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Thread: My life with Porsche… List of pre impact bumper cars I've owned for prosperity

  1. #41
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    PHASE 1 EXECUTION:

    Back at Otto’s with my “new to me” parts… I was given a corner to disassemble and clean everything I had bought, and to start stripping ‘1899’ – the suspension, brakes, and ‘dropping' the engine and gearbox for refreshing… John and the guys would keep watch over me, out of the corner of their eyes, and every time I looked perplexed or about to royally screw something up, would come and help me out… If it was John, it was usually accompanied by one of his many favourite phrases, like “that’s dumber than a football bat”… and sometimes followed with “time for you to get the f**k out of my shop”, and a laugh… I have to say, I learned so much and had a great time at Otto’s working on the race car and various other early 911s, and John, Tom and the guys were always really supportive… Again, I was firmly in camp 1 with regards to John…

    So, with Tom ordering whatever new parts were needed, and me doing a lot of cleaning, we started the upgrades… The suspension stayed with torsion bars, but got larger ones (I can’t remember the sizes, as we changed them a couple of times), the used aluminum front cross member was cleaned up and installed, new Bilstein shocks all around, 3.2 Carrera brake callipers were rebuilt, and installed with new Carrera discs and circuit oriented brake pads (can’t remember which brand or compound), stainless steel brake hoses, new master cylinder, rebuilt pedal cluster, adjustable front and rear stabilizer bars, a bolt in shock tower brace, adjustable rear spring plates, and all the parts to install a ’72 front oil cooler, a fire extinguisher, and all new fuel lines, oil lines, wheel bearings, etc…

    The gearbox and LSD were rebuilt, John had a lot of used gear sets for both 901 and 915 gearboxes, but I just can’t remember what ratios went in (I’ve got notes somewhere, but can’t seem to find them)… John was adamant that the right ratios for each circuit, was a must use weapon in the Porsche factory arsenal, and would give me an edge / opportunity to beat other (better) drivers even in more powerful cars… I ended up with 4 gearboxes with ratios for specific circuits I would race at (Holtville, Willow Springs, the Streets at Willow Springs, and Buttonwillow), so it was easier to get ready for each race without having to strip the main gearbox down each time, and they were about 500 bucks back then at Pomona… We started with 915s, but ended up going with 901s – with a 904 mainshaft, LSD, and circuit specific ratios… John had a preference for the 901, and they held up to all the punishment a racing season could throw at them… I never had a gearbox related failure, and that was racing in the heat of southern California… I also really like the shift pattern of the 901… Nothing wrong with a 915… I like them both…

    Can’t remember which gearbox of all the ones I had this is of – I think it is the first 915 we did, because of the other photos it is with… In any case, these are the only photos I have of all the gearbox rebuilds at Otto’s… His shop always seemed a bit of a mess, but he seemed to know where everything was, and I never had a problem with anything John or the guys at Otto’s rebuilt, installed, etc… Never…

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    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

  2. #42
    Senior Member frederik's Avatar
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    Great stuff, thanks for sharing it with us!
    1970 2.2S Elfenbeinweiss
    1972 2.4T Targa Aubergine (MFI) [For sale]
    2002 996 TT Midnight Blue
    Member #3833

  3. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by frederik View Post
    Great stuff, thanks for sharing it with us!
    Thanks Frederick!
    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

  4. #44
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    I then got a lesson in rebuilding axles and CV joints… That was one of the messiest jobs I can ever remember doing… John had a little trick for CV boots he showed me… He said the boots would basically rip from the extreme heat of racing in the California desert, and he would stick the spray extension from a can of WD40 under the boot to allow air to escape from rapid expansion… Can’t really make it out in the photos… These are the only photos I have of the first phase…

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    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

  5. #45
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    Then it was time for the engine… John checked it and pronounced the S engine as strong, and not in need of a rebuild yet… Also, he said that using the 2.4 liter S engine would allow me to run in a lower class, and give me time to learn with less power, and besides, we had the Euro Carrera 3.0 liter in 1193310010 to use as a base for a race engine, so I should use this one until it got too tired…

    So, I got the task to clean it up… Then, John made sure it was adjusted and in spec, and we replaced the things that needed to be replaced… One task, was that I got a lesson in rebuilding Weber carbs… John did all the work on one side and I copied on the other… It was such a great opportunity to learn how to work on these cars… Once finished, we mated the engine to the refreshed 915 gearbox and into ‘1899’ she went… I have to say, that was the first 911 engine I was going to be responsible for cleaning, so I wanted it to look good… I removed all the engine tin, engine support (crossmember) and bracket, gearbox, etc., and bead blasted it in a cabinet I had bought and installed at home in the garage, and painted it all satin black, I bead blasted the fan and housing, and any parts John would let me do… Bead blasting became addictive for me… something about taking parts down to bare metal and restoring them…I’m sure I got the end finishes wrong, but I wasn’t focused on building a concours car… This was the beginning of my race car…

    I’m not sure why we used a black shroud or why we left the MFI pump drive on the cam, since we went with the Webers… A mystery…

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    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

  6. #46
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    9112501899 GETS A NAME:

    It was around this time that John indicated I needed to name ‘1899’… That his race car was called Rudy… short for Rudolph… Rudy was a 914/6 SCCA GT2 spec race car… From memory, and others may know the car much better than me… It had a 2.9 liter engine built on a mag case, and mag case 901 gearbox running a 904 main shaft, and drilled lightened gears… It was ugly (to me) as my view of what a race car should look like, but John and Rudy had enough trophies and race wins to prove they were a potent combination…

    And so, the first name that came to my mind was Gertrude… From that day on, ‘1899’ was known as Gertrude…
    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

  7. #47
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    FIRST CIRCUIT EVENT FOR GETRUDE & POC SLALOM JI CHAMP 1996:

    My first track event with Gertrude in Phase 1 build was at the Streets of Willow Springs (https://www.willowspringsraceway.com...illow-springs/)... I can’t remember the exact date… But it started with Gertrude in POC class HI and we came in 2nd on our first outing… I then moved up to JI, and ended up 1st in 3 events, and that was enough to win the JI class for 1996… It was great fun…

    Some photos of the day… Basically a modified road car… The weird front spoiler can be seen – kind of looks like it is for a front EU license plate, and since it was originally an EU car, maybe explains it… Can see the factory sport seats in the car as well - that certainly wasn't helping with the weight!!! And the sugar scoops certainly weren't the most aerodynamic...

    Clearly I was proud of my engine detailing…

    And my placing in the events… (https://porscheclub.com/archived/eve...site/sl96.html)...

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    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

  8. #48
    ^^^^ wonderful capture of history
    Peter Kane

    '72 911S Targa
    Message Board Co-Moderator - Early 911S Registry #100

  9. #49
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    Aug 2013
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    Quote Originally Posted by 72targa View Post
    ^^^^ wonderful capture of history
    Thanks Peter!
    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

  10. #50
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    SCCA RACING SCHOOL:

    On 25 February 1996, I got my SCCA race license… SCCA race school was over 2 days (24-25 FEB) at the Streets of Willow Springs… We had written and driving tests, and a few test races… I remember it snowed lightly on day 2, and I was lucky I still had wipers…

    Gertrude is basically still in street trim, with 6s and 7s, passenger sport seat, and still has S trim and the front odd bumper… The front oil cooler hadn’t been installed yet… I’m guessing John didn’t think I would need it as it was winter in the high desert… He also had a laugh duct taping the number “0” on the car… I remember him saying “You get number zero, because that is where you are at… Zero… Don’t try to go out and be a Hero”… I passed and got my SCCA race license… I was on my way…

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    Last edited by dwa911; 04-04-2023 at 12:53 PM.
    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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