Ten Fifty-nine

CA DMV sent me the information that I’d requested --- the CA DMV registration information/history of my vehicle --- on form # INF 70R

Interesting stuff. In addition to a photo-copy of my original request, the bulk of the response consists of three sheets of what appears to be screen-dump-type print-outs . . . albeit nicely/officially stamped in blue as ‘certified documents’ --- 4 pages total, all crisply-folded, neatly packaged.

Contents. There were two records ---- one, for the current registered owner --- me --- and a second one, going back to the previous recorded registration. Each record includes several dates, and the vehicle’s tag number at the time, as well as any previous tags, even mileage. Registered owners’ names appear ---- but no address or city. I already know my details --- 2 pages-worth, and no errors --- so I skipped to the last page . . .

. . . LIC/VIN: 1GXY855 . . .
. . . OWNER ISS: 03/03/84 . . .
. . . R/O: ANDERSON DONALD . . .
. . . SOLD ON 2/21/85 . . .
. . . BUYER: SCALZO LOUIS . . .


Going back to the last page of my record . . .

. . . 03/25/86 SUR OF TITLE FL

END OF DATA

Coupla things . . .

First --- the plate shown for 1059 in its previous life in CA --- a standard-issue 7-place passenger plate --- 1 digit – 3 letters – 3 digits . . . is appropriate for an early-80s vehicle registration.

But not for a mid-‘70s.

(That would’ve been a 6-place tag --- 3 digits – 3 letters)

If 1059 had first come to CA in the mid-‘70s, as Lou had told me, then why didn’t it have a mid-‘70s plate?

The second thing that struck me was that that previous registration record showed a March ’84 issue date . . . nothing prior. From this record, it appears that this Mr Anderson registered the car for the 1st time only a year before selling it --- with no prior CA registrations.

Soooooooo . . . . . what was the car doing before ‘84? Wasn’t registered in CA? Maybe, sitting non-op, for a time?

And one last item, curious . . .

DMV Nicki told me previously that CA DMV purges old registration records after 4 years. So. If 1059 hasn’t been in CA since the mid-‘80s, WAY more than the 4-year-limit . . . . why is there a record, at all? Shouldn’t it ‘ve been purged long ago?

Did somebody else turn over 1059’s CA reg history in the last 4 years, thus keeping the record open?


Anyway, going by the level of involvement/enthusiasm of the Previous Owners I’ve come across, so far . . . I’m hoping that this Don Anderson may still be available, maybe still into Porsches, maybe even somewhere close-by our community

Does any one know, or ever heard of this Guy?

Here’s what (little) I know about him.

Donald Anderson
Owned some kind of rural/ranch/farm property
Somewhere close-by/just off Topanga Canyon Blvd
Vicinity of Chatsworth
Some time in the early-to-mid-‘80s

I spoke with Lou about this Guy, and we’ve talked several times about the location where the car was purchased. But . . . the area that I looked at has been turned into a bunch of sub-divisions, so . . .

. . . . before I start-up another letter-writing campaign --- Don Anderson? There could be hundreds!!!! . . . ask around, see if anybody recognizes the name or any of the details I’ve mentioned


And thanks for writing, Craig . . . pretty cool to be the inspiration for your first post. (I'm honored, Sir)

I had an '84 BMW 318i that I bought new. Its CAL license plates were 1JYF082 (amazing what numbers I remember). Thus, 1GXY855 were likely issued just prior (1981-1983?). The blue plates might've been changed out due to a sale in CAL at that time. You could be very close to when the original blue plates were still on the car and close to finding the original owner. Good luck with your search.

Lots of administrative stuff going on . . .

Paid the CA reg fees for the next year = $290 . . . not the $400, like I was dreading. Insurance is already paid, so my biggest expense coming up --- aside from fuel (Man, this little sucker DRINKS!) ‘ll be the next service --- involving leaks, linkages, and some check/measure/adjust @TLG. Plus attending to anything else that’s broken/fallen-off since last they met. Car runs great . . . but the whole tail-panel gets a fresh film of Brad Penn, every time we go out. I’m thinkin’ 1059 needs a diaper or something . . . hydrocarbon incontinent

Also, sent an application off to Switzerland requesting registration history, form AA9 . . . waiting to hear back from them. The application itself is straight-forward enough --- Who are you? What do you want? What’s the vehicle? Etc. The complication involves paying. After sending in the form --- in German (or French), mail or fax only --- no e-mails --- I have to wait for a written response, which’ll tell me how to pay. Hhh. Then? Five to six weeks for a response

And, after almost a year-and-a-half . . . time to throw a little detail on 1059

John told me not to wash the car --- so, I don’t. ‘Sponge baths’ only. Sounds a bit wacky, I know, but if you’ve ever seen some of the rusty-nasty package shelves/windshield coves/half-dissolved 1/4 panels/etc --- it doesn’t take a lot of convincing for me to ease off on the washing. Besides, 1059 just doesn’t get that dirty, anyway . . . some schmutz on the nose + all the oily-dustiness on the license panel, a few bugs on the windshield . . . . that’s about it. Think I’ve sponged the car three times since John painted her

Anyway, I’ve been using some ‘quick-detailer-type’ spray stuff, to keep the car shiny, in between baths. Storing indoors helps much. Now, low-calorie/-impact cleaning and smarty-pants spray waxes are fine, I suppose . . . but I’m used to using/applying some more muscular treatments to keep my cars clean/protected. I usually take a couple week-ends each year to polish/wax my Every Day. Not exactly fun --- and kinda hard to get started --- but I do like the results. So, now . . . it’s 1059’s turn

I wasn’t too anxious to polish/seal/wax while her paint was fresh --- maybe still de-gassing. And I’ll admit I was also a little spooked about two-stage finishes, in general. I’ve never had a car with one --- we've had newer cars + modern finishes in the house . . . I just never took care of them. And my whole detail routine comes from working on single-stage finishes, mostly old BMWs. But now, I was seeing some crud turn up on the Porsche --- stuff that I wouldn’t put up with on my Every Day. And dark paint shows more, too, so . . .

My routine? --- 6 steps . . . wash, clean/degrease, clay-bar, polish, seal, wax (carnuba). Having seen enough barbequed two-stage finishes, here in SoCal, my biggest concern was getting carried-away with the polisher + polisher junk, maybe breaking through the clear. I use the stuff + equipment that Griot’s put together, a few years back. Not exactly the latest/greatest, or all that handy --- but effective . . . and I’m pretty spare/chintzy with all the junk/pads/etc. And I’m used to using it

Turned-out to be No Big Deal. 1059 is stored indoors --- in a carpeted/air-conditioned/radio’d + CD’d work-space --- so . . . . this kinda work is easy. Car’s pretty small, too --- tiny, really. Started-off slow/careful, working on a couple o’ poop-burns that turned up after The Phoenix Show --- on the roof + right rear quarter. Just took the polish pad in my hand, applied a little bit of the fine-grade polish-stuff, then worked a spot by hand --- no machine, yet --- see how the clear-coat handled everything. Nothing bad happened so, I got the pad damp, put it on my polisher, used a really small (diluted) amount of compound, then gently tickled-down the burn. Took a couple passes, burn came off, no problem. Sponged/cleaned/clayed the rest of the roof, light polish + seal w/machine, v thin film of carnuba w/fingers. Took, maybe, an hour? Looked nice, feels really slick . . . and the car takes on this wonderful mellow/glowy/toned-down look

That’s the thing about detailing. After a coupla years of this, after all my polishing/sealing/waxing, cars’ll get this low-key used-but-cared-for sheen that I find so appealing. 1059 is no show car --- anyone looking closely will see all the scratchy/tweaked/bunged-up/used trim + details. But that’s OK --- and what I like so much about used cars --- everything’s there, clean + happy together --- not perfect/a little ‘beat’ maybe . . . but still taking care of business

Another hour later, I got the front (hood) done . . .

Paint’s breaking in nicely, too . . . chips + checks + nicks are starting . . . . . . . . finally

Also. Got a bracket to install the Scheel seat with. Uli found this bit --- part of a stash he came across in his travels. (He spotted it mixed in with some 30-year-old BMW stuff --- thought of me . . . Vielen Dank!) Looks to be a bit ‘hand-crafted’ . . . Uli suspects (very) vintage Scheel, no locking, 6.6 lbs/3 kg. And it's supposed to fit. 152 Euros/$201 incl shipping. Still need to put the seat and all these bits together, get ‘em in the car, see how they fit, etc. so . . . .

And taking a Day Off, tomorrow --- doing a Field Trip out to TLG . Seems A Certain Individual is in possession of A Certain Article that I am (most + highly) interested in, so . . . heading out there to attempt A Deal

And visit. Tony and Marco and John . . . and Chris from CO

. . . with 1059 --- of course . . .



. . . and a clear freeway

(Hopefully)

You got my hopes up ...and then there was nothing but a picture of a seat bracket. ;) Let's see the car (again)!

Few weeks, ago, I had a conversation with Chris (Type911) about a coupla things, ended-up with me asking him to let me know if he ever came to town

Well . . . he let me know

Chris was coming down to pick-up his car from John (Esposito). I’ve been kinda wanting to bump into Tony and Marco, over at TLG, for a while now, anyway --- questions/concerns/hanging-out/etc --- and, while I pass by there a lot . . . it’s not easy to catch those Guys in one place/one time --- especially on the Friday afternoons when usually I’m in the vicinity. So, with Chris coming, and with me having some other stuff going on/to do that day anyway . . . seemed like a good day for a Field Trip. Took the Thursday afternoon off ---- tanked the car, ran an errand, then dropped in on a friend, visited over at TLG, dinner w/ my So-Much-More-Than-a Girlfriend, then back home --- 171 miles-worth, total

My kind of weather. Things started off cool/overcast/drizzly, first thing, then just dropped the drizzly . . . completely different from the hot weather we’d had during The Phoenix Show, two months before. Anyway, drove off around 11:30, got $38.25’s-worth of 91 RON, hit the freeway

Pretty clear --- no big hang-ups. Doesn’t slow this car + me down, anyway. Just need a little room to maneuver, thank you. Anyway, made a quick stop + drop at a Supplier’s (along the way), then headed-out to Covina to see + thank a Mechanic/Pal who took care of my BMW while I was working out that way --- Ed Asencio @ Ed’s Independent BMW Service

Ed’s gotten me a couple of bits over the years --- including an LSD that I stuck in my Every Day, about a month-and-a-half, ago. On zero notice, too. Back when I’d come by to pick-up the diff, we’d talked/caught up some, then. Turns out, in the 5 years since he’d last worked on my cars, Ed ’d bought himself a 911! . . . so, when I stopped by this time to thank him for his help/diff . . . I just had to show him 1059. Ed ‘d had his first ride in any Porsche, in an S, back in the Day --- and it’d made a lasting impression

Stayed maybe an hour-or-so, then --- off to TLG. Got there ~2:00 or so? Marco was goofing-off out at Willow, so it was just Tony and me. I’d been out there last week to visit --- turns out, it was John’s birthday, but John was gone. Anyway, I was talking with Tony and found out that he has this bit that I’m soooo hot for, so, this visit, I’d brought along some Little Somethings --- to try and maybe trade him for it --- No

But --- next time? . . . maybe . . .

Enjoyable visit. Tony’s always great company. We talked cars --- fixing cars, car business, car bits, stories of cars, then . . . . some more cars

Don’t like getting in the way so, when Customers came . . . . I wandered over to John’s, distracted/annoyed him for a while. Took a Tour, caught up some, talked about what he’s working on, showed some of his work . . . . generous with his valuable time. Like always

John’s busy. Tony + Marco, too

Good

Chris got there ~4:30-or-so? --- our first face-to-face. Introduced me to his pal Scott (who picked-up + brought Chris from the airport in his Longhood Targa), talked, toured some over at John’s, showed his 964 --- picking up his car, then heading out for Treffen

Then Marco showed-up ~5, all pumped-up from Streets o’ Willow (+ no harm/damage done to his whale-tailed G-series), jumped into the conversations, passed along some (Treffen) swag, then . . . .

. . . Time to run. Dinner w/ SMMTaG. Picked her up at work, then --- Maria’s Kitchen in Northridge (?) . . . her treat --- my drive. And as smelly/noisey/difficult/cramped/rambunctious as 1059 is . . . she actually likes the Silly Car. Fits, too

Lucky Guy

Very . . . very . . .



1) My pal Ed . . . we picked-up/talked like not a day has passed . . . and it's been 5 years (. . . and thanks for letting 1059 piddle in your driveway)

2) and 3) Tony's. '72 on the outside --- '84 on the inside/underneath/in back/just about everywhere else ( . . . and juuuust got his first nick)

4) Scott's. '. . . wanted an open car while I was going to Grad School . . .'

5) Chris's. I'm not a big 964 Guy . . . . but that is a really pretty car (60k mi)

Other Scott's . . .

John's . . .

Others' . . .

Lucky Guy . . . . .


. . . very . . .




. . . . . . very . . .

Hi Rick, no word about the Steyr Baby in the background?
It was the Austrian Volkswagen - I don't think you have a lot of them in the US.
Cheers

Uli