Ten Fifty-nine

[LongRanger]

As of 13-Feb . . . I’ve owned 1059 6 years

Time so flies

Thinking back now on what was going through my mind, Back Then . . . apart from actually finding the car, lining-up a Mechanic then going thru the whole PPI business --- all cross-country . . . my biggest concern at the time was --- what else? . . .

. . . money

This was/still is the most that I’ve ever spent on anything --- except a house . . . and definitely the most I’ve ever spent on a stupid car, and, at that time, I’d had several long/hard conversations w/ myself about WtF I was doing. Fun’s fun but $50k --- my original ‘all in’ budget . . . for something w/ needs? What would my Grandfather ‘ve said? I had about $20k of my own to commit, and my original plan was to purchase something outright --- find a ‘rat,’ get it running/registered, then fix+ fluff as I drove it . . . one month at a time + keeping my out-o’-pocket to a minimum. But after lurking/researching/shopping that Summer (’08 ) + tracking some o’ the cars/values . . . it was pretty clear that I had to either . . .
..1). . . forget about an Early 911 . . .
..2) . . . lower my expectations --- a LOT . . .
..3) . . . or get some pretty-serious help to pull-off a purchase --- ie. financing . . .

I’d already found an outfit that financed ‘collector-type’ cars, here in SoCal, so --- I put in an application + was all set to go . . . even had the go-ahead for a GT3 (Plan B). And then? --- well . . .

. . . Things Changed

The Great Recession arrived that Fall, and with it? --- went my loan approval for an Early 911 . . . right around the holidays, too. (Uh --- you know that loan that you’ve been approved for? Well, as for buying any Old Kooky Kars goes, um . . . ‘at’s just not happening. Merry Christmas!)

I tell myself that Old Cars Like This are for fun . . . but Another Truth is that there’s nothing fun about the sometimes large/uncomfortable risk associated w/ finding/buying/fixing something that's four decades old + probably played with hard. I mean, just because I think some stupid car is fun/worth it . . . doesn’t necessarily mean that The Next Guy will feel the same. Or, more importantly . . . as much. And it’s one thing blowing my own money on some stupid car. But blowing 'borrowed' money? --- like, from a bank? . . .

. . . = Different Deal

Short Version = no ‘back door.’ If things went South + I had to sell on short-notice? . . . gulp!

Like I said . . . several long/hard conversations

Along w/ some sleepless nights



And then I saw this notice for a 70 ‘S’ in Hemming’s --- out in North Carolina . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...102#post398102

I posted that notice here, saw IceT’s pics --- and, well? . . .

. . . here I am . . .


. . . 6 years later



I guess I could’ve expected that the car would turn out OK. Did a proper PPI --- and had some idea of what needed to get done to make the car decent. And this wasn't my 1st rodeo. But I had some good advice, too --- + Good People to help me. You've seen some of their names in this thread, all along --- Tony + Marco, John, Uli, Rolly, Karim . . . and some that you haven't --- like Henk

And This Site has been a huge resource, too. Really. Almost everything that I’ve bought for or done to --- or found out about (--- Karim!) . . . the Nasty Car, I’ve done w/ the help of the members on our board


I’m not religious . . .

. . . or superstitious


But I believe in luck

And I’ve been very-very lucky . . .



. . . especially for a Guy who bought his car --- on a Friday . . . .



. . . Friday-the-13th

[merbesfield]

Rick, I can certainly relate to many of your thoughts and continue to have them on a daily basis. Some days I think, WTH am I doing. I must be crazy! Do I like stress or something? But when those engines are singing their song, it all gets better. At least for a few minutes. ��

[LongRanger]

Have this itsy-bitsy wind-noise/whistle coming from somewhere around the doors --- very un-German. I thought it was made by the rain gutters, around the front quarter-widows, outside the car

And then I recall several posts where people had remarked about a funky little tweak that they'd noticed --- made to the door-seals . . . + apparently Faktory . . .

. . . right-around where I seem to hear my whistle


I recall absolutely nothing about 1059's seals. I mean, really --- why would I? And who does? I assume the originals were replaced during one of her multiple re-finishes, over the years. Then again --- John (Esposito) told me about finding an original rear window seal still in-place (3 neat holes for a rear de-froster) when he painted her, so . . .


But then I come across a post + picture, like this --- see post# 58 . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...-fortune/page6

Candyce (Sepia911S) wrote something, too? . . .



. . . anyway --- The Littler Stuff on these cars . . . .





. . . + another item to add to the 'to-do's . . .

[Sepia911S]

Hi Rick, I smiled when I saw my name. I know way to much about door-seal bulges. And, I still have to fix the bulge on the passenger side. Like many here, it takes me forever to get some things done.

[LongRanger]

. . . can certainly relate to many of your thoughts and continue to have them on a daily basis. Some days I think, WTH am I doing . . . But when those engines are singing their song, it all gets better. At least for a few minutes . . .

Yup. And I imagine anyone who's had their car for a while feels the same, Mark. Values are pretty distracting --- I think

Funny thing is --- with all the attention paid to numbers-this + numbers-that . . . best thing about these cars (IMO)?--- irrespective of year or spec . . . is just what sweet little drivers they all are. I love the cozy cockpit, the growly/busy motor, the way the steering wheel tingles + talks --- and the cars' amazing ability to scoot over just-about any road surface w/o bouncing or crashing or really doing anything but soaking stuff up

I mean . . . any Early 911 is a really good little car to use + live with --- every day

. . . I smiled when I saw my name. I know way to much about door-seal bulges. And, I still have to fix the bulge on the passenger side. Like many here, it takes me forever to get some things done . . .

Yeah --- and I like the idea of fixing Littler Stuff like that . . . especially after some o' the Bigger Stuff gets done. Something to look forward to, oddly enough

And I sure hope you share that little project w/ us, when you get that far, Candyce, 'cause --- I have No Idea . . . .



Meanwhile . . .

1059 got to go to this year's Phoenix Show. But I didn't drive her. Let my buddy Dave take her. We got there kinda late . . . like, maybe 10 minutes? . . . ended-up parking in the 'ding-free' zone

She never missed a beat

As usual

[LongRanger]

1059 has never really 'lived' w/ me

For almost as long as I've had the Nasty Car, she's usually been w/ someone else. Except for a few weeks, back when I first got her, 1059 was with My Little Girl when she was going to school in Durham, NC. After that --- after I drove her back to SoCal . . . she was at John's shop in North Hollywood, while he was re-doing all her body + paint

Since then, well . . . she's been with my buddy Dave

Dave and I met ~15 years ago, when we were both working at the same place. We'd got to talking about --- what else? . . . cars. Been friends ever since. I think he has sh!t taste in cars, but --- regardless . . .

Anyway, after The X and I 'd sold our place, I was in a wee-bit of a pinch as to where to keep 1059

Dave came through

He and I 'd both always talked about making a living doing something with cars. But Dave actually did it --- building/running a small business out of an office in El Toro. Turns out, Dave found room for my car --- at his work place . . . and so --- for the last 5 years . . . 1059 has quietly resided in a tidy little carpeted/air-conditioned/security building in a kinda-posh South County business park

Have I ever said how lucky I am?

Oh, yeah-yeah --- one more thing . . .


. . . all this time ---1059's stayed at Dave's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . fo' FREE


Now, the Nasty Car 's always registered/insured/gassed-up/serviced/etc --- w/ the key in the ignition . . . ready anytime. And Dave knows how she starts + how to drive 'er, so . . .

. . . not all her miles are mine

Some rent, huh?




I have every other Friday off, and so, I usually manage to drive down to South County, visit my Mom, hang-out w/ Dave . . . and take 1059 out --- for lunch, or some errand, or . . . . just because

I mean, really --- is there a bad reason to drive an Early 911?

Now, I don't run the Nasty Car very hard --- but I do make an effort to run her 'clean' . . . and by that I mean any drive includes getting the temps up, giving the brakes a good coupla shoves from speed (from >70 MpH), no super-long periods of idling, and always-always-always a lotta good/decent revs (>3k, usually) --- even if we're only ding-donging around in city traffic. And the way I can tell that this routine is the right one? --- is by the way she starts

Pull up the hand-throttle

Key the fuel pump

Wait for the 'gurgle'

Key the starter

Two turns = BAM! --- motor lights --- quickly push down the hand-throttle, etc, etc, etc



And I can always tell when someone else --- Dave --- has driven the Nasty Car. 'Cause she'll fidget/fuss a bit, when I start her up

No Big

Better that he takes it too easy than too-anything else

And Dave did take her to the Phoenix Show for me, so . . .

. . . my turn. To tune her up. So, I picked her up, and, instead of driving up through the hills, like usual --- we went down to The Coast. Beautiful weather, too --- kinda hot, even . . . high 80s-to-low 90s? Work Day = Less Traffic . . . sorta

Ended up at the Newport Beach Back Bay. Been a few years



Anyway. The lease on Dave's space is up in October. Rent 's jackin' up, like, 20%, so . . . he's not gonna renew





1) Things started-off nice enough, traffic-wise --- this is Dana Point . . .

2) . . . but that never lasts --- especially in SoCal. Pacific Coast Highway, South Laguna heading North

3) Look-look! --- it's a Carrera! Whoa-whoa --- wait, wait . . . nope. False alarm. 'At's an armored car full o' money

4) Hey, Cuz! PCH, Corona del Mar/Newport Beach

5) Ever notice how dusty roads make any car look better? . . . even one that hasn't been washed in months. NB Back Bay

[LongRanger]

Not exactly something that I would've ordered Back in the Day --- but? . . .

Custom/Faktory luggage is something that I ran across w/ 356s. When I first actually saw this stuff --- the whole idea kinda boggled

Custom luggage? In a Porsche?

Then, again, for something that basically started-out as a re-imagined Volkswagen, it sure didn't take Porsche long to figure out who their customers were --- or what they wanted. Who cares if hardly anybody ever actually bought this stuff? (Any New Porsche Buyers Here cough-up for some for their car? I mean --- you just dropped six-figures for the stupid car. What's another 5 grand for something else to worry about never using? Think about --- that's prolly only a month's-worth of depreciation! ) Just the IDEA of custom luggage takes any car to a whole new level/ZIP code

I remember Mike Keady --- this 356 Kollector/Enthusiast/Hoarder . . . showing me his collection/accumulation/stash of Porsche cr@p . . . body panels, tool kits, paint sticks, even had an old racing suit still dusted w/ flame retardant --- UGH! And I mean he had PILES o' this stuff, too --- sh!t hanging off the rafters, boxes stacked to the roof, stuffed display cases . . . all in this tiny/re-purposed clapboard garage, out behind his hovel/house. Could barely move around inside the place. Pretty over-whelming, too. I think I was there for tool bag or something. Anyway, we got SOOOO side-tracked, w/ him showing me stuff . . .

. . . then he pulls out this set of kooky olde plaid bags --- still in plastic. 'Speedster luggage set,' he said

'Yuck' --- I thought to myself. 'Any GT wheels in this mess?'


' Course --- NOW? . . .

. . . wish I'd taken my camera



So-anyway ---- flash-forward a coupla decades . . . and now I read about some car coming-up for sale . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...485-Black-6838

--- with? . . .

. . . Faktory luggage


OK-OK --- neat stuff, I guess --- but still? . . .


So, I'm doing a little mining on Our Site . . . and come across this --- see post #10 . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...-luggage-value


Holy-moly!

How cool 'd this be? . . .

. . . and so I'm thinking . . .




. . . did Mr Siffert ever have a set? --- y' know . . . for letting Porsche use his name?

[LongRanger]

Pretty quiet coupla months

Since The Phoenix Show, haven't done much driving --- well, with 1059, anyway. LOTs 's been going on, though --- summer-time/family-type stuff, mostly . . . coupla graduations, few birthdays, people visiting, ME visiting, usw. And 1059 lives >100 mi away, still --- which doesn’t exactly help

Excuses, I know ---- but Good Ones . . .

I did take some time to wash her, though. CA’s in the middle of a reeeeally serious drought --- bad enough that The Gov has mandated cuts in water service state-wide --- even farmers . . . which is pretty-much un-heard of. Notta problem. I only ever ‘sponge bath’ The Nasty Car anyway. Half-a-bucket o’ hot water, a super-cloth to wipe + 'nother to dry = good enough.

And it's not like 1059 gets all-that dirty, anyway --- more like dusty . . . w/ a few bug splats sprinkled in/on. She does schmutz-up her tail-places, though. Looks like some weeping oil ’s getting caught-up in the cooling fan's blast, vaporizes + flushes-out under the engine, then smears over/under her back-side. License panel is lightly/uniformly/thoroughly slathered in an oily film mixed w/ exhaust soot --- + a Jackson Pollack shower of Brad Penn

Love it. Looks like she works for a living, ya know? Stops rust, too

Meanwhile . . . only taken her out three or four times, last few months, topped-off the tank (I think?), added a quart o' oil (ditto)

Notta lotta time/miles --- BUT . . .


. . . really jonesin' for some Car Show, now

Pomona, maybe?
http://www.pomonaswapmeet.com/


Or? --------- San Luis Obispo! . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...ghlight=obispo
http://www.gofconcours.org/home.html

[LongRanger]

Came across this thread, today . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...k-Vics%94-911S


The whole 'history thing' is never far from my mind. And I've had a couple of very interesting/inspiring correspondences that have me all-fired-up, again. And so, reading Coy's auction-copy about Mr Elford's exploits --- during the same time as Mr Siffert's . . .

. . . and in a 'company car' . . .



!



Well --- I went a-Googling, found this site . . .

http://vicelford.com/

. . . then dashed-off a quick note to Mr Elford . . .



'Dear Mr Elford . . .

I recently read of an auction of a car that you once owned --- a white 1970 911. The car is being offered by Coys; here is a link . . .
http://www.coys.co.uk/auction.php?au...ype=0&start=21
See lot #124

Anyway, the auction description mentioned your use of this vehicle as your 'company car' during your tenure as a Factory driver for Porsche. I have a similar car . . . one that I'm hoping you might recall.

I also own a 1970 911 --- a car that once belonged to a team mate of yours: Jo Siffert. It's a rather long story, but I purchased this car in North Carolina in late 1998, and, after some time spent talking to owners, writing letters, and asking around, I discovered that the car had been sold to Mr Siffert in April 1971. This information comes from a copy that I received of Porsche's so-called Kardex.

Anyway, I don't want to take up much of your time, but I was hoping, since you and he were team mates at Porsche at the same time, that you might perhaps remember Mr Siffert and this particular car? Apart from what's written on the Kardex, I only have information going back to an owner in Switzerland, when it was first sold after his death. The car has had quite a life since then; as far as I can tell, I'm the 8th owner!

Anyway --- thank you for your time. I do hope to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Rick Kreiskott

PS I'd like to hear more about your use of a 'company car.' Apparently, Pedro Rodriguez had a similar arrangement, as well? '





Fingers crossed

[LongRanger]

Didn't do much car stuff, this Summer. Only went to one event, actually --- the Gathering of Friends, up in San Luis Obispo . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...thering%2C+SLO

My favorite kind of event, though = . . .
..1) Set the alarm
..2) Gas-up the car
..3) Go

I mean --- I don't even wash the Nasty Car, fercryinoutloud . . . and I know the route by heart

This year's event was as friendly/low-key, as always. Not as many Olde Kars as I'd like, but --- some of the ones that showed-up were Real Duesies. And the weather was just wonderful; sunshine all day, hardly any wind. Ran into a few folks, familiar + new, talked + caught-up a bit

And? --- best-of-all? . . . . . . . . gotta drive my car!

Now, Zovig didn't join, this time. Being a passenger in an Early 911 isn't exactly some place that I'd wanna be First Thing, and I was up/outta the house by ~04:30, so . . . let's just say I had a great excuse to put some fun miles on 1059 --- + empty roads, too . . . so . . .

. . . 170 miles = ~2 hrs --- going. The car just eats this stuff up, too = why I own a Porsche



Coming back was a Different Story


Sunday Traffic, anywhere near a SoCal Coast, is pretty-much gonna be painful. And I knew that when I left. And I was ready for it, more/less . . . but/still --- piddling thru Santa Barbara was pretty awful = bumper-to-bumper, low-gear, hot. The car did fine --- I think 1059 actually runs better when she's hot . . . but by the time I got to Carpenteria? . . .

. . . I . . .

. . . was . . .



. . . done



So. After crawling along in 2nd/3rd, letting the traffic around us stagger along, being polite . . . time to get busy

Compact car + high compression + long gearing = heady combination. So as soon as the spacing between all the cars in traffic opened-up some --- we went to work



Back up

1059's on-the-road performance isn't exactly over-whelming . . . . at first. Anything involving 1st --- in/out . . . is just a chore. I still manage to buzz/krunch a shift, every now/again --- and this is after 6 years (!) . . . so it takes no-small amount of concentration to keep the car moving smoothly in traffic. I'm telling ya --- what Automakers today accomplish w/ their fancy/schmancy software? --- I do all by myself, thank you very much. Any throttling, clutching/shifting, braking, stability, smoothness = Kreiskott, Inc


Then there's the part that Porsche does --------------- the magic

At anything below 3k RpM, 1059 is unimpressive --- a little drowsy, even. Lotsa fun noises, really-decent ride (I think) . . . and a pretty-enough little carriage to prowl around in. But not much 'snap.' The long gearing snuffs out any low-speed theatrics, and the engine needs to build-up a pretty-good head o' steam to make any power, anyway. So, this car's performance is NOT the roaring/tire-burning/neck-snapping kind

Instead? . . . there's a certain drama to way the car works. 1st gear is usually a fairly-tense gear selection + launch followed by a slow roll-off; seriously --- I'm usually The Guy holding up any traffic, pretty annoying. 2nd is where the car seems to get on-pace and actually join in w/ traffic . . . providing I haven't been steam-rolled by some Four-By. (Most traffic just towers over 1059 = always un-settling). I suppose I could pile-on the revs here . . . but 2nd still feels like too-short a gear for that

And then there's 3rd

After 6 years, now, I keep the revs up pretty-much all-the-time --- usually between 3-4k. The engine is always responsive --- especially as the revs climb . . . but any sharp throttle movements in 1st + 2nd can make the car feel unsettled. But --- by 3rd? . . . coming outta 2nd @>4k . . . now the 911's muscularity shows. The car 's moving along smartly, by now. No more awkwardness. The 2nd/3rd shift is quick/straight/satisfying pull back, and --- w/ the revs still >3k . . . there's even a liiiitle torque -- +? . . .

. . . 4k to go . . .


. . . + 2 more gears

Moving past 4k, the power curve --- c/o of high-compression . . . steepens, and not gently. And, also --- rather subtly . . . all the buzz + chatter from the valves + chains out back, submerges in a low/guttural bellow . . . the tone + timbre of which seem, to me, totally at odds w/ the car's size

Small Car + Big Noise

Oh-yeah --- and the acceleration . . .


Maybe-not-exactly neck-snapping --- but/still the pull? . . . = pretty impressive . . . + long. (3rd + >5k = amazing)


And so, here we are in traffic, on the One-oh-One, coming South through Carpenteria, having spent some hours either sitting behind a bus, or a dodging a truck full o' co-eds + their camping cr@p, or waiting for the Guy in Front to put down his stupid phone + pick up the pace . . .

. . . when traffic starts to open up . . .


. . . enough for a Small Car --- + Big Noise . . . to get >4k in 3rd . . .


. . . + home in 3 hrs






No prisoners