It's All About the Driving

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by a911s

BUT I bought my '72S with 48K miles almost ten years ago to drive it. I learned how to really drive a 911 in that car - took it to the track, autocrossed it, became an instructor in it... :)

---

If you want a bigger return on your 911 investment go out and do like Randy.
Driving a 911 to its potential is a great return on your investment.
It's not about who is having the most fun driving their 911 but about driving your 911 the best it can be driven. Taking a 911 oriented performance driving school will help you reach your potential in your 911. If you have never "learned how to really drive a 911 in that car - took it to the track, autocrossed it, became an instructor in it" ride with someone like Randy and experience all you have to gain.

All this talk about pretty cars, their values and little discussion about the correct way to operate them?
Sometime it seems like an antique car forum, not a sports car bbs.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jaudette3

Paul....

I suspect that the real reason you haven't driven it for weeks is because you're afraid it might get wet.

Cheers,
John Audette

---

40 days & 40 nights were nothing compared to the Willamette Valley this rainy season, that's for sure. The one plus is the snow pak in the hills...no "drought" talk from the Suzy Shallow TV types this year.
Maybe it's just too much "been there done that" for me. When I paid my PCA dues this year, I realized this was the 39th check I sent in... My current car may be a low mileage garage queen, but my first 3 weren't. I've easily logged 1/2 million miles behind a Porsche steering wheel. Driving is just not the big deal to me it used to be. Another reason may be today's PITA congested highways. Oregon driving was a lot more fun when the state's population was 1/3 of what it is now. Here's a pic of ol' Fred getting a ticket back in '75...he dared to exceed the 55 limit on I-5. But look, this IS I-5, a few miles North of Eugene. Note the lack of bumper to bumper in both lanes.

Man, I've been waiting for you' all to start a thread like this ...:)

Most of you know how I feel on this subject ... but it's your forum and you needed to start it

I bought my '73 in Feb. of '89 with 86,000 documented miles on the clock ... so much for low mileage 911's ...:rolleyes:

Today the car has over 182,000 miles in the 17 + years I've owned it ... Counting the time down in '90 for the 'complete' and the 'rebuild' a couple of years ago, that's about 6,000 miles a year average... mix in with that about 2 to 4 times of track days every year...:)

Simply..... driving this old blue car of mine has been some of the most enjoyable, memorable, and exciting times of my life.

Forgetting for a moment how timeless and cool our cars look...

What makes them different in the world of 35 year old sports cars is the careful thought and advanced engineering that went into them when they were produced. The same engineering that makes them different then the Ferraris, Jags, MGs, Healeys, Triumphs, Fiats, Alfas, and all the rest of the same vintage. The same engineering that gives Curt and the Mid West boys, and Randy and the Pac West boys the confidence to make the trip to Sonoma. The same engineering that makes our cars run toe to toe with anything on the road today...

Driving our cars is not only a kick in the pants, but a tribute and a celebration to that engineering...

Cheers, and thanks for starting this thread... ;)

I can't wait for the drive to Sonoma! It will be the biggest Gruppe yet from the Pac West! A few months ago Cris Huergas suggested we tour down. Randy took the ball and mapped out a 3 day cruise down the coast!

The usual sensory overload is gaurunteed to follow for the next 3 days in Santa Rosa! It's going to be great seeing all you guy's and all those sweet early 911!

Some of us are staying a couple of days after Sonoma for the NASA HPDE at Thunderhill on Wednesday. I hope a bunch of you guy's can make it!

Finding the limits is what it's all about for most of us. However, that's not going to happen on the street. Too many Johnies, too many cell phones and no run off!

Chuck is right about the cars. I'm amazed I can drive to the track, run the car at 7000 rpms for a couple of days and drive home. I wouldn't have tried that in my TR4 or 2002!

R Gruppe #259

I hear what everyone's saying.....

I bought a beautiful and original bonnet badge for the 2.7RS, an original english RS drivers suppliment, original UK market english language 2.7RS brochure, brand new NOS door pockets, leather recarros, spent all winter perfecting the paintwork....

....then went out today, on the first near perfect spring day, and spanked the little beastie for a good hour :D

Who cares what it's worth - it's for driving :)

p

Chuck and his relationship with his early 911S has been an inspiration for many of us. I still remember him being the first person in the Early 911S Registry whom I met at the Monterey Historics in '98 featuring Porsche. I had my identically colored 911S for all of a year back then and was amazed at all his experience both on and off the track at that time.

GBurner and Earl are right. You need to go to the track or an autocross to really learn to drive these cars near the limit. We all make mistakes and the streets are simply too poorly maintained and crowded with politically correct folks for that learning to happen with any kind of safety or consistentcy today. Yet, you can still enjoy driving these cars at 7/10ths on the street (even in the rain) as long as you know your car and tires well. You can be sure we will be safe and sane on our PacWest tour down to Sonoma, and we will keep it fun too... Chuck will even be serving as Tourmeister for the last leg of our journey. Now that's what I call enjoying these cars for what they were designed to do! :)

This thread really hits the mark.

For the last week I have been in Southern California driving the kids around in the big Suburban. Not a thrilling driving experience. Yesterday I drove down to Crystal Cove (I think it is in Orange County) for the morning car show. Lots of beautiful cars like new Ferraris and Lambos. The neatest car to me was a scruffy 1969 912 that looked as though it is driven daily. Many of these cars were too clean to have been driven much. Why else does one have a car?

First thing I did when I got back to the Bay Area today was to dig out my 84 Carrera with 220k miles and drive it up Mt Tamalpais. Water and mud was running across the road but there was no traffic and I had a blast and I think the old car thanked me. I did this after driving 430 miles on I-5 in a Chevy Suburban with the family.

I need to add ten words but the pic says it all.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Just got in from a really nice cruise in the ol '71 black bastard. A real treat on a twisty road when it hits full song. Enjoy! :D

Guys,

I can't wipe the smile off my face reading this stuff!

Mike (Gburner) you are so right - the way to maximise the 911 investment is to drive it to its and your fullest potential...

My darling Dad who by his own reckoning clocked over a million miles :eek: in Porsches shared your collective sentiments and so do I. Show me another car that you can drive every day rain or shine, or to the track and back, day in day out :D . We (he and I) did it in 356s and in 911s. Yeah sure its a one-eyed thing, but for a myriad of very good reasons. These cars were the peak of engineering feats and this directly translates into our love of driving them. I have driven all sorts of other stuff and it's left me cold. My only concession is the VW Multivan as it does a job that a P-car can't do for us, but it's far from standard and I keep looking for ways to make it handle more like a 911 :p !

Great stuff guys - keep it coming!

Cheers,
Lisa