I just found out that the man who rebuilt Matilda's engine passed away last weekend.
Otto Dätwyler (1928 - 2010) was an unforgettable personality and a highly respected figure in the Porsche community. As I understand it, he had worked with Porsche since at least the 60's, if not as early as the 50's (a 1966 prototype he built, the "Dätwyler Porsche", is now being restored in Fellbach near Stuttgart), looked after client motorsport in Switzerland in the 70's (building class winners at Le Mans), and over 50 years came to know just about everyone in the Swiss/German Porsche scene. He was not a public figure like some of his contemporaries and former colleagues (Barth, Singer, etc.). He was an insider, one the experts themselves went to for information, advice or contacts: "Ask Dätwyler" is a phrase even I have heard many times in the last couple of years.
I still can't believe that he was 80 years old when I first met him. Even at that age, he did not rest on his laurels; he worked. When rebuilding Matilda's engine, he insisted on doing everything himself and refused to let the younger guys lug stuff around for him. His booming voice and poor hearing told the story of a life around motorsport. He was impatient and stubborn and passionate and talked at a pace I found it hard to match. I remember him driving off from our last meeting at alarming speed (in a brand new Turbo!), onto his next appointment: Zurich? Basel? A quick run to Zuffenhausen to pick up something unobtainium...or to call in a favour...or to do a favour? Who knew. (When we needed a complex piece of sheetmetal for the restoration, Otto tracked down a client to whom he had sold the last NOS piece over 10 years ago, and bought it back from him, unused. Upon hearing of this, the Factory told him to think of them next time: they'd been looking unsuccessfully for that piece for years for a couple of cars.)
Sad enough that he won't see the finished car, one of no doubt countless Porsches which bore his mark over the last 50 years; even sadder that I had so few chances to meet and talk with him and, really, know so little about him and his life. Nevertheless, I was very fortunate to experience Porsche culture of the first generation through my contact with Otto Dätwyler and his work and influence on my car. Much to be grateful for.
Here are two pics: Otto in the 60's (studying the competition?) and Matilda's engine, which I'm certain was his last.
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Best, Guru
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