Ten Fifty-nine

[LongRanger]

Very liberating thread --- Mike’s . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...e-with-308427S

After seeing some of the cars/resto’s/’builds’ that come up here on The Registry --- like walking around a Parade Concours . . . I can see how people would believe that every Porsche is perfect . . . or should be

Kinda intimidating, actually --- even for a lot of Porsche Owners, I bet. ‘Porsche People’ has a certain connotation to it . . . and it isn’t always a positive one, either. And here’s its root. On the one hand, I have to admire the people who enter these Concours --- and not just for all the preparation that goes into the car during . . .

. . . but for all the time + energy + resources before

And seeing the results --- like Peter Ohanesian’s ’72 --- 9112300051 . . . really breath-taking



On the other hand --- well . . . you’ve seen 1059. Even if I had the time + energy + resources? . . . nuhp!




And that’s what struck me, walking around the Concours . . .

. . . PCA has over 100,000 members --- + a huge contingent just in CA . . . and these are all the cars that show up? I guess that I was just expecting --- well . . . more. I figured that I’d pay-up/park-up/show-off --- even for ~$300 . . . a bench-warmer, sure . . . but I’d be supporting my club, too . . . + showing an Old Porsche. Anybody else? . . . 'cause seeing the show 's free

OK-OK --- so 1059’s a liiiiiiiiiiiittle ‘ratty’ . . . but wouldn’t it be fun to see all the other ratty cars, too? Like a 916, maybe? Or a ‘chicken coop’ 356 Coupe? How ‘bout a beater Beutler? Winning/schminning --- if I’m driving all that way + paying to ‘show-up’ at a Car Show, then . . . I'd wanna see some cars, d@mnit!

And I did. Beautiful cars, too



But what would that show ‘ve been like --- if there’d been a few more people + cars . . .

. . . maybe a little less ‘pretty’? . . .



. . . and a little more ‘Porsche’

[911T1971]

Rick, I think we never considered to contact Derek Bell. He lives in Florida http://www.derekbell.com.
At the Nurburgring, I was recently able to share my car with Bell's youngest son and got a autograph from Derek.
I knew he had a long story with Porsche but I admit I first had to go back to read his whole career:
-1968 Formula 1 works driver for Ferrari
-1969 Formula 1 works driver for Mc Laren
-1970 Team member of the Le Mans movie with Steve MQ Queen (together with Jo Siffert and others)
-1970 participating at Le Mans with Ferrari 512BB
-1971 participating at Le Mans with Porsche 917 LH sharing car with Siffert (Bell/Siffert)
-5 times Le Mans winner and so on….http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Bell_(racing_driver)

Maybe HE has some memories about Siffert as well as pics from Siffert and his cars..
And unless Siffert and Mc Queen, he is still alive. Amazing he was there and saw it all.

The 1971 Porsche 917 driven by Bell/Siffert, parked at Le Mans' Hotel de France (!)



1970 Le Mans, Derek Bells family


1970 Ferrari 512BB


David Piper, Jo Siffert, Derek Bell


1970 Derek Bell, Steve Mc Queen

[LongRanger]

. . . Rick, I think we never considered to contact Derek Bell. He lives in Florida http://www.derekbell.com.
. . . I knew he had a long story with Porsche but I admit I first had to go back to read his whole career:
-1968 Formula 1 works driver for Ferrari
-1969 Formula 1 works driver for Mc Laren
-1970 Team member of the Le Mans movie with Steve MQ Queen (together with Jo Siffert and others)
-1970 participating at Le Mans with Ferrari 512BB
-1971 participating at Le Mans with Porsche 917 LH sharing car with Siffert (Bell/Siffert)
-5 times Le Mans winner and so on….http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Bell_(racing_driver)

Maybe HE has some memories about Siffert as well as pics from Siffert and his cars . . .

Excellent --- thanks for that!

I'll write/send something today, if I can . . .

Fingers crossed



. . . and of all the images to post!

. . .



. . .

I've seen this image --- in Keyser's book . . . looked at + thought about + studied it. A lot. Great shot, too --- not posed = candid. Characterful

+ Several Stories go w/ . . .

Note . . .

Everybody smiling --- 'cept Stevo . . . expression + body-language = priceless

. . . Mr Siffert in charge . . .


. . . cast on the kid's arm

[LongRanger]

. . . I'm sure that you're busy, and I don't want to be too long-winded here, but --- I was wondering . . .

. . . I have an old car that I am looking for some help with. And a Story . . .

In late 2008, I found and purchased an old Porsche 911. The car came with very little documentation, and so, being a curious sort . . . I tried to put-together what history I could. Well, after searching for + finding some previous owners, contacting several registration agencies, posting all sorts of nonsense on-line, even pestering Porsche’s Archives . . . and just generally making a nuisance of myself . . .

. . . I discovered that my car had once belonged to Jo Siffert.

!

Now, Mr Siffert actually owned a Porsche agency, in Switzerland --- he was a car dealer . . . so, by itself --- such an occurrence/vehicle may not seem that unique. What is unique, though, is that he acquired his car from Porsche directly, then kept it for some time – almost a year-and-a-half, it seems . . . with the car only leaving his possession at auction, after his death.

Anyway . . . as to my reason for contacting you . . .

I read Michael Keyser’s book --- ‘A French Kiss with Death.’ You worked with Mr Siffert during the filming of the movie ‘Le Mans.’ And I don’t mean to seem (too) desperate or (that) cloying, but . . .

. . . do you recall anything of any of Mr Siffert’s personal cars? He seems to’ve had several 911s --- one of which appears in several photos taken there/then, and, well . . . . you can imagine my interest --- some.

And, also, anything else? What was it all like --- to work there? Mr Keyser account includes many interesting occurrences . . . including a description of an ‘event’ that took place, one evening --- a car race in/around/through (gulp!) The Village . . . with yourself, Mr Siffert, and one Mr McQueen.

Not all work, eh?

Anyway . . . (very much) more --- about the car, me, the search, and so on, here . . .
http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...Ten-Fifty-nine

A bit of a slog, but . . . it’s been almost 6 years.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, etc . . .

[LongRanger]

I know it may’ve come off as a bit of a foot-note, at the last service . . . but Marco actually rebuilt the entire suspension on 1059. He’d already done the shocks only, at the previous-to-last service, so . . . kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinda knew this was coming

I prefer ‘stock’ cars --- mostly because I’m not enough of an engineer to know how some of this stuff actually works to have any clue how to change it. Conversely, I tend to avoid modified cars because I don’t want to have to de-engineer someone else’s nonsense. Can be expensive, too. ‘Original’ = ‘NLA’ = cha-ching

Anyway, Marco went to town on the suspension, at this last go-around --- top-to-bottom/front-to-back/side-to-side . . . as well as corner-balancing, aligning, then rotating and re-balancing everything. I would’ve mentioned something sooner, but . . . it’s not exactly the kinda thing that’s easy to assess/describe/appreciate the quality of in stop-&-go traffic or regular/routine city-type driving . . .

. . . but sure is --- on longer highway stretches . . .

. . . like going to Monterey

1st/biggest change that I noticed was the disappearance of a pesky shimmy-shake that used to come up ~75mph/120kph. It wasn’t like it was something that was all-that bothersome --- more like a lightish thumping/blumping, coming up through the steering, that felt an awful lot like wheel-balancing to me, but still. I mean . . . I’m down to things like wind noise now, fercryinoutloud, so . . .

Also have improved straight-line stability, now. Marco called it ‘standing on its toes’ but, to me, 1059 used to have this really odd way of transferring weight from side-to-side --- a vague sort of rolling at turn-in . . . that didn’t really communicate to me what’s going on underneath . . . especially at the back. The car’s noticeably more ‘planted’-feeing now, + more stabile, too --- especially on-center . . . enough so that I can take my hands off the wheel at speed. (Marco, first.) Steering loads-up noticeably more now, at turn-in, too --- but that’s not a bad thing, given the way that I take most corners . . . re: slowly. Marco said he increased the caster some. The car also looks to sit a bit differently, now, too --- nose-downer + butt-upper, maybe? . . . but, overall . . . 1059 rides/tracks/points as lovely/lively as ever

Another thing that got tended to was servicing all the gauges. Marco + North Hollywood Speedometer. Whew! --- is it nice to look at + trust all your gauges or what? How ‘bout seeing them at night, like --- at all? I haven’t seen the speedo in The Nasty Car after dark, like --- ever! . . . so . . . a whole new world of driving. Plus? . . . they’re really-pretty to look at, too --- all five. Not ‘flashy,’at all --- no gimmicky colors or lay-outs . . . just serious-looking, scientific . . . . + very-very German

The only gauge that I’m not quiiiiiiiite ready to trust? . . .

. . . the gas

Look . . . the Big Tank may be nice-‘n’-tidy, all the fuel lines + filters fresh, even the gauge re-built . . .

. . . but how long has that sender been sending, huh? 45-maybe-50 years? And I’m a cautious sort, too, so . . .

Fill-up/start = 16-Jun, 00:43:00
Mileage/kilometerage = 47820/76959
$38.50 @4.259/gal

Which brings-up the Biggest Point of this Drive . . . . = fuel economy, and, more-specifically? . . .

. . . range


Usually/normally, @~1/2-a-tank, I’m looking to top-off --- ‘just ‘cause.’ Long trips, especially --- even if I know the route/stops/stations/etc. Especially on this one, ‘cause --- until I’m comfortable w/ the car’s demonstrated/’regular’ fuel economy . . . I don’t care what the gauges say --- ‘new’ or not

I’m not sure if old VDO fuel gauges have a ‘reserve’ light, or not . . . but Marco told me that, when the MFI runs outta gas . . .

. . . it just stops

No chug, no sputter, no ‘heads-up’ . . . . . just ------------------- off

No sh!t

So, being the cautious sort . . . .

Fill-up/1st stop = 16-Jun, 11:59:00
48185/77547 = 365.4/588.0
$72.00 @$4.479 = 16.08gal
= 22.7 mpg

(This was all after the PCA Concours, as I was leaving. Trip up = non-stop --- for fuel, anyway)

Keeping in mind that 100 liters = ~26.5 gal . . . I had a ~10 gal cushion. And sorry --- but I have absolutely no recollection of what the gauge showed. I don’t remember most of the drive up, for that matter. I shoulda taken a picture of the gauge, maybe, but . . . I was pretty-much toast, by then . . .


1) Wugh! Reminds me of that whole drive up = Road Zombie. Good thing nobody was out there w/ me

2) Tanking-up for the drive up

3) Oh-yeah! --- reminds me . . . kinda got a little lost, at one point. Hwy 154 's been re-constructed + pretty sure that I missed a turn. Found a brand-new gas station that wasn't supposed to be there, so . . . choco-milk break, there . . . . . . . I think

[LongRanger]

I left the PCA Concours ~10:00, I think

I was cold/under-dressed, dead-stinkin'-tired . . . and I'm not crazy about crowds, so . . .

. . . took some parting shots, then --- took off

Sun finally came out, too --- and juuuuuust as I was leaving

Hhhh


Drive back was OK. As soon as I left the coast, it got kinda hot. Don't remember there being a lotta traffic, but still . . . I took it easy. Part of the reason was, again, fuel economy. I didn't calculate any fuel numbers 'till I got home, so all I did was keep the engine @~3200-or-so. Which seemed kinda --- I dunno . . . weak?

Since getting the gauges fixed, I figured out that the '3000' rpm pace that felt so natural, before . . . was actually closer 4000. Not like I was hammering the car or anything, but the fuel economy had been only ~20 MpG-or-so --- so . . . I expected some improvement by dialing engine speeds back a bit

Which seemed fine. Like I said --- not a lot of traffic . . .

. . . until I came down the back-side of the 154

Musta been 40 cars lined-up --- all of us held-up by some knucklehead in what looked like a rental car. Prolly only held us up 10 minutes, but --- just frustrating, driving down a 5 mile grade in 2nd/3rd/brakes

Even though it was Monday, lotta traffic waiting for me in Santa Barbara . . .

. . . the Usual Cluster at the Oulets by Camarillo . . .

. . . followed by some kind of lane closure in Thousand Oaks


Bad enough to send me off into the side-streets, when I got by the T.O.Mall . . .

. . . and even more traffic

Grrrrrr


So, by the time I got back on the 23 heading North? . . . I was in No Mood --- as in 3200-my-orafice. + The Nasty Car feels sooooooooooooo much better off the leash

Got home a little before 16:00


Funny thing was? --- after doing hokey-pokey on two-lane city streets, then Schumachering down the highway. . .


. . . next tank came out to 23.0 MpG

!

Fill-up = 16-Jun, 23:01:35
48549/78132 = 363.5/585.0
$68.00 @4.299/gal = 15.82gal
= 23.0 MpG



So much for slower = better . . . MpG-wise, anyway

[friggens]

Hi Rick -

Just catching up here on yer travels to one PCA event, and now you are off to Werks... Take lots of pictures again - My desires to go were quelled by my parts purchases this year -

You are getting everything 1059 has to offer and then some!!! Even decent fuel economy if you try Hope you can further test the new suspension on this run instead of fuel economy -

Cheers!!!!!

[LongRanger]

After months of anticipation . . . it finally came time for us to go to Monterey --- for the inaugural Werks Reunion

We'd already attended a 50th Anniversary thing or two, over the last year . . . but this one felt like it would be something different. As many of you may know --- and as the membership rolls can attest . . .

. . . there 're a LOTTA Porsches + Owners here, in CA

Also a lotta reeeeeeally nice weather, too --- 15-year drought, I'm told, so . . . what with the combination of cars + owners + weather --- + an outstanding venue . . .

. . . I had high hopes


I'd just been up to the area, the previous month, for the PCA Parade, so --- re: car-prep . . . all I had to do was clean the windshield + gas-up The Nasty Car. Have those figures somewhere --- put 'em up later

Anyway, the original plan was for just Zovig + I to take 1059 up. But, when some friends heard about the trip? . . . there was some talk of joining in. Well, as the, uh . . . 'economic impact' of their participation sunk-in, there were some delays in squeezing the proverbial trigger as to where-+-when, etc . . .

Short Version = I didn't look for a place for us to stay 'till 2 weeks before

airbnb to the rescue

Not exactly cheap + ~$400/night --- but . . . I scored us just the sweetest little Sugar Shack that I could've imagined --- + barely 5 miles from the venue, too . . . + in a tony little piece of Carmel that only Trustee Babies + Arbitragers usually inhabit . . . if they even know about it

Anyway, we had a day to get up there, so I took us up The One. Later start = ~11:30 (?) + some unexpected + heavier traffic, coming up thru Santa Barbara. San Luis Obispo has this really cool Farmer's Market on Thursdays, too --- but . . . taking that in would've put us in Carmel waaaaaaay after dark. Which I'm fine with . . . Zovig? = no. So, we swung by Pismo Beach, a little South of SLO, + had our lunch at a tasty/tidy little Mexomerican place I know/been to = Zorro's

But eventually we made it to The Coast. Not too bad, traffic-wise, but still not exactly the most pacific drive, either. Lotta Rental-agency Mustang-convertibles out + lollygagging . . . but --- we still had a nice little trip, w/ beautiful weather . . . + came into Carmel from the South ~18:00-ish (?)


1) Loading up. Any extra space is for my bag

2) Guess which one's mine? Hint: smells like Vreds

3) Didn't make it. I suppose I could've installed the thing + driven up w/ it . . . but one of the frame pieces bites me in the back 'just so,' so . . .

4) Friday mid-day traffic? Really? Aren't You People supposed to be working or something? . . .

5) 'At's more like it --- 120 kph/75 mph = 3600 RpM

[friggens]

This is the beginning of a great adventure...

Cool account, awsome images - I sure enjoy your chronicle Rick! All those car details and driving songs are pure entertainment

What a summer for Porsches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!

[LongRanger]

1) + 2) Hot when we left the house . . . + no fun sitting traffic. But once we got to the coast . . . things cooled-off. Even in high-Summer, fog always seems to be lurking off the coast . . . and welcome, too. Ocean works like a really big a/c unit --- temps were in the 90s, further inland

3) + 4) Zorro's. Good food @a fair price, outside heaters --- cooler than it looks (just ask Zovig) . . . + my kinda place

5) The One, coming-up on Rocky Point = why there're lighthouses w/ foghorns