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Thread: Competition Engineering - Fire

  1. 07-31-2024, 01:14 PM #1
    Klasse356
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    Competition Engineering - Fire

    A valued friend and vendor of our Porsche community, Walt Watson, owner of Competition Engineering, has had his way of life turned upside down in a dramatic way. Walt lost his home last week in the "Bodfish Fire" in Kern County.

    Both Walt and Karen are physically fine. They managed to get most of their valuables and belongings out before losing their home.

    If you have ever had a life changing event happen to you, then you know the chaos that carries on for months and months afterwards. It takes years to recover financially if you are lucky. Competition Engineering has always been there for the Porsche community.

    I set of a goFundMe page to help offset the financial burden that they will be facing for months and months. Every little bit helps, so please cut & paste the link below into your browser to donate or share the link if you can. Thanks!

    https://gofund.me/252348f0

    thanks
    ed
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  2. 07-31-2024, 02:04 PM #2
    VintageExcellen
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    Oh man, this sucks, Walt’s been busting his ass for the Porsche community since he was a kid working for Ray Litz. I was on the phone joking with him recently about how much longer we can do this.

    Looking at the fire map it looks like the shop is ok. The green flag in my picture is the shop location. Hope it’s ok as I have stuff up there. At least his livelihood is still there. Yikes.
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    Mark Allen
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  3. 07-31-2024, 02:12 PM #3
    Chuck Miller
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    This REALLY sucks .... Just talked to him and he and Karen are OK but the house is completely gone...

    Will be contributing soon ... Thanks Ed !!!

    This is now a sticky...

    cm
    Chuck Miller
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  4. 07-31-2024, 03:18 PM #4
    69Sman
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    Wow, HORRIBLE news. Walt is one of the originals, and a super great guy and friend. So sad....
    Bahia Red '72 911S
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    GONE...MANY, many great ones....
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  5. 07-31-2024, 04:04 PM #5
    dpetterson
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    Wow - very sad to hear about this and I’m glad to hear Walt and Karen are ok. Some difficult days and weeks ahead for sure but wishing the two of them the safest and speediest of recoveries.
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  6. 08-01-2024, 01:30 AM #6
    dwa911
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    Sad news. Donated. Hope the next phase goes smoothly and quickly for them.
    first ride - 10 yrs old in a 73 911S - Silver - I was done for
    Started 'playing' with them in the late 80s
    Started racing a 72 911 T built to 2.9L RSR in SoCal SCCA, PCA, POC early 90s
    Have owned over 50 long hoods from late 80s until 2000
    dropped out from 2000 - 2018 - due to life, work, travel
    Been building a 2.8 'RSR' inspired car since 2018 - 9111121235
    http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsc...1121235-a.html
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  7. 08-04-2024, 09:29 AM #7
    Cliff
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    Any updates. Hope the shop will be functional, so they can have some comfort moving forward.
    Last edited by Cliff; 08-04-2024 at 11:48 AM.
    To err is human; to blame it on someone else is more human...

    "You must always strive to be the best, but you must never believe that you are."
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    ”What would PORSCHE do”

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  8. 08-04-2024, 01:36 PM #8
    Chuck Miller
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    Hope the shop will be functional
    The shop wasn't touched Cliff...
    However, as far as I know, there house was a total loss...
    Chuck Miller
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  9. 10-14-2024, 07:23 PM #9
    SIMI BOB
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    Wow, so sorry to hear this. This also makes me feel very old. If any of you knew Ray Litz when he started CE in an old gas station on Lake Avenue in Pasadena, that is where it all started. In early 1965, when the dual carburetors, headers, 010 distributor and big 9 spring clutch I put on my 36 HP ‘57 Bug finally worked the flywheel loose, I started searching the local papers for a replacement motor. That was my lucky day. Found a 1600N motor out of a wreck and paid $250 for it. Then I needed a flywheel to mate up with the VW crash box, and someone mentioned CE. It was only about 10 minutes from my house in La Canada, so I drove over there. Ray had just opened his shop, at that time just the office of the old gas station, equipped with only an old End Mill! I was one of his very first customers. Over the early years I spent a lot of time at his shop, and remember Walt very well. Also Jim Behrens, Bill Clarkson, Randy just to mention a few. Also spent a lot of time just down the road at Roger Bursch’s Scientific Auto shop, and was a pretty good friends of his Dyno guy, Bill Hanyon and mechanic Hugo Melschauer, who came over from Germany after WWII.
    Bob Brawders
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  10. 11-17-2024, 01:13 PM #10
    50/50
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    Quote Originally Posted by SIMI BOB View Post
    Wow, so sorry to hear this. This also makes me feel very old. If any of you knew Ray Litz when he started CE in an old gas station on Lake Avenue in Pasadena, that is where it all started. In early 1965, when the dual carburetors, headers, 010 distributor and big 9 spring clutch I put on my 36 HP ‘57 Bug finally worked the flywheel loose, I started searching the local papers for a replacement motor. That was my lucky day. Found a 1600N motor out of a wreck and paid $250 for it. Then I needed a flywheel to mate up with the VW crash box, and someone mentioned CE. It was only about 10 minutes from my house in La Canada, so I drove over there. Ray had just opened his shop, at that time just the office of the old gas station, equipped with only an old End Mill! I was one of his very first customers. Over the early years I spent a lot of time at his shop, and remember Walt very well. Also Jim Behrens, Bill Clarkson, Randy just to mention a few. Also spent a lot of time just down the road at Roger Bursch’s Scientific Auto shop, and was a pretty good friend of his Dyno guy, Bill Hanyon.
    Bob Brawders
    In my minds eye I can see it all. Bought a Speedster in 73 for $1500 with a loan from a CU. I was green as grass, and it had a messed up engine. Ray helped sort it out. Who knew ?it was inexpensive used stuff and it was fun.
    In contrast, had an offer for a Speedster windshield frame this week . Only 15,000 plus, plus. But I digress.
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