87901

Fond memories of a special car . . .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LongRanger

. . . owned a 356B Roadster for almost 13 years. I'd been peddling-around in VWs for a few years before then, and --- just decided to move up

At some point, I'd decided that I wanted an open car --- for the looks + take advantage of our killer climate here in SoCal. 356s are very similar mechanically to VWs so . . . off I went, searching

Speedies were already a-bit-of-a-reach financially. And, frankly --- kinda common. Even back then --- late '80s . . . seems I saw them everywhere. (They even built kit kar Speedies, fercryinoutloud!) So, at first I wanted a Convertible D --- has the A's smoothness + pretty rare, too --- = no kit kars . . . but, after two years . . . I got tired of searching

The car I found --- 87901 . . . was an unrestored '60 Roadster. Some bondo in the front fender, a duff drivers' side rocker, and 20 pounds of the worst white paint you can imagine --- but? . . . .

. . . original everything-else. Motor, trans, floors, longitudinals, original tar-paper under the battery in an original battery box . . . even had its original date-coded hub caps. With panel gaps to die for, bank vault closures

She was NO show car --- but . . . what a sweet/honest/lovely Little Beater . . .

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by LongRanger

. . . a 1960 Porsche Roadster that I bought from a broker --- Ron Ely (?) . . . in Scottsdale, AZ, back ~1990

Neat car. Purchased after ~2-year search. Earl Scheib re-spray over original everything --- engine, trans, floors, longitudinals, battery box . . . even came w/ her original date-stamped hub-caps

Had her 13 years. Swapped-in a month correct S-90 motor that I got from Craig Stevenson, then added a Schmid GT tank, 5 X 4"w GT wheels --- steel centers + alloy rims w/ copper rivets . . . re-built the transaxle. Nothing else . . .

. . . sold 'er --- to Ritchie King @Karmann Konnection . . .
http://www.karmannkonnection.com/about-us/



Think he still has 'er . . .

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Never really forgot about her --- but/then . . . this thread . . .

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ghlight=dilger




. . . and there she is


Odd. To see something that was once such a big part of my life . . .

. . . now part of some one else's



In my life, I've had some really neat cars . . . special to me, but usually just tatty olde monstres to everyone else

Unrestored --- because 'original' is the only 'right way' for me

87901 wasn't exactly original. She had had a life . . . but had never been restored. I bought her because --- among other things . . . she came with a full set of date-coded hub-caps . . . something that I'd never seen/heard/read-about before or since

To have something like that --- something that old, and that had come so far . . . and still be intact?


Wonderful


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Just sent this . . .

'. . . I'd read mention of 'Ritchie's Roadster' on the Early 911S Registry's web-site . . . and/so had to see the article

87901 was my introduction to Porsche. I'd been searching for a Convertible D for almost two years when I came across the car at a Broker's garage in Scottsdale, AZ. I prefer un-restored cars --- which 87901 definitely was . . . some lumps + bumps, clumsy re-spray, and all that. But. So much of the car was intact still --- wire-rolled edges on the exterior panels; original floors, instruments + trim bits; coiled fog-light wiring tarred-over in an un-rusted battery box; brilliant 2-3mm shut-lines . . . all still in place

The Broker seemed a bit embarrassed by the condition of 87901. But when I saw decades-old/original undercoating, those lovely closures --- and four original date-coded hub-caps? . . .

. . . done deal

Some years later, I acquired Porsche's Certificate of Authenticity for the car --- but I already knew what it would say . . . original engine + trans still there. Over time, I installed a Schmid tank and sport exhaust, even found five 4 inch GT wheels . . . but pretty-much left the rest alone. Sold the car after 13 years --- because I thought it was slow . . . and to help buy a house

Still look for Ritchie when he comes to SoCal for the Phoenix Club Show. And I've told him that the original Aetna Blue is probably still on the car --- beneath all that nasty white . . . still see traces in the door openings

Whaddiya say, Ritchie? Some 600-grit, a week's work, . . . then a good polish? Love to help!

Anyway . . .

. . . lucky car . . .

. . . lucky Owners . . .'




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Came across these, yesterday

These were taken not long after I bought the car. Washed, waxed, fresh tires (maybe?), then took her out here, to to the Newport Back Bay, for some 'glamour shots'

Lovely car. No power but @1900 lbs didn't really need any. Solid driver, too. Only noises she made were when the top latches rattled over the bumps.



And now --- as I get older . . . I realize . . .




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