’s name is in the door tag as Importer. Shortly thereafter he sold the car on to a client named John, a pilot, rancher, and inveterate gearhead who kept it until his passing in 2017, ultimately accruing 231,337 miles over the ensuing three decades.

The car was cared for by Jim’s shop, where I started apprenticing and sweeping floors in 1996, as a sophomore in high school. I have thus known and worked on this car since then, when it already had 158,000 miles on the odometer. By that time it was a little rough around the edges, its luster faded, but on the button mechanically and well loved. This is what drew me to it, its well earned patina, as well as the low-key European spec and unique interior. Remember, identical looking 3.2 Carreras were only 8 years old at this time, inevitably with either aftermarket chrome, gold, or polished wheels, whaletails, sheepskins and car phones, still driven by slick haired lawyers and brokers. Flashy cars for flashy people, not yet a cultural phenomenon. But I’d been obsessed with Porsches from a young age, so a rough and ready 911 like this, driven by a down-to-Earth guy in worn jeans and work boots, stood out and pulled me in immediately.

Upon John’s untimely death, his wife called us to ask how to sell the car. Saddened by John’s passing, I suggested some venues to sell it, ballparked its market value in the $25,000 range, promised to think on who to tip on the car, wanting to both reduce her burden in having to deal with it and everything else, and to find the car a good home. It was only later that night that my mind set off racing. I lay awake in bed and recalled roughly 10 years earlier when a family friend passed and I was asked how to sell his forlorn Ferrari 308, a car that had a significant influence on me. I’ve written about him and that car on Live and Let Diecast:

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Guess who’s in the car, circa 1986

I was in my 20s when that one slipped through my fingers, though it was never really near their grasp. Though I know there was absolutely no way I could even remotely afford or justify buying that or any Ferrari, ever, I regret having not at least made some kind of effort to own a car that meant so much to me. So when the 911 came up, it kept me up at night. I had mostly been daily driving a string of joyless beaters for years, and two decades in the automotive repair business had destroyed my automotive enthusiasm. Cars of my own were certainly not a priority other than ensuring that the family Sienna was safe and roadworthy for my wife and young kids. My long-term 1968 2002 project sat untouched in the garage, interest and motivation long lost. My Vanagon, effectively my first car, sat out front, silently returning to the Earth. Other accumulated non-running cars and parts sat elsewhere, weighing me down. Yet here was my one particular favorite 911, with mileage and condition that put it at the low end of the market, tantalizingly close to normal guy money. I felt joy for a car fizzing up again. It would be my only chance to reclaim a dream. I had to try.

On the May road test, the fire well and truly lit

To that end, I called the owner (John’s widow, a wonderful woman named Rebecca) to ask if I could try to buy it. She immediately said yes, that she wasn’t in a hurry and that I could have time to figure out the money. Even said I could make payments if needed. So in May of 2018 I went up to their farm in rural Paso Robles to check the car out and talk about it, as it had been some time since I’d seen it. To my surprise she offered me the car for $18,000, to which I agreed without hesitation. I then set about selling almost everything I owned with wheels: my 2002 and all its extra parts, owned since 1999. The old family Vanagon, in my life since 1984 . My old Audi 4000 former daily and then LeMons car . A trip over the Sierras to deliver a Sport Quattro hood and NLA European H4/H1 headlights for 4000s and UrQuattros to a renowned Audi builder from Colorado. My purple ‘95 F150, just as it was finally sorted out. A beater E36. Extra wheels. Unridden surplus bicycles and skateboards. 1:18 scale model cars. Decades of accumulated shit, large and small, gone. I recycled, gave and threw a bunch of stuff away, too. No emotional attachment was too great to break for this, except one: The only car that stayed was grandpa’s old Lancia Flavia, for obvious reasons. Even if it hadn’t been for a very specific purpose, the process was deeply liberating, a lot of baggage gone. I co-opted Colin Chapman’s famous phrase and called it Project: Simplify and add Porsche . I was very fortunate that my father-in-law gave me his old beater Nissan hardbody gardening truck to use as a daily. Even after selling all that stuff I came up short, so I secured a loan from the local credit union for the rest. I was not going to let this car go.

My goal was to have the car before Rennsport Reunion VI, to drive it up and camp in proper dirtbag sports car style. I missed the first two West coast Rennsports for the birth of my children ( a good reason if ever there was one, right?), and I’d heard suggestions that the next might be held elsewhere, which would put it out of reach. Needless to say, it was a must-make event. I skipped the Laguna Seca IMSA weekend, which I’d been camping at for 20 years, because I couldn’t afford both and the scheduling was awful with both in one month. For a variety of reasons, I only got to spend one crowded Saturday at Rennsport, without the car. Still, it reaffirmed my choice to pursue it, and a lifetime of obsession with Stuttgart’s cars since childhood. The next weekend, with the blessing of my wife and children present, it was mine. Money and title exchanged, I got in, sat quietly for a second, whispered “here we go”, and hit the key on the left. It cranked awhile then came to life, misfiring at first as it built pressure to the injectors after having sat for awhile. I idled it for a minute, taking in the smell of the interior, then put the cranky 915 box in gear and backed out onto the dirt driveway, past my family waving excitedly from the Sienna. I’m pretty sure there was an onion farm nearby. Also it was really dusty. From the dirt road, of course.

The day I picked it up, celebratory family dinner at Firestone Walker on the way home

After driving and tinkering for a couple of weeks, I washed it for the first time late in October. I then took it down to my local informal Oktoberfest show with my 3 year old in her car seat, parked next to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ’ famed red-door ‘69 911T with his 3 year old in her car seat, and wrote “VW Sports Beetle” on the car card. Two beat up and loved 911s with dads & daughters, flying the flag for using your damn car.

Early morning at Oktoberfest with @Joshyrobots. Photo: Tfritsch

I use for beer runs, to pick up dinner, to go to the hardware store, it’s not afraid of rain. The paint looks much better in pictures than in person, it’s got rock chips, scratches, and other cosmetic flaws. It lived outside until shortly before Thanksgiving, until I could finally fit it in the garage after cleaning out the 2002's remnants. My kids love washing it, though after giving it a thorough detail to protect the paint I plan not to do too much of that because I like dirty Porsches. I now have two pages of to-do list, from alignment to valve adjustment, which will take a great deal of time to work through. I try to drive it one or two days a week on the easy commute, as I bring it closer to what I consider full “take it anywhere” roadworthiness. Getting it through smog is and has always been a pain in the ass, because it’s a European market car with different cams, higher compression, different injection setting, and an aftermarket catalyst. It is far from perfect, but it’s a 911, indeed the 911, and it’s mine and I don’t care about anything else.

First night in the garage. I just sat an had a beer with it.

It’s a throwback to a simpler, less worrisome time. I drive and repair Germany’s modern cars on a daily basis, and with very few exceptions (mostly from Stuttgart) I don’t really like any of them. I don’t care about infotainment, connectivity, variable ratio steering, active suspension. I understand why they exist, and even why people like such things, but after a life spent fixing the failures of other people’s complex German machines, I like to keep mine simple. This car, then, is as close to a time machine as I can get. It not only takes me back to my childhood love of cars, but to the ones I cut my teeth on and thus enjoy best. It’s so wonderfully analog. No power steering, no power brakes (no airbags, we die like real men, etc...). Excellent visibility in every direction. It’s a cliche, but everything requires a confident touch, a meaningful command, and it’s deeply rewarding.

I’ve driven a lot of Porsches over the years, but never hard, because they weren’t mine. While I still haven’t leaned on it anywhere near the limit due to old tires and my own lack of confidence, it’s a joy to explore. The 3-4 shift at 6,000RPM is pure magic, the ratios just right, making me feel like I’m in Le Mans, accelerating out of Tertre Rouge in pursuit of Erich Stahler’s Coda Lunga 512. There’s a short country road that constitutes my “long way home”, which I’ve been driving since the day I got my license. It’s a short and simple route, straights punctuated by undulating twisty bits through rolling hills, but until I got the car I’d spent more time cycling than driving it in recent years. Now it serves as a neutral ground, the coffee shop where I meet the car for a chat as we explore one another’s idiosyncrasies. I’ve gotten away with more than my fair share of stupidity out there, but now older and wiser, I treat both road and car with respect as there are a couple of high-consequence sections should I get it wrong.

Moo. moo moo.

Beyond driving it, the interior has just the right smell of aged German leather, vinyl, carpet, and a hint of gasoline, evocative as only old cars can be. I like to just sit in it. I’ve so far resisted the urge to rotate the tach and speedo to place the upper ranges straight up, the racer move, because the steering wheel obstructs rather important numbers. If I’m out to drive hard, that only takes a minute anyway. The seats were originally Pasha, Porsche’s famed checker pattern, but were reupholstered at some point due to wear, and Pasha was not readily available. Now that it is, I’ll have to save up to get that sweet, sweet cloth back in the car. Perhaps my favorite interior feature of the few amenities it has is the old Alpine tape deck, which has given me an excuse to dust off all my old cassettes that I never got around to throwing away. The first album I queued up was Led Zeppelin II, track 7 : Ramble On . I absolutely love it, it’s staying. Perhaps later I’ll write an objective Oppo Review, but that’s utterly impossible for the foreseeable future because I’m smitten.

The worst thing about the car is the sack of meat behind the wheel. I feel very self-conscious when driving it, like everyone is watching me, judging me, assuming I’m an asshole, but I don’t drive that way. It’s the car I’m in, the badge on it, even though it’s about the most modest 911 out there. They don’t know it’s 35 years old and has been to the moon, or that I paid Kia money for it and work on it myself. I don’t feel like joining the PCA. I feel guilty for having a frivolous old sports car in a polarized world so full of bullshit, tragedy and suffering. I worry for my kids’ future and that of humanity, indeed our world; there are infinitely higher priorities than playing with cars. I certainly can’t reconcile it with my environmental conscience. But old Ed Abbey raged against the machine while driving a big red Eldorado convertible. I guess I’ll rage against it in an old white Porsche. Humans are contradictory creatures, and I hope the world allows me this one for awhile. That’s the story and this, finally, is my 911.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 19:35

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Jelly level:

That thing is stunning. 

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 19:44

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I don’t care how many times I see that car and hear/ read the story it always makes me happy and fits you so well. It also gives me hopes for reaching my automotive goals. I am glad you finally shared the story here. I miss see your posts of fun things.

functionoverfashion > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 19:50

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As someone who also dreams of a 911 - in particular, an old one that’s been driven and not preserved as an investment - this is a fantastic read. Great story, nice pictures, and I love the car. 

Congratulations.

BeaterGT > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 19:52

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Damn, what a great story. I think there may be one of those onion farms around here as well. How many miles are on it now? 

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 19:55

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Awesome story friend, it brought a tear to my eye a few times! Kudos on finally getting ahold of your dream car! :)

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 19:59

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I can't star this enough.

Jayvincent > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 20:00

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Great story, it gives us all hopes of attaining our personal automotive nirvana.

I’m totally crushing on the pic of that minimalist dash, but would it kill you to throw us a pic of the engine, and maybe the rear suspension? Just to keep the dream alive... 

random001 > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 20:03

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This is best oppo...

random001 > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 02/07/2019 at 20:09

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You win my internet points for this comment.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 20:25

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This is an amazing story and thank you for sharing it. I’m glad for you, the car, and the former owner’s family that you were able to bring it home. I also cut a few onions while reading. I still haven’t seen the car in person. Next time I’m up that way (at least once a month lately), I’ll have to ride over with CaptDale.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 20:29

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How dare you fail to invest in janky fords just because you were pursuing a once in a lifetime dream car smh

sony1492 > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 20:42

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Led Zepplin in the tape deck is perfect.

It seems well used and cherished sports cars with miles and chipped paint are far more attractive then pampered unused low mile cars.

Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 20:43

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Congratulations! I missed your post in October when you bought the car, but I’ve been grinning ear to ear from the first sentence here .

It’s absolutely beautiful (an ‘84 911SC was one of my favorite post-repair test drives). Yeah, it could be considered frivo lous , but if it’s something that not only you, but your entire family gets enjoyment out of, then it’s substantially less   frivo lous .

I’m sincerely g lad to hear monotony hasn’t managed to kill the enthusiast , and that you’ve managed to achieve  what you’d once given up on.

Spaceball-Two > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 21:18

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This is so cool.

shop-teacher > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 22:31

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First off, I am over the moon happy for you that you were able to make this happen. I remember when you first posted that the previous owner had passed away, and wer e lamenting never seeing it again. And now it’s yours. Wonderful. Just freaking wonderful!

This write up is fantastic. You really knocked it out of the park. You’re a great story teller. I don’t think you should feel any guilt about buying it. The car already exists. It may as well be you that owns it. There is nobody on this Earth who is more right to own this fine piece of machinery than you. You work hard, you make sacrifices for your family, and there is nothing wrong with a bit of joy for dear old Dad. Especially since you’re sharing it with your kids!

Also, to this day my only copy of Led Zeppelin II, is the cassette I bought in middle school. It’s among the dozen cassettes that I never could part with. Table On is favorite track. I can't think of a better song to play whilst driving your Porsche.

gmctavish needs more space > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 22:43

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Hell yeah, this is all kinds of awesome.

That last picture is phone wallpaper material.

XJDano > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 23:36

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This was a good read. I’ve been looking forward to this story. 

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > RallyWrench 02/07/2019 at 23:38

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Nice photos. Also,

DipodomysDeserti > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 00:04

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Fuck. Yes. Congrats! I can smell that old German interior from here.

“ One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast....a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. Enjoy yourselves, keep your brain in your head and your head firmly attached to the body, the body active and alive, and I promise you this much; I promise you this one sweet victory over our enemies, over those desk-bound men and women with their hearts in a safe deposit box, and their eyes hypnotized by desk calculators. I promise you this; You will outlive the bastards.”

-

RallyWrench > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 02/08/2019 at 01:04

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Raspberry! Only one man uses raspberry... ;) Thanks much, i assure you it looks better in pictures than in person but it sure makes me happy.

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 02/08/2019 at 01:08

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Thanks as always, man. I'm so excited for your next step now, there are epic drives in our future.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 01:16

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Even though I knew part of the story, it’s still amazing to read the whole thing. I wish you many safe miles, and I hope that I get to see it one day (one would think I should venture accross the big pond someday)

I find this story very inspirational , it really motivates me to make my own vehicular dreams come true someday!

RallyWrench > functionoverfashion 02/08/2019 at 01:17

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Thanks so much, hope this helps feed your stoke for one. Keep the dream  alive, sounds the same as mine! Looking forward to the day you share your 911 here, t hey’re worth the wait.

RallyWrench > BeaterGT 02/08/2019 at 01:28

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Thanks, I enjoyed writing it. Not too many more miles on it yet, just a tick under 232k. Still sussing it out and working on it, haven’t done any drives longer than the round trip to work so far.  

RallyWrench > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/08/2019 at 01:39

1

Thanks so much, this dumb car makes me emotional, I grin like an idiot every time I get in it.

RallyWrench > AMGtech - now with more recalls! 02/08/2019 at 01:58

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Thanks man, appreciate the read!

RallyWrench > Jayvincent 02/08/2019 at 02:10

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Thanks much, it was a lesson in dreams deferred, for sure. It wouldn’t kill me, but I didn’t because the engine is filthy ;). Here ya go anyway:

I'll do a proper review post down the road, once I'm more comfortable with it and have checked some things off the to-do list. More pics then.

RallyWrench > random001 02/08/2019 at 02:11

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I hope it makes the cut :) Thanks!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 08:27

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As it should be! :D

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 08:39

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Outstanding work of writing, and great subject matter.

They don’t know it’s 35 years old and has been to the moon, or that I paid Kia money for it and work on it myself. I don’t feel like joining the PCA. I feel guilty for having a frivolous old sports car in a polarized world so full of bullshit, tragedy and suffering. I worry for my kids’ future and that of humanity and our world. There are infinitely higher priorities than playing with cars. I can’t really reconcile it with my environmental conscience.

This in particular puts into words much of my struggle with the desire to own an affordable proper sports car. And yet I also want one. While I hold out a bit longer , I’m glad that you did not.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > random001 02/08/2019 at 09:23

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Best!!

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 09:26

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Just fantastic. Thank you for sharing all of this with all of us. It’s clearly from the heart. 

WilliamsSW > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 09:56

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Brilliant writing, and such a great story!

Now that it’s been to the moon, I hope you drive it all the way back!  Congratulations! 

Goggles Pizzano > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 10:03

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In case Kinja still doesn’t let you see who recommended your post, I just want to let you know, I like this very much. A great heart- felt write-up and...a 911. Congrats on grabbing your dream!

fintail > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 10:12

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Love the old rear plate, too.

My first ride in a Porsche, when I was 5 , was in a white 911, whale tail, sheepskin seat covers. I was in awe. Things you’ll never forget.

AuthiCooper1300 > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 10:13

1

That was excellent. So well written, and an inspiring story too.

C o n g r a t u l a t i o ns.

AuthiCooper1300 > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 10:23

2

Also: First owner Siggi Brunn? Wow.

Many, many years ago I read a funny story about him. He had just been to the Tour de France Auto in a 2.8 RSR ( V i p er g rün, truly astonishing), and went back home to Germany without replacing the caps on the straight-through exhausts! He was stopped by the g endarmes at some ungodly hour in the morning in a remote village... but they liked the car so much they just let him go with a warning.

( o r t h a t ’ s w h a t h e s a i d ! )

Chariotoflove > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 10:39

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This is a good story. 

functionoverfashion > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 10:43

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It definitely helps feed my stoke , but it will be a while. I’ve got young kids (preschool), we don’t have a garage (but plan to build one) , and we already have 3 cars plus my old truck and also a pretty nice inboard boat (Nautique). The Nautique was a long-time dream, and in fact, a little like your 911, I’ve been pining for the exact model I now have since waaaaayy before I could afford one. The big difference is that I can share the boat with my family and friends far more than I could a car. So it’s out there, but at the current rate the early 00's will be antiques by the time I get my hands on one. Hell that’s only another 10 years as far as the DMV is concerned! It’ll be longer than that.

Anyway, congrats again, and enjoy that car. I know you’ll take great care of it.

functionoverfashion > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 10:45

1

I would love to see reactions when people ask you about mileage. I’d wear that number like a badge of honor, or at least the car should. Most people will have to ask you to repeat yourself when they hear a leading 2.

Darkbrador > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 10:47

1

Slow clap ... excellent story and excellent writing ! 

vicali > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 11:12

2

Good guy gets good car, drives into sunset..

RallyWrench > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor 02/08/2019 at 11:27

1

Thanks so much, man. Looking forward to getting a beer soon, and later, the day that a 348, 911, and TVR go for a blast together!

RallyWrench > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/08/2019 at 11:31

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I’m certainly done buying cars for the foreseeable future , but I will never stop searching for janky old Fords...NEVER! I think perhaps an old pre-smog bumpside would make a good next truck, down the road aways. And there will   be a Galaxie someday.  

RallyWrench > sony1492 02/08/2019 at 11:32

1

That’s my feeling on such cars too, thanks!  Ramble On is one of my favorite songs, seemed appropriate. 

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 11:38

1

I can’t wait to go for a ride! 

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 11:42

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I absolutely cannot wait for that day :)

Nothing > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 11:47

1

Great read. My wife was asking me last night if I had anything “missing”, if there was some thing that from before we met, I still haven’t accomplished yet. My response was quick, “I still don’t have a fastback Mustang”. Someday. 

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 11:54

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So, Bring A Trailer’s listing of a good ‘63 convertible 500XL made me start searching for the 500XL optional bumper guards, because they look sick, and SWEET FUCK are they expensive.

Rears were available in repro, discontinued, fronts are still around, but the going rate on a full set front and rear would have been $1300.

Maybe I don’t need them that much? I dunno.

RallyWrench > Rust and Dust - Oppositelock Forever 02/08/2019 at 11:54

1

Thank you sir, glad you enjoyed the read. Hopefully I’ll get past the self-imposed guilt trip as the car and I get to know each other.

I’ve been pretty down about cars a lot over the last few years, just had no spark left for them most of the time (see my handle, and lack of posts here ). But once this flame was lit I fanned it for all it was worth. There will come a time when we don’t get to enjoy such things any more, and I’d like to have a little more fun first. 

RallyWrench > Spaceball-Two 02/08/2019 at 11:58

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Appreciate that, thanks! I have to agree :)

RallyWrench > shop-teacher 02/08/2019 at 12:04

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Thank you man, I really appreciate that. I didn’t think this would happen, it’s been a process, not without stress. So thankful it worked out though.

Thanks for the encouragement on my guilty conscience, dad to dad. I’ll never feel like I deserve this car, but perhaps someday I’ll feel like I’ve earned it. Even if my daughters don’t turn out to be “car people”, I hope they understand why I am. Though my 3 year old is showing signs of it :)  

It’s been a joy to use the tapes again, it really takes me back. I think this copy of Zep II is from around middle school as well, when I roamed the halls with a Walkman. Ramble On is one of my all time favorite songs, it seemed appropriate.

RallyWrench > gmctavish needs more space 02/08/2019 at 12:08

1

Thanks much! I haven’t driven a photogenic car in awhile, it’s fun to snap this one when the mood strikes. That last shot is on the long way home from work, there’s a short backroad that cuts through the hills. If I get off early enough, sunset hits just right. Never had a car like this to enjoy on it though.

RallyWrench > XJDano 02/08/2019 at 12:10

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Happy to oblige, thanks so much! Fun to write it. That 250 is on my desk awaiting its LALD shoot, thanks again.

RallyWrench > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/08/2019 at 12:11

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Thank you sir, I’m going to need to dig up one of those adapters.

And now for something completely different: I didn’t get to comment on it, but I saw your pizza and it looked great. I s howed my wife, she was very encouraged, so thanks!

RallyWrench > DipodomysDeserti 02/08/2019 at 12:17

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Thank you so much, man. I promise you that old German interior smell is alive and well, it’s such an important part of the experience. I just like sitting in it.

You could not have chosen a better quote, I know you appreciate ol’ Cactus Ed as much or more than I do, and you certainly remember passages better so I really appreciate that one. It really hits home. As I finished writing this and thinking about my ambivalence when driving the car, I kept coming back to Ed and his pickups or that red Eldo. May we all live so well. 

RallyWrench > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 02/08/2019 at 12:22

1

Thanks Bjorn, hope we can meet in person someday, it’s nice to follow your adventures from afar.  Congratulations again on the completion of your Engineering degree and the launch of your career! Guys like you will help define the future of transportation, so we’re in good hands. 

RallyWrench > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 02/08/2019 at 12:34

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Appreciate the kind words. I don’t want to say “the struggle is real” when it comes to such ridiculous and unjustifiable things as sports cars, but I believe it’s possible to be a good person, to do good things, to look forward and act for the good of our world while also having a little fun. The fact that you feel that conflict means your heart is in the right place . Better to have a simple, small, well made old sports car that’s paid its dues and needs nothing more than a few gallons of petrol than to buy a newer one, I think. We’re not rolling coal here, you know ? Thanks.

RallyWrench > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/08/2019 at 12:36

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I hoped you’d catch this, sorry it took so long :). Thanks so much, I really enjoyed putting it together and thinking about it , I don’t get to write enough.

RallyWrench > WilliamsSW 02/08/2019 at 12:37

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We’re on the return journey now :) Thanks so much, writing is therapeutic  and I don’t get to do much of it so this was fun. 

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 12:43

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Definitely worth the wait! You really should do more of it. With your background and experience, and gift as a writer, I could definitely see it being a second career for you, if you choose to pursue it at some point . If nothing else, you should write semi-regularly for your local air-cooled Porsche group newsletter.

t0ast > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 12:44

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What a fantastic story, and car, of course. That hint of guilt is all too familiar, but so is that feeling of knowing you found the exact right thing at the exact right time. That visceral reaction to the thought of letting it go and the moment of successfully following through with your plans should tell you all you need to know. Viable opportunities to enrich one’s life like this are rare, so I’m glad you were able to grab hold of one. Congrats!

shop-teacher > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 12:48

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You’re welcome. I imagine clearing out all the other stalled projects and stuff sitting around was rather cathartic. It makes me want to go through all my stuff. I need to downsize my diecast collection some!

I’m sure that even if your daughters don’t turn out to be car people, they’ll appreciate the 911 as the thing that made their dad happy. The saying goes that if Mama isn’t happy, nobody’s happy. Well, to a lesser extent I think that holds some water with dads. We tend to be more stoic about things, but when dad is happy, everybody is happier . My 6-year old still talks about “the brown car, ” and wants me to get another one.  That what she calls the Roadmaster wagon I had.  She’s right, I need another one.  Maybe after I get the kitchen paid off.  I bought my 3-year old the Target reissue Hot Wheels Sto N Go, and she plays with it all the time.

Oh man, the Walkman. I got the waterproof sports walkman, so I could listen to my tapes while I was washing the cars. That was one of my early money making chores. Dad paid me $2/vehicle. After a while, I talked him into paying me $3 for his truck, since it was so much bigger than Mom’s Trofeo.

RallyWrench > Goggles Pizzano 02/08/2019 at 12:49

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Thank you! I worried about getting Kinja’d every time I opened this for editing and when publishing, glad it’s actually seen the light of day. Cheers!

RallyWrench > fintail 02/08/2019 at 12:51

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I love that plate too, thanks. My first ride in one was my uncle’s old mocha brown ‘77 911S, when I was maybe 6 or 7 (mid 80's) , sitting across the back seats. I knew then I needed one.

RallyWrench > AuthiCooper1300 02/08/2019 at 12:55

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Indeed, Jim would stay with Siggi when at Le Mans or elsewhere in Europe, there are great stories. Quite a character and likable guy , by all accounts. Hope I can do this thing justice. I’d cut the exhausts off but I don’t think the CA gendarmes would have such good humor about it ;)

RallyWrench > Chariotoflove 02/08/2019 at 13:04

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Thank you! I really enjoyed putting it to writing. 

Chariotoflove > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 13:07

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You told it well.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 13:18

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Welks. I had fun with it. I’ve changed my eating in drastic ways and getting involved in the planning and preparation has helped much.

Those cassette adapters are readily available via Amazon Prime.

That’s a handsome car. Nice balance of looks and sensibility.

SpeedSix > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 13:19

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It’s too bad that only Mercedes-Benz and Volvo seem to offer mileage-based badges.

RallyWrench > functionoverfashion 02/08/2019 at 13:28

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That truck is glorious, by the way. C ool boat too! I have little ones as well, almost preschool and 1st grade , and they’re just small enough to fit in the back of this car for short trips, though we haven’t attempted any yet. Thanks, cheers.

RallyWrench > functionoverfashion 02/08/2019 at 13:31

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So far most folks can’t believe it, which is great. I want to get a high mileage badge of some kind for the engine grille, maybe once I get to 248,000 I can get a 400k badge like this somewhere:

RallyWrench > Darkbrador 02/08/2019 at 13:33

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Thank you much, I really enjoyed putting it together to share . 

RallyWrench > vicali 02/08/2019 at 13:36

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I certainly try to be , appreciate that. Hopefully many sunsets to come. 

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 02/08/2019 at 13:39

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Soon! Need tires first :)

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 13:41

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There are tires on your new wheels!

RallyWrench > Nothing 02/08/2019 at 13:54

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Thank you! Your wife sounds awesome. I know it must have been hard to let that Cougar go, and I hope you get that ‘Stang. I’ve always hankered for a fastback as well.

RallyWrench > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/08/2019 at 13:58

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Oooh, those are sweet! Like mini-Dagmars. Not worth the coin though. Something you can fab up a suitable copy of, perhaps? 

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 14:11

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If I could press the formed shape itself, the chroming would probably cost $200 a pair, sadly. I think the actual mini-dagmars themselves must be available somewhere, because I’ve seen ones that are reconditioned with fresh rubber. I wonder if the easiest thing would be to cast them in zinc or aluminum and do a bright anodized finish, then fit new rubber? Probably something I can do for less than $700(!) if I get tooled up to cast other things.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 14:14

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Thanks! I hope this helps me to change the future of transportation towards the good, if only a little.

functionoverfashion > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 14:14

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Ah! That’s perfect that they can fit in the back. I can only take one at a time in my truck, but they do enjoy being up high and in the front.

Mine are the same age, preschool and entering 1st grade!

Cheers -

RallyWrench > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/08/2019 at 15:04

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I’ve always thought about being a car writer of some kind , inspired by Peter Egan as a kid and now Sam Smith, who seems to be my spirit animal. That would be a dream, indeed. Hopefully I can practice more here as I add to the car’s story. There’s a local PCA chapter that I find a bit (a lot) stuffy,   but no real aircooled or old car group . There are other cars around though , maybe I can cultivate something new and more diverse and coax them out of hiding. Perhaps I could submit something to one of the thousand new Porsche journals out there . Thanks for the encouragement!

RallyWrench > t0ast 02/08/2019 at 15:08

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Thanks, I appreciate the kind words of support, it’s been quite a personal   process. I still can’t quite believe I’ve arrived at this point, I just hope to do the car justice and add to its story well.

WilliamsSW > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 15:26

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Well, thanks for sharing it - it’s also inspirational, as I’m hoping to start thinking more seriously about my own dream car in the not too distant future.

RallyWrench > shop-teacher 02/08/2019 at 15:35

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Cathartic is the word I needed, thanks . It felt a weight being released, for sure. By our age we’ve accumulated more shit than we realize, it’s worth re-evaluating what we keep. I should have done it years ago, Porsche or not.

I certainly hope to share my happiness with the girls. I tend not to ask much of my family, just being a worker bee, trying to keep everyone happy and enable them to do what they want and need at the expense of my passions , so hanging on to a piece of myself like love for cars whenever I can helps me maintain an even keel. I hope it helps me be better for them, I can tell you without doubt that when I drive that car home at the end of the day I’m much happier than when I leave work.   Hope you find another “brown car” for your kids to latch onto, glad to hear the Hot Wheels get a workout, mine love building track with me on weekends too.

I never got paid to wash our family Vanagon or F150, WTF mom & dad ?!? ;) I took pride in them though, even as a kid. That Vanagon was cleeeean, I waxed it a lot even before I could drive.

RallyWrench > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/08/2019 at 15:39

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Thank you. My wife’s diet has always changed mine for the better , especially now. I’ve learned a lot from her because left to my own devices, I’d just eat Goldfish crackers and turkey sandwiches or take-out burritos for the rest of my life.

Appreciate the balance comment, I think it definitely applies as such. Not an ostentatious car by any means, but still a thing of joy. 

RallyWrench > CaptDale - is secretly British 02/08/2019 at 15:41

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I think they’re date coded 1997 or something! Maybe good for a concours field at this point, but certainly not for road use :)

RallyWrench > SpeedSix 02/08/2019 at 15:56

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I’ve seen some really cool old badges for 356s out there, like this one:

For higher mileage though I’ve seen some apparently aftermarket ones, maybe in another 16,000 I can find one of these:

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 15:56

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The Germans (used to, anyhow) know how to make a smart, fun-to-drive car without absurd amounts of added-on junk.

RallyWrench > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/08/2019 at 16:11

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Well hell, if you knock them up yourself you can sell them and undercut that $1300 set of real ones to pay for your investment. BOOM, frivolous car buying money making bidness started.

CaptDale - is secretly British > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 16:11

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Yeah not too good then!

Hit me up when it is time, I can see about deals

RallyWrench > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer 02/08/2019 at 16:11

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We’re all counting on you, the fate of the world is in your hands . No pressure ;) 

RallyWrench > WilliamsSW 02/08/2019 at 16:13

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Happy to do it, hope you bag your dream car too. What is it? 

RallyWrench > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/08/2019 at 16:16

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Definitely past-tense, in my opinion.  T hey used to, and without charging an arm and a leg for basic options or simply taking stuff off, like new hot Porsches. 

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 16:23

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Like I’ve goofed on before, I kind of want one day to set up just cranking out hard to find repro parts at lower costs than the industry sees fit to bear. Particularly glass, but other things as well. Jacob (ORLG) IIRC told me in a thread a while back that the Lane Museum were tooling up a bunch of their own parts because it was easier than trying to find things, and Bman’s resto crew on Doc were doing the same with some of those parts.

The killer would be chromed zinc castings because so, so many become pitted over time. If I could overcome the chroming hurdle I’d be in very high demand.

RallyWrench > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 02/08/2019 at 16:41

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That’s where I see the resto parts business going, especially with 3D printing becoming so accessible. Preston Tucker’s grandsons are working on pieces for the 48's that way, for example . I think Paul Russell & C o had to make an axle housing for a special Ferrari 250 or something like that. But doing runs of NLA or $$$ rare small metal parts would be a really big deal, something a guy of your skill could do well at . I can imagine chroming will only become harder, though, since the chemical process is so nasty. If we want good chrome in California, it comes from out of state. 

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 16:47

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Funny story - just got off the phone with my guy Juan at Shafer’s Classic Reproductions, because the exhaust hanger I ordered to put dual exhaust on was hung up in production long enough that my credit card authorization timed out. Almost a month, because the poor bastard had to ship out the parts for a process step and when the parts got in, their drilling jigs were purportedly dicked by an incompetent. Which is still a better story than ordering seatbelts for the Galaxie from RetroBelts via Summit and having Simple. Fucking. Seatbelts. get delayed something like four months.

Let’s not even get into how I still haven’t made my Wacky Crank pieces because Rare Parts’ cost is Too Damn High.

Bottom line - bits and bobs are serious business, but still a big batch-oriented business enough that costs are higher than they need to be. Because capitalization costs on big runs are murder.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 16:54

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Even a couple years back, small parts were made custom for one of the Bugatti Royales from an accurate template that had been made when one was torn down for a perfect in every way replica.

My sense is that anything that’s not a high-impact part would be easier to pull off. What I really wonder, though, is if vacuum aluminizing works on zinc parts. Because, if it does, it wouldn’t be trivalent or hexavalent chrome level rugged, but it would be stupidly easy to apply and not a toxic hazard in the least. Too bad electric arc deposition of chrome would probably melt the fuckers.

Do you know what vacuum vapor deposition of aluminum is? It’s what they make the chrome in model car kits with. It’d have to be a much thicker layer, but zinc is also less immediately rot happy than steel, so...

The sheen would also be deeper than plastic car parts due to the thicker layer and real metal underneath.

shop-teacher > RallyWrench 02/08/2019 at 17:18

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I think I’ve done a decent job over the years of keeping the stuff in check overall. My wife and I make a regular habit of donating things, and I sell stuff fairly regularly on CL/FB. That said, there is still too much of it all. Do I really need five large  coolers? No. No I don’t. As for t he diecast collection, I keep telling myself I’m going to build a proper display, fill it up with my favorites, and then get rid of the rest. Meanwhile, I keep accumulating more and more. I went through a brief phase where I did a bunch of customizing, but it’s been nearly two years since I actually finished one, and over a year since I started one. Maybe I need to call it on that particular part of hobby? Wheel swaps are fun, but it turns out I hate painting diecasts almost as much as I hate painting anything else.

I can tell you without doubt that when I drive that car home at the end of the day I’m much happier than when I leave work.

That right there says it all. That is exactly why it is right for you to have that car. It will be a benefit to your whole family in that way.

My parents were both self employed, so I think my dad wanted to show me the relationship between working and having money. He used to pay me $1/hour to babysit my little sister. After a couple years, I talked him into $2/hour. About a year later, he told me that business wasn’t so good these days, so he was going to have to cut my pay back to $1/hour. Years later I realized he was probably spending more money on one beer, than an entire night of babysitting. Well played Dad, well played .

He also sat me down when I was 10 years old and said, “Listen, I know you love cars, but you need to know that when you turn 16, I am not buying you a car. You don’t have to have a car, but if you want one, you have to buy it. So any money you spend between now and then, is that much less you’ll have when it comes time to buy one.”

SpeedyJustice > DipodomysDeserti 02/08/2019 at 22:04

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True dat